Chapter Four

"Fool for You"

Monday

Late February was slowly giving over to warmer days, the key word being slowly. With the weather up and down this season, one would be better off packing a scarf and gloves despite the sun high in the sky, shining brightly. Olivia tucked her fingers in her coat pockets as a whispering wind whipped past her reminding her that she made the correct choice in wearing a turtleneck and peacoat. Abby on the other hand shivered and rolled her eyes. Maybe Abby's dad should have advised her to wear a coat.

"I need coffee," Abby muttered.

Olivia reserved comment, she didn't quite get the coffee rave, she was fine with a cup of green or peppermint tea. "Yeah."

People who got high from the whiff of coffee shops always intrigued Olivia. Not in the sense that she wanted to experience whatever addiction they were going through with coffee. Because watching Abby stand in line for what was now her third cup of coffee was worrying. Olivia thought she should say something- after all it had only been thirty minutes since the second cup. But Abby read her thoughts before she could, giving her a knowing look, Abby laughed as she sipped her coffee promising this would be the last cup.

Although winter was slipping into spring, flu season was still high in the air. Olivia had been distracted by the boy at the next table who kept sneezing and coughing but wasn't bothering to cover his mouth so when Abby asked whatever she asked, Olivia missed it.

"Huh," she says, turning her attention to her friend.

"What'd you get on Simon's assignment?" Abby asked- shuffling around papers in her bag.

"I got the only grade I'm willing to accept. He gave me an A plus." She smiled nodding.

"Not all of us can be pretty and smart, some of us can just be pretty." The girls laugh and once again Olivia's gaze drifts to the sick kid across from them. "So what's up with you and the rich boy?" Abby gleams.

"Rich boy?" Her eyebrows furrowed- the redhead had her full attention now. "Why do you say that?"

"You've never seen The Grant Report? It's a political show, the host is Fitz's father and he's married to a celebrity wedding planner." Abby wiggled her head hoping that some of what she was saying would ring a bell. "Catherine Grant planned Senator Hightower's wedding. He's in your dorm 24/7 and you've never asked him who his parents are?" Abby says, with a bit of shock in her voice.

Olivia's shrug and tone were nonchalant. "We talk about other stuff, I don't like to be all up in his business."

"Do you like him?"

Shaking her head soberly. More to convince herself than to convince Abby.

"What's his birthday?"

"July twenty-first, but I only know that because my birthday is a few days later."

However, Abby wasn't convinced. At first, she wasn't going to bring it up but she couldn't call herself a good friend if she let Olivia blindly crush on a boy who was already taken by a known psycho. Despite Olivia's futile attempt to convince that she's not crushing on Fitz Grant, Abby knew that this information should be delivered carefully, but her crassness couldn't find anything gentler. The way Olivia mindlessly smiled whenever she uttered his name, no matter how gentle she was, it was going to be a devastating blow regardless.

Olivia was mid-sip of her vanilla chai tea when the words tumbled out, a band-aid to be ripped off fast and quick. It was clear and something Olivia couldn't pass over and pretend she didn't hear, she sat the mug down and looked up.

"Does she go here? I've never seen him with any other girls."

"I don't know much about her but the guys were talking about last semester and how she almost went to jail for attacking Lillian, another girl that was dating Jake but there were rumors that she had a thing for Fitz."

"Okay" This is good news, just the push you needed to stay away from him.

yay. He has a girlfriend.

Abby waved her hand in front of Olivia's face, she spaced out for a few seconds "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, Fitz is always around because Jake is his best friend, and Jake's into me. I promise Abby." That time it didn't even sound like Olivia was convincing herself, but she was hiding underneath disappointment and a stinging feeling of betrayal. He didn't owe you that information. And it might not be true. Whereas both were true, she couldn't bring herself to continue the conversation.

"I'm gonna get another green tea, do you want anything?"Olivia asked as she stood. Abby shook her head. As Olivia turned to head towards the counter, she collided with someone's rock of a chest when she looked up to offer an apology she nearly shed her skin. It was the sneezing boy, and though he started to apologize Olivia backed away so fast and offended he didn't even bother.

She bolted to the restroom, and Abby got up quickly following her, with her bag and coat.

Monday Afternoon

For the first time in three weeks, since Fitz offered to be Olivia's study partner, they didn't convene in her dorm. And for the first time, Olivia was acquainted with the student learning center on campus, which was just off of the library. Every time she passed it was booming with students. Originally she had planned to cancel their study date but as she was walking back to her dorm, Fitz swooped her up. So with the only bit of control, she had left she suggested the learning center host their session.

Olivia pushed the thick glasses up her nose and pretended she didn't see Fitz staring at her as she drove her nose further into the textbook. She was being considerably cold compared to their other sessions. He was missing their light banter paired with jokes and her laugh.

He's doing it again. Fitz didn't care about what was in the textbook and it had nothing to do with the fact that he'd probably already read it. It was her, and whatever she was doing or not doing he could tell something was up.

"Livvie?"

Ugh, why does he have to call me that? "Hmm" Olivia hummed without looking up, flipping her pen between her forefinger and middle finger.

