CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

LOWS — PINK SWEAT$
Take your time with this love
Say you're mine forever

SOMEHOW, OLIVIA MANAGED to avoid both Christa and Jason for the rest of the week. Granted, Christa was probably avoiding her too and the Sunset Curve boys took it upon themselves to make sure she and Jason were never in the same hall. She was thankful for their protective nature. It gave her time to think things through and decide if she actually wanted to talk to Christa about their shared parental heritage. She came to the quick conclusion that she wanted to forget about the whole ordeal.

Olivia was always good at avoiding her problems until they went away. Perhaps it was anxiety related procrastination, or maybe an innate defence mechanism, but whatever it was, it made forgetting Battle of the Bands ever happened look like the best possible option.

It wasn't only her daddy issues that put a damper on her mood. After their initial performance, Sunset Curve had reached a high status of hallway fame seemingly overnight. After their most recent performance—where the majority of Los Feliz's student body came to show their support—their popularity had decreased as a result of Olivia's onstage frozen mistake. Respect was a funny thing. Turns out it's fragile as well.

As the week came to a close, Olivia found herself standing at her locker. The final bell had come and gone, and the hallways were quickly draining of students who were rushing to get home for the weekend.

Surprisingly, her locker was vacant of people. Usually, at least one of the boys would be there waiting for her at the end of the day. She did tell them that she had to stop by the music room to speak with Miss Taylor, but being tardy never stopped them from waiting for her before.

She took it as a little vacation. She loved her boys, she really did, but they could be a little overbearing sometimes, especially when they were worried about her. They liked to hover and while they always respected her wishes when she asked for space, they were still incredibly overprotective when they weren't even trying to be.

Mumbling a song she had written the other day, Olivia shoved her books into her backpack and closed her locker. She jumped when she saw the last person she wanted to talk to on the other side of the door.

Christa's arms were crossed over her chest and there was a stoney expression on her face. The two girls stared at each other for a moment, realizing just how many similarities existed between their appearance now that they knew what to look for. Christa pushed off the locker, her shoulders back and her chin held high to assert dominance. "We need to talk."

Olivia slung her bag over her shoulder and walked past her without a single word. There were too many things she wanted to say, but she had no idea where to start. She had no idea if she even wanted to start because she knew that the second she did, she'd go off like a firecracker. There was anger in her veins, and it was only a matter of time until that anger lit the dynamite stick of her temper.

"Hey!" Christa shouted, following after the girl. The hallways were empty now, which was why she felt comfortable in cornering her half-sister. Her guard dogs weren't around. "I'm talking to you!"

"We have nothing to talk about," Olivia stated. She kept her eyes straight and her chin up.

"Olivia," Christa called almost pleadingly. "Olivia!"

The girl in question pushed open the doors that lead to the student parking lot. Christa was close behind, practically running after her.

"You're not the only one who found out they have a sister," she exclaimed, pushing the door harshly since Olivia didn't bother holding it. She stopped just outside the door and stomped her foot like a petulant child. "Stop walking away from me!"

With her back still turned, Olivia shut her eyes and tilted her head to the sky. She took a deep inhale and slowly exhaled before spinning on her heel to face the girl who demanded her attention.

Once Christa got it, she took a step forward. "Look," she started, "I know we don't like each other. I don't blame you, especially after I set you up to find Megan and Jason under the bleachers."

At the sound of her ex's name, Olivia grimaced. After the truth came out about their father, Christa had completely blocked Jason out of her life. With the exception of band practices, they were no longer friends and it didn't look like they were going to make up anytime soon.

Olivia shook her head. "This isn't about Jason or me not liking you, which I don't, or you hating me, which you make so painfully obvious. It's about—" She cut herself off, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stop once she started getting into how she really felt. She sharply inhaled and her head turned away from the girl in front of her. Her eyes landed on a black BMW sitting a little ways away with four boys sitting on the hood, watching the whole scene play out. Her head turned back to Christa. She wanted to end the conversation before it could harm either of them and she really wanted to go home and hug her dog. "You know what, don't worry about it. We're not sisters and we're definitely not friends. We're not anything to each other."

Christa watched as Olivia turned on her heel, but she wasn't letting her get away too easily. She rushed forward and grabbed Olivia's wrist, forcing her to turn around to face her again. "You can't expect me to just ignore that we're related!"

"Why not?" Olivia bit back, yanking her arm out of her hold. "You don't like me, you never have, and we were perfectly fine living in our separate bubbles before we knew."

