A/N: So this is an idea that came to me while listening to John Mayer's "Room For Squares" CD. I have no idea why, but I kept picturing a young Alex and Olivia while listening to the CD. I'm not sure if this is considered a songfic, but each chapter is going to be loosely based on different songs from that CD. I just won't be using lyrics in the story other than the one at the beginning. With that being said, I hope you enjoy it. :)
"They love to tell you 'stay inside the lines,' but something's better on the other side."
Alex Cabot had spent the first 16 years of her life in a suburb of Boston called Framingham. It wasn't the most exciting place to grow up, but she felt comfort in the fact that she knew her neighbors and they knew her. There were block parties every Fourth of July, Christmas light competitions every December, and at least one 'haunted' house every Halloween. Alex didn't grow up on an estate but her house was luxurious with a backyard large enough for a swingset and a tree house. It was the only house she had ever lived in and she had imagined someday bringing her children to that house whenever they wanted to visit their grandparents. All of that changed when her dad called for a family meetings two months ago. His company had offered him a promotion and Alex was so happy for her dad that she suggested they go out to celebrate. He then told her that he'd be promoted but not within the firm in Boston. They were being relocated to Manhattan and her dad's assistant had already found an apartment for them. An apartment? Images of living in a high-rise building started to fill Alex's mind. It didn't matter to her how nice the building would be, it was still a building instead of a house. She knew she'd have to say goodbye to her treehouse, making a snowman in the front yard, and most importantly she'd have to say goodbye to her friends and her school.
Her family had moved into their apartment on a Friday and Mrs. Cabot immediately took Alex to school to register. Alex tried to reserve judgement, but she felt nervous the moment she walked into the building. This school was nothing like her school in Framingham. The principal and the teachers didn't know her name and she didn't have a single friend in that entire state. She was only there to register and she was already dreading what Monday would bring.
She spent that entire weekend unpacking her things and decorating her room. Her room was bigger than the one she had at her house, but when it came to bedrooms Alex felt that bigger meant that it wasn't as cozy. She hung up pictures of her friends and the Boston skyline, but it still didn't feel like home.
Even though she did nothing more than unpack and decorate her room, Alex didn't want the weekend to end. She knew once Monday arrived, it would be time for her to start attending a new school. Alex wouldn't have minded as much if she were starting a new school in September, but this was February. The second semester was well underway and everyone was already settled in their classes. Alex had begged her parents to let her finish the 11th grade at her old school, but her parents told her it was out of the question. They weren't going to let her live with her best friend even though her best friend's parents had already told Alex she was welcome to live with them for the remainder of the school year.
That's how Alex found herself in unfamiliar territory on a cold Monday morning in February. She walked the halls of her new high school clutching her schedule as if her life depended on it. At the beginning of every class, there was the obligatory introduction that Alex dreaded. She knew that no one was interested in her or hearing about the suburb that she came from. These students were from New York and Alex knew that nothing of her old life would impress them. Instead of being teased, Alex was merely ignored, which she felt was even worse than being teased. At least if she were teased, it meant people were actually acknowledging her existence.
Alex thought she was destined to spend her lunch period alone until a tall brunette girl with a basketball hoodie and loose sweatpants approached her.
"I'm Sarah," she said. "You must be new here."
"How could you tell?" Alex asked and started smiling. "Is it the fact that I'm sitting here alone?"
"Well, that and your clothes," Sarah said. "You look like you belong in prep school. A sweater vest, pleated skirt, and a blazer? Just wear some jeans or something tomorrow."
"I'll keep that in mind," Alex said. "The name's Alexandra, but you can call me Alex."
"Where are you from, Alex?"
"A suburb of Boston called Framingham."
"Never heard of it."
"No one has," Alex told her.
"You shouldn't be sitting alone," Sarah insisted. "I sit with my friends from the basketball team. I promise they aren't bitchy. You can join us if you'd like unless you want to try to get in good with the preppy girls. They're eyeing you like you're a Barbie doll they can makeover."
