To the average random citizen on the street, Olivia was Veronica's mirror image, her carbon copy in every way that an identical twin should be; but a more practiced eye would quickly begin to see the subtle differences between the sisters. Where Veronica was all sharp edges, steel and iron and ice wrapped in a dainty silken package, Olivia was softer, there was more roundness in her face, more warmth, she was fire, fire and electricity and molten metal neatly wrapped in a velvet parcel. Both girls were born of Latin strength and hardened in the forge of their parents expectation, but they were opposites in as many ways as they were identical.
Stepping out of their town car onto the cold evening street in front of their new building, the first thing that struck Olivia Lodge about Riverdale was just how quiet the streets were. She had known that she was coming away from the hustle and bustle of New York, had known that the press of humanity and energy could not reach itself all the way into Riverdales sleepy borders, but she could never have imagined how the stillness could reach right into her, quieting some deep part of her that she hadn't known needed soothing.
As always Hermione Lodge soldiered forward, practically leaping from the car, almost manic in her determination to make the best of the situation;
"Now brace yourself." She chirped as she lead the twins up the front steps "The apartment's small, a pied-a-terre, - but 'quality, always.'"
"Quality, always." Olivia and Veronica joined in with their mother, in tune as always with her need to soothe their frazzled edges. They shared a knowing smile at Hermiones tone as they trooped after her into the foyer of their new home.
"Plus, it's the only piece of property in my name and not your father's." The fact that the twins were not immediately behind her or in hearing range did nothing to dampen her spirit.
"Ms. Hermione! Welcome home!" An aging doorman greeted their mother, Olivia immediately liked him, he was all crinkled skin and warm eyes, someone to trust, she decided, her mother clearly felt the same way.
"Smithers! Oh, you are a sight for sore eyes."
'How was the ride?"
"No traffic, thank God." Suddenly Hermione seemed to remember that she had children in tow; "Smithers, I'd like to introduce you to my daughters, Veronica and Olivia" The twins mother gestured to them with an open hand.
"It's a pleasure, Miss Veronica, Miss Olivia"
"Hi!" Olivia echoed her sister, taking in the small but comfortable foyer.
"I'll get the bags." Smithers said from behind her, Olivia heard her mother reply, but she passed through the door of their new home and the tangle of voices in the foyer became background noise. The apartment was like a miniature of their home in New York, definitely a lot smaller but still decorated tastefully, lavishly even.
"It will do." She decided, speaking out loud to the empty room.
"Glad it meets your absurdly high standards, Liv" Veronica sniped good-naturedly as she swanned into the room behind her. "Personally, I would have preferred something a little less Downton Abbey and a little more Monte Carlo Baby, but that's just me."
Olivia opened her mouth to sass her sister back when Hermione swept into the room, 'She may have lost her millions but she'll never lose her flair for the dramatic' she thought wryly as she watched her mother deposit herself dramatically onto the chaise.
"I've called an order into Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, be a dear, Veronica, and go fetch it for you poor, road-weary mother?"
"What?!" Veronica squawked in outrage, "Why do I have to go on my own?" Hermione's eyes narrowed, fixing her daughter with a hawk-like glare.
"Because I am exhausted and your sister is far too fragile to go out into the cold and rain. Don't make a scene Ronnie, not tonight."
"Mom!" Olivia interjected, her mood a mirror of her twins "I'm fine, don't make Ronnie go alone, we'll go together." Seeing her mother about to interject once more she cut her off "It'll be safer! Just let me grab my coat." Sensing defeat, Hermione lay her head back against the sofa;
"Fine, but take gloves too."
Reclining back onto Ronnie's overstuffed duvet, comfortably full of burger and onion rings, Liv was happy to listen Veronica chatter away about the redhead they'd met at the diner earlier that night.
"I mean, honestly, Cosmo can talk about the merits of a simple country farm-boy on every page but until you catch one blushing at you across a backwater diner you just can't truly appreciate the charm they can have." Ronnie was sitting at her dresser, brushing her hair in the mirror, the glasses she would only ever wear in private perched on the end of her button nose.
"Personally, you can keep your hick farmboys, you know I prefer them dark, brooding and mysterious." Liv winked at her sister over her shoulder in the mirror as she scooted off the bed. "I'm going to bed to dream of Edward Cullen, I could not stand the shame of baggy undereyes on my first day at Riverdale High." Olivia stood off of the bed, stretching languorously in the process, she could feel Ronnies sharp eyes on her so she took her time crossing the room, as she passed behind the vanity her twin caught her by the wrist, turning to face her;
"Liv, that crap Mom said tonight, about you being fragile…" She started hesitantly.
"Don't worry V" Olivia replied "I know not to take it personally, you know me, fighting fit, but Mom will always see me as her fragile baby, I know you don't feel the same." Veronica looked relieved that her sister had said what she was scared to, criticizing their mother came easier to Olivia than it did to Ronnie.
"Love you, Liv"
"Love you too Ronnie, sleep well."