Guava 27 - Don't you cry for me; Marshmallow 12 - imitation
Author: Giz
Rating: PG
Story: The Secondaries
Words: 694
Main characters: Olivie
Challenge: Guava 27 - Don't you cry for me; Marshmallow 12 - imitation.
Topping: Hot fudge
Summary: Olivie always thought she'd end up with Asher. It was assumed.
Notes: I wrote this in a moment of angst revolving real-life events. I'm really starting to wish I hadn't based Asher on a real person.
November 14, 2009
The Halloween that she was six, Olivie was going to dress up as Cinderella. A family friend had made her a beautiful periwinkle gown, and she had a real diamond tiara. It was going to be perfect. But the morning of October 31st, she came home from school with a fever. To her young mind this might have been the end of the world. For weeks she had dreamed of that night, only to have it fall to pieces.
When she got over her sickness, Olivie's mother dressed her up in her costume and took her out for ice cream. It was better than Halloween - she even got to pick out a bag of candy on the way home. She chose Swedish fish and happily sucked on them while watching Cinderella in her costume.
Olivie had plans. She had ideas, blueprints, for what was supposed to happen. And she always, always, got her way.
Until now.
"Do your Joker laugh again!"
It was 11:56 and Olivie was struggling not to yawn. She swirled her cookie dough milkshake around with a spoon. There was a half-eaten plate of cheese fries in front of her, which Josh picked at between laughs. Cody's Joker impression was a popular one, right after his Louis Armstrong, but Olivie was too worn out to enjoy it. It was tradition to go to Steak 'n' Shake after opening night, but she was an early riser, and longed for her pillow. Gretl was her ride home, though, and the older girl seemed to be enjoying the opportunity to scoff at Cody and the others.
"You have hair sticking up on top."
Olivie winced at the sound of Georgie's voice from across the table. She tried not to look as the girl reached over to Asher and combed down a piece of light blonde hair with her fingers. Asher just ruffled it again.
"Maybe I like it that way."
"Or maybe you just like me touching your hair." Georgie chewed on her straw a big before taking a long sip of her melting milkshake. Asher smirked, a slight blush on his cheeks.
Vivi elbowed Cody. "Neither admitted nor denied."
Olivie felt her body tense up, and a familiar pressure built up behind her eyes. She reached into her purse and pulled out a pair of large, bejeweled sunglasses. When Josh raised one eyebrow she said, "The lights are giving me a migraine." She prayed no one would notice if the lenses fogged up. Then again, she did this on a regular basis, and no one had figured her out yet.
The waiter brought them the checks, and Olivie threw her attention into digging through her wallet for exact change. No one else was getting their money together yet, so she slowed down and pulled out her Blackberry. Two minutes before midnight.
"Don't worry, I'll pay for you."
"Asher, I have thirty dollars. I can cover it."
Olivie felt a tear roll down her face. She lowered her head and stared at her phone, focusing on the little words on the screen. Inbox (3). None of the texts made sense, but she read them three times anyway.
"Hey, are you alright?"
The world stopped. Asher was leaning over the table, his blue-grey eyes focuses on Olivie. For a moment a warm feeling crept into her heart, and she felt that familiar throbbing in her gut.
"Just a headache," she mumbled.
"Alright. Hope it gets better." Then he turned back to Georgie and snatched her milkshake to steal a sip and the world crashed back into motion again.
Josh's watch beeped. It was midnight.
"Ready to get going?" Gretl turned to Olivie. Her dark eyes glinted for a moment when she saw the sunglasses, but she didn't say any more. Olivie nodded and followed her to the cash register.
Olivie had plans. She was going to be a famous actress. She was going to live in New York City. She was going to end up with Asher one day.
As soon as Gretl dropped her off at her house, Olivie let herself inside, stumbled up to her room, and melted into sobs on the heart-shaped rug.