FF: Music to my Ears 8
Music to My Ears
Olivia stepped out of the cab and looked up at the tall house before her. Accent lights lit up the bushes as she made her way up to the door. Why did this feel odd to her? She was here, just the other night. Why did this night feel different? Could it be because she was the one that needed saving now? She didn't do too well with that, but she needed company and had a feeling Alex needed the same. After all, Alex sounded desperately lonely on the phone, so she was here to help out her friend... Right?
The nervous brunette pushed the doorbell and listened as it chimed throughout the house. A moment later she heard bare feet, slapping their way down hard wood stairs. The door opened after a glance through the peep hole.
"Olivia!" Alex's smile burst a little too soon, happy for the company. Probably happy for any company, Olivia thought. But the blondes face fell when she saw the traces of blood on Olivia's hairline. She stepped close, "Oh what happened?" The brunette flinched when Alex went to touch the skin and the blonde paused, realizing she was probably invading Olivia's personal space. Alex tended to ignore that a lot with this new friend. "Sorry," she said quietly. "I have some stuff to dress that..."
"You really don't have to," Olivia looked at her feet. "Soap and water's always worked."
"Oh let me play doctor, I'm bored to tears," Alex said, trying to make up for her awkward intrusion. Olivia looked up and Alex smiled warmly. She took a deep breath and the blonde touched her shoulder gently, guiding her inside. "Come in." Olivia felt her stomach knot in the moment and followed the petite girl into the not-so-petite house.
"So what were you doing tonight?" Olivia asked, trying to talk through her nerves and steer the subject away from herself.
"Just watching t.v." Alex said, walking into the living room. Olivia looked over the fluffy couches and throw blankets draped just so, over the backs.
"A fireplace?" Olivia asked, surprised Alex would make a fire just for herself.
"Don't give me too much credit, it's electric. You just push a button to turn it on," she giggled at Olivia's confused expression as the brunette poked her head inside the faux set up. Alex found herself gazing at the dirty girl in her clean living room. She's like a stray dog you just can't turn away from. You just want to give it a bath and wrap a ribbon on it's neck and beg your parents to let you keep her. Alex thought to herself.
"Where should I put my bag?" Olivia asked, turning to the dreaming blonde. "I'm afraid to touch anything in your perfect house."
"Don't be silly," she said softly, her mind floating somewhere else.
Olivia sensed the detachment, "Is it okay that I came here? I mean-"
"Oh of course! I mean, I called you after all..." The blonde stepped forward and reached out clumsily for the backpack. She accidentally covered her hand over Olivia's before pulling the bag from her grip. She felt her face flush and took the bag, trying to turn before the brunette noticed but Olivia could read people like textbooks and she was finding that this uncommon tension she felt was also coursing through Alex.
Alex disappeared down the hall and Olivia stood alone in the living room. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt safe for a moment and that meant so much to her. The house was warm and the soft glow from the fireplace and couch side lamp made things feel cozy. She heard Alex pad back down the hall as she emerged holding peroxide and a washcloth.
"Ohh," Olivia moaned, rolling her eyes.
"Oh no you don't," Alex reached out for Olivia's forearm and she winced. "Oh, I'm sorry," Alex retracted immediately.
"Just sore," the brunette said, sitting on the couch, facing the worried girl next to her.
"Sit still okay? You don't want to get infected," Alex scolded.
She pressed the wash cloth lightly to Olivia's forehead. The warm water felt nice on her skin as she patiently let Alex wipe away the blood and dirt.
"Where the heck were you, the woods?" Alex wondered aloud.
"Elliot's back yard," the brunette said, her eyes darting everywhere but Alex's face; their close proximity making her squeamish.
"Mm, okay. You really need to stop rolling in the dirt," the blonde said softly, a smiling creeping over her cheeks. Olivia let her eyes travel over them quickly. She noticed the glow of Alex's skin, the small dotted freckles that ran a path from one cheek to the other, straight over her nose. A few hairs kept falling down into her face and Alex absently blew at them with the side of her mouth. Olivia reached up without thinking and pushed them away gently.
