Chapter 8
"Did you get them?" Dean asked her while he helped carry his brother Ash's bag up to the apartment. Ash was also busy on the phone, talking to some girl named Rita.
"Oh yeah." Olivia replied. "But on my way over I ended up eating the whole box, so I bought two more."
"Two more?!" Dean laughed. This girl was everything he'd hoped she was: a girl who liked her food and wasn't ashamed of it. "How'd you manage to eat a whole box of a dozen cupcakes?"
"One: they're not just cupcakes, they're Duncan's." she replied. "And two: Stevie may or may not have eaten a few while I was driving him to Ian's. I mean, they were just there and—" She stopped speaking once she realised Dean was laughing on the other end of the line. "Dude, it's not funny!"
"I—I can't." Dean put the phone on the table as he rubbed his eyes with his fingers. Olivia was still insisting that the situation wasn't funny—along with a string of explicit words—which made Dean laugh even harder. "I'm s-s-s-orry-y-y-y."
"You better be, because the cupcakes now belong to me and Ash. Who's laughing now bitch!"
"Aww c'mon, baby. Don't be such a sour puss." he said, phone back against his ear. He knew she was only joking around. Olivia wasn't one to take things seriously.
"I gotta go. Parking my car." Before she hung up, she added, "And still no Duncan's for you, mister."
"So this girl... She hot?" Ash asked Dean for the millionth time. Dean rolled his eyes.
"Ash, we already went through her description: you'll get to see when she's here." he replied, looking out the window he felt surprisingly happy to see her even though he'd only seen her a few hours ago. She was wearing a black skater dress with maroon Doc Martens. Her hair was up in a French braid, and had tiny flowers stuck inside the bun. "She's here." He looked at his brother, who was unsurprisingly dressed in his usual attire: plaid shirt, torn jeans and black military boots. What Dean was mostly embarrassed about was his younger brother's hair. Who had mullets in the 21st century?!
"Well keep it in your pants, bro." he sassed as Dean opened the front door to his apartment.
"Hey." he greeted Olivia, kissing her cheek.
"Still no cupcakes for you." she winked, and looked over his shoulder to see... a hill-billy? "Uh, hi." She wasn't only surprised that Ash looked the way he did, she was also very impressed. Just by looking at him, she could tell what Dean's background is. He came from a normal family, from the south.
'DEAN SMITH IS A SOUTHERN PERSON.' She wasn't even from the south and she was raised like a farmer's daughter (minus the hard work).
"Well, lookie here. You were right, bro, she's purdy." Ash commented, walking over towards them, he stretched out his arm and took her hand, kissing its back. "Name's Ash. I'm the good-looking one, as you can tell."
Olivia couldn't help the giggle. She turned to Dean and smirked "Smithy, if you told me your brother was such a charmer, I would've so run off with him in the middle of the night."
"Won't stop ya." Dean teased back. Ash sat back down in the living area. Once he was there, Dean and Olivia stepped aside behind the kitchen counter. "You're not running off in the middle of the night with him right?"
She shook her head. "Dude, you're stuck with me for a while." She bit her lower lip as she looked at his lips, then up into his eyes. "And I believe I didn't properly say hello, which was very rude of me."
"Then I should punish you later..." Dean whispered before capturing her lips with his. Olivia moaned and wrapped her arms round his neck, while his hands found their way on the small of her back, lightly squeezing her ass, making her giggle halfway through the kiss.
"If you two are makin' out back there, make it quick cos I'm starvin'!" Ash exclaimed from the other side of the room. "Or leave it for after I'm asleep."
Dean turned bright red, making Olivia laugh gleefully as she pinched her cheek. "You look so cute when you're embarrassed."
"Well he's about to get adorable." Ash replied, standing behind her. "This one time, he serenaded a girl in sixth grade. She looked at him, screamed and ran off."
"Ash!" Dean whined. Olivia chuckled.
"Aww, poor Smithy got rejected by a widdle girl in sixth grade. Weep, weep, weep!"
