Once Alex had dropped her off that evening, Olivia snuck into her bedroom through the window.  She quietly unpacked her things and then ventured out into the hall to get a glass of water from the kitchen.  The rest of the house was shrouded in darkness.  She put her hands against the wall to guide her as she quietly made her way toward the living room.  She was just about to turn on the light switch when the one across the room was turned on for her.  She jumped and threw her hand to her chest.  “Mom!  Shit, don’t scare me like that!”

 

Her mother glared at her.  “What have I told you about coming in at all hours of the night?”

 

Olivia rolled her eyes.  “I was out with Alex.”

 

Her mother stormed over to her and grabbed her.  She began sniffing her.  “Doing what, exactly?  You smell like sex, you little tramp!”

 

Olivia yanked her arm away.  “And you smell like booze!”

 

“Don’t try to evade the question!  This time I want a straight answer out of you.  Are you sleeping with her?”

 

Olivia’s mouth dropped open.  “I can’t believe you would insinuate that about my best friend!”

 

“She’s not just your friend and you know it!” her mother yelled.

 

Olivia started to walk away.  “I’m not having this conversation with you, Mom.”

 

Her mother grabbed her again.  “Did that hotel suite have one bed or two?”

 

Olivia sneered at her.  “None of your business.”

 

“I knew it!”

 

“Mom, there was a sitting room with a sofa!  And even if there wasn’t, just because two girls sleep in the same bed doesn’t mean they’re having sex!”

 

“You think I’m stupid, Olivia?”

 

“Just leave me the hell alone!” Olivia screamed. 

 

Serena slapped her across the face.  “I will not have a little dyke living under my roof!”

 

“I’m not fucking gay, Mom!” Olivia yelled, ashamed of herself for the lie she had just told.

 

“Oh, that’s right.  You kids these days think it’s trendy to call yourselves bisexual.”

 

“I’m not that either, Mom!  I don’t like girls!”

 

“Just wait, you little bitch.  One day I’ll catch you in the act,” Serena vowed, her features contorting in anger.

 

“No, you won’t cuz there’s nothing going on in the first place!  And even if there was, my private life and what I do with my own body is none of your fucking business!”

 

“I’m tired of your disrespectful attitude!” Serena yelled, hitting her across the face again.

 

Olivia could taste the metallic bitterness of blood on her lips.  “And I’m tired of having to carry you into your bed every night and having to scrape the vomit off the floor!” she yelled, the tears streaming down her face. 

 

“I hate having you for a daughter!  I should’ve just aborted you!” Serena snarled.

 

“Maybe you should’ve cuz I hate having a drunk for a mother!”

 

“Why, you little—!”  Serena raised her hand to hit her again but Olivia caught it. 

 

“Do not hit me again,” Olivia growled in a voice that sounded foreign to her.

 

Serena raised the other hand but Olivia caught it, too.  She yanked her hands away and pushed Olivia backwards with all her might.  Olivia hit her head on the edge of the end table as she went down.  The lamp crashed to the floor and the bottle of vodka spilled all over the carpet. 

 

“Now look what you did!  Destroying my house, you stupid little bitch!” Serena screamed, almost to the point of hysterics.  “You will pay for my vodka, too!”

 

Olivia scrambled backwards on the palms of her hands as she desperately tried to get away from Serena.  “Why?  Because you need liquid courage to beat your own daughter?” she yelled.  She managed to get back on her feet before Serena could strike another blow.  She tore down the hall and slammed and locked the door.

 

She could hear her mother’s fists pounding against it.  “Open up!  Open up now!  You think you’re better than me because you’ve got your little rich friend?  I’ll show you—and her, too!”  

 

Olivia put a chair up against the door and then ran to her bed.  She jumped on it and pulled her knees up to her chest.  She trembled all over with rage.  What did I do to deserve this? she thought.  Why can’t she just love me?  She angrily brushed away the hot tears that were spilling onto her shirt.  As the minutes passed on, the pounding at her door stopped and so did her tears.  She assumed her mother had either given up or passed out, and if it was the latter, this time she really didn’t care.  She picked up her bedroom phone and dialed Alex’s private line.

 

“Hey, sweetie.  I know it’s late, but do you mind if I come over?” Olivia asked in a small voice, trying to hold back her tears.

 

Alex knew that something was drastically wrong.  Shit must’ve hit the fan with her mom, she thought.  “Of course not, baby.  Do you need me to come get you?”

 

Olivia gave a small smile, pleased that now Alex was in a position to come rescue her.  However, her mom would most likely hear the car pull up in the driveway and she didn’t want her marching outside and starting trouble with Alex.  “No, but thank you.  I’ll grab my keys and drive over as soon as I’m able to pack some shit.”

 

“Ok,” Alex answered softly, becoming more and more worried for Olivia.  “Hurry.”

 

“I will,” Olivia said.  “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too,” Alex replied. 

 

Olivia hurriedly packed some stuff into a duffle bag and then climbed out the window.  She cranked up her car and sped off down the driveway.

 

What she didn’t know was that her mother had been on the other line listening to every word she’d said.