"Uh... Thanks," Alex managed to say, smiling before hurriedly trying to find something to distract her. Her face turned red and she felt her stomach knot. She internally blamed it on the fact that she rarely had visitors but a big part of her loved the feelings that came over her when this brunette was near.
She twisted open the peroxide and Olivia leaned back. "That's going to hurt," she stated, looking from the bottle to the cotton ball in Alex's fingers.
"No, the cut is closed," she assured. Olivia eyed her suspiciously. "Come on, it won't hurt."
The cotton ball made it over an inch of Olivia's skin when the blonde hit a sensitive spot and sent Olivia jumping backwards, nearly spilling the bottle.
"Ow! I felt that!" She cried out, covering her head. "That stung," she confessed, little tears welling. Olivia wasn't a baby when it came to a sting. It was more the events of the evening and the emotions flooding her in this girls house, that were brimming her eyelashes.
"You're okay," Alex dropped the supplies onto the coffee table and put her hands up in surrender. "Come here, let me fix it."
"No, I don't like this game. You've fixed it all up," Olivia half laughed.
"Seriously, I didn't think it would get you," Alex said pulling Olivia's hand away and blowing gently on her face, going over the cut above her ear. The brunette closed her eyes, not from the air but from the feeling. Her body became hot and her heart began to race. What was this?
"Better?" The blonde asked, unaware of Olivia's senses.
"Yeah, thank you," Olivia said. She looked around, "where's your bathroom?"
"Down the hall," Alex pointed. "To the right. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Olivia reassured and escaped the couch and the girl with soft features. She splashed water on her face and avoided the mirror at all costs. Instead she inspected the stonework on the floor and the chiffon curtains. Everything about this place is just... Beautiful and elegant. Better than any hotel, Olivia thought to herself.
When Olivia returned to the living room, Alex was mindlessly channel surfing. "What do you like to watch?" She asked without letting her eyes leave the screen.
"Doesn't matter to me," the brunette said, dropping back onto the puffed couch. "Jees," she murmured aloud.
"What?" Alex turned to face her.
"I feel like I'm being swallowed up by your couch," Olivia joked, making a face like the couch was strangling her. Alex laughed.
"They are pretty outrageous aren't they? So tacky," the blonde sneered and Olivia found it incredibly adorable.
"They feel nice, they're just..." Olivia shrugged.
"Big," Alex finished for her. "Everything in this house is big. It's my father, he's got 'small man syndrome.'" Alex said turning back to the t.v. "He' shorter than my uncle's and they've made fun of him for years. Now the rest of us have to live with it."
"I wish I had a father with that, so I could live in a house like this," Olivia said, snuggling into it. She crossed her arms over her chest and put her feet up on the coffee table.
"This house isn't all that great. Maybe it would be, if I didn't feel like the only one that lived here. It's scary at night. I hear all sorts of noises and who knows where they are coming from. I'm always worrying about being robbed... When I get older, I just want a nice apartment in some skyscraper in New York City," Alex said, imagining the loft she'd have over looking the rooftops.
"I'd have to agree with you there," Olivia imagined it too. No glum dump. No one to take care of but herself. "You'd need a rooftop garden though. Like, so you'd feel some nature. I've been to the city, it's all metal except for central park but who can make time to go there everyday?"
"Yeah," Alex flipped through until she stumbled upon her favorite court drama. "Oh I love this show! Have you ever seen it?"
"We don't really do t.v. in my house," Olivia replied.
"Well you'll love this, it's so interesting," the blonde promised but Olivia was tired and she could feel her head becoming light. She knew she wouldn't be able to fight off sleep for long and within a matter of fifteen minutes, she was out.
****
"Oh Chaz, I know this cooker would go great in my home!"
"I bet it would Patsy, because the 'All American Slow Cooker' would go great in ANY home!"
