Chapter Thirteen
"Water Under The Bridge"
"You need a boyfriend," Abby said grinning.
Olivia rolled her eyes as she scooped a hand full of popcorn out of the plastic bowl, stuffing it into her mouth. A boyfriend was the last thing that she needed mostly because it would be unfair to the new guy when all she could think about was Fitz.
"Abby you need to focus on this" she tapped her pen against the textbook page. "Cuz if you don't you're going to fail."
Reluctantly, Abby opened her textbook, sighing hard. "I just want you to be happy."
This time it was Olivia's turn to sigh, for a split second when Abby opened her book she thought they might get some work done. "I am happy, I'd be even happier if you'd study."
"But listen" Abby slapped her book shut, and sat up on her knees. "There's a party this Friday, you should come and mingle with some of the guys."
"Abby!" Olivia breathed out hot air. "Go home, right now."
"What why?"
"Because I'm trying to study and all you care about is getting me laid. So please go home."
"sorry."
It was harsher than Olivia intended, but she was barely just getting over the fact that Fitz is marrying someone else, the last thing she wanted was someone in the mix of her feelings. Doing her homework was about all the external stress she could manage.
Olivia flopped back against her pillows, letting out a little grunt, letting herself know that she'd eventually have to apologize. But the reality facing the music would come when she finally sees Fitz on campus. Their schedules have always been different however, Fitz used to purposefully stay on campus to catch her. So there is a chance that she wouldn't see him for the rest of the semester.
And this is why she wanted to study because it prevented her from overthinking for hours and hours.
"Damnnit Abby,"
Olivia glanced over at the unoccupied bed across the room. Sure Kelly was barely home but at least she knew a couple of nights out of the week she wouldn't be completely alone. This dorm was a spare and since it was a month and a half away from summer vacation most students were already paired up.
Scanning the dorm Olivia's gaze landed on the Xbox and beside it was Mortal kombat.
"Fuck it" Olivia mumbled as she got up and grabbed the controller.
Off-campus Apartments April 18
"You're throwing away your future, Fitzgerald," Gerry says.
"Melody was not his future." Catherine cut in, from the sofa. Big Gerry was the one dramatically pacing the small living room space. Sweat beads broke out across his forehead.
His eyes darted toward his sweet wife but he wasn't hearing anything sweet. All Gerry could think about was his investment going down the drain.
"How did you even find out?" Fitz asked, pushing off the wall, his hands tucked in his pockets.
"She called, son hysterically crying, saying that you broke her heart."
"Why is Melody calling you, Fitzgerald?" Catherine's brow raised high, her lips tight with a frown, as she uttered his full name.
"She needed someone, we were the only family she had, and our son tossed her to the side like some cheap roll in the hay," Gerry says, raking his hands over his face.
Catherine and Fitz were both having a hard time understanding what Gerry was talking about. Not in the six years that Fitz and Mellie dated had Gerry ever done so much as said 'good morning' to the girl and suddenly she was family.
"What are you talking about? Mellie and I talked and she'll be better without me."
"I'm trying not to be angry. Our son is finally free of that- that girl and you are trying to force him back into being with her. He's free Gerry, to do what's best for himself." Catherine was fully ticked off but she could tell that something else had her husband's head turned upside down.
Knowing who she married, she knew he wasn't going to admit it while he was on the spot.
"I'm just trying to-"
"-Screw me, you're trying to screw me. Dad, you couldn't control Andy or Marcus and now you're trying to choose my life path for me." Fitz shook his head, soughing hard.
"You ungrateful-"
"See mom." Fitz pointed to his father as if to show his mother what she was already witnessing. "I'm sick of this bullshit, you cheated on mom and she cheated right back and brought Marcus home with her. Why can't you see that I don't want to be like you guys." He grabbed his head, shutting his eyes in defeat.
Catherine's jaw fell to the floor and Gerry's icy glare dug into him. The realization only hit him now; he didn't want to be like his fucked up family and their dynamic was truly fucked up.
"Apologize to your mother right now." Gerry stepped towards his son, towering over him at 6'5 to Fitz's 6'2
"It's alright." Catherine stood smoothing over an invisible wrinkle in her perfect dress. "I see what Fitzgerald thinks of me so I'll wait in the car."
"I- I can't do this right now. So whatever bullshit you and Mellie have going on I don't care. I'm not your make-over child, so leave." Fitz was across the room for a few seconds, the doorknob in his hand, swinging it open fast.
"I pay for this life you live, boy." Pointing his finger in Fitz's face. "You better apologize to your mother by the end of this week or you'll never see a dime of your inheritance. You ingrate."
"If you're done."
"Watch yourself, boy." Gerry spit out as he walked out.
Campus noon.
Thankfully Olivia was out of that lousy big boot and sized down to a post-op shoe. Which surprisingly didn't make her outfit ugly. A just above-the-knee skirt and a black off-the-shoulder sweater. The sun was out but it wasn't quite summer.
Abby was coming down the quad when Olivia spotted her and called her over. She was lucky Abigail didn't turn and run for the hills after the way she treated her last night.
"Okay, you were right…about the party," Olivia says, shifting her books from one arm to the other. "As far as social interaction goes, I'm long overdue. So I will go to the party with you tonight."
