I'm very excited about all of our 90s movie marathon plans. :D We've gotta include Jawbreaker, too.

now retreating from the light
i love it when we fight
it makes me think
at least you still care
Better Than Ezra, "Live Again"

Olivia was at the kitchen table doing her homework when her dad came in. He seemed tired. And worried. She frowned and put down her pen. He lowered himself into a chair across from her and fixed her with a long, deep look.

"You seem like you've got somethin' on your mind," she said, trying to make light of it.

He sighed and rested his hands on the table. "Pumpkin, what's going on?"

She smiled a little. "I don't know what you're talking about, Daddy."

"I got a call from Ms. Tully today."

"Oh geez. Dad—"

He held up a hand. "Apparently you've been missing class? You didn't come in at all today, she said. Are you sick? And what's this I hear about Mr. Collins being fired? He had an affair with a student?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I cut class today because I had a sort of—a fight with someone. It was really upsetting, and after everything that's been going on…I just wasn't up to facing it all."

"What's been going on, Ollie? I wish you would talk to me."

"It's not…" She trailed off and shook her head. "They fired Mr. Collins because someone started a rumor that he was having an affair. With me."

He blinked at her. "Olivia—"

"It's not true. He was always completely professional. I told them that, but they didn't care. They fired him before they even came to me about it."

His brow furrowed and he rubbed his forehead. "Mr. Collins aside, I can't imagine you doing something like that. You're too responsible for that kind of nonsense."

She dropped his eyes and fiddled with her pen. "It's been hard, because the whole school knows why they fired him. Everybody blames me for it."

"Hum." His frown deepened. "I don't understand, sweetheart. Why would someone get that idea if there was nothing to it?"

She opened her mouth. Closed it again. Cleared her throat. After the confrontation with Juice today, she believed he hadn't been the one. That left her with only one other suspect. "I'm pretty sure it was TJ," she said.

"Because you broke up with him?"

She hitched a shoulder. "He's not the guy you break up with, Daddy. He's a catch. It's probably made him reevaluate his entire lifestyle." She said it as a joke, but it fell flat as her voice caught. "He also started a rumor, before break, that I—"

She literally couldn't get the words out. How could she possibly say something like that to her father? She flushed dark red and rubbed her palm against her jeans.

Finally she said, "That I did something extremely…ill-advised. With the football team. After the game that night I broke up with him."

He sat back in his chair, wide-eyed. "I'm guessing this ill-advised activity was of a sexual nature."

"Yep," she said with a grim nod.

"Who the hell does this kid think he is?"

"Son of the richest man in town. Old story, but no less true."

"Nobody believes that nonsense, Ollie."

"Well, they kind of do. I mean, not my friends. Like, Jax and Tara and Ope and everybody—but pretty much everyone else. My scarlet letter's an S for slut."

He gaped at her. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I had no idea you were going through…" He scrubbed a hand over his face. "You know, it's hard, being a single dad with a teenage daughter. I know there are things you don't tell me—plenty of things—and I understand why you were uncomfortable coming to me with this, but Olivia…I love you. You really can talk to me about anything, pumpkin. I would never judge you."

She ducked her head and bit her lip hard enough to hurt. "I just didn't want you to be disappointed in me."

"Disappointed in you? Baby, no. You didn't do anything wrong. I think I'll call Mr. Presbolowski tomorrow and have a chat with him. He needs to know what that little shit's been up to."

"Dad, please don't. It'll just make everything worse."

"Ollie—"

"I'm begging you. Don't. Mr. Collins got fired so fast because of the Flanarys' influence with the school board. You really think Mr. Presbo's gonna do anything to TJ?"

"Pardon my language, but this is some fucked up bullshit."

She huffed out a laugh. "Pardon mine, but no fucking shit."

He smiled a moment before his expression sobered. "So what was this fight about? Someone say something rude?"

"Ahh…no. More the opposite. I said something rude to someone else."

"That doesn't sound like you," he said with an ironic tilt to his mouth.