"Liv!" He was a little hurt that she was taking his brother's side in this, but he was relieved she was getting along with him. The next step was judgemental Jo, then his more embarrassing and judgemental parents. "You're taking his side?"
"Aww c'mon Dean! Live a little! Me and Liv are simply bonding over the fact you're an idiot." Ash joked and sat back onto the couch. Olivia smiled cheekily as she turned to Dean.
"You think I'm an idiot?" Dean asked her. She chuckled and kissed him.
"Yeah, but you're my idiot." she winked before joining Ash on the couch.
"So Dean tells me you went to MIT." Olivia smiled. "You don't look the computer type."
"It all started when he managed to hack into the high school main computer and changed our grades to straight As. This guy's a genius." Dean told her, pointing his thumb at his brother who was sitting next to him. "He may not look like it, but his genius lives underneath that mullet."
"Wait, you weren't always a goody two-shoes with a juice obsession?" Olivia asked. She knew about Dean's past from Mr Adler, but she didn't want Dean to know that. She wanted him to tell her himself.
"I, uh... Not really. I mean I was average, but never a straight-A student." he replied, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Olivia could tell this wasn't a subject Dean wanted to discuss in front of his brother, so she changed subject.
"Ash, how did you afford MIT? Tuition is pretty expensive and I spent almost half my life saving up for it. Never managed." she asked him.
"Well everyone pitched in. Mom, dad, sis Jo, Dean-o here too. I guess they were desperate to get me out of the house." he joked, smiling goofily.
"You know it, bro." Dean smirked.
"So, dinner...?" Ash said. "I'm seriously hungry right now. Dean?" He looked at him, nodding his head sideways towards the kitchen's direction, but Olivia was already up and on her way there.
"Liv, what're you doing?" Dean asked her.
"I'm gonna hook you guys up with a mean pasta dish." she grinned, putting an apron on. "You can do what brothers usually do and talk about how awesome I am."
"But you'd hear us if we did that." Ash winked.
"Not if I have my friends earphones and Metallica playlist." Olivia winked back, taking out her earphones, which were plugged to her phone. "This has the loudest Metallica songs on a loop." She put her earphones in each ear, pressed play, and the brothers could hear the faint music coming from the other side, as she hummed and started taking out the ingredients from Dean's fridge.
Ash leaned towards Dean. "Dean, marry that girl before someone else does." Dean gave him a look, but got a glare in return from the very serious-looking Ash. "I'm not kidding around. She's a nice girl. Any guy would be lucky to have her as their girl. So don't screw this up. I mean after the last time—"
"Don't... bring up last time." Dean warned him firmly. 'Last time' was a reference to Cassie, Dean's last serious girlfriend. He'd fucked up big time with his drinking problem. But now he's sober and he wasn't about to screw things up with Olivia too. She could be the key to what he wanted all his life... or is she really?
"Liv's gotta know. You can't keep it a secret." Ash pointed out. "Not sayin' you should tell her now, but soon would be good. Because she finds out by herself."
"Fuck it all and no regrets! I hit the lights on these dark sets! I need a voice to let myself
To let myself go free!" she sang very off-key and loud. Ash and Dean chuckled, shaking their heads.
"Not with a voice like that." Ash murmured, taking a sip from his beer. He took a deep breath and went back on the previous subject. "How long have you two been together now?"
"Few weeks... probably four or five? Almost a month and a week? But who's really countin'?"
"I get it, you don't wanna talk about it just yet. But if there's one advice as both a bro and a friend that I can give you, it's that you should not—and I repeat, should NOT—fuck up this time. The string dates you had with those chicks?! WOOH! They were nasty!" Ash exclaimed, flipping his mullet behind his back. "Especially that last one, the one with the boobs."
Dean rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me of Kay. I've to see her every day at work."
"I'd tap her just for the fun of it. But her intellect is the size of a particle."
"True that, brother." They clicked beer bottles and took a sip. "So, uh... I wanted to ask for your advice not as a brother, but as a friend."
