Chapter 26:  Unravel

It was Thursday of the following week and Alex was happy that she and Olivia hadn’t had anymore trouble from Abbie.  However, that was quickly about to change.  Alex was just about to go into her 5th period classroom when Abbie came running up to her.  “Hey, Alex.  Can I talk to you?” she asked.

 

Alex groaned and rolled her eyes.  She noticed that Abbie had a folder in her hand.  “Why?  And is that a case file?”

 

“Yeah.  Listen, I need to talk to you about Olivia,” Abbie insisted.

 

Alex folded her arms.  “You just don’t give up, do you?  It’s funny that you waited right until Liv left.  I am not gonna stand here and listen to you badmouth my girlfriend.”  She turned and started walking into Constitutional Law.

 

“Alex, please.  It’s important!” Abbie called out.

 

Alex turned back around.  She walked back to Abbie.  “Make it quick.”

 

“Here,” Abbie said, nervously passing the file to her.  “But don’t show this to Olivia.  It’ll only upset her.  I gotta go!” 

 

Alex grabbed her arm and forced her to turn back around.  “What is this?”

 

“Just read it.  I seriously have to go!  I’m gonna be late!” Abbie replied, breaking free and running down the hall.

 

Alex walked into class and took her seat beside Serena.  Putting on her glasses, she discreetly opened the file and saw it labeled Benson, Serena.  Skimming it quickly, she saw that the file contained details of a rape—and not just any rape, but that of Olivia’s mother.  “Oh my god,” she mouthed silently.

 

“Hey, is that the file you’re covering today?  You look pretty shaken up about it,” Serena noted.

 

Alex was annoyed to have her concentration broken.  She quickly shook her head and took off her glasses.  “Oh…uh, no.”

 

“Is that what Abbie gave you?” Casey asked.

 

Alex was caught off guard by her question.  She didn’t know that anyone had seen Abbie give it to her.  “Uh…yeah,” she answered distractedly, closing it quickly.

 

“What is it?” Serena asked.

 

Dammit, must you guys be so fucking nosy? Alex thought.  “It’s nothing, guys.”

 

Serena and Casey looked at each other.  “What’s up with Alex?” Casey mouthed.  Serena shrugged.

 

Throughout class, she read parts of the file when she had the chance.  Olivia’s mother had been raped on her way home from the campus library late one night.  She was taking the shortcut she always took and was halfway through when something hit her from behind, knocking her unconscious.  When she came to, she was on a landing below street level and a man with sideburns was on top of her.  He proceeded to push up her dress and force himself on her.  It scared Alex knowing that she and Olivia would soon be entering college and would probably be walking around campus late some nights.  She almost lost her lunch when she saw pictures of the bruises on Serena Benson’s face, neck, arms, and thighs.  When she had finally gotten through the entire file, it took every ounce of strength in her to hold back her tears that were threatening to spill forth onto her desk.

 

After 5th period ended, Alex walked up to Abbie’s locker.  “How the hell did you get this?”

 

“My uncle’s a prosecutor.  I was in his office and it was one of the files on his desk.”

 

“But why would he have an 18 year old rape file on his desk?  Are there new leads?” Alex asked, lowering her voice.

 

“I dunno.  I couldn’t ask him because he’d know I’d been snooping.  I was just supposed to organize them by case number for him, but a page of that one flew out.  The name caught my attention.”

 

“How many people have you told about this?” Alex demanded.

 

“Only you,” Abbie said.

 

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone else!” Alex begged.

 

“Ok, Alex,” Abbie responded.  “Bring it back to me tomorrow.”

 

“Ok,” Alex said, turning around and quickly heading to Drawing.  She had no clue how she was going to keep this information from Olivia but she was determined to try her hardest.  Olivia had been through so much already and the last thing she needed was to read intimate details of her mother’s rape.

 

**************

 

Olivia wondered why Alex had been acting strange all afternoon.  She knew something was wrong, but Alex hadn’t discussed anything with her yet.  Hopefully she’ll open up to me soon, she thought.  It was unsettling to her when something was bothering Alex.  Ah well, maybe doing some work will take my mind off it.  Sighing deeply, she got off Alex’s bed and went to join her downstairs in the kitchen.

