Jamie was standing by the window when Nathan walked in. "Hey son ready to go with Uncle Lucas and me to explore?"
Jamie grabbed his jacket and his dad's hand, "Yeah, let's go." He looked back at the window when Nathan finally stopped him.
"I told Olivia that she could come." Nathan started to walk back to their room.
"Dad, Ollie told me she would rather die then go hiking with us." Jamie lied to his dad. He knew that she really wanted to go but he didn't want him to catch her smoking.
"Alright, I'll need to talk to her about that but if she really doesn't want to go." Nathan sighed he was hoping to have time with her. They walked out to greet Lucas at the front door. He was wearing a black jacket and so was Nathan. Jamie had an orange one so they couldn't lose him. The walked out the door and went on their hike. Olivia dropped the cigarette on the ground right outside of their window and climbed back in. She was so thankful that Jamie covered for her. Olivia changed into a bikini and walked out into the living room where Haley and Peyton were sitting on the couch drinking hot coco. She walked towards the patio and opened the door. It was freezing out. 'Why the hell is this a thing?' She thought to herself. She got in the hot tub and enjoyed herself. She turned around and started reading her book. Haley and Peyton came out to join her. They got in and Olivia turned around and smiled.
"Sweetie, we actually wanted to talk to you." Peyton then continued, "We want to know which traditions you wanted to do. It is not going to hurt our feelings if there is one you don't want to do. We want to make this a new tradition of having the whole family together." She smiled
"Well, I really like the Christmas jammies that mom does. When we open a gift on Christmas Eve and it is pajamas, then we watch a movie," Olivia said looking at Haley, and then she continued, "but I enjoy making dinner with Peyton and Luke in the kitchen. I love that we all make the dinner together."
"Is that all you want to do out of all the traditions." Haley asked her looking a little puzzled. "You love Christmas."
Olivia took a deep breath, "I don't know, I like all of the traditions. I don't like all the attention of me going to college. I'm only a sophomore in high school. I would rather focus on me being here now. I don't want to look back on my memories and remember my family only talking about the future and me going to college." Haley and Peyton nodded and then looked at her. Olivia opened her mouth to finish her statement and then Nathan, Lucas and Jamie walked out in their swimsuits.
"Baby sister we missed you out there." Lucas said smiling. Olivia shrugged as Nathan smiled at her.
"So I was thinking since it's our first night and haven't gone grocery we should just go out to eat?" Haley suggested, as everyone was relaxing they all put their thumbs up in agreement. Olivia got out of the hot tub and walked inside. She went to her and Jamie's bathroom to take a shower. Nathan and Lucas both walked her walk away.
"Why doesn't she ever want to hang out with us? Is she hiding something from us? Is she failing a class? Wouldn't the school have informed us?" Nathan asked looking at the rest of the adults.
"Well she isn't failing my class." Haley said trying tot defend Olivia.
"She has the highest grade in my class. She is a really passionate writer. I grade harder on her assignments since she is my sister. I know that she is doing wonderful in French." Lucas laughed.
"Yeah I know. When I tell her to do something that she doesn't want to do she talks under breath in French." Nathan shook his head thinking about it. "I guess it will come out when she wants it to."
"So, where are we going to eat?" Peyton said to change the topic. She is the biggest supporter of what Haley, Nathan and Lucas are doing with Olivia, but she doesn't always agree with them. Peyton has known Olivia since she two. She has always treated her more as a friend then someone she is in charge of. She covers for her even when she shouldn't.
Nathan parked the car in front of a local restaurant. They all got out and walked inside. Peyton and Haley were sat next to each other while Lucas and Nathan were on the other each of their wives. Jamie loves his uncle Lucas so he was sitting next to him. Olivia was sitting next to Nathan. Everyone at the table was talking. Olivia did have a secret, and she didn't want to say anything. She pulled a book out of her purse, which Nathan quickly took from her. "Come Liv just to your family. You can read your book before you go to bed." Olivia rolled her eyes then smiled.
"What do you want to talk about?" She said as she looked around.
"How about that France trip you are wanting to go on?" Lucas said as he looked up from the menu. "Why do you want to go so bad? We don't really know anything about it, so we are little skeptical to spend you." Olivia shot up. She wanted to go on the trip with her friends so bad; she couldn't tell them the real reason, they would be pissed.
"Well I think it's a great opportunity. I'll have a better idea of the world. It will look great on college applications." Olivia said as both her 'dads' popped up. They were expecting her to say anything about college. This was the first that they had heard her even say the word college.
"You make some really good points Kiddo. We will talk about and let you know." Nathan said starting to eat his food. On the way home they stopped by the 24-hour grocery store. Haley and Peyton made everyone go in so that it would be a quicker trip by splitting the list. They loaded the car and got home. Olivia and Jamie were in charge of getting the groceries inside. They finished and both walked to their room.
"Hey J-Luke want to watch a movie?" Olivia asked. Jamie smiled and nodded. They both laid down on Olivia's bed.
"Ollie, why do you really want to go to France? You'll be really far away. Who am I going to hang out with?" Jamie asked looking at Olivia's face.
Olivia sighed and then looked at him, "I can't lie to you. I want to go because it's my only chance to go study abroad."
"But momma said you could do that in college." He said feeling like she just wanted to leave the family. Olivia got up and got a cigarette. She sat by the window and lit it. She looked over at him and took a deep breath. She was finally going to tell someone her secret.
"Jamie, I not going to go to college. I have no interest at all." Olivia looked out the window and blew smoke.
PLEASE REVIEW! What do you think is going to happen next? What would you like to happen next? –M J