"What's up?" he asked, his brows dropped into a frown. He hadn't realized how much it stung that she wouldn't look at him.

"Nothing, I just can't focus right now," she says, lifting her head but not to meet his gaze. Instead, she looks far ahead, her beautiful brown gaze landing on a couple-grossly cuddling on the peach sofa. "Uh, something someone said this morning."

Fitz leaned forward, a look of worry set on his face. "Was it something inappropriate? What did they say?"

But Olivia let his question roll away and started packing her backpack. She could feel tears prickling behind her eyes. Telling herself it was foolish to be acting this way. "I have to go. Thanks." But before he could protest or even ask her to stay she'd already slung her backpack over her shoulder and was high tailing it out of the student center.

Tuesday Evening

'Vzzzzzt'

'Vzzzzzt'

'Vzzzzzt'

Lying face up on the carpet the blackberry danced with a soft, muted "Vzzzzzt' This was the fourth or fifth call she'd ignored, mainly because she didn't know what to say, in dull black letters 'Fitz' lit up the screen. Still, she couldn't muster a lousy Hi. It had crossed her mind that she might be overreacting without all the facts, but when her thoughts weren't pushing her into madness, she was trying to understand the non-stop ache throbbing in her chest.

What was that all about?

Finally, Olivia picked up her phone off the floor.

Fitz: Hope everything is alright.

Fitz: Guess you're sleeping. Call me if you still wanna study.

Fitz: I'll be up for a while, so don't worry if it's too late.

Fitz: Sweet dreams, Livvie.

An overwhelming flood of emotions left her staring at the messages holding back…tears? It was ridiculous, she couldn't believe she was on the verge of tears, what was more jarring was that she didn't know whether she was crying because she liked a boy who was dating someone else or that he called her 'Livvie'

Olivia threw the blackberry back on the floor and face-planted into a pillow. Everything in her being told her to just lay there. The worst part was over, she cried and even displayed a bit of anger by tossing her phone on the cushioned rug.

Get up.

We've been through worse.

It was true, she had been through so much worse, like breaking her elbow in the third grade, and surviving the car crash that killed her identical twin sister. She could survive her crush having a girlfriend.

If it's true.

There it was again that small voice in the back of her head that had no other function but the oblivious nature to root for Olivia even despite its naivety at certain times. But it was the same voice that told her she should live for her September because it's what her sister would have wanted. The same voice that talked her out of bed in the morning, the same voice that told her one day she would be okay. So she had to trust it.

Olivia pushed her face out of the pillow and sat up, her gaze falling to her roommate's side, who was never here. Which at this moment she was happy about. Deciding that tomorrow would be a new day, she prepared for bed.

The following morning, Olivia got out of bed, showered, brushed her teeth, and headed off to class.

The lecture hall was thick with the scent of hair products and coffee, everyone chattering away about assignments and grades. The professor was tinkering with a cluster of cables behind the podium. It's one of the larger auditoriums on campus and fits nearly three hundred students, though so far it's only a quarter full. Or three-quarters empty. But Abby and Jake were in their seats, which didn't surprise her at the least. Abby sat on her right naturally from the first day of class, but Jake moved up a row so that he was on her left.

"Hey, liv," Jake said so fast and loud that he drowned out the redhead's greeting, earning him a green glare.

"Hi Abby, Jake." Olivia plopped down in the chair and began taking out her laptop. Jake wasn't good at picking up on social cues or he just didn't care whatever it was, Olivia didn't feel like entertaining him today. But just as she turned to him before the professor began to lecture, a violent sneeze ripped through her lungs so quickly that she barely had time to cover her mouth with her forearm.

"Bless you, Miss Pope." Professor Davis said. "Let's start where we left off last week."

Dramatically slow, Olivia lowered her arm, eyes wide with contempt. Coffee shop germ-boy

Wednesday Afternoon

Fitz opened his and Olivia's text chain, shocked that she hadn't responded to not one of his messages. Had this only been a few hours, he wouldn't have thought anything was wrong but it was spilling over into day two. Jake was like a brother to him aside from his biological brothers, but the only thing that kept popping into his head where Olivia was concerned was Jake. He did something, said something to her. And knowing Jake if he had he would pretend it was nothing.

Guilt by association.

But Fitz knew it was more than that, he technically set them up so, whatever happens, is on him. And whereas Jake is his friend, he thought of Olivia as the same. He enjoyed spending time with her, getting to know her, and hearing her laugh at his jokes. So if Jake had done something to rub Olivia the wrong way he was the fault guy. Her phone rang the maximum amount of rings and then went to voicemail, a simple 'it's Olivia, leave a message." played. However, hearing that brought a smile to his face, it was the most he'd heard her voice in over two days.

'Brrrrrzzzt'

He was quick to pull his phone out the exact moment he felt it buzz, shameless about the way the smile slipped from his lips as he looked down to see Mellie. But immediately kicked himself for sighing at the sight of his fiance's name instead of Olivia's who he wished would return his calls. Saying to himself that it was nothing more than just being worried for a friend.

I'm just worried. "Mellie, this is a surprise."