 

“Hey Alex, I forgot my Anatomy book, can I borrow yours?”

 

“Sure,” Alex said, getting out slices of rye bread.  “It’s in my bag.”

 

“Ok, thanks,” Olivia said, coming over and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before bounding back upstairs.

 

When Olivia was back in her room, she reached into Alex’s Longchamp bag and pulled out her Anatomy book.  A file partially came out behind it.  She wrinkled her brow when she saw it was a case file.  Perhaps a case for Petrovsky’s class? she wondered.  She opened the file and felt her stomach drop.  A sour taste hit the back of her throat and she had to try hard to fight down the waves of nausea that ensued.  She couldn’t believe Alex could ever betray her in this way.  She grabbed the file and ran downstairs faster than she ever had before.

 

“Alex, why the fuck do you have my mom’s case file in your bag?” Olivia demanded, storming into the kitchen angrily.

 

Alex almost dropped the knife that she was using to slice the sandwiches in half.  She had never seen Olivia so angry with her and it scared her.  Olivia was trembling all over and there were tears in her eyes.  Alex quickly went over and tried to wrap her arms around her but Olivia harshly pushed her back.  Alex’s own eyes quickly began tearing up.  “Liv…I can explain.  It’s not what you think,” she began nervously.

 

“I can’t believe you would do this to me,” Olivia cried. 

 

“Liv, let me explain!” Alex repeated.  It tore her heart out to see such a look of hurt and betrayal reflected in Olivia’s eyes.

 

“Fuck this.  I’m leaving,” Olivia said, turning around and storming out.

 

“Liv, please don’t go!” Alex pleaded, grabbing her arm.

 

Olivia yanked her arm out of her grasp.  “Don’t touch me,” she growled, not even bothering to wipe away the flood of tears streaming from her eyes.

 

“Fine, then I’m coming with you!” Alex insisted.

 

“No, you are not.  Leave me alone,” Olivia insisted nastily, storming back upstairs to Alex’s room to get her things.  Alex grabbed onto her leg.  “Let fucking go, Alexandra!” Olivia screamed, breaking free of her again.

 

Alex was relentless.  She grabbed onto Olivia’s shoulders and pleaded, “Liv, please!  You gotta let me explain!  Just listen to me!  5 minutes!  That’s all it’ll take.”

 

“I’ll give you 5 all right—5 seconds to get the hell away from me!  Move the fuck outta my way,” Olivia demanded, roughly shoving her back again and storming out the bedroom door.

 

 “Liv!” Alex screamed, the tears freely flowing down her face and dripping onto the carpet.  She couldn’t bear to see the intense anger etched into Olivia’s face.

 

Olivia turned around on the stairs and pointed her finger accusingly at Alex’s face.  “I don’t want you anywhere near me right now!  You stay away from me!”  She hurried down the stairs and ran to the front door, slamming it on her way out.

 

Shit, Alex thought.  I have to make her understand!  Neither of her parents was home yet, so she ran upstairs to their bedroom and grabbed the keys to the Bentley. 

 

About 15 minutes later, she was in Olivia’s driveway.  Luckily for Alex, Olivia had been in such a rage that she’d forgotten to lock the door on her way in.  Alex went in and headed straight for her bedroom.

 

Olivia was shocked to see Alex standing in her doorway.  “What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded.  “I thought I told you to leave me alone.”

 

“Liv…don’t be angry with me!  I didn’t do anything wrong!”

 

Olivia’s mouth dropped open.  She walked over to Alex.  “Are you fucking kidding me, Alex?  You had my mom’s case file in your fucking shit and you have the nerve to tell me you didn’t do anything wrong?  You had no motherfucking right to sneak around behind my back and play investigator!”

 

“Liv, don’t talk to me that way,” Alex said in a small voice, tears streaming down her face.

 

Olivia continued to glare at her.  “Grow the hell up, Alex.  You play with fire, you get burned.”