"Hush," she said. She flicked her fingers. "I accused the wrong person of going to Presbo about Mr. Collins. He was understandably angry, and things just got worse from there."

"He? He who?" he said, frowning.

"Um. Juice Ortiz…?"

"Juice? You thought Juice—? Why would he do that?"

She grimaced. "He wouldn't. That's why I feel so crappy about it."

"Okay, fair enough. But why would you think it?"

"It's kind of complicated."

"Ollie," he said on an impatient sigh.

She squirmed. "We've sort of…I don't know. We kind of got off on the wrong foot early on, and it's been kinda weird ever since. We keep trying to make up and be friends, and somehow it always falls apart."

"Pumpkin, look at me."

She did, reluctantly.

"Does this have anything to do with…with the Christmas party? With my interest in Ana?"

"It's Ana now?"

He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes.

"No, Dad. Juice and I have had issues since way before we had any idea you had a crush on his mom."

"I don't have a crush—"

She held up a hand. "I don't need details. Really. Look, if you like Ms. Ortiz that's fine. I don't have a problem with it, but I can't speak for Juice. To be honest, we don't talk much."

"I thought you were friends. Don't you work together at TM? He takes metal and auto shop too."

Her brows flicked upward. "You sure know a lot about him."

Now it was his turn to drop his chin. "Ana and I talk about our kids a lot," he said.

"Hhmm. All of that's true, but it doesn't mean we're buddies. He's fine, I guess, but he's sort of a pain in the butt."

"How so? Disrespectful?"

"Uh. Well, no, not really. Polite, actually."

"Okay. So…vulgar? Sexist? Racist?" He paused. "A Yankees fan? They are from New York."

"Dad! Come on. No, nothing like that, though we haven't talked about baseball. He's fine. Just kind of a pain. Like—I don't know. He just. I can't—it's just like a thing. That he has. A quality, I guess."

He gave her the skeptical eye and tried to smother a smile. "A pain in the butt quality?"

"Yeah. The inherent ability to get on every nerve I've ever had."

Now he couldn't contain his amused smirk. "Right. I've been there."

"Oh my God," she said, disgusted, "don't look at me like that."

"Like what, pumpkin?" he said, blinking innocently.

"You know like what. That I'm your dad and I'm so smart look."

"Well I am your dad and I am incredibly intelligent."

"Modest, too."

"Overrated." He tapped his finger against the back of her hand. "It's not like you to give up on someone. His mom's a real nice lady. I can't imagine her raising a jerk for a kid."

"I told you he's not a jerk. He gets along fine with everyone else. Just not me."

"So he's a pain in the ass, you don't get along with him or really like him—but you had a fight with him today that upset you so much you had to skip school?"

"I told you," she muttered. "It wasn't just that. That plus everything."

"Okay, sweetheart. Whatever you say."

"Dad, geez, give me a break."

"All right, all right. I'm sorry. Listen: can we agree no more cutting class? If you need a break I understand. You've been under a lot of pressure lately, and I know how important Mr. Collins was to you. But come talk to me, or maybe Ms. Tully."

He said that with a healthy dose of irony: he knew exactly how she felt about Ms. Tully and her overly enthusiastic efforts back in ninth grade.

"Maybe not Ms. Tully. But someone. Okay?"

She left the topic of Mr. Collins alone, but she managed a brief nod. "Yeah, Dad. No more skipping. I promise."

"That's my girl," he said and squeezed her arm. "I'll leave you to your homework."

"Dad?" she called as he stepped into the hall. He poked his head around the doorjamb again and she smiled. "Thanks. You're the best, you know that?"

"I am. Handsome, too."

She snorted. "Go away."

"Going. Do your homework!"

"Doing."

"Man, I got this parenting thing down."

"Go away!"

The sound of laughter floated from down the hall and she shook her head. Her smile died and she drummed her pencil against her math book. If he ever found out about her and Ben he'd flip. Like, truly lose his shit.

Charming was a small town. They were always careful: she walked to his place rather than drove. They were never seen out together. But someone was bound to figure it out eventually, and she had no doubt word would get back to her father.