The goofy host shouted at the t.v. in excitement as Olivia's eyes wearily opened. She felt a weight on her and looked down to see Alex, comfortably tucked up against her body; keeping both of them warm. The blondes hair was spread out across Olivia's lap and her face was somewhere hidden behind the untamed locks.
Olivia leaned forward and looked at the sleeping girl in her lap. Should I wake her? She wondered to herself. Alex sighed unknowingly and Olivia froze for a moment. Okay, I don't want to wake her... She thought, nervously. Instead she rested back into the couch and reached up for the blanket slung over the back. She pulled it down carefully over Alex and smiled. She hated to admit it but she was comfortable. She craned her neck to the side so she could watch Alex's head rise and fall with every breath she took.
Alex's hair was shiny and smooth as it fell slowly off her shoulders with the movement. Olivia wondered what it felt like. She moved her arm carefully and touched the ends with her fingers. She waited for the sleeping girl to flinch but she remained still. The brunette was awake now, all too aware of her surroundings. She couldn't fall back asleep and she couldn't move. Thought's of the police station filtered through her mind. She wondered if Elliot would be dragged into this and if she'd actually have to go to jail.
Mindlessly Olivia combed her square fingers through Alex's hair as she thought of the events of the past weekend. How could so many things go wrong so fast? She wondered. She exhaled a heavy sigh in frustration and felt Alex stir. She froze, realizing she had been playing with the girls hair. Had she woken up? How awkward would this be? Olivia worried.
Alex stretched her legs out lazily and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder, rolling her face into Olivia's stomach. A stomach that was so knotted at the movement, Olivia thought she'd pee her pants. She's so pretty when she sleeps, Olivia found herself thinking. I don't know why but there's just something about her... The confused brunette was starting to realize these feelings of 'helping a person in need' were turning into something more. Admiration? She wasn't sure but she did know, she really didn't want the morning to come. She could lay like this on this over stuffed couch forever. Little did she know, Alex was really good at pretending to be asleep...
Olivia stepped out of the cab and looked up at the tall house before her. Accent lights lit up the bushes as she made her way up to the door. Why did this feel odd to her? She was here, just the other night. Why did this night feel different? Could it be because she was the one that needed saving now? She didn't do too well with that, but she needed company and had a feeling Alex needed the same. After all, Alex sounded desperately lonely on the phone, so she was here to help out her friend... Right?
The nervous brunette pushed the doorbell and listened as it chimed throughout the house. A moment later she heard bare feet, slapping their way down hard wood stairs. The door opened after a glance through the peep hole.
"Olivia!" Alex's smile burst a little too soon, happy for the company. Probably happy for any company, Olivia thought. But the blondes face fell when she saw the traces of blood on Olivia's hairline. She stepped close, "Oh what happened?" The brunette flinched when Alex went to touch the skin and the blonde paused, realizing she was probably invading Olivia's personal space. Alex tended to ignore that a lot with this new friend. "Sorry," she said quietly. "I have some stuff to dress that..."
"You really don't have to," Olivia looked at her feet. "Soap and water's always worked."
"Oh let me play doctor, I'm bored to tears," Alex said, trying to make up for her awkward intrusion. Olivia looked up and Alex smiled warmly. She took a deep breath and the blonde touched her shoulder gently, guiding her inside. "Come in." Olivia felt her stomach knot in the moment and followed the petite girl into the not-so-petite house.
"So what were you doing tonight?" Olivia asked, trying to talk through her nerves and steer the subject away from herself.
"Just watching t.v." Alex said, walking into the living room. Olivia looked over the fluffy couches and throw blankets draped just so, over the backs.
"A fireplace?" Olivia asked, surprised Alex would make a fire just for herself.
"Don't give me too much credit, it's electric. You just push a button to turn it on," she giggled at Olivia's confused expression as the brunette poked her head inside the faux set up. Alex found herself gazing at the dirty girl in her clean living room. She's like a stray dog you just can't turn away from. You just want to give it a bath and wrap a ribbon on it's neck and beg your parents to let you keep her. Alex thought to herself.
