Loving Olivia

Chapter 27 - What About Us?

Olivia

I knew the happy bubble I was in would end when I got back home. I just never expected it to burst like the dot-com collapse of the early 2000s.

Everything that goes up must come down. Falling feels like flying until you hit bottom. Or in my case, until you receive the worst news possible from your mom.

This time, there were no frills. No special outing or news-softening. She just came out and said it three days after I came back from DC, shocking the hell out of me and making me rethink everything.

I've been sitting on this information for twenty-four hours, and it's already eating at me. I thought that if I gave myself some time to process it on my own first, it would make me less emotional, but it's only making me more anxious. I also wanted to wait until after Nico's game on Friday to not interfere with it, but it's no longer an option. I can't wait any longer, even if it's a day away.

Especially since Nico decided to surprise me and came over after his soccer practice today. In the past we haven't hung out much during the middle of the week because of our schedules, so it was very unexpected when he showed up at my door freshly showered and looking extremely sexy.

Not only that, but he was sweet enough to offer to help me with my homework I was working on in the living room. Any other day and I would be swooning all over him, but every time I look at him I feel this pain in my chest growing bigger and bigger.

"Olivia, would you want to come to the game tomorrow since you're not babysitting?" Nico asks me casually as he flips through my Special Education textbook.

"Yes, of course," I respond.

"Cool. You can wear my number," he smiles at me. "Also, I was thinking we could go to dinner afterwards or grab a few drinks downtown? Just me and you?"

Gosh, why does he have to be so darn cute all the time? I kind of know what he's getting at too. It's no secret that after DC we've both been thinking about taking this relationship to the next level, and tomorrow would provide the perfect opportunity given we'll be completely alone and have the entire weekend to ourselves. And I do. I want to so badly.

"Um. Yeah," I answer a bit nervously.

"We don't have to if you're not up for it. I mean, we can always try for another time," he says hesitantly, and I know for a fact he's not talking about dinner or drinks anymore.

I suddenly freak out, thinking he's getting me all wrong. It's just that I was planning on telling him the news tomorrow and I have no idea how he's going to take it, but I'm pretty sure it's going to interfere with our plans. Maybe I can tell him after? No, that would be a million times worse. I have to tell him before. I have to tell him now.

"My mom is moving back to Boston," I blurt out.

Nico looks at me apprehensively from the opposite side of the coffee table. He's actually sitting on the floor with his head propped up against the couch, but he immediately straightens up.

"What? Why?" he asks in alarm.

God, I haven't even gotten to the worst part yet, and I don't know what to say. I take a deep breath, trying to figure out the best way to explain this.

"It was always my parent's plan to go back. When we moved here, it was originally supposed to be for two years, but the company kept extending my dad's contract. When he got sick and lost his job, they thought it would be best to stay because the health care was more affordable here and they wanted us to finish school. But now my mom doesn't have a real reason to stay anymore. Andres is moving out once he graduates next semester so that just leaves me. She thinks we could use a fresh start."