Ash gasped dramatically. "You want my advice?!" he exclaimed. "Hold on, I need a second." He paused. "And a camera to record this moment."
Dean smiled. He'd never asked for his brother's advice before. Being the older brother, it was always Ash asking for advice, but now tables have turned. Ash somehow had his life together. "Okay, don't ruin it, man. It's—It's about Liv." He turned around to see if she was listening, but she was in her own little world, humming and bopping her head to the music, sometimes murmuring a verse or two. "Should I do something special to her for our one-month anniversary?" he asked, turning back to Ash. "I mean, we've just established we're boyfriend/girlfriend and I don't know what she's looking for with me. I don't want to seem desperate or clingy at this stage. Ash, please... be serious with me and tell me what I should do."
"Okay, first off: stop being such a pansy."
Dean scowled. "Noted."
"Second: start small. I dunno, take her out for lunch, buy her a necklace or somethin'." Ash continued. "You have cash for it, so make the lunch... you know... not awful."
Dean nodded. "I know a place. I can take her out for dinner tomorrow night after work. Surprise her."
"Coolio. Oh, and compliment her. No matter what she wears or does or says, always reply with a comment. Chicks dig that."
"I find myself complimenting her a lot already. She always rolls her eyes, wrinkles her nose and does this cute little smile." Dean gazed at the ceiling as he pictured her doing so, and sighed dreamily. He the snapped back to reality. "Okay, I know what to do."
"By the way, Jo's been askin' a lot of questions about her... what should I say? She knows I'm crashing here and she automatically assumed you'd introduce me to her." Ash looked at Dean worriedly. "She asked a lot of questions."
"She's meet her in due time... probably when she's here for the holidays next week." Dean replied.
"Okay, boys! Pasta's ready to be served!" Olivia exclaimed happily. "Just a head's up: after tonight, you're gonna know what heaven tastes like."
"Nobody makes better pasta than mama Smith." Dean smirked. "But will compliment you on your efforts once I've tasted."
Olivia stuck her tongue out as she served the pasta in their respective plates. Ash frowned. "Salad and pasta? It's like eating pizza with no mozzarella."
"Ash doesn't really like salad." Dean explained when she sat down. "He thinks it's the devil's food or something."
"It is, brother." Ash insisted, picking up his fork. "It's tasteless without the dressing and it's boring." He took the first bite to challenge his brother, but he stopped chewing almost immediately, his eyes wide open. Sparkling. "Mama Smith..." He looked at Dean, pointing the plate with his fork. "... ain't got nothing on this."
Olivia turned to Dean, grinning. "You said?"
Dean quickly tried the pasta, and closed his eyes, groaning with pleasure. "I'm sorry, Ma... so so sorry..."
Olivia chuckled. "I come from a culinary background, so I know things."
"Ash, I won't tell on you if you don't tell on me." Dean told his brother while chewing. Ash was surprisingly already halfway through his plate. He nodded rapidly, not even looking up from his plate. "Baby, you just made Ash Smith eat salad. That's something nobody's ever accomplished."
"What can I say?" Olivia innocently shrugged. "I'm one of a kind."
Dean grinned and leaned towards her, planting a small kiss on her cheek. She really was one of a kind. He wanted to make sure that tomorrow's yet-to-be-planned dinner was perfect, not one single flaw. He screwed up once in the past, he won't do it again. Not with this girl.
"Yes, Liv. Yes you are." he replied with a mysterious smile as he took a sip from his wine.
The dinner went pretty well. Dean was relieved Olivia and Ash got along well—almost like they'd known each other for years—and seeing how likeable she was towards him, he'd already started plotting her meeting Jo.
In a particular instant, Olivia glanced over at Dean, who was recounting an event where one of them—she wasn't fully listening—got their head stuck between the banisters of Mr Adler's stairs. She'd just remembered tomorrow was a month since their first kiss, which made it their first date? Or was their first date that night they ate at his office? She didn't always think it was a big deal that people forgot the first month anniversary as it was still the beginning of their relationship, so why was she feeling slightly disappointed that Dean didn't mention it once?