"Well— Because—"

"Because what, Christa?"

Christa opened her mouth and it looked like she was about to say something important. If she was brave enough or if she didn't care so much about her own pride, she would tell Olivia how bad she felt. The truth was that she was sorry. She treated Olivia horribly for no reason besides being bored. She felt guilty, but unfortunately, Christa wasn't brave enough to admit it. She cared too much about her pride. So she closed her mouth and said nothing, leaving Olivia to nod bitterly.

Olivia's lips pursed. It was clear that Christa wasn't going to drop the subject until they had this uncomfortable conversation that neither of them enjoyed. "Do you know what I remember most about my father?" Olivia questioned in a calm anger.

Christa said nothing.

"I remember him leaving for weeks at a time for what he said were business trips. I remember him sneaking into the house at night after working what I thought was a night shift. And I remember every missed piano recital, every missed basketball game, and every single missed birthday!" Olivia's voiced raised with every passing word.

Christa stepped forward again, her brows furrowed and her mouth drawn into a frown. "You think he was father of the year for me too? You don't think he missed important shit for me too?" She almost let out a laugh. "Because he did! Half the time he wasn't there, so I get what you're going through, if anything I'm the only one who does!"

"No, you aren't!" Olivia snapped, stepping closer so that they were face to face. She was past the point of no return. Bitter flames licked up any ounce of mercy she had. "You have no idea what I'm going through because he chose you! He chose you!" Olivia's voice started to falter as she continued, the cracks in her strong facade as obvious as the cracks in the asphalt beneath them. The prickling feeling at the corners of her eyes went ignored. "You didn't have to deal with the messy divorce, or telling your kid brother it wasn't his fault! You weren't sent to voicemail every night and you didn't wait by the door hoping he'd come back! So don't tell me you know what it feels like to have your dad not want you because you don't!"

Once the words were out there, once her feelings were on display for the world to see, Olivia stepped back. A part of her was still seething in white hot anger with no regard for anyones feelings but her own, another part was sobbing and gasping for air. But the rest of Olivia? The rest of Olivia knew that it wasn't Christa's fault—none of it was. Christa had no choice in who their father decided to abandon, especially since she just found out they were sisters this week. It wasn't either of their faults and that's why the second Olivia finished screaming in her sister's face, she felt guilt grip her windpipe. They were both victims of this unfortunate situation.

Christa face melted into an expression no one had ever seen before: sympathy. She hadn't considered Olivia's feelings on her pursuit for answers. She knew it wasn't a competition, people experienced life differently so to compare their problems would be pointless, but Olivia was right. She didn't have to stay strong for her mother as she signed divorce papers, nor did she have to comfort her brothers when they thought they were the reason their parents broke up. She didn't have to deal with the aftermath because their father stayed. She came home to him playing catch in the yard and she was taken out for ice cream when she was sad. She didn't have an absence in her life, an empty hole to fill. Because their father chose her.

Christa stepped forward, reaching for her sister's hand. "Olivia," she started gently. "I... I-I'm—" So sorry.

Olivia shook her head and stepped to the side. She wanted to go home and bury herself under her covers. She wanted forget today ever happened.

Without a word, Olivia turned and started walking towards that black BMW parked in the lot. The boys who were leaning against it had heard almost every word between the half-sisters and watched as Olivia wiped her tears away. She wouldn't let them fall in front of Christa.

They met her before she got to the car, reaching her just close enough before she broke down, but far enough to make Christa think they hadn't heard anything. They wrapped her in a group hug, not saying anything, and held her tight. Maybe if they held her tight enough, her broken pieces would glue themselves back together.

Olivia was the first to pull away, sniffling as she did. The warm embrace of her friends was a far cry from the mountain of blankets she had on her bed, but it felt like home nonetheless.

AFTER OLIVIA WAS taken home, the last thing she expected was Luke showing up only hours later to whisk her away again. Honestly, she didn't even know he was in her house until she walked into the kitchen and saw him giving Mikey girl advice over left over cupcakes.

When their moment of brotherhood was finished, completed with Olivia's unwanted quip about Kat Mercer asking her for boy advice, Luke took her to his house and led her to his old play structure.

He held her hand as she climbed up to the sheltered platform, only letting go when she was safely situated. As she got comfortable, he returned to his own kitchen and came back with two empty cups and a pitcher of lemonade.

"Here," he said, placing the pitcher in front of her before climbing up, "I know it's not ice cream, but my mom always said when life gives you lemons..." He shrugged and sat next to her, then poured their drinks.

