Author: fraidy bat

Rating: T

Pairings: Olivia/Viola, Viola/Duke, Sebastian/Olivia

Summary: We see things from Olivia's POV, and all may not be well.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from She's the Man. None of it belongs to me.

Notes: Please bear with the story. The best stuff is still coming. :)

Chapter 3

Alarm clocks sound like death at 7 AM the morning after you break up with your boyfriend. At least mine sure did. I swung an arm at the terrible screeching sound and clumsily connected with the off button. My eyes were still a little swollen from all the crying, and that made them very difficult to open. I wanted to pull the down comforter over my head and stay there in the soothing dark for the rest of my life. School was the last place I wanted to go today, the day after I told Sebastian that I couldn't see him anymore because I had accidentally fallen in love with his sister and couldn't figure out how to undo it. Sebastian might be in school. Viola would most likely be in school. Even Duke would probably be in school, and I wanted to see none of those people today. Oddly enough, Eunice was one of few people I didn't dread seeing at school today. And I felt okay about my roommate Maria, of course, who was now poking me in the arm to make me get out of bed. She remained relatively oblivious to the whole situation.

I sighed and forced my eyes to open. School it is.

As I trudged past the principal's office later that morning with some books clutched close to my chest, I swallowed back down the memory of how someone made me drop all those books a few months before. Someone.

I neared my biology class and felt a visceral anxiety that threatened the stability of my digestive system. This was the class Sebastian, Duke, and I had together. Even though Viola (as Sebastian) had been my lab partner for the first two weeks of school, Sebastian was the twin that technically belonged in second period biology, so he was now my lab partner. Viola had a whole new schedule when she officially transferred in from Cornwall, so now I had no classes with her. I was beyond grateful for that particular stroke of luck today.

I prayed that Sebastian would choose today to bail from school. Sitting across from him for an hour while a teacher droned on about the mechanics of pollination was not a good idea. Not after what happened yesterday. I knew him well enough to know that he needed some space, and I was glad to give it to him. Remembering his stunned expression when I told him why I needed to break up with him was enough to make me shudder. I wanted him to yell, swear, throw something, be angry that I was ending it because of my feelings for Viola, anything but what he actually did, which was absolutely nothing. I told him the truth, and he stared at me quietly for a little while. Then he said he had to go, and he left. I sat down and cried for an hour. Everything had become so hopelessly screwed up.

Somehow, I stopped breathing as I entered the classroom. I didn't remember to take a breath until I saw that Sebastian's chair across from mine was empty. I was safe for now. Practically collapsing into my seat, I did my best to avoid Malcolm's simpering face to my right. I smiled at Eunice, who waved. Then she went back to making goo-goo eyes at Toby. At first glance, Toby and Eunice are the most bizarre pairing you can conceive of. The ironic part is that they turned out to be the least dysfunctional couple of all. Lucky them.

I felt someone brush past me and looked up to see Duke's broad back as he walked to his lab table with Eunice. Duke. Guilt like I couldn't remember feeling before this year began filled my insides. First I used him shamelessly to make another guy (didn't really matter that she wasn't actually a guy) jealous, and now I had feelings for his girlfriend. I had zero intentions of 'making a move' or anything like that, but the mere existence of those feelings was enough to make me feel like I was hurting him somehow.

I realized that I had given Paul the impression that I would tell Viola the truth, but I was having some serious second thoughts. After Sebastian's reaction yesterday, I gave in to the desire to keep it to myself. Watching Duke sit and make awkward small talk with Eunice only strengthened my resolve not to open my big mouth again. Oh my god, Sebastian! I suddenly thought. What if he tells Viola? I might as well leave the country right now. The terror over the idea that Viola might, at this moment, know my secret was unbelievable. I must have turned an unfortunate shade of grey because I saw Malcolm lean toward me, passionate concern all over his face.

I managed a weak smile and tried to get a grip. Think. I reasoned that Sebastian probably wouldn't tell anyone that his girlfriend dumped him because she has a thing for his own sister, let alone tell Viola herself. He most likely already felt bad enough without including someone else in his humiliation. Though I was momentarily comforted with this rationalization, it didn't last long. I felt Sebastian's pain all over again, and I wanted to cry some more. I settled for resting my forehead against my hand and closing my eyes.