"Uh, excuse me one second..." she murmured, getting up.
"Hey, babe, something wrong?" Dean frowned. She smiled weakly.
"Just need to use the bathroom really quick. Be right back." She rushed to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She quickly dialled Ian's number.
"Aren't you supposed to be having dinner with Dean and his brother?" was the first thing he said.
"I know. I'm in the bathroom because I just remembered something." she softly said so as not to be heard. "Tomorrow's our one-month anniversary and Dean hasn't mentioned it once."
"You shouldn't let that be a big deal." Ian explained.
"I know. I keep telling myself that, but I still am disappointed he didn't mention it. I was actually thinking of cooking him dinner or watch a movie at my house or something. But he already said he had an appointment right after work."
"Maybe he's going to surprise you after the appointment?" In the background, Olivia heard Mel murmuring something in the background. "Yeah she's in his bathroom..." More murmuring. "Go to bed, babe."
"Fuck did I wake you up?" Olivia asked. She hated doing that to people.
"Only her. I was reading." he replied. "Listen, lets talk about this tomorrow at work okay? Maybe Sam can come up with a solution too."
Olivia smiled, grateful she had such great guy friends. "Cool. Pick me up tomorrow at seven?"
"Isn't Dean going to do that? Maybe have a little makeout session in the back of the car?" he sniggered.
"Dude! That was once!" she hissed. "He has to drive his brother to the station before work. Bye." and hung up the phone when she heard someone knocking.
"Liv, you okay?" Dean asked from outside. She looked at the door. Was she really?
"Yeah, just had to remind Ian he had to pick me up tomorrow for work." she replied, unlocking the door. "You still have that thing tomorrow after work?"
He nodded, pretending to be disappointed. 'She's gonna get the surprise of her life!' he happily thought. "Yeah, why?"
"Was thinking of renting a few movies so we can watch them at my house?" she said with a smile. "Do you know how long the appointment's gonna take?"
"I dunno. Its this seminar thing just outside of town. Have to accompany Mr Adler. And you know what happens after seminars with Mr Adler." Dean said, looking at her knowingly.
'Great, Dean's blowing me off for the casino with the boss.' she thought, suddenly pissed off. "I gotta get home. I-I'm not feeling too well and I still need to finish reading through some invoices before I go to bed."
"Are you sure you're okay, Liv?" he asked her. She nodded rapidly.
"Yes, I just need to get home and rest. I'll just say bye to Ash and get going."
'What the fuck is up with her all of a sudden?' he thought as he follwoed her to the living room area.
"Already?" Ash said.
"I'm not feeling well and I have some work to finish before I go in tomorrow for work." He stood up and hugged her. "It was nice meeting you, Ash." She pulled away from the hug, jacket in hand. "Stay in touch!" She glanced at Dean, and had the urge to kiss him goodnight, like she always did. But he forgot their anniversary, so he's going to have to work a lot to get there again. "Night, Dean."
One she left, Dean turned over to his brother. "Man I have no clue what got into her. One moment she's laughing along, then she went to the bathroom to call her friend... then she's all cold at me."
"I know what's wrong, big guy... She thinks you forgot their anniversary tomorrow."
Dean stopped. "You think?"
"Have you ever talked about it this week?"
Dean shrugged. "We haven't really talked much about our relationship. We're just taking it one step at a time."
"I think she's fallen hard for you, Dean." Ash explained, biting onto another cupcake. "Why else would she be this upset?"
"So... so what should I do?" Dean asked him.
"Keep this act up. Surprise her big tomorrow night and she'll be yours." he winked. "Chicks like surprises, even if they say they don't. Pretend to be oblivious of the anniversary, surprise her big time and by the end of the night she'll be yours."
Dean stared at Ash "That has to be the smartest thing you've ever said to me."