She needed to end it. Soon.

Next week, maybe. He was going to his sister's in Portland this weekend, so maybe after he got back…

But soon for sure.

It was the Saturday after her big showdown with Juice, and Ben had been in Portland since Thursday. She was restless and bored. She toyed with the idea of trying to pick up a shift at TM, and just as she'd decided that she probably would, her phone rang.

She checked the caller ID and grinned. "Hey, Ope," she said. "What's up? You as bored as me?"

"Not really. I'm havin' a blast," he said with a laugh.

"Ohh. Well are you calling to rub it in, or invite me to come have a blast with you?"

"Jax and me are playin' some 007. Wanna come hang out?"

"I thought I wasn't allowed to play that anymore after what happened last time."

"Um." There was a pause while she heard him have a whispered conversation, probably with Jax. She grinned and grabbed her keys.

"Come on over," he said. "I talked him into it."

"Tell him to quit bein' a baby and maybe I'll take it easy on him this time."

"Be nice, Ollie. Don't make him cry again."

She could hear Jax' outraged squawking though the phone, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. She laughed. "Be there in ten. Need me to bring anything?"

"Jax says Funyuns."

"Gross."

"Just bring the damn Funyuns, Gable."

"Aye aye, captain. Make it fifteen." She hung up and ran a brush through her hair. She debated putting it up, but she decided it wasn't worth the effort. Her jeans had a hole in the knee and her shirt—an old favorite—had somehow become just a little too small since last summer. She rolled her eyes and threw a flannel shirt over it, tugged on her Doc Martens, and was out the door.

One quick stop at 7-11 later and she pulled up in front of Opie's house and cut the engine. Piney's bike wasn't in the driveway, but Jax' and Opie's were. Juice's wasn't, which was a relief. She scooped up the plastic bags and hurried to the porch.

Opie answered at her knock and she threw a bag at him. "Get these nasty things away from me," she said.

"You're a peach, Ollie," he said with a grin. He dug in and let out a whoop. "Fuckin' Sno-Balls, too."

"Who loves ya, baby?" she said.

"You bring me anything?" Jax said, scowling.

"Not a fuckin' thing, Teller."

She tossed him the other bag and he laughed as he pulled out another thing of Funyuns and three Snickers bars. "Fuck yeah," he said.

"One of those is for Tara, so don't get greedy. Where is she anyway?"

"Said she had to finish homework," Opie said around a mouthful of junk food.

"It's Saturday."

Jax shrugged. "That's what I said. I guess she wanted to get it done early."

"So it's gonna be just the three of us? No one else to witness your humiliation?" she said and plopped down on the couch next to Jax.

"Tara's gonna be by after the homework. Juice's at TM, and Donna's parents won't let her come over here anymore," Opie said.

"Mmm," she said, a quiet noise of commiseration. "That sucks, bud."

"Can't believe we actually tracked you down today," Jax said. He cut his eyes at her and she hitched a shoulder.

"I've been busy."

"Busy, or hiding?" said Opie.

"Hiding from what?"

"Dunno, Ollie. You tell us."

She glanced back and forth between the two of them. "Is this an intervention?"

"Ha," said Jax.

"Maybe a little," Opie said at the same time.

"Guys, I'm not on drugs."

"You're on somethin'," Jax said.

It was on the tip of her tongue to say really good sex just to see their reaction, but she resisted the urge. Instead she made a face and picked up the controller. "Could we just play, please? I'm not abusing any illegal substances. Or legal ones, for that matter. I'm fine."

"So, what," Opie said as he sat down on her other side, "you're skippin' school for shits and giggles? We can't find you because you're writin' sad poetry and listenin' to fucking Alanis Morissette and Hole in your room all day?"

"Okay, first of all, there's nothing wrong with either Alanis Morissette or Hole. Secondly, you two don't have any room to talk about skipping school. You guys split the crown last year for Kings of Not Showing Up. Remember?"

"Yeah," Jax said, drawing the syllable out. "But we didn't also hold the title of Blowjob Queen."