I hardly paid attention to whatever lesson was happening around me. Twice during the hour, Duke caught my eye and gave me a friendly smile. Each time, I felt guiltier than before. Oddly enough, Duke and I had come through this thing as friends. I wondered if he would believe me if I got up in the middle of class and told him the truth. Maybe, maybe not. He might not be able to get past the irony of the situation; before, he suspected Viola (as Sebastian) of betraying him with me. Now, I was betraying him with Viola, or that's how it seemed.

The bell finally rang, and I could not have been grateful enough. I grabbed my books and my bag and made for the door as quickly as possible without looking too much like I was sprinting to get away. Sadly for me, Duke's legs were longer than mine, and it didn't take him long to catch up with me in the hall.

"Hey, Olivia!" he called out as he drew level with me.

I swallowed. "Hey, Duke." I smiled in what I hoped was a normal way.

"Listen, a bunch of us going to the All-American Rejects concert this Saturday. You definitely need to be there," he said, poking me lightly in the shoulder.

"Uh, who all is going?" I asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Me, Viola, Andrew, Toby, Eunice, Kia, Paul—everybody. Except for Sebastian, since he has band practice and can't tear himself away, but you probably know that, huh?"

I briefly contemplated informing Duke that Sebastian and I weren't together anymore, but that might lead to lots of sticky questions and even stickier answers about the reasons why. Duke took my silence for indecision and pressed me further.

"Come on, you can hang out with us for one night without your boyfriend," he said in his best persuasion voice.

"I don't know—"

"Come on! Besides, Viola said you've been busy lately, and she misses you. We all do," he added politely.

Just do it. "Okay, cool. When and where?" I asked, smiling as brightly as possible.

"Dinner at Cesario's at seven, then we'll go to the concert." The bell rang again, and he checked his watch. "I gotta get to class, but I'll see you, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Duke." I smiled and waved. Duke disappeared into a classroom, and I booked it to study hall. My insides were knotting themselves into oblivion. A whole evening with Viola? And Duke? There was no way that I, in my current state of emotional turmoil, was going to be able to revert back to the old 'denial Olivia' for an entire night. I could practically foresee the imminent catastrophe. There would be arguments, tears, and it might even come to blows. Between whom, I didn't want to think about. But it was too late to take it back now.

It was terrible to think and even more terrible to admit, but as I shuffled into study hall, I caught myself wishing that I had never met Viola or Sebastian Hastings at all. At least then none of us would be in the middle of this disaster.

Every five seconds or so, I looked at my phone, worrying that it would ring any second and that it would be Sebastian, my now ex-boyfriend, or worse, his sister. It never rang.

I broke up with Sebastian on Tuesday. It was now Saturday, and I was getting ready to go to Cesario's so I could meet my friends. It was Saturday, and Sebastian hadn't said a word to me since Tuesday. As far as I could tell, he hadn't even been in school. Even though I was somewhat relieved to not have to see him, I was starting to worry about how this might affect his academic status. I wanted him to go to school, and I wanted to resolve our very unfinished business. But I didn't want him to call me. Not yet.

I put the finishing touches on my mascara and fiddled with my hair some more.

"Who are you trying to impress?" I muttered to myself. Then I remembered who it was. Oh. Right. Her.

The nerves fluttered around in my stomach again. I found the idea of having anything to eat at Cesario's amusing. In my current state of anxiety, it was highly unlikely that I would be able to keep anything down. It would be strictly water and maybe a breadstick for me tonight.

It was 6:47. Time to go. I glanced at my phone again. It still didn't ring, and for some reason that fact instilled me with just the tiniest bit of confidence that I could get through this evening without completely falling apart at the seams. Then there was a knock on my door.

My heart jumped into my throat, and I had visions of an angry Sebastian storming in, screaming profanities. Reluctantly, I tiptoed to the door and took hold of the handle with trembling fingers. Stop being such a nervous wreck, Olivia. It's probably just one of the girls from across the hall wanting to borrow something. Grow a pair, for god's sake.

I finally opened the door and smiled, expecting to see one of my neighbors. Instead, I was looking into the beautiful face of Viola Hastings, and she was grinning the grin that made me go weak in the knees. I was all I could do not to pass out right there in the doorway.

This was going to be a very, very long night.