𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 || 𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐨 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

CHAPTER SIXTEEN - the studio

DING! my phone vibrates, making me wake up. i let out a tired groan before checking who it is. who would be texting me at 8:30am?

______________________________

olivia

can you answer please

7pm

y/n i know you're avoiding me

8:30pm

i'm sorry

12am

there's rehearsal today at 1

you don't have to come if

you dont want to

8:30am

______________________________

of course it was olivia. i decided i'll still go to rehearsal, i don't wanna bring olivia down with her career even if it means me avoiding her the whole time. i check my other messages, one including the group chat with olivia, hailey and tiana.

______________________________

the girls !

olivia

hi guys! rehearsal today at 1pm :)

ti :)

i'll be there!

hailey :)

i'll be there too :)

______________________________

i turn my phone off, not bothered to reply to anyone, including olivia. i plug my phone back in the charger and fall asleep.

i wake up to milo purring against my leg, and i check the time. shit! it's already 12:45?! i get up quickly, causing milo to get scared by the sudden movement. "sorry milo." i apologise and he goes back to bed. i get changed, just wearing a grey sweater and cargo jeans. i brush my teeth and set food for milo to eat while i'm gone, then lock up the house and make my way to the studio.

"hey y/n how are you?" sam says as i walk up to them. "i'm alright thanks, how are you too?" referring to sam and joel. "we're great, thanks. all the girls are inside already." joel says, opening the door. i say thank you and walk through the familiar corridor. i arrived 15 minutes late, but liv didn't need me to come today anyways. i take a deep sigh before opening the door to the studio.

as the studio is soundproof, my ears are blasted by the loud drum roll hayley plays, but stops as soon as she sees me with my ears covered by the sudden noise. "god hayley! that was so loud!" i scream, even though she stopped playing the drums. "totally planned entrance for you y/n" she says through the microphone. i smile and scan the room. hayley's on the piano, looking very focused and my eyes stop at olivia on the couch, who's looking directly at me. "didn't think you'd come, y/n." she says, before taking a drink of water. "not the only place she'll come, if you know what i mean." tiana says with a wink and then laughs at her joke. "yeah well i figured i'd come here for a bit i guess, and you're very funny ti." i say, and putting my bag down on the side of the stage.

we practice 2 rounds of liv's album, me avoiding eye contact with olivia as she looks at me every so often. i grab a water bottle from the mini fridge since i forgot mine at home and take a gulp from it, and i see a figure walking towards me. olivia stands in front of me, looking concerned and anxoius. nowhere to run now, y/n. "did you see my texts?" she asks, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge and opening it. "yeah i did." i respond, taking another drink. "right, i'm sorry." "for what?" "i didn't mean to lead you on, i know i hurt your feelings but i just wanna let you know i'm in a relationship with adam right now, just so i don't lead you on still." "that's fine. i'm happy for you." i respond, even though i was telling the half truth. "are you going anywhere today? i was thinking we could hang out you know, just so it's not awkward between us." olivia asks, clearly nervous. "i'm busy today, maybe another day, sorry." i reply. "oh, that's okay, maybe another day." there's a few seconds of silence before i speak up. "i'm probably gonna go now, have a good one." i say, walking to the exit. "yeah, you too." i hear her mumble. "bye ti, bye hayley! have a good afternoon." i yell, leaving the studio. "bye sam and joel, have a good day!" i say, smiling at them. "you too y/n" they both respond back.

as i haven't had lunch nor breakfast, i decide to go to the coffee shop. "table for 1 please." i say to the waiter, who guides me to a table for 2, since they didn't have a table of one. i sit down and look through the menu, before hearing a familiar voice. "waiting on anyone this time?" i look up, the voice revealing the waiter that gave me free coffee yesterday. "no, not today. just going to grab brunch." i say, looking down at the menu. "i didn't catch your name." he says, still standing on the side of me. "y/n, y/n l/n." i say, looking up again. "you sound familiar, do you play guitar?" "yeah i do, for olivia rodrigo. you might've heard of her." "yeah i have, she's pretty talented! i'm louis." "i can tell, by your nametag." he chuckles at my response, before talking again. "what would you like to order? you'll be my last order of the day as my shift finishes in 5." i skim through the menu one last time before ordering. "could i please get a fettuccini pasta with a large coke?" i order, and he nods and writes it down on his little notebook. "mind if i sit next to you when i bring your food out?" he asks after he finishes writing my order. "sure, could use the company." i say, with a smile. "awesome, i'll be right back with your order." he returns the smile back and it warms my heart before he walks away to the kitchen.