Her mouth fell open. "You're fucking with me right now. That's not a real thing."

Opie frowned and pulled something out of his book bag that leaned against the arm of the sofa. He handed it to her and they watched her face transform. She turned red. Then white. Then red again. Her mouth tightened before it curved into a bemused smile.

"And here I thought I'd never amount to anything. I'm a fuckin' queen, bitches!"

She wadded the pamphlet up and tossed it toward the trashcan in the corner. It missed and she shrugged. "Not a queen of basketball, obviously. No wonder I chose the football team."

"Olivia—"

"Don't," she said and shook her head. "There's no point. They're gonna say what they're gonna say, and there's nothing I can do about it. It's fucked up, but whatever."

"Mr. Collins got fired because of shit like this," Jax said.

"You think I don't know that? They fired him before they even talked to me. It was a snow job, and fucking bullshit." She shook her head. "Luckily he's kind of okay with it, I guess. He asked me not to start a petition or write to the school board or anything."

Opie frowned. "When'd you talk to Mr. Collins?"

"Uh…I went by his house the day they told me. I thought I should apologize. Let him know I didn't start anything."

"Ollie, you know if you want us to beat TJ Flanary's face in we'd be more than happy to," Jax said.

"That won't help anything. The next rumor he starts could be—well. Honestly at this point I'm not sure how much worse it could get for me, but I don't want him to go after you guys."

"I'd like to see him try," Opie said.

"Let's just drop it, okay? I'm handling it. I already talked to my dad and told him I wouldn't skip anymore. I haven't this week, have I?"

"Not since Tuesday," Jax admitted.

"You guys keep way too close track of me," she said.

"You're our friend, Ollie," Opie said, his voice quiet. "It's what we do."

She threw her arms over their shoulders. "My knights in darkened armor," she said.

"Dark Knights, like fuckin' Batman," Jax said.

"Does that make one of you Robin?"

They shared a look. "I could handle bein' Nightwing," Opie said.

"That means I get Wayne Manor," said Jax.

"And Alfred," Olivia said.

Jax glowered. "Think I could get Alfred to do my fuckin' math homework?"

"I'll help you with it if you want. Or you could ask Ortiz. He's in Algebra III with me."

"Eh," Jax said. "You smell better."

"I'm flattered, Jackson. It's so refreshing to receive a compliment from someone who's not looking for a blowjob."

"Jax's always lookin' for a blowjob," Opie said. "Just not from you."

"Exactly," she said with a wry twist to her mouth.

"I really wanna stomp Flanary's head in," Jax said through gritted teeth.

"Get in line," she said. "Okay. Intervention over?" She waved the controller at Jax. "You owe me a rematch."

He flipped through the menus to get the game going. "I still say you cheated last time," he said.

"Yup. You got me. I replaced my hands with robot hands that know every secret to Goldeneye. You didn't stand a chance."

"I was distracted," he grumbled.

"By me? My boobs? Then that's what you get for looking at boobs that aren't attached to your girlfriend."

Opie hooted and she elbowed him. "Same goes for you, Winston. Eyes front."

"I've seen your boobs," he said with a shrug. "Not that great."

"Lies. My boobs are amazing."

"We need to stop talking about Ollie's boobs now," Jax said.

"Works for me," she said. "I've been objectified enough in the past month to last me a lifetime, thanks."

Opie and Jax glanced at each other over her head. She tried to act cool, but they'd both known her long enough to tell how disturbed she was by everything that'd been going on. If she didn't want to talk about it, though, they weren't gonna force her. This whole thing had been Tara's idea anyway, and Jax could've told her it wouldn't work. Olivia was stubborn, and the line she'd taken on it all was no big deal. He had no idea what it'd take to make her change her mind.

"Best two out of three?" she said later.

Jax threw down the controller with a curse. "I swear to fuckin' God. You play this game like once every three months. You're some sorta gaming prodigy."

"It's the hair," she said. "Gingers are soulless. Like robots. I'm basically a robot."