 

Alex tried to stroke Olivia’s face but she slapped her hand away.  “Baby, you gotta believe me.  I’d never betray you like that!” 

 

“It’s a little too late for that,” Olivia retorted nastily.  “This is the lowest shit you’ve ever done, Alex,” she continued, shaking her head in disbelief.  “I wouldn’t talk about my dad, so you had to go snooping.”

 

“But Liv!  I didn’t sneak around at all!  Abbie gave me this after you walked me to Petrovsky’s class!  She wouldn’t tell me what it was, she just told me it was important and that I needed to read it!  Then she ran off!  I didn’t know what it was until I opened it.  Liv, I swear to you!  You know I’d never do something like this to you!”

 

Olivia looked into Alex’s desperate, pleading eyes and knew she’d never lie to her.  “Alex, did you tell anyone what the file said?” she asked in a softer tone.

 

“No.  I swear on my life!”

 

Olivia clenched her jaw.  “Great, so that bitch knows my mom was raped.  That’s the last thing I need.”

 

“I made her promise she wouldn’t tell anyone else, Liv.”

 

Olivia rolled her eyes.  “Right, Alex.  Her word is about as good as a two week old ham sandwich.”

 

“Liv…don’t worry about a thing.  It will all be ok,” Alex assured her, reaching out to touch her arm.  “I promise.  Don’t let her faze you.”

 

“That’s easy for you to say, Alex.  Your life has always been perfect,” Olivia snapped.  “You don’t have to wake up every morning knowing the only reason you’re here is because your mom got raped.”

 

Alex felt her heart breaking for Olivia.  She didn’t deserve to carry so much pain.  “Liv, I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but my life is not perfect either!”

 

“Oh please, Alex,” she responded, rolling her eyes.  “Your parents are filthy fucking rich, you get everything you want, your parents love you.  You don’t know what it’s like to constantly feel unwanted, to feel that your own existence is a horrible mistake.  I’m lucky I’m even here and my mom constantly reminds me when she’s drunk about how she regrets that I am!”

 

Alex grabbed Olivia and held on tight.  Tears were streaming down her face as much as they were Olivia’s.  “Baby, I love you.  I love you, I love you, I love you.  I don’t care how or why you got here, I’m just glad you’re here.  I wouldn’t trade you for the world.  And I can’t think of anyone else who is more deserving of life than you!”

 

Olivia pulled back from her.  “Alex, my father is a rapist.  It’s not like saying ‘oh, my Dad’s an alcoholic’ or ‘my Dad’s a gambler.’  Those are all things that can be changed; but I can’t change that my dad’s a rapist.  I don’t see how you could love me after knowing that.  That’s why I never told you,” she sad sadly, a sob escaping her throat.

 

“Liv, my love for you is unconditional!  I don’t care who your father is!  That person is not you.  You are a beautiful, loving person who has brought so much joy and meaning to my life.  I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

 

“Save it for the Hallmark cards, Alex,” Olivia snapped.

 

Alex sighed.  “Liv, why are you being so difficult?”

 

Olivia glared at her.  “Well, if you don’t like my attitude, you’re more than welcome to leave.”

 

“Liv, stop taking your anger out on me!  I’m on your side!”

 

Olivia laughed bitterly and walked back over to her nightstand to pick up her drink again.  She closed her eyes as the dark liquid burned down her throat, burning away a fraction of the pain she felt.  “Whatever, Alex.”

 

Alex stormed over and took the drink out of Olivia’s hand.  Olivia’s eyes flew open in shock and anger and she reached for the glass again, but Alex kept it beyond her reach.  “Liv, stop this!  I’m not gonna let you turn into your mother over this!”

 

Olivia stared at Alex coldly.  “What exactly are you saying, Alex?”

 

“Like your mom, you’re drinking to drown your pain.  And I’m not gonna let you.  We’ll get through this together.”

 

“Alex, give me back my fucking drink.”

 

Alex would not be deterred by the glare on Olivia’s face or the menacing tone of her voice.  “No, Liv.”  She poured the rest of the rum on the floor.