A smile crept across the redhead's freckled face. "I'm always right."
"No, I'm always right," Olivia said, bumping Abby's shoulder.
As the pair turned and advanced into the building, Olivia halted as her eyes scanned him. His curls, light and fluffy, bounced the way she remembered. As magnets found each other his head lifted to her, his expression softening as he registered it was really her.
Olivia lifted her hand and waved slightly before Abigail snatched it down and tugged her down the corridor. Looking over her shoulder she saw Fitz frowning, and she could've stopped Abby's rescue but she allowed herself to be pulled away.
"He's getting married and you're coming out of your dorm tonight, so he has to be in the past," Abby says, searching Olivia's eyes for something. A hint of understanding maybe or agreement.
"Okay." She breathed out. But her heart was beating so fast and so hard she could feel the pulse in her ears.
Why did he have to look so good?
So refreshed?
ughhhh.
Focus, focus, focus.
Langley Hall
It was after 9:30 when Abby arrived at Langley Hall to retrieve Olivia. Both ladies dressed cutely, Olivia decided on jeans and a nice top. Abby on the other hand went for a more club look despite this being a frat party; in some cases, clothes weren't required. But she looked good.
"Think your skirt is small enough, it looks like a belt." Olivia laughed.
"Right, yeah cuz I'm taking fashion advice from jeans and sweaters. Makes the most sense." Abby joined her laughing.
"You didn't do anything drastic did you?"
"If you mean was I crazy enough to call Fitz, no I wasn't. Abby, I'm over him."
"It didn't seem like it-"
"Well, I am. So stop bringing him up."
The rest of the walk was quiet until Abby glanced up with nothing but panic in her eyes. "Do you think David's gonna propose after graduation?"
"I don't know, he's your boyfriend. Why do you look horrified at that though?"
"His parents brought it over spring break and I'm terrified, to be honest. I don't think I can be a good wife. Stay home, cook, clean- babies, goddamn babies. David has a huge family so he'll want lots of babies."
Olivia reaches for Abby's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. "You don't have to be a 1950s housewife to be a good wife, you just have to love him and he has to love you."
The friends shared a smile as they continued on to the frat house hand in hand.
The house was filled to the brim with students leaking onto the front lawn, beers in one hand, joints in another. Music blasted from one speaker on the lawn, and the other was in the house where it was just as loud.
The last time Olivia was here, a fight broke out and the night ended abruptly, not that the end of the party was such a bad thing but she had enjoyed herself up until Derek's hand collided with her ass.
People shoulder to shoulder, others crammed on the couches.
"I'll find drinks" Abby yelled over the music, nodding fast as she squeezed through the sea of bodies.
"Olivia," Fitz said, his voice deep and warm. She turned fast, and just as she faced him, someone stumbled through the crowd and shoved her into his arms. And just like that she was drunk off his touch alone, her head dizzy with anticipation.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, putting his lips close to her ear.
"It's a party, I go to parties."
"No, you don't, you hate parties." A chill raced down her spine as he leaned in again talking in her ear. Olivia shook off the feeling.
She couldn't believe this, how the hell was he so alluring?
So-
"Can we talk-" his gaze darted around the crowded space and landed back on Olivia. "Somewhere quiet."
"That doesn't sound like a good idea. How would your fiancé feel about that?" Olivia crossed her arms and tilted her head.
"I don't know, I'm not engaged anymore." Fitz knocked back the quarter of beer left in the bottle and grabbed Olivia's hand leading them to the backyard.
When they got to the backyard, she snatched her arm from his grasp. What the hell was he doing? She wanted to slap him clean across the face for ignoring her, but also for kissing her when he knew he was engaged.
But the look in his eyes stopped her, a bittersweet smile playing on his face. He stepped towards her and she didn't back away.
"I'm glad you came back," Fitz says.
"What do you mean you're not engaged anymore?"
Opening his mouth, he shut it, that's not what he was expecting. Still holding out hope that she missed him as much as he missed her. It was Fitz's turn to raise his defenses, shifting towards the rose bush, his hands finding a home in his jeans pockets.
"I called off the wedding a few weeks back. It wasn't meant to be." Fitz says. "I'm sorry."
"I haven't apologized to you so there it is. I'm sorry, you deserved better from me as your friend, and as someone who loves you."
The declaration brought goosebumps to her arms and tears to her eyes.
"Why didn't you return my calls or texts?"
"I broke my phone, I was drunk and angry. I went through that for a few weeks."
Neither of them realized they were inching closer together until Olivia was twiddling the bottom of Fitz's shirt. Staring up at him with her big doe eyes, melted him. He couldn't stay guarded for long around Olivia, she'd always been a safe place for him and he missed that.
"So what now?" Olivia asks.
"You still want to be with me?" His brows dipped low, confusion laced his words. A happy confusion, nonetheless he was sure she hated him.
"I never feared falling for you, I was scared that you'd break my heart. But I've felt what that's like, and I can handle it, I don't want to be a coward. Are you a coward, Fitz?"
Tilting his head to the stars above Fitz forced tears back, sniffling softly, he looked at her again, his hand gently caressing her arm. "Are you back in the dorms?"
"Yes."
"Can I take you home?"
Kind of short but that's for good reason.
More to come. So enjoy.
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