"Explains a lot," Opie said.

"Your turn, Winston?" She dangled the controller by its cord and he grabbed for it.

"Why not? Got nothin' to lose but my pride."

She took Jax' controller and pulled up a new game. There was the sound of a motorcycle engine outside and she frowned toward the window. "Piney?" she said.

"Nah," said Opie. "Probably Juice. Dad's out doin' club shit all day."

"Oh. Damn. I just remembered—shit." She tossed the controller at Jax and scrambled to her feet.

"What the fuck, Ollie?" Opie said. "Thought we were gonna play."

"Yeah, sorry. I forgot my dad wanted to hang out today."

"He won't get home till midnight," Jax said.

"Normally, yeah, but he switched with someone for first shift so we could go to the movies. He'll be way disappointed if I bail on him."

The door behind her opened and Tara and Juice walked in. Olivia's shoulders sagged a little. Looked like no clean getaway today.

"Look who I found lurkin' around outside," Tara said. "I had to drag him in."

Olivia's eyes met Juice's and his slid away.

"Hey, bitch," Tara said and hugged her. If she noticed the tension between Olivia and Juice she didn't react to it.

"Hey, babe," she replied and kissed her cheek.

Opie and Jax hooted and clapped. Opie whistled through his fingers.

"Fuck yeah girl on girl!" Jax yelled.

It wasn't a new reaction, and Tara and Olivia had learned long ago to ignore them.

"I was just on my way out," Olivia said.

"What? I just got here!"

"Sorry, I know. I told my dad we'd go to the movies, and I forgot."

"Your dad," Juice said, "or your daddy?"

Her mouth fell open. Color washed her face and she darted a glance at Jax and Opie. "Ew," she said. "What even?"

"Just a question," he said with a shrug.

Jax had stood up to greet Tara, and now he gave Juice a look. "What the fuck, dude?" he said.

"Oh," he said. "Wow, I guess she didn't tell you."

She shifted from one foot to the other. Her brow furrowed and she started to reach for him before she changed her mind and let her hand fall to her side. "Juice—"

"Ooo, Snickers!" Tara said, her voice overly-bright. "Is one of those for me?"

"Tell us what?" Opie said. "What's up, Ollie?"

"Nothing," she said, trying to laugh it off. "I think Juice's been listening a little too hard to all the gossip around school, that's all."

"One rumor in particular," he said.

"Juice, come on," Tara said. "We all know it's bullshit. What's the point of even bringing it up?"

He and Olivia watched each other across the room. She looked tense and ready to run. He seemed relaxed, but she could tell it was feigned. He was furious. Looking for a fight. Fuck it. She'd oblige him. She shook her hair back and narrowed her eyes.

"Why don't you just say what you mean, Ortiz," she said, softly.

He laughed and ran a hand over his head. "I guess she forgot to tell you guys she's fuckin' Mr. Collins. I mean, while you were all so busy bein' such good buddies and all. But everybody's gotta have their secrets, right?"

Her mouth went hard and the blood drained out of her face to leave it stark white. Tara grabbed her arm, but she shook her off.

"Get off it, man," Jax said. "That's just somethin' TJ made up because he knew Collins was into Ollie's art and shit."

"Her art isn't all he's into," Juice said.

"Ollie, come on," Tara said and tugged her hand. "Let's just go. We can have lunch or something. I'm starving."

She surged toward Juice despite Tara's efforts to hold her back. "No, Tara, I think it's important that everyone know the truth, since Ortiz is so fuckin' eager for them to hear it." She spun away and flung out her arms. "I'm fucking Mr. Collins. I have been for the last three weeks. Now everybody knows it. You feel better?" she said to Juice. "And since you're so goddamn curious, he's in Portland this weekend visiting his sister."

"Huh," he said. "Guess that's why you were actually free for once."

She spun on him again. "You think you're real fucking cute, don't you? You get some sort of thrill out of making me feel like shit about my life and my choices? You've got no right to judge me. You don't even know me. You think you give me a ride home and let me have a cry on your shoulder and suddenly we're bosom buddies. Sorry, but it doesn't work like that. So fuck you, Ortiz. Fuck you and your judgmental bullshit."

