Title: Of Honor Societies and Extracurricular Activities chapter 4
Author's Note: For disclaimer, see chapter one.
TW: bullying, derogatory slurs
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Chapter 4
Several weeks later, Olivia leans against her apartment building, waiting for Alex to arrive, and watching the world happen around her. Something about today is different. There's a heaviness in her chest, a pressure on her mind. She glances at the screen of her cellphone, notices the date, and feels her stomach sink.
…
…
4 years earlier
She's the new girl in this elite, private school – she knows that. And she knows that her ripped jeans and faded t-shirt and too-baggy jacket are not up to par with the brand names the other kids are wearing.
But she doesn't know why the other kids are staring at her, whispering about her behind their hands, casting her disdainful looks. She doesn't know why they have to call attention to her when she is just trying to blend in, trying to be invisible.
Her second day there is like a scene out of a movie. She walks down the hallway, her head bent, her hands curled into fists and stuffed in the pockets of her jacket. Other kids avoid her, standing at the sides of the hallways, whispering to each other as she walks by. Some laugh, others look at her piteously.
It's the pitying looks Olivia can't stand. She can't stand people feeling bad for her. So she keeps her head bent, pretending the other kids just don't exist.
A boy – a senior, Olivia assumes, based on his cocky attitude – steps into her path, stopping her. She looks up and he's smiling like he's the most attractive boy on the planet.
"Dean Porter," he says, sticking his hand out. Behind him, a group of boys in letterman jackets shove each other, laughing as quietly as they can. Dean turns around, frowning at them. They shut up quickly.
Olivia quirks her eyebrow at the boy, not shaking his hand. "I'm late for class," she says, shoving by him.
Dean turns around, walking in sync with Olivia. "At least let me walk you there."
Olivia sighs. "I'm perfectly capable walking myself there."
"Listen, I just want to ask you a couple questions."
Finally, Olivia stops walking. She fixes the boy with the coldest look she can muster. "What?"
"Is it true you're homeless? And is it true your mom's a drunk?"
In less than a second, Olivia has this football-playing boy slammed against a locker, the collar of his t-shirt held tightly in her left hand, her right hand curled into a fist and pulled back, ready to strike his face.
Alex – perfect, wonderful Alex – seemingly comes out of nowhere. "Liv," she says. "C'mon, you know he's not worth it."
Olivia is breathing hard, anger marring her features. "Go away, Alex."
"No." And then Alex's hand is on her shoulder, grounding her, telling her it's okay.
But Olivia shakes her head and pushes Dean into the locker just a little harder. Kids are starting to form a semi-circle around the three of them, but neither Olivia nor Alex can feel their presence. It all comes down to the hand on Olivia's shoulder and the heat of Olivia's anger.
Two of the letterman-jacket boys fight their way through the crowd and stand beside Dean, almost looking like groupies. Dean, for his part, tries to put on a brave front, but the fire in Olivia's eyes is frightening to put it mildly. She stares at him until he is forced to look away and then she scoffs. She lowers her fist and lets go of his shirt, turning to walk away.
But she is less than five feet away when Dean decides to speak. "Dyke." He spits the word like it's poison in his mouth.
Olivia doesn't even have time to react before Dean is sporting a bloody mouth and Alex has scraped knuckles. Alex leans in, her voice low and deadly, and says something to Dean that no one around them can hear. Dean swallows hard and nods, and when Alex steps away, he scrambles off, his groupies following behind him.
Alex smirks, obviously proud of herself, but her smirk falls when she sees Olivia's frown. They walk silently to the bathroom on the other side of the main building, far away from prying eyes.
Once inside, Olivia locks the door and leans against it. Alex turns the sink water on as hot as she can take it and cleans the blood from her knuckles. She looks up in the mirror, catching Olivia's eyes. "What?"
Olivia shrugs. "I don't need you to protect me."
"I wasn't protecting you."
"Then what were you doing?"
Alex blushes, averting her gaze and staring into the sink. "Nothing. Forget it."
"No."
Alex dries her hands and turns toward Olivia, still averting her gaze. "I don't want to talk about it right now, Liv." She steps toward the door, but Olivia continues to block it. "What – you're gonna trap me in here until I tell you?"
Olivia shrugs, quirks her eyebrow.
Alex sighs. "We're late for class."
"We have lunch this period."
"Please, Liv."
The sheer desperation in her voice makes Olivia step away from the door. "Okay," she says. She pulls her best friend into a hug, holding her tightly. "Whatever it is, I'm here for you. Always. You know that."
Alex smiles hard, tears welling in her eyes. "I know," she says, returning the hug just as hard. "I know."
…
…
Present Day
"Olivia!"
Olivia jumps, looking around for the person calling her name. She spots Alex parked at the curb, looking irritated. "What?" she asks, getting in to the car.
"I called your name five times. Where were you?"
Olivia shrugs. "Lost in a daydream."
"Are you going to Trevor's Halloween party tomorrow night?"
"I'm working the late shift."
"Oh." Alex sighs. "I didn't wanna go alone."
"Why don't you ask Abbie?" Olivia asks, sounding slightly jealous.
Abbie Carmichael, a fellow senior and Alex's current date-of-the-month, and Olivia are friendly enough, but Olivia is always enviable of the girls Alex gets close to.
Alex scrunches her nose. "Too intimate."
Olivia has to laugh. "Too intimate? How intimate can a party with a hundred drunk teenagers be?"
Alex grins. "Alright," she says. "I dumped her already."
"Are you serious?"
"What? She's dating Serena already."
Serena Southerlyn, Alex's cousin, is a year older than her and currently attending Columbia as an undergrad. Alex had introduced her to Abbie a few weeks prior when Serena made an impromptu visit to Alex's house.
Olivia nods. "Then come hang out at the diner. You know Munch doesn't mind. In fact, he asked me last night when you'd pop in again. He looks forward to your lively discussions."
"He has some really good thoughts, Liv."
"John Munch is a man of conspiracies."
"Thoughtful conspiracies." She pulls into a parking spot at the school and shuts off the car. "Alright, I'll hang out at the diner. What kind of pie do you have on Friday nights?"
"Apple and boysenberry," Olivia says, getting out of the car and closing the door. They walk toward the school, occasionally bumping shoulders.
"You don't have that chocolate chip cookie one that I like?"
"You ask that every time, Alex."
"I can't help it that I love that pie."
Olivia laughs. "I'll see if I can save you a piece of tonight's."
Alex turns her head and kisses Olivia's cheek. "You're the greatest best friend a person could ask for."
Olivia grins. "Sure, Cabot. Whatever." She opens the door and allows Alex to enter the school before her. "See you later."
Alex nods. "Have a nice morning." She turns around and calls out to Olivia. "Do you have football practice today?"
"Yeah." Olivia nods. "You coming?"
Alex smiles. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."
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