 

Olivia looked at her in disbelief.  “Alex, you fucking bitch!  You stained my carpet!”

 

“Liv, that’s not important.  I’ll clean it.”

 

“Alex, this is not your house!  You can get away with that shit at your house because you have your little maid to clean up after you, but around here I have to pull my own damn weight!”

 

“Olivia, I told you I would clean it!”

 

“Fuck this.  I’ll just get some more,” she growled, heading for the door.

 

Alex stood in front of the door and spread her arms out across it.  “No, you’ve had enough already.”

 

“Move, dammit!”  Olivia grabbed her around the waist and tried to move her, but Alex was determined to stand her ground.  She struggled against her as Olivia tried to tear her away from the door. 

 

“No, Liv!” she yelled, trying to push her back.  She grabbed her shirt.

 

“Alex, if you rip my fucking shirt, I swear you’ll regret it!” Olivia yelled, trying to tear Alex’s fingers away.

 

“Liv, please!  Don’t do this!” Alex begged, grabbing Olivia’s shoulders as soon as Olivia reclaimed her shirt.

 

Olivia finally managed to pull her away from the door and shouted, “Don’t try to stop me either!”  Pulling the door open, she began storming down the hallway toward the kitchen.  She was shocked when Alex ran past her.  “Where are you going?” she called out after her.

 

“Don’t worry about it!” Alex shouted.  She flung open the cabinets and found the bottle of rum.  Olivia came in and saw the bottle in her hand. 

 

“Alex, you better not pour that down the drain!”

 

“Oh, that’s not what I plan on doing,” Alex said as she threw the bottle down onto the floor.  The glass shattered into tiny pieces and the dark liquid spread all over the floor.

 

Olivia stared in disbelief.  “Alex!  How fucking dare you!”

 

“It’s for your own good, Liv!”

 

“Alex, my mom is gonna kill you.”

 

“She’ll be better off without it, too!” Alex shouted, brushing past Olivia and heading back to her room.

 

Olivia followed her angrily back to her room.  “Who the hell do you think you are?  You can’t just come into my house playing little miss righteous and destroying stuff that doesn’t fit into your little social rules of etiquette!”

 

Alex turned around to face her.  “You know this has nothing to do with that!  This is for your own safety!”

 

“Alex, one little glass of rum isn’t gonna do any damage!  You’re being paranoid.”

 

“Yeah, I bet that’s what your mom said, too!”

 

Olivia walked over to her and stood face to face.  “You don’t know a damn thing about my mother.”

 

Alex instantly regretted what she had said.  “Liv, I’m sorry.  Listen, I wasn’t trying to offend you.  I shouldn’t have said that.”

 

“Get the hell out of my house, Alex.”

 

“No, Liv,” Alex said, continuing to stare into her eyes.

 

“I said, get the fuck out of my house,” Olivia repeated.

 

“I’m gonna go clean the kitchen.  Hopefully when I get back you’ll be done acting like a petulant child.  Move out of my way, Olivia.”  She pushed her to the side and headed for the door.

 

Alex was almost at the door when Olivia screamed, “Fuck you, Alex!”  She turned around just as Olivia picked up her lamp, ripped the cord from the socket, and threw it at the wall.  It shattered against the wall and the pieces fell onto the floor not too far from Alex.

 

Alex began trembling uncontrollably as the tears of shock, hurt, and fear began streaming down her face.  She slid down onto the floor and wrapped her arms around herself.  Olivia looked at the shards of the lamp and then her eyes met Alex’s fearful ones.  She rushed over, sat down beside Alex, and tried to hold her in her arms but Alex pushed her away.  “No!  Get away from me!  Don’t touch me!”

 

“Sweetie, I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice full of remorse and regret.

 

Alex shook her head.  “No, sorry’s not enough.  Liv, I can’t do this anymore.”

 

Olivia couldn’t believe her ears.  Her heart dropped into her stomach.  No, this isn’t happening.  This isn’t happening! she thought.  “What?  You’re not…you’re not breaking up with me are you?”

