Title: Of Honor Societies and Extracurricular Activities chapter 3

Author's Note: For disclaimer, see chapter one.

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Chapter 3

When she finally wanders into her homeroom fifteen minutes later, she drops her hall pass on her teacher's desk and slumps into a chair/desk combination at the back of the classroom.

Anger floods her veins, and courses through her body. Her muscles are tense and her jaw is clenched.

The first period bell rings and she is the first person out the door.

Olivia's first period class – Advanced Placement Psychology – is in the North Wing of the Social Sciences building. In order to get there, she must take the North staircase in the Main Building down one flight to the basement, through the underground tunnel, and up two flights of stairs.

Halfway through the tunnel, Alex's hand closes around Olivia's wrist, and suddenly she is being pulled back toward the Main Building.

"Alex, what are you doing?" Olivia asks. "Class is the other way."

Alex shakes her head. "Not today."

"What are you talking about?"

"We're going on a very special errand for the headmaster today." Alex winks. "My mom already called Professor Kenner."

Olivia sighs. "What exactly does this very special errand entail?"

Alex grins, her hand moving down to clasp Olivia's. "You'll see."

Four minutes later, they emerge through the doors of the entrance to the West Wing. Alex leads Olivia across the grounds to the edge of the campus, where they slip through a hole in the fence. They walk through a small section of forest and out into a clearing.

Olivia quirks her eyebrow. "This is definitely not a very special errand."

Alex pretends to look affronted. "Are you saying I lied?"

Shaking her head, Olivia rolls her eyes. "What are we doing out here, Alex?"

Alex drops her backpack on the ground, using it as a backrest when she sits in the grass. Smiling up at Olivia, she pats the ground next to her. "Sit."

Olivia sighs, but does as she's told.

"Monique said she saw you arguing with your mom before homeroom," Alex says.

Olivia lies back, using her bag as a pillow, and stares up at the trees surrounding them. "Monique needs to stop gossiping."

"She didn't tell anyone but me, Liv."

Olivia sighs, running her hands over her face. "We weren't arguing."

"Then what happened?"

"She's pissed at me, Alex, for leaving over the summer, but she's also pissed at me for coming home."

"Do you need somewhere to stay?"

Olivia shakes her head adamantly. "You've already done so much for me. Too much, really."

Alex turns her head, looking at her friend with sincerity and admiration and love. "You know I'd do anything for you."

Olivia smiles, reaching over and placing her hand on Alex's. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Al."

Alex rolls her eyes, chuckling lightly. "Hopefully we'll never have to find out."

After a few long minutes of silence, Olivia says, "I wish we could stay out here forever. It's so…perfect."

Alex smiles. "Yeah," she says, not looking away from Olivia's face. "Yeah, it is."

…

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As it nears 2:00am, Olivia lies in her bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Her mind's total refusal to let her sleep translates into restless in her legs, and she could easily get up and go for a run, but the thought of running in New York City at nearly 2:00am is enough to settle her restlessness.

Her phone buzzes with an incoming text message and she has to smile.

Alex: I can feel you thinking all the way over here.

Olivia: Not possible.

Alex: Yeah? Prove that.

Olivia: You prove it.

Alex: What are you thinking about?

Olivia: You first.

Alex: I asked you first.

Olivia: I'm older.

A few blocks away, Alex laughs and types out I wanted to kiss you in the clearing today before quickly shaking her head and erasing the message.

Alex: I still think you should come stay with me for a while, let things with your mom cool down a bit.

Olivia: Alex, we went over this earlier. She needs me here.

Alex: You're too selfless, Olivia.

Olivia: You're too selfless.

Alex: So what were you thinking about, Miss Benson?

Olivia: I want to live in that clearing.

Alex: Why?

Olivia: I don't know.

Alex: You must have some idea.

Olivia sighs, staring at Alex's message. She types out: It was perfect, just the two of us. I felt like we could finally be together, we could finally be more than friends and the erases it.

Olivia: You should get to bed, Al.

Alex: The same could be said to you, Liv.

Olivia: Touché.

Alex: Want me to pick you up in the morning? You can drive.

Olivia grins widely, quickly sending a text in the affirmative.

Alex: Knew you would. See you in the morning, Liv. Sleep well.

Olivia: You too, Alex.

Olivia sets her phone down on her bedside table, and finally falls asleep, a smile gracing her lips the entire night.

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AN: I swear it won't take me forever to get the next update written. Thank you for reading!