"Hey, Olive?" My mom appeared in the doorway of my bedroom. I was doing homework.

I looked over at her, "Yeah?"

"Are you busy?" She leaned against the doorway. I couldn't quite read her expression.

"I'm just doing homework, but I can finish that later." I shrugged, now curious what was up.

"You're sure? It can wait."

"You already know I'm not gonna be able to focus until you tell me." I said, making her smile.

"Ok. I just needed to talk with you about something."

I closed my computer as she walked in my bedroom, turning to fully face her.

She sat down next to me. "Okay so... this weekend. On Friday. Callie is working a later shift, but she wanted to go out still. So... I was wondering what you would think if I just asked her to stay the night. You know, that way we can just like... hang out here and not have to worry about time." Mom spoke as though she had thought of a million different ways to ask me this- and she probably had. She seemed a little nervous that I would say no.

"Cool with me." I shrugged simply.

"It's ok if- wait, really?" Mom seemed shocked. She had probably prepared herself to try and convince me. I don't know why. When had I been difficult before?

"Why not? It makes sense, you don't wanna have to go out too late." It seemed logical to me. I'd probably be doing the same thing whether Callie was over or not- binge watching tv. I didn't have any plans, and I could easily do that in my room so they could hang out. I didn't mind.

My mom nodded a little. "Okay, then. Thank you."

"Mhm. Just remember that these walls are like paper." I bit back a teasing smile.

"Olivia Rae!" Mom's face went bright red.

"What?! I'm just saying. No funny business." I laughed.

Mom looked away from me, shaking her head.

"I'm being serious!" I said, still trying to contain my laughter.

"God. You are so..." Mom sighed.

"You love me." I smiled.

"I do." Her cheeks were still hot with embarrassment.

"So, no funny business?" I just liked to tease her, and this was getting a rise out of her.

She rolled her eyes. "That's not what I was planning on anyway, Olivia."

"Just had to make sure. Paper thin." I emphasized.

"Would you stop it!" Mom laughed too.

"Ok, ok."

We sat there in silence for a minute, and just as I reached over to open my laptop, Mom spoke up.

"You know, I really had no intentions of-"

"Mom, I was just messing with you. Do what you want."

"Okay, but I want you to know that I wasn't going to-" She tried again.

"Seriously, as long as I don't hear anything, I don't care." I opened my laptop. Why was she so adamant about letting me know. I really didn't care at all.

Mom let out a sigh as she leaned against the wall on one side of my bed.

I glanced up at her, and then started typing again.

"What's your homework?" She asked after some quiet.

"Uh.. I'm writing a short response for english class. I just finished my Spanish homework. I have like... a couple questions to answer for Math, a Biology Lab summary, and I might start my art project. If I still have motivation after the boring classes." I hated math and science. I was definitely more of an 'arts' person. But, if I had to choose, English and History were the better of the 'core' classes.

"That's... a lot." Mom said with a laugh. "God, I don't remember having that much work in high school." She crossed her arms over her stomach.

I just shrugged. She had a lot of other things to focus on in high school. I'm sure school work wasn't always on her priority list as a pregnant teen, anyway. Especially with the lack of help she had- teachers were horrible to her. I assumed that was part of the reason she left.

"It's not too much, really. And the English and Spanish wasn't too bad. It's just the Math and Bio that I dread."

Mom nodded, "That's the one thing we are opposite in. I loved math and science growing up."

"That's why you're in the medical field and I will never be." I giggled.

"Yeah, I guess so." Mom smiled. "But, you have so many other talents -"

"Mom. I wasn't saying anything bad. I don't need the 'Olivia, you're so great' lecture. Thank you, though." Mom was always so quick to reassure me, she didn't want me to be insecure. Maybe it was because she was so young... I think she understood 'teenage' things a lot better than my friends parents did. That was something my friends always complained about- their parents not getting it. Perk of having an insanely young Mom, I guess. Even though sometimes I didn't need the whole lecture about how I should love myself. It was nice when I did need it.

Mom laughed and shook her head, "Ok, ok. I just don't want you to forget it."

"I won't, Mom." I flashed her a smile, then glanced back down an my computer, squinting. "Can you proofread?" I asked.

"Sure!" Mom happily took my computer. She loved when I included her on the little things in my school work, I could tell. She enjoyed proof reading, or hearing about assignments, or even sometimes learning something from me.

"How late is Callie coming on Friday?" I asked after giving her time time to read, realizing she hadn't really said.

She handed back my laptop. "Sounds good! You're so smart." She smiled reassuringly. "Uhh, like 10:00 I think. It depends, her shift could be longer or shorter."

I nodded, turning in the assignment. "Cool. You know... I could like... sleep over at a friends house."

"What? No..." She looked at me. I have to admit, I may have had a slight smirk on my face. "Olivia! This isn't... god." She ran her hands through her hair.

"I'm just saying-"

"No. The whole point of having her come here is that I don't want to leave you alone for the night."

I smiled a little. That was sweet of her.

"And, this isn't some- Ugh! I'm not doing anything with her. Ok?"

I giggled, "Ok, Mom. I believe you."