Ch. 24
Olivia hardly managed to stay stable during the lesson. All she was able to think of was what he knew. She had so many secerets to hide and was afreid he found out her heroine identity or that she had a crush on her partner. No, he wouldn't know that, she thought but it still bothered her. There were way worse secerets like the reason why she had to leave Paris, or that she had a twin sister. Oh no, that would be awful. What kind of inhuman I am to hide my own twin?
At the same moment as the bell rang she ran out of the class. Olivia quickly locked herself in the school toilets and wrote a message back to Noah.
OLIVIA: What do you mean?
NOAH: Don't play dump. You know perfectly what I mean .
OLIVIA: What do you know?
NOAH: Everything.
NOAH: Or is there still more than that?
That was it. She knew it was the end. He was obviously angry or disappointed in her and that made her really sad. Of course, she knew she didn't like him as mutch as she did at first, but it still hurt. She knew she was planing to break up with him but there wasn't any right chance to do that and this situation was worse then any other breaking up story. She couldn't believe he found out something and was curious what exactly. But the best way was to meet and talk about it face to face.
She couldn't believe that happened exactly what she expected. She should have changed that. She should have told him the truth. To everyone.
OLIVIA: Can we meet up at six? I have an orchestra meeting and it's very important for me to be there. But I think we have to talk about all this like a normal people.
NOAH: OK. I'll come to your school, so we'll meet up and talk a bit earlyer.
Olivia blinked surprised how easily he agreed. He was probably thinking the same way. But he also suggested to come which was unusual. He never came to meet her there. But it might just proved how much he wanted to know what kind of beast he was actually dating.
Olivia left the bathroom and got to her second class. Her friends were really woried but she didn't said she was breaking up with Noah or that he found out some of Olivia's secerets. The girl simply tried to act as notmal as posible.
"I just really needed to go to the bathroom" Olivia said and smiled to her friends.
--
After the lessons she met up with Louis. He was helping her with some subjects before orchestra and though he stutered a little she tried to improve at understanding him better together with everything else. Besides, she felt like he was slowly improving himself and was a bit more confibent though not much.
But it wasn't the best day for her. All she was able to do was to make hundreds of variations of how her and Noah's conversation could go. She imagined how mad he was in some of her thoughts he was even amokatized which made her terifyed even more.
"... AAnd h-how you make the l-formula" Louis talked but Olivia heard only the end.
"What?" She asked.
Louis looked up from the books and blushed a little.
"You didn't. .. " he started but Olivia cut him.
"Nono! Don't get me wrong! I understand what you say, but I was lost in my thoughts" she smiled a little awkwardly.
Boy's skin bringtened in red and he whispered. "Sorry."
"For what? You did nothing wrong. It was me who wasn't paying attention, so I am sorry" Olivia apologized.
A few moments thete was a confirtable silence between the teens but eventually Olivia broke it.
"You know, it'd better if you go. I'm just wasting your time. I won't pay attention anyvay" the gir said and put her books back to her school bag. She didn't want to bother him and waste his time for her.
"Is perfectly OK? I mean, everything OK?" Louis asked worried.
Olivia looked at the boy. He seemed so woried about her and the girl felt almost bad she made him feel like that. But she was happpy he cared for her. It was making her feel like she meant something for him, that he was interested in her. She couldn't imagine he would be worried for her when she felt sad, and when she was happy he was used to be happy too, though this caused his nervousness. Olivia slowly started to understand that his crush wasn't just that he liked the way she looked or acted around him. It was much deeper, something she felt for Mister Bug. Or at least she thought she did, because she never had a chance to know how he trully looked and therefore she just knew what kind of person he was.
But then she felt even worse. If she rejected Louis for her partner, then how she could expect Mister Bug to give a chance to her too? Olivia couldn't break her friend's heart like that. She liked Louis, she really did though she didn't feel the same he did to her.
"I'm breaking up with Noah" Olivia finally said. Even though Louis had feelings for her, he still was her friend and Olivia didn't want to hide one more thing from him. She had enough and she didn't wat to end everything the same she was ending with her boyfriend. If Louis really liked her, he had to know what beast he liked.
"What? Why?" Louis seemed confused. As much as he wanted this to happen, he wanted Olivia to be happy no matter with who and seeing her sad at that time made him feel like the worst person in the world. How can I be so selfish? To risk Olivia's happines only because she wouldn't be with another boy? No, she deserves hapiness and I'm probably not even worth to be in a part of it. But I can try to make her happy again right? be thought
"It just didn't work. I hid so many things from him, I made him believe I was different and, honestly, sometimes I start to believe that too" Olivia said looking downward.
"Believe what?" Louis looked confused
"I... I..." Olivia wanted to say the truth. But something stopped her. She didn't know why but she couldn't. Louis was too good to know how horible Olivia was. "I'm sorry, I can't."