"Lead me to your table," Alex said quickly. The last thing she wanted was to be a new project for the preppy girls even though her clothes weren't too different from the ones they were wearing, except for the fact that theirs probably cost about three times as much.
When Alex approached the table with Sarah, she felt as if all eyes were on her.
"This is Alex," Sarah said. "She just moved here from Boston."
All six of the girls took turns introducing themselves to Alex and she tried to commit their names to memory. The girl that stood out to Alex was one named Olivia. Olivia said nothing more than "Hi, I'm Olivia," before returning to her copy of Sports Illustrated. Alex tried to strike up a conversation with her, but Olivia seemed disinterested.
"So, do you have a game today?" Alex asked.
"Yes," Olivia responded.
"I'd love to see you play."
"Then come to the game," Olivia said nonchalantly before getting up to leave.
"Don't mind Olivia," Sarah said to Alex. "She must like you. That's the most I've heard her talk to someone who wasn't on the team."
"Is she okay?" Alex asked.
"She's just a private person," Sarah told her.
Something about the words 'private person' intrigued Alex. The girls at her old school were like an open book. She had never met anyone as mysterious as Olivia and she was willing to do anything she could to find out about her. Alex knew nothing about basketball, but she was willing to learn if it meant getting to watch Olivia.
While she was at the game, she saw a banner in the gym for each varsity sport that listed the years they had won championships. Apparently, her school was known for its girls' basketball team. They had dominated throughout the '90s, 2000, 2001, and they were hoping for another championship in 2002.
Alex tried to pay attention to the game, but she couldn't focus on anything other than Olivia. Unlike the other girls who had braids or ponytails, Olivia's hair was cropped and required a lot less upkeep. She wasn't as tall as some of the other girls on the team, but that didn't prevent her from excelling at the sport. Olivia was known for her ability to shoot free throws and she could run faster than most of the girls on the team. Without noticing, Alex started licking her lips when she saw the beads of sweat start to form on Olivia's brow. Alex may have had crushes before, but this was the first time she ever felt obsessed with a girl she barely knew.
After the game, she made her way over to Olivia as she was chugging water from a water bottle.
"Congratulations," Alex said.
"For what?" Olivia asked.
"For shooting that winning free throw."
"Oh," Olivia said nonchalantly. "Thanks."
"You looked really good out there," Alex said and started blushing.
"Thanks," Olivia responded and gently touched Alex's cheek. "You're kinda cute when you blush. I'll admit it was hard to concentrate on the game."
"Why?" Alex asked.
"Because you kept staring at me."
"Sorry," Alex said and started blushing even more. "I wasn't aware."
"Don't be sorry," Olivia told her. "Feel free to stare whenever you want. I have to get home. See you around, I guess."
"Yeah, see you around," Alex said even though Olivia was already on her way out of the gym.
When Alex got home, her parents questioned her whereabouts and asked about school. She told them about the basketball game and how she made friends with some of the girls from the team. She wanted to mention Olivia, but she knew her parents' rules about dating. Olivia hadn't asked her out and she probably never would, but simply mentioning a crush would turn into a lecture. Alex wasn't allowed to date until she was 17 and there was no way around that rule. As unfair as it seemed, she was glad that her parents had lowered it from 18, which is what they originally said was a perfect age for their daughter to start dating. On top of that, any girl that wanted to date Alex would first have to ask permission from her parents.
Alex had planned on calling her friends that night, but she couldn't get herself to focus on anything other than Olivia. She wanted to call her, but she didn't have her phone number. She didn't even know her last name or anything about her other than she was great-looking and could shoot free throws.
"This is hopeless," Alex told herself. She put her pajamas on and decided to go to bed earlier than usual. The sooner she fell asleep, the sooner she'd be able to wake up and see Olivia.