 

“You could’ve hurt me, Liv.  Something you promised you’d never do again after you grabbed my arm that time.”

 

“Baby, I was careful not to hurt you.  You were never in any danger.”

 

“Never in any danger?” Alex asked incredulously.  “Liv, you threw a lamp that came whizzing right past my head at 70 miles an hour!”

 

“Alex, stop exaggerating.  It was more than three feet away from you.”

 

“I can’t stay with someone who acts this way, Liv.  You need to talk to someone about this.”

 

“Alex, I don’t need a shrink!  I just need my girlfriend!” Olivia said, sobbing.

 

“I tried to be there for you!  I told you I loved you, Liv.  I told you I’d never stop.  I told you I didn’t care that your father was a rapist—that nothing mattered but you and our love.  But that wasn’t enough for you.  You had to pull one of your dramatic, angst-ridden, ‘woe is I’ performances anyway.”

 

“Sweetie, I’m sorry.  I lost control,” Olivia said, her eyes pleading for forgiveness.

 

Alex frowned.  “Liv, that’s exactly your problem.  You lose control.  And you don’t think about the consequences of your actions until after the fact.”

 

Olivia reached out to try to stroke Alex’s face but Alex pulled away.  “Baby, please.”

 

“No, Liv.  I’m tired of being your human punching bag!  I know you’re hurting, that you’ve had to deal with some pretty rough stuff, but that doesn’t give you any right to take it all out on me!  Liv, I’m a person, too!  I have feelings and you just don’t fucking care!  Because you’re hurting, you lash out at me and make me hurt, too!  Why do you do this, Liv?  Why do you wait until things are perfect and then you just unravel without warning?” Alex sobbed.

 

Olivia pulled Alex into her arms and smoothed a hand over her hair.  She was horribly ashamed of how she had behaved and of all the terrible things that had recklessly flown out of her mouth.  “Sweetie, I’m so sorry.  I do care about your feelings, baby.  I just got so caught up in my own.  I never meant to hurt you.”

 

“Yes, you did!” Alex accused, pulling back out of Olivia’s reach.  “All those mean things you said.  You made me feel like complete shit!”

 

“Sweetie, I was just so angry.  Those were never my intentions.  You say all this as if I do this a lot!”

 

“It doesn’t have to be a lot!  One time is one time too many!  What if that lamp had hit me?  What if one of the shards cut me?  Is that what you want?  The girl you’re supposed to love dead or bleeding on the floor?”

 

Olivia sobbed even harder.  “N-no.  You know I’d never want anything to happen to you!  You’re my whole life!”

 

“Well then you need to remember that before you blow up at me!”  She held up her hand and showed Olivia her ring.  “You made a promise to protect me.  But how can you protect me from others when you can’t even protect me from yourself?”

 

Olivia took her open hand and pressed her ring to her lips.  She then kissed the palm of her hand.  Her tears fell on the ring.  “Oh, baby.  Please don’t give up on me.  I swear to you that I never would’ve thrown anything if I thought you were in danger.  I just wanted to let off some steam.  I threw it at the wall, not the door, baby.”

 

Alex sighed.  “Well Liv, the next time you wanna blow off some steam, be sure to let me know so I don’t get caught up in the tornado that’s your emotions.”  She started to get up off the floor.

 

Olivia pulled her back down and clung to her for dear life.  She was almost to the point of hysterics.  “Please don’t leave me!  Please!”

 

“Liv, come on.  Let go of me.  I don’t wanna talk to you right now.”

 

“No, please!  I need you!  You’re all I have!  I can’t live without you!” Olivia pleaded desperately.

 

Alex looked into Olivia’s wild, frightened eyes and cautiously smoothed her hand over her hair.  She knew she had to temporarily put her own pain aside for the sake of being strong for Olivia.  “It’s ok, Liv.  I can’t live without you either.  Stop crying.  Shh, it’ll be ok.”  She kissed her on the forehead.  “I’m sorry for upsetting you, baby.”

 

“Alex, I love you so much!” Olivia cried.