"Where should I put my bag?" Olivia asked, turning to the dreaming blonde. "I'm afraid to touch anything in your perfect house."
"Don't be silly," she said softly, her mind floating somewhere else.
Olivia sensed the detachment, "Is it okay that I came here? I mean-"
"Oh of course! I mean, I called you after all..." The blonde stepped forward and reached out clumsily for the backpack. She accidentally covered her hand over Olivia's before pulling the bag from her grip. She felt her face flush and took the bag, trying to turn before the brunette noticed but Olivia could read people like textbooks and she was finding that this uncommon tension she felt was also coursing through Alex.
Alex disappeared down the hall and Olivia stood alone in the living room. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt safe for a moment and that meant so much to her. The house was warm and the soft glow from the fireplace and couch side lamp made things feel cozy. She heard Alex pad back down the hall as she emerged holding peroxide and a washcloth.
"Ohh," Olivia moaned, rolling her eyes.
"Oh no you don't," Alex reached out for Olivia's forearm and she winced. "Oh, I'm sorry," Alex retracted immediately.
"Just sore," the brunette said, sitting on the couch, facing the worried girl next to her.
"Sit still okay? You don't want to get infected," Alex scolded.
She pressed the wash cloth lightly to Olivia's forehead. The warm water felt nice on her skin as she patiently let Alex wipe away the blood and dirt.
"Where the heck were you, the woods?" Alex wondered aloud.
"Elliot's back yard," the brunette said, her eyes darting everywhere but Alex's face; their close proximity making her squeamish.
"Mm, okay. You really need to stop rolling in the dirt," the blonde said softly, a smiling creeping over her cheeks. Olivia let her eyes travel over them quickly. She noticed the glow of Alex's skin, the small dotted freckles that ran a path from one cheek to the other, straight over her nose. A few hairs kept falling down into her face and Alex absently blew at them with the side of her mouth. Olivia reached up without thinking and pushed them away gently.
"Uh... Thanks," Alex managed to say, smiling before hurriedly trying to find something to distract her. Her face turned red and she felt her stomach knot. She internally blamed it on the fact that she rarely had visitors but a big part of her loved the feelings that came over her when this brunette was near.
She twisted open the peroxide and Olivia leaned back. "That's going to hurt," she stated, looking from the bottle to the cotton ball in Alex's fingers.
"No, the cut is closed," she assured. Olivia eyed her suspiciously. "Come on, it won't hurt."
The cotton ball made it over an inch of Olivia's skin when the blonde hit a sensitive spot and sent Olivia jumping backwards, nearly spilling the bottle.
"Ow! I felt that!" She cried out, covering her head. "That stung," she confessed, little tears welling. Olivia wasn't a baby when it came to a sting. It was more the events of the evening and the emotions flooding her in this girls house, that were brimming her eyelashes.
"You're okay," Alex dropped the supplies onto the coffee table and put her hands up in surrender. "Come here, let me fix it."
"No, I don't like this game. You've fixed it all up," Olivia half laughed.
"Seriously, I didn't think it would get you," Alex said pulling Olivia's hand away and blowing gently on her face, going over the cut above her ear. The brunette closed her eyes, not from the air but from the feeling. Her body became hot and her heart began to race. What was this?
"Better?" The blonde asked, unaware of Olivia's senses.
"Yeah, thank you," Olivia said. She looked around, "where's your bathroom?"
"Down the hall," Alex pointed. "To the right. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Olivia reassured and escaped the couch and the girl with soft features. She splashed water on her face and avoided the mirror at all costs. Instead she inspected the stonework on the floor and the chiffon curtains. Everything about this place is just... Beautiful and elegant. Better than any hotel, Olivia thought to herself.
When Olivia returned to the living room, Alex was mindlessly channel surfing. "What do you like to watch?" She asked without letting her eyes leave the screen.
"Doesn't matter to me," the brunette said, dropping back onto the puffed couch. "Jees," she murmured aloud.
"What?" Alex turned to face her.
"I feel like I'm being swallowed up by your couch," Olivia joked, making a face like the couch was strangling her. Alex laughed.
"They are pretty outrageous aren't they? So tacky," the blonde sneered and Olivia found it incredibly adorable.
"They feel nice, they're just..." Olivia shrugged.
"Big," Alex finished for her. "Everything in this house is big. It's my father, he's got 'small man syndrome.'" Alex said turning back to the t.v. "He' shorter than my uncle's and they've made fun of him for years. Now the rest of us have to live with it."
"I wish I had a father with that, so I could live in a house like this," Olivia said, snuggling into it. She crossed her arms over her chest and put her feet up on the coffee table.
"This house isn't all that great. Maybe it would be, if I didn't feel like the only one that lived here. It's scary at night. I hear all sorts of noises and who knows where they are coming from. I'm always worrying about being robbed... When I get older, I just want a nice apartment in some skyscraper in New York City," Alex said, imagining the loft she'd have over looking the rooftops.
"I'd have to agree with you there," Olivia imagined it too. No glum dump. No one to take care of but herself. "You'd need a rooftop garden though. Like, so you'd feel some nature. I've been to the city, it's all metal except for central park but who can make time to go there everyday?"
"Yeah," Alex flipped through until she stumbled upon her favorite court drama. "Oh I love this show! Have you ever seen it?"
"We don't really do t.v. in my house," Olivia replied.
"Well you'll love this, it's so interesting," the blonde promised but Olivia was tired and she could feel her head becoming light. She knew she wouldn't be able to fight off sleep for long and within a matter of fifteen minutes, she was out.
****
"Oh Chaz, I know this cooker would go great in my home!"
"I bet it would Patsy, because the 'All American Slow Cooker' would go great in ANY home!"
The goofy host shouted at the t.v. in excitement as Olivia's eyes wearily opened. She felt a weight on her and looked down to see Alex, comfortably tucked up against her body; keeping both of them warm. The blondes hair was spread out across Olivia's lap and her face was somewhere hidden behind the untamed locks.
Olivia leaned forward and looked at the sleeping girl in her lap. Should I wake her? She wondered to herself. Alex sighed unknowingly and Olivia froze for a moment. Okay, I don't want to wake her... She thought, nervously. Instead she rested back into the couch and reached up for the blanket slung over the back. She pulled it down carefully over Alex and smiled. She hated to admit it but she was comfortable. She craned her neck to the side so she could watch Alex's head rise and fall with every breath she took.
Alex's hair was shiny and smooth as it fell slowly off her shoulders with the movement. Olivia wondered what it felt like. She moved her arm carefully and touched the ends with her fingers. She waited for the sleeping girl to flinch but she remained still. The brunette was awake now, all too aware of her surroundings. She couldn't fall back asleep and she couldn't move. Thought's of the police station filtered through her mind. She wondered if Elliot would be dragged into this and if she'd actually have to go to jail.
Mindlessly Olivia combed her square fingers through Alex's hair as she thought of the events of the past weekend. How could so many things go wrong so fast? She wondered. She exhaled a heavy sigh in frustration and felt Alex stir. She froze, realizing she had been playing with the girls hair. Had she woken up? How awkward would this be? Olivia worried.
Alex stretched her legs out lazily and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder, rolling her face into Olivia's stomach. A stomach that was so knotted at the movement, Olivia thought she'd pee her pants. She's so pretty when she sleeps, Olivia found herself thinking. I don't know why but there's just something about her... The confused brunette was starting to realize these feelings of 'helping a person in need' were turning into something more. Admiration? She wasn't sure but she did know, she really didn't want the morning to come. She could lay like this on this over stuffed couch forever. Little did she know, Alex was really good at pretending to be asleep...