Olivia quickly stood up and tried to run. Louis did the same and ran after her. He managed to close the library door right before she could leave.
"Running isn't a solution" he said when Olivia looked confused at him. She didn't expect him to run after her and stop her. She had no idea he could do that and she felt even more confused he managed to talk to her without his stutters.
Olivia atared at the boy who obviously needed to know. She saw a little crystal of his father in him. Though she didn't know Adrien she thought that was given from him. Louis usually seemed similar to Marinette. He was shy and pure, he was honest but wery sweet. He didn't try to be better then others - he was better naturally but never looked at others showing it. His mother seemed so similar to it.
"Students, if you came to talk, I suggest you to leave. You aren't only disturbing others work but also forcing to listen to your personal life" the librarian said.
Louis looked a bit embarased. He quickly grabed his and Olivia's bags and her violin from the ground and they both left. Olivia blushed a bit she managed to forget to take her bag and violin with her.
"I don't want to bother you with my problems, Louis" the girl replayed and sat on a bench near the window. It was rainning outside and it was slightly calming her down, therefore helping to open up to someone. Because if in this world was someone who could understand her was Louis and his mother. She didn't know anyone else.
"You can tell me, you know that?" Louis put his arm on her shoulder and sat next to her. Of course, it was a bit awkward for him to be that close to her but he didn't hasitate this time. He had to be near her. She needed him.
"There are so many secerets. So many lies" she said. "You wouldn't even speak to me if you knew how messed up I am" Olivia hid her face with her palms.
Louis couldn't believe her words. He loved her and there was nothing what could change his mind. The secerets and lies were taken from the past and Louis fell for a girl who offered her help, not only for her beauty. He fell for her kindness and tolerance to him. If she wasn't good for others it meant she had an reason for this, right?
"Wanna bet?" Louis rised an eyebrow amd smiled a bit.
Olivia glanced at him for a moment. How could he be so sure, she wondered. But after a few moments was about to give up. He was the only one who'd forgive her for her mistakes. He'd never turn his back to her and her heart believed in that.
"I have a twin sister" she finally said. "She's in Paris right now because we can't be in the same place together anymore."
Louis blinked a few times. He knew so little about her family therefore he wasn't surprised she had a sister. But didn't understand why it was a seceret? What happened between those two girls that they were separated and Olivia was ashamed of her own sister? Why was she trying to hide her?
"What happened?" he asked. "Why you mad to leave? I-i mean had to leave."
Olivia gave him a short little smile because of his question.
"You could say, you have this both in common" the girl looked through the window. "Last year she was the one who poisoned me on birthday, this year - it was you" she giggled from the irony. "But don't worry, there wasn't as many strawberries in your macaroons as in my cake."
"A cake?" Louis asked. What kind of sister could do to her own twin? She should have known about strawberry alergy. They grew up together, after all.
"Yes. The thing was - she wanted a strawbery cake for her birthday and therfore our parents ordered two. One was strawberry as Otilia wanted, another should have been with raspberries. But Otilia didn't know that there were two cakes. She thought our parents ordered only a raspberry one. So she changed the order and therefore there were made two different cakes but both with strawberry jam. Nobody believed me when I tried to say that I felt strawberries in that cake because there should have been raspberries, not strawberries. Only later when I turned pale they checked that there were really the wrong jam but it was too late for me. I almost fell in coma. I had my stomack cleaned and was given a giant doses of medecine so I'd survive. I spent almost a month in a hospital just because of my sisters mistake. Though I don't believe that was a mistake. Even my parents aren't sute if what she said was true."
"I'm so sorry... " Louis whispered.
"It's fine. I'm here after all, right?" she gave a little smile to Louis.
"Anyway, everything didn't end up like this. During the time I was in hospital she started to get along better with my friends, so I started to feel more confortable talking with my sister about them. I believed that the cake thing was just an accident myself at that time. But my sister loved chating with me back it those days. She cought my every good and bad word about others and seceretly she was reporting this to my friends. I didn't know this for a few more months. They all were still friendly and talkative, just sometimes I felt that something was wrong. But never imagined how bad it was. How bad I was..."
"I d-don't see anything m-wrong in that" Louis shook his shoulders.
"It was wery wrong, ,Louis" Olivia didn't look at the boy. She was fully concentrated on the rain. "I told my sister everything about them. I laughed that one of the girls nose was too long for a normal human and complained to her how sometimes others were anoying me with their rubbish. I told my sister how I couldn't stand one or other thing from our friends characters and that I sometimes were tired being a part of their group."
"B-but do you d-do it now? About these friends?" Louis asked. He still remembered when he was bulled, so he perfectly knew how painful it could be. But he trusted Olivia. He couldn't see her as a bully.