 

“I love you, too.  Come on,” she replied, trying to pull Olivia up with her.  “Let’s get up and get in bed, ok?”  Olivia nodded and let Alex lead her over to the bed.  Then Alex went in the bathroom, ran a washcloth under some warm water, and came back to Olivia.  Getting in bed beside her, she wiped her face and kissed her softly on the cheek.

 

“It’s so hard, Alex,” Olivia said, sniffling against Alex’s chest.  Alex reached for more tissues while Olivia continued, “I mean, feeling like your mom hates you.  That every time she looks at you, she’s reminded of what happened to her and she sees her rapist in you.”

 

“You’re nothing like your father.  Genes are not always a precursor to violence.”

 

“Well, others would disagree.  What if I turn out to be just like my father?”

 

“You won’t.  His genes have nothing to do with your psyche.”

 

“Then why do I feel like such shit?  Like I’m somehow responsible for my mother’s pain?”

 

Alex shifted her position on the bed and rubbed Olivia’s back.  The gentle motions of the water bed were soothing to them both.  “Because she guilt trips you, Liv.  You may not be able to stop her angry outbursts but you can control how you let them affect you.   We say things in anger we don’t mean, so your mom’s probably just lashing out because she’s hurting so bad inside—not because she actually regrets having you here.  I’m sure she hates what happened to her, but she loves you and is glad that something good came out of something so terrible.  Your father is the one responsible for her pain, not you.  But whenever she drinks, whenever she’s mean to you, whenever she reminds you of how you were conceived, just think of me and how much I love you—no matter what, ok?”

 

Olivia nodded.  She smiled through her tears.  “Ok.  I’ll try.”

 

“I’ll never use your conception or birth against you, Liv.  I promise,” Alex swore.  “I know it’s not your fault.”

 

“Thank you,” Olivia said quietly.  “I just wish I had no part of him in me.”

 

“All you received from him is strictly physical, Liv.  You’re nothing like him mentally or emotionally.”

 

“But…rapists are violent.  I get angry, I lose control, even get a little violent sometimes.  How do you know it’s not linked to my father?”

 

“Liv…we all have our breaking points.  You react because of the things you experience, not because you’re wired to act that way.  Don’t ever compare yourself to your father.  Just because he’s violent and committed a heinous crime does it mean his father was a rapist, too?  No.  I mean, think of how many criminals came from so-called perfect families?  I know you, Liv.  You have a conscience.  Your father didn’t.  You’re a really caring person.  I’ve never had anyone care for me the way you do.”

 

Olivia was pleased that Alex was so understanding, that she cared so much about her regardless of her history.  “I…I just didn’t want you to find out this way.”

 

“I know, but I wish you had told me, Liv.  You know you can tell me anything.  I didn’t wanna find out this way, either.  When Abbie gave me the file and told me not to tell you because it would upset you, I had no idea what the contents were.  I mean, I knew it had to be bad but I never imagined it would be this bad.”

 

“My mother can’t find out about this.  I have to keep Abbie from talking,” Olivia insisted, looking frightened again.

 

“Liv, when I asked Abbie how she got it, she said she was organizing some folders in her uncle’s office and part of the file slipped out and she snuck and read it.  If she tells anyone, then she’ll just be shooting herself in the foot.  She broke the law by reading the file without authorization and even more so by stealing it.”

 

Olivia was secretly relieved.  “Well, what are you gonna do, sweetie?  I don’t want you in any trouble,” she replied, playing with Alex’s fingers. 

 

“I’ll give it to my dad and tell him Abbie snuck it out of her uncle’s office.  He’ll take care of everything.”

 

Olivia forced a smile.  “Did you really mean all you said earlier?  About not trading me for the world and not thinking of anyone more deserving of life?”

 

“Yes, every bit of it,” Alex said, looking deeply into Olivia’s eyes.

 

“But Alex, what would you do if you were raped and found out you were pregnant?”

 

“I…I don’t know, Liv.  No one knows what they’d do in a situation like that unless they’re put in it.”

 

“My mother made a choice.  If the same thing happened to me, morning after pill—no question,” Olivia responded.