His jaw worked and his eyes were hot as he leaned down so that they were almost nose to nose. "Sure, Liv," he said. "Let me just take a number."

She slapped him across the face hard enough to turn his head and leave a crimson palm print across his cheek.

"Whoa, okay, that's enough," Jax said. He picked her up by the waist and lifted her away from Juice. "Maybe you should leave, Ortiz," he said, his rough voice hard.

"No," Olivia said. She shoved away from him. "No, that's fine. I was already on my way out."

The door slammed behind her, and Tara whipped toward Juice with a furious glare. "Well done," she said. "Well fucking done." She ran after Olivia with a disgusted look that somehow included all three of them.

"Okay, what the fuck?" Opie said. "That was out of line, dude. Not cool at all."

"Yeah," Juice said in a low voice. "That was messed up." He rubbed his cheek with a grimace. "She shoulda hit me harder."

"You're goddamn lucky she didn't," Jax said. "And you're lucky I don't take a swing, too. You got any idea of the shit that girl's goin' through right now? She don't need an asshole like you makin' it worse!"

"Except you aren't actually an asshole," Opie said. "So you wanna explain what that was about?"

He shrugged a shoulder and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Fuck if I know. We got in this fight the other day and we both said some shit and she's just a real pain in the ass."

"She's like that with everybody," Opie said. He sounded weary. "She's Ollie. Bein' a pain in the ass has been her hobby since like first grade."

"She's real good at it," Juice said.

Jax shook his head. "You fucked up, man. We told you."

"Told me what?" he said and made a face.

"Look, with her you got two modes: pissed or about to get pissed. Since her mom died you just can't.… She'll talk to Tara and it's all good, but everybody else is better off kinda steerin' clear," Jax said.

"About important shit," said Opie. "She's fine if you're just hangin' out or whatever. She's, ya know, like a pal. Don't try to think of her like a girl. Otherwise you'll get your head all mixed up and she ends up slappin' you."

"And for fuck's sake don't let her fuckin' cry on you," Jax said. "That's like buyin' a one-way ticket to Ollie's shit list."

"I don't get it," he said to Opie. "If she's such a pain, why the hell did you go out with her?"

He let out a sigh. Scowled down at his boots and kicked a Funyun under the couch. "She's kinda…" He trailed off and waved his hand in an annoyed gesture. "I just thought…I just figured why not? Maybe I'd get lucky and she'd…relax a little or whatever. And, I mean, I think she will. Eventually."

He snorted. "Seems like a lot of work to me."

"Fuck yeah," Jax said, "but you think Tara's a walk in the park? You gotta decide what's worth it and what ain't. Ollie'll be worth it to somebody someday, but in the meantime she's gotta deal with little shits like TJ Flanary."

"And I guess Mr. C what the fuck?" Opie said.

Juice winced. "I guess everybody deals with bein' declared Blowjob Queen in their own way."

"Just lay off her, man," Jax said. "Back off and let her be. She's gettin' enough shit these days without gettin' it from her friends, too."

"I should tell her I'm sorry."

"Bad idea," Opie said. "At least for a while. Give her time to cool off first."

"He's right. You go after her now you got no chance."

"She'll fuck you up, man. And I don't mean she'll kick your ass."

"Okay, so, what?"

Opie and Jax looked at each other. Jax shrugged. "Play some Goldeneye. Eat some Funyuns. Wait for her to come to you."

"Only chance you got," Opie said.

Juice slumped onto the couch and stuffed a Funyun into his mouth. "So you're sayin' I'm fucked."

"Yup," Opie said.

"Can't get much more fucked," said Jax.

"Next time we tell you to stay away from a girl, just do it."

"Yeah," he said on a frustrated breath. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

Like I said...worse before it gets better. They both just need to get over it.

I'm about 1k words into ch16, so feel free to drop a line with your thoughts/opinions/whatever. Next chapter is a little...intense.