"Honestly? When I lost all of them I started to understand how unique and amazing they were. I learned my lesson, Louis. I don't want this to happen ever again, so nobody knows much about my past. But no, I don't think anything bad about any of my friends. I try to see only positive aspects. Even about Noah. Though he's my boyfriend and you might think it's normal to see only a great sides of him, but he isn't perfect and never was. At first I thought he'll be my everything, but after all this time I know him, it seems we are turning unto too different people. We might were on the same wavelength at first, but now... Now is different" she said and put her head on her arms still looking at the window, sometimes glancing at Louis to see his reaction. But she couldn't look at him for long. The way he looked at her terifyed her.
She clearly say he loved her but was too afraid to tell. The way he talked to her started to be a little cute. When she looked at him she remembered a former hero, the one who's ring she got and found her freedom from all her problems. The ring which changed her life completely. She started to see him as a hero. As a Mister Bug while there was no posibility he could be her partner. It was just her imagination. She only wanted this to be true. And why shouldn't she want this? He was here, in front of her, willing to listen her ashamed secerets. Willing to be with her. To help her feel better. And if he was her savior himself, she wouldn't let him go ever again.
But it all was only the wishes.
"What happened later? How did you find out they knew what you said about them?" Louos asked.
"On the late spring our class and a few other ones went to a camping trip. The teachers wanted us to see the nature and visit a few beautiful places. It was hard for busses to drive there, but it still drove us as close as posible. This was supposed to be a three day trip and I agreed to sleep with two of my best friends while Otilia was with other girls I also was good friends with. In the first morning I woke up really early, becasue I wasn't used to camping, so I left the tent to get some fresh air and umm... I had to do natiral things, if you know what I mean."
Louis looked away for a second and coughed almost unhearably.
"Y-yah. Sure. Umdestabdable" he mumbled and his skin brightened with rad shades.
Olivia giggled from him.
"All living beings do this. Don't look tike that at me" she aaid with a small smile playing on her face. She didn't know how, but Louis made her feel confortable talking about the worst moments of her life. But she liked it whan she didn't have to feel miserable of her mistakes. She was talking like an adventure, life experience which made her learn her lessons. "When I was out the toad came near by the tent. You see, there was a lake a hundered meeters away and there were a lot of those beings around. Anyway, when I got back I saw it and tried to scare it away, so I could go back to my tent, bu it jumped inside scaring both girls. The worst part was that the teacher saw me just before it got into the tent and thought I brought it inside."
"Oh gosh... D-did you manage to prove your thruth?"
"I was expelled from the school, Louis. How do you think it could go? My parents were ashamed of me at first. They heard what teacher saw and my friends confession about how I thought about them. There was no dobt I could to this to those girls, since I hated them behind their backs. So, everyone, including my parents, decided that it was better for me to leave the school. After that they were looking for another one, but, you know, there isn't many schools teaching in English, not french, in Paris" she said.
"Does your parents still don't believe of what you did?" Louis asked suddenly.
"After that I managed to convince my dad quite quickly, but I don't know if my mother really did. I think she just tried to deal with it by moving on. There was no point of fighting. That teacher who saw me in the wrong moment would have rather retired than admitted her mistake and letting me to come back."
"So your parents just decided to bring you here?" he asked.
"Not excatly" Olivia shook her head. "After what happened, our house was full of drama. I was furious with my sister all the time, my mother tried to calm us down but we were fighting all the time. I thought she ruined my life, so I just couldn't forgive her. My dad couldn't work properly because of this, my mother become more stressful and started having headaches even though she was used to spend most of the time here, in Lithuania. She just couldn't stand what was happening to our family anymore and when she asked me if I want to go back here, I agreed without thinking twice. I knew it was for the better. So we both with mom got here and now are staying at my dad's mother's house. She's not the nicest person, but at least she can't make me expelled from the school" Olivia sighed feeling eyes watering. Even though she sometimes punch me, Olivia thought, but didn't tell him that.
Her all emotions filled her body. She remembered her dad and how he acted after her mistake, she missed him so much but didn't want to see him hurt again. She was a dissapointment for her family. She missed her friends from Paris, though they hurted eash other so badly. But all friends had fights and she wanted their forgiveness. Olivia couldn't handile if Cornellia, Lina, Samanta or especially Louis turned their backs to her. She didn't want to see mom's face when she found out about her and Noah break up. She pretty much liked him wen she saw how he cared about her during Plunksna's attack. Olivia didn't want to dissapoint anyone anymore and knowing she hurt Noah, made her feel extreamly bad.
"Eventually my parents were able to make a deal with this school's headmaster. I was lucky I managed to get into this school especially when I haven't literally finished the last one" Olivia said smileg sadly.
