A dejected Olivia walked back to the dorms, and an afternoon of boredom. Olivia puttered around the dorm thinking. Liv knew Viola wasn't slighting her on purpose or anything but it still hurt to be ignored by her girlfriend. And for some reason doubts were circling.
Even though Olivia wrote of Maria's suggestion there was a hint of fact to it. Not that Viola was cheating but that Kia and Yvonne had previous claims on Vi's time. It had been easier to fit everything in during the summer, but now with school Viola was now juggling schoolwork, soccer practice and games, Cornwall friends, Illyrian friends, and a girlfriend. The question was when would Vi start dropping things, and what would be priority?
Before Olivia could get lost in introspection her phone rang. Unplugging the phone from where it still sat charging. Picking up the phone without checking the caller ID Olivia answered, "Hello?"
"Liv, how are you? Do you need highlights soon?" came the voice of Paul, the genius hairstylist. "You don't mind chatting, right? Vi told me to give you a call. She is being beastly leaving you alone all day. If I had a great girl like you waiting for me nothing would keep me away."
Olivia felt a surge of gratitude to Vi, she had the flamboyant hair god call to keep Olivia company. "I'm much better now Paul. Maybe this weekend, Paul; if you can fit me in. Kia and Yvonne are important, though," Olivia defended Viola, even if she had been thinking similar thoughts moments ago. "And you wouldn't want a great girl at home, besides you have Andrew."
Feeling much happier about the day Olivia decided to enjoy the Indian Summer day, not that it would ever get very cold in North Carolina. The sun was warm and the day was definitely looking up.
"She is still a beast," Paul countered. "My schedule is never too full for you. And yes I do have Andrew, but he is busy, to quote Mrs. Hastings, 'kicking a muddy ball around a field.' Thank god for tiny soccer shorts."
Olivia laughed at Paul's joke, which was more than half true. "Do you know what Kia and Yvonne needed Vi for?" Olivia asked, hoping that he was not sworn to whatever a 'double crossed pinky promise' was.
"No, I don't but can you hold on a minute Liv," Paul said, and Olivia could hear him set down the phone. Despite the phone being down Olivia could hear Paul yelling at someone. "No! Claire needs to be in chair four and Laura in two!"
Some rustling and Paul picked up the phone again. "Sorry Liv, I am surrounded by incompetence. Every person who is even slightly talented thinks they can be the next Jonathan Antin," Paul griped with a sigh.
Olivia didn't know who Paul was talking about but she laughed anyway. She spent two hours chatting about anything and everything with Paul.
"Liv, honey, I have to go," Paul told her at five thirty. It was time for the salon to close for the day. "Do you want me to call you back on my cell?"
"No, Paul. I need to get ready for my date anyway. Vi is taking me to Cesario's," Olivia explained.
"Hardly romantic, but alright for spur of the moment. Okay, call me tomorrow and we'll talk about when to get your hair done. Ciao Bella, kiss kiss hon," Paul said before hanging up. Olivia shut her phone and hurried back to the dorm.
Having long ago changed out of her uniform and in to date apparel, Olivia turned to primp for her date, smile firmly pasted on her face. Paul had made the day infinitely better. Olivia needed only reapply some eye shadow and lipstick, along with a sprits of body spray.
Olivia did not notice Vi's soccer bag as she left the dorm to arrive early at Cesario's, the place filled up quickly. Olivia was at Cesario's by quarter to six, a bit early but that was fine, it would be easy to get a table. Olivia quickly got seated at a table for two.
It was odd that Cesario's could be a family restaurant during the day and week nights but come the weekend, if there was no soccer win to celebrate, the small restaurant was romantic. Today, as a week day, was full of families and people coming straight from work. Olivia ordered an ice tea while she was waiting for Vi. She knew exactly what she wanted: a garden salad, which she would of course supplement with a piece of Vi's pizza, a long as there were no black olives, Olivia hated black olives.
By the time Olivia finished her tea Viola still hadn't shown up. She had already called Vi, since her girlfriend was ten minutes late, but only got the other girl's voice mail. And Vi couldn't still be at practice, because Olivia saw Duke and Monique at a table across the room. That was a couple even more odd than Toby and Eunice, at least Eunice was nice, if creepy, Monique could not even claim that.
When the waiter came by again Olivia ordered her salad, too hungry to wait any longer. Even so she continued to glance to the door, hoping for a glimpse of the familiar brunette head bobbing through the crowd. Olivia had eaten, been given her check, and still Viola hadn't shown.
At this point Olivia did not know whether to be angry at being stood up, embarrassed for having sat there alone, or worried that Vi didn't show up. This is when a familiar voice reached her ears, "Olivia."
Her ears made the connection too slowly because Olivia turned to face the person, a smile on her face, expecting Vi. It was definitely not Viola, instead it was Malcolm. Malcolm, the creepy, spider-owning, stalker.
Olivia's smile shrank before debutante training kicked in. "Hello Malcolm," Olivia said, trying and failing to be nice to him. Today she was not equipped to deal with Malcolm.
"Why are you sitting alone, you are far too pretty to eat alone," Malcolm said, attempting to suave no doubt, as he sat without invitation across from Olivia. When she felt a searching foot under the table Olivia knew it was time to leave.
"I already ate, Malcolm, and I was just leaving," she lied and unobtrusively slid money on to the table. She didn't wait for him to reply but left, feeling tears stinging her eyes from embarrassment. Not only did she have to eat alone but she was accosted by Malcolm, which made this date, without a doubt, the worst one she had ever had.
Olivia was able to keep her composure until she reached the dorm building. At that point she felt the hot runnels of tears coursing down her cheeks. She scrubbed her cheeks in vain; Olivia was not a pretty crier.
Olivia was blinded by tears and had a bit of trouble unlocking her dorm room door. When she finally got it open Olivia slipped inside a quickly slammed the door shut. The slam of the door woke the room's other occupant. The previously sleeping Viola Hastings shot up which sent papers, which had lain on top of her during the spur-of-the-moment nap, flying.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow I did get one up today. Go me! Now I will be a bit busy for the next few days, hence my major updates now, and I want to be a writer who includes my faithful readers. So I want to hear what you think I should have happen between Vi and Liv. So tell me in reviws. *Announcer Voice* How will Olivia react to being stood up? What more drama can their be? And how the couple gets through this? To get these answers watch the next exciting part of the best non award winning drama How the Chips Fell. And now a New Years special.