Despite his sugary tone, he wasn't in the mood for a long drawn-out conversation. Mellie really was the kind of girl who just liked to hear herself talk, and she could. Mellie could talk, it was one of the things he loved about her, she was never out of ideas. However today he didn't feel like talking, regardless, he answered and was immediately met with low mutters and sniffles.

What the hell?

A dread came over him. He probed further trying to understand through wrecked sobs and shaky breaths. More tears and mumbled words spilled out and Fitz only caught every other word.

"Why are you breaking off our engagement?" Was all he deciphered.

"I'm not who told you that?"

"You did!" She didn't sound like a wounded animal anymore, but like a tiger getting ready to rip its prey to shreds. Her voice raised to an unfamiliar pitch and anger laced her words. "In an email."

Still trying to wrap his head around what was going on, Fitz patted around his back, and then it came back to him. He'd left his laptop on his kitchen counter. Sighing and shaking his head, Fitz went to work doing damage control on his relationship. He knew Mellie wouldn't give up on them that easily. But sometimes he wished she would give him the benefit of the doubt before she began screaming.

XXXXXXX

Fitz couldn't catch a break from his best friend sabotaging him and his other friend ignoring him. In the three years that he's attending this University, things have never been so hectic. Deciding to skip his labs for the day which he knew would come back to bite him in the ass, Fitz went home, not just to collect his thoughts, but to collect his traitorous best friend.

It was no surprise that when he walked inside Jake had made himself at home in his kitchen, he found him at the fridge guzzling down his orange juice, no cup in sight. And his laptop carelessly opened on top of the island.

"Hey, dude-What the hell?" Jake's eyes widened when he realized Fitz wasn't playing when he shoved him against the counter. The two locked eyes and Jake's apprehension dissolved. "It was a prank." It had dawned on him that Mellie had already gotten to him, and Jake tried to pretend that he wasn't wounded by the aggression Fitz displayed toward him.

"What the hell did you do to Oliva?"

Jake cocked his head to the side, his confusion evident. "What?" Jake stepped out of the corner he'd been backed into. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"She's ignoring my calls-so what did you do to her."

"Maybe she got what she wanted: Me. so she doesn't want to fake being friends with you anymore." A suggestive smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"You slept with her?" Fitz asked, his features crinkling in disgust at the mere thought. But flowed into more concerning currents.

"Since when have you been concerned about my sex life? And by the way, Olivia's got the flu," Jake said.

Fitz folded his arms across his chest, his anger chipped away. Olivia's always looking out for everyone around her: she's sick. That calmed him and suspended his initial worry.

"Dude, worry about your own girl- your fiancé" he air quoted.

"And I should beat your ass for that, why would I send Mellie an email calling off our engagement?"

"Because you shouldn't be engaged."

This had been his mother's reaction, Big Gerry was just indifferent to the idea of Fitz marrying someone who he thought was beneath Fitz. But all Fitz wanted from his family and friends was unconditional happiness and acceptance it. Everyone had an opinion and he was sick of it.

"What was the fucking point of playing wingman for you if you were just gonna screw me?"

"Wingman? That's what you're calling it. You've spent more time with Olivia in the last four weeks than I have. I'm not dumb but I also don't like to share." Jake walked into the living room and began gathering his stuff.

"You sound ridiculous, what are you talking about?"

"Dude you want Olivia, and I don't know if it's because I like her and you're jealous that she likes me." Fitz balled his fist, then unrolled his hand. He didn't know why that made him shake with rage.

"I'll apologize to Mellie when you stop hanging out with my girl."

Fitz laughed, a deep belly laugh that came from his soul. "Your girl? Do you hear yourself? Olivia isn't 'your girl', but she is my friend, something I thought you were to me."

Flabbergasted, Jake gazed up at the ceiling with a groan. "I am your friend asshole, but ever since you got engaged you act all 'holier than thou' and it's fucking annoying. And since I've introduced you to Olivia you've been acting like she's-"

Fitz's eyes flared. He took another menacing step into Jake's face- well chest to face, Jake was a few feet under Fitz, "Get out of my face. Don't you fucking see yourself, you in my face because I'm dating Olivia and you want her." Fitz shoved his friend hard enough to quiet him, causing Jake to turn and walk away from Fitz who was still hovering behind him.

"Say it again. I'll lay you out right here."

"Fitz, I'm not gonna fight you." Jake grabbed his coat and his backpack and left the apartment.

Loosening his fist, Fitz stared at the door, his heart thumping hard against his ribs Fuck, he thought. He tossed his curls back and went into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and took a big gulp. He told himself his beef with Jake was for him trying to ruin his relationship, too guilty to admit out loud that when he walked through the door Mellie and his relationship were the second things on his mind.

And he couldn't explain why.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, I love, love, love, to read yall's thoughts and opinions. I will say there are a lot of mistakes and misunderstandings going on with the characters, but I think it really brings them to life. How many of us actually want to ask difficult questions or even want to address feelings we don't quite understand yet? They're young and working through emotions. So continue to enjoy the ride.

Thanks for reading!