 

Alex pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead.  “Everything will be ok, got it?”

 

“Ok,” Olivia said, smiling. 

 

“How much of the rum did you drink before I got here?” Alex asked cautiously.  She didn’t want to upset Olivia again and she didn’t want her to think she was judging her, but she had to know.

 

Olivia shrugged.  “A few swigs.”

 

“How often do you drink?  Alone like this, I mean.”

 

Olivia sighed deeply.  “Honestly, this was only the second time.  The first time was after I got home the night that whole fiasco with Nick went down.  I was so depressed; I thought I’d lost you for good.  So I drank some of Mom’s scotch.  She bitched me out about it the next morning because I accidentally left the bottle out.  All other times are social.  Like when we’re out at a party and everyone’s drinking.”

 

“You never told me about that,” Alex said quietly.  “From now on, no secrets from each other.  Ok?”

 

Olivia nodded.  “Ok.”  She ran a finger up and down Alex’s arm and asked shyly, “Can I have a kiss?”

 

“Sure,” Alex replied.  She leaned in to meet Olivia’s lips.  She was surprised when Olivia desperately ravaged her mouth as soon as their lips touched.  The kiss was almost suffocating.  Olivia sucked on Alex’s tongue as if she was summoning all Alex’s strength and love to survive, to rid her soul of the pain.

 

“Thank you for that,” Olivia said sincerely.  “I really needed it.”

 

“You’re welcome,” Alex responded, trying to catch her breath.  She rested her forehead against Olivia’s and smiled.  “You’re precious, you know that?”

 

Olivia smiled in return.  “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.  I should go clean the kitchen before your mom gets home,” Alex replied.

 

“Ok.  I’ll help you.”

 

After cleaning up the kitchen, they went back to Olivia’s room.  “You wanna spend the night at my place?” Alex asked.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Ok.  I need to get the car back before my parents get home and notice it’s missing.  You can tail me.”

 

Olivia gave her a lopsided grin.  “I was wondering how you got here so fast.  You took your parents’ car?”

 

Alex gave a little laugh.  “Yeah.”

 

“Which one?”

 

Alex grinned.  “Can’t tell ya.”

 

Olivia got up and started running for the front door.  Alex ran behind her squealing.  “Liv, no!  Get back here!”

 

Olivia opened the door and ran out to the driveway.  She stopped dead in her tracks.  “Alex, are you serious?  You took the Bentley?”

 

Alex blushed deeply.  “Well…yeah.”

 

“Yeah, we need to get this back right now before your dad can put in a stolen car report!”

 

Alex laughed.  “Oh, Liv.  It’s not that serious.”

 

“Wow, I’ve never been in one of these before!” Olivia said, getting in the driver’s side.

 

Alex shook her head and laughed again.  “If you’re a good girl, maybe I’ll take you for a spin one day.  Come on.  Get out, little explorer.”

 

Olivia got out and wrapped her arms around Alex’s waist.  “Maybe you’ll get one of these for your birthday.”

 

“I’m actually kinda leaning toward a Range Rover.”

 

Olivia waggled her eyebrows.  “Well then.  I’d like to do a little roving in that.”

 

Alex hit her arm.  “Liv!”

 

“Kissy?” Olivia asked hopefully.

 

“Sure,” Alex responded, leaning in to kiss her.  Olivia kissed her back full force.  After a little while, Alex pulled back for air.  “Liv, you tryna suck my lips off my face or what?”

 

Olivia smiled sheepishly.  “Sorry.  I just love kissing you.”

 

They went back to Olivia’s room to clean up the lamp and get their things.  Alex was brushing the shards into the dustpan when Olivia took it from her and said, “No, baby.  I’ll do it.”  If Alex cut herself on one of the shards, it would solely be her fault and she couldn’t bear the thought of her own recklessness hurting Alex.

 

As they were driving back to Alex’s house, Olivia rested her head in Alex’s lap.  Alex reached a hand down from time to time to stroke her hair comfortingly.  “I love you, Liv.”

 

“I love you, too, Alex.”