"I'm glad they accepted you" Louis sad after a pause. He had to take a deep breath to say such thing. After he said this he looked blueish red. But it seemed his words made Olivia feel better. She huged him and put her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you" she sighed.
"For what?" Louis glanced at her for a second but then he slowly and carefully put his arms on her back.
"For listening. For being here for me. For not judging me, but accepting me with the whole past" she said weekly smiling. She was honestly happy to have him close. She was happy he didn't judge her for betraying her friends in Paris and hiding truth fron here in Vilnius. He didn't comment her being expelled from the previous school. He just didn't turn her down. Just like she knew he wouldn't. He was too good to do that.
But then she smelled his shirt. It was a sweet but lovely scent she was used to enjoy in his mother's bakery. But that scent reminded her of a Mister Bug. She just saw him for a moment and this was enough for her to back off.
Meanwhile, Louis was like in the paradise. His love just confessed to him her secerets she hadn't told to anyone. That meant a lot to him because it proved she trusted him more than anyone else. Actually, he thought those secerets were much worse, though it made her suffer a lot. He couldn't imagine her surviving those things she did but didn't blame her for anything. She didn't meant those things she did and this was the most important for him.
"Thank you" Louis said. "For tr-trusting m-me" he stuttered again. Though she was looking back at him, he still felt her touch and this drove him crazy.
"Umm... Actually, this was just a part of my secerets" she said a bit blushing. "Like I said, I have lots of them."
"I-I don't think there's anything w-worse than a se-seceret twin or toad marty... Um, party in a tent" Louis smiled a little.
Olivia giggle. "Toad party..." she said again. "How do you do that?
Louis blushed not understanding what she meant. He was already thinkung he missed something because his ears were already melting by hearing her giggles.
"Do what?" he finally asked when he just couldn't remember if she told him something more.
"I don't know" she shook her head and shoulders. "The whole day I felt miserable and afraid of what Noah found out about me, but when I talked to you it feels like it wasn't that bad" she stoped giggling and looked deeply in confused Loui's eyes. It was something about him she couldn't understand. It felt like he was hypnotizing her. She couldn't look away anymore. She was stuck in his bluebell eyes which so horribly remimded her of Mister Bug. She couldn't move just slowly lean forward. It was a bit terifying her but her heart controlled her. It was what she needed.
She was so close to him. His eyes were so big. And seemed they were moving closer to her too. She already could feel his heavy breath. She could tell - he was as confused as her. He didn't know where was going to lead them same as Olivia. It jist was a conection, maybe a chemistry or physics pulling them together like a magnet.
Slowly their both eyes closed. Olivia almost brushed his nose with hers while he almost felt her soft hair tickling his cheeks. Louis held his breath without thinking. He couldn't understand what was happening to him or at all. He forgot everything what was around and relaxed. He folloved where his soul was leading but even in his best dreams he didn't believe this day could come so soon. And all he needed was to be with Olivia, to listen to her, to give a support when she needed, to make her feel easier and better. He did everything naturally. He did what he always desired to do, to be here with Olivia no matter what.
But then her phone buzzed ruining the moment before it even started. Louis didn't got a chance to finally have his first kiss, the perfect kiss, like those in fairytales.
Olivia quickly pulled back and looked at her phone. She looked at the screen and gasped.
"We're here for and entire hour! I missed the orchestra practice!" she feaked out. "Now it's almost over. And Noah is already here waiting for me."
"Umm... I... Sorry" Louis apologized but Olivia shook her head.
"For what? Being here for me? Don't say that" she said and stood up. "Thank you, Louis. You might don't think that, but you helped me very much."
She quickly grabed her things and kissed blonde's cheek. He didn't even had a chance to process what just happened when she was already gone and the whole place still sounding of her voice saying "Happy birthday, Louis."
He got back himself together only when he heard Tikki giggling.
"She kissed me" the boy sighed.
"Yeah, she did. And you almost had one on your lips" Tikki said flying out of his bag.
"If not that phone... " the boy was in his dreams. Olivia just left him dreaming how her lips tasted ot what would happen if Noah wouldn't be here already. But even that kiss was taken away, he didn't regret it. She was about to do that, right? So maybe she'll do that again.
~~~
Hey, guys. So the truth about Olivia finally went out of the bag. I think it was for the best she told it to Louis at first, becaue he was the only who could handile this as calmly as Olivia needed. Besides, this is the thing making their connection even stronger. But, honestly, I'm glad they didn't kiss. You might would disagree with me, but Olivia would have regreted that especially when she saw not the real Louis, but Mister Bug and in a some way former heroes son. But, anyway, I hope it intrigued you at least for a bit.
For the end I can only inform you that I most likely ( but not necessarily) won't publish any chapter the next week, becaue I have to prepare a presentation and I'm extreamly bad at it. But I'm still willing to read some of you reviews or see new favorites/follows. So, until the next time!