"Your mom's quite the optimist," Olivia mused, lifting the cup to her lips. "My mom would just tell me to squeeze the juice in my enemy's eyes."

Luke chuckled. "That works too." He turned his head to her. "Do you wanna talk about what happened?"

She contemplated his question. Of course he heard her argument with Christa, they were screaming at each other in an empty parking lot. Shaking her head, she decided that it would be best to leave the topic alone for now. "No, I said what I wanted—needed—to say to her."

"You don't want to know what Christa wanted to say?"

If it were anyone else asking, it would sound like they were defending Christa, but coming from Luke, she knew it was pure curiosity. "Not right now," she shrugged. "If she wants to talk to me again, she will. Besides, I highly doubt she wants to be my sister."

"Damn, that's her loss. You're kinda cool."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Kinda?"

"Yeah." He nodded, bumping her shoulder with his. "Pretty too."

Olivia turned her head, eyes narrowing in confusion. She didn't understand it, she didn't understand Luke, and she especially didn't understand why he made it a point to compliment her every single day.

He glanced at her, his lips curling at the concentrated expression on her face. "Why are you looking at me like that, trouble?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're trying to figure me out."

"I am," she confessed. "You've called me pretty almost everyday since the last time we were out here."

"Are you asking me why?"

Olivia nodded and Luke gave her an incredulous look. "It's because you are pretty," he proclaimed. "And if my memory serves me right, you call me pretty too sometimes." His gaze turned teasing. "Quite unoriginal if I do say so myself, you should get your own compliment."

Olivia said nothing, but shook her head with a smile.

Luke watched as the sunlight broke through the tree branches above them, hitting her face and lighting her eyes. In that moment, he found himself in the same situation he always found himself in—completely and utterly in awe of Olivia Juliette. Now that he thought of it, there weren't many times when he wasn't in awe of her. When she was singing, when she was laughing, when she was talking, when she wasn't. She was captivating and like a moth to a fire, Luke gladly let her flames of existence consume him. Closer and closer he leaned in, but he was still too far away for his liking.

Olivia's eyes raked over Luke's face. "What are you doing?" she whispered, taking in how close they were to each other.

Friends don't call each other pretty all the time. Friends don't catch themselves staring at the other person's lips. Friends don't look at each other with pure adoration twinkling in their eyes. Friends don't do what they do. Both Olivia and Luke knew it. They were standing on the edge of something great, but whether or not they take the leap of faith was still undecided.

"I think you know," Luke whispered back. He leaned closer to her and could practically feel the heat off her skin. "Tell me to stop and I will."

She didn't tell him to stop. The symphonies around her were too loud and the demons whispering in her ears were silenced. The sun was brighter than its ever been, leaving burning warmth in its place where Luke's fingers brushed her cheek.

But the second before their lips brushed, she pulled away.

It's not that she didn't want to kiss Luke. She did. God, she wanted nothing more than to kiss him, but she couldn't. Not yet at least. Not before she spoke to her friends.

It wasn't only her friendship with Luke at stake. It was the entire band dynamic. She couldn't be selfish because this band, this little family they had, was just as important to all of them as it was to her.

At the absence of her presence in his immediate space, Luke softly smiled, almost as if he saw the rejection coming. He did, in a way. He knew what Olivia was thinking, he always did and if he didn't, his guess usually wasn't far off. He was just hoping that she'd be a little bit selfish this time, that she'd reach out and take what's hers. Because that's what Luke was. He was hers, undoubtedly and unwaveringly. In all his glory, the entirety of his soul, his mind, and his heart, belonged to Olivia Juliette Montez.

But he knew Olivia wasn't selfish. She was caring and considerate, respectful of the lives her actions would effect, and she held the four boys of Sunset Curve on a higher pedestal than
her throne made of stardust.

So he'd wait for her.

He'd wait for her to talk to their friends, he'd wait for the green light, he'd wait for her to take what's hers. He'd wait until the oceans dried out or the sun burned to ash. He'd wait until his last dying breath if it meant that he'd leave this mortal plane blessed with her love.

So when she pulled away with a guilty and torn expression on her face, he shook his head with a soft smile and moved his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Olivia Juliette," he mused, adoration dripping off his tongue like honey, "you will be the death of me."

RAE SPEAKS !
I meant to post this chapter yesterday, but I was busy studying for an exam </3

Thanks for being patient!

You @ me when Luke and Olivia nearly kissed but Olivia pulled away last second: