It Is What It Is
As Olivia sat on the bench in the garden behind the Institute, she swirled the ring on her left hand ring finger, around and around nervously.
"Hey sweet -"
Olivia nearly jumped out of her seat
"Holy Angels Alec you scared the crap out of me!"
"Sorry! I thought you'd of heard me coming haha"
"Nope, definitely did not!"
"Sorry!" Alec said again as he moved to sit down beside her. He swung his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in closer.
"You nervous?" Alec asked
"I'm freaking out Alec. Freaking the freak out." Olivia said, the panic clear in her voice.
"But why babe? We both know that you're going to kill it with the High Inquisitor and before you know it, the meeting will be over with and you can come back here."
"What if I mess up? She gave me one job and that was to not mess it up."
"Liv, if there's anything I know about you from the eight months we've been together, is that you can do everything you set your mind to. You won't fail today. You will crush it."
"Alec I can't fail. I'll be the laughing stock of Idris and the other apprentices. My parents will disown me, I'll probably disown myself"
"I won't disown you Liv. I didn't know I could be so proud of someone the way I am about you."
"Imogen always puts so much pressure on us. Some days I wonder why I was even chosen for this. How am I supposed to one day be the High Inquisitor if I'm having a panic attack over a meeting with the Council?"
"Olivia. You are the smartest person I've ever met. You read people and know exactly what will set them off and what they want to hear. You're the best at everything life throws at you. You're gorgeously beautiful. You're funny. You have the biggest heart and you have succeed in everything you do. Now why must you worry so much about a meeting? You should be worrying about the dress you'll wear to our wedding, not this! It'll be tough to outshine me that day" Alec said, with laughter in his voice.
"Ugh why are you always so sweet and loving even when I literally hate myself some days?"
"Pretty sure it's my job, and you make it easy." Alec replied
"Speaking of our wedding… do you really think you'll even come close to how smash I'll look?" Olivia smiled as she said this
"Wow Liv, I'm hurt! Way to slap me across the face!"
"I'm just being honest here buddy"
"Well, you better get dressed to smash this meeting today princess. I know, times infinity, that you will be so good in there you'll be the next High Inquisitor."
"But what if I don't smash? Like for real." Olivia asked, her blue eyes filling up with tears as she looked up at Alec
"It is what it is, but we'll face it together like we always do and will."