Hate Only Last So Long.

Root The of Problem

Summer After Eighth Grade

It was mid-June, and California heat was at its finest even at eleven o'clock. So 14-year-old Olivia dressed in her mini sleeping shorts and cropped strap t-shirt to bed while she face-timed with one of her closest friends, Spencer James.

"....Mom said she won't be able to drive me out to Crenshaw for your first game for football camp." Olivia sadly disclosed, "Sorry, I was looking forward to seeing everyone." She mused, missing her friends since she came to stay with her mother at the beginning of summer.

Although he heard the bad news, Spencer's eyes focused on her skin-tight shirt that showed off her mid-drift. Olivia was shaping into a young woman with slim curves, and Spencer was a young man noticing the changes for the first time.

"Hello...Spence, are you listening to me?" Olivia called out, snapping her hands in front of her laptop screen. Oblivious to Spencer's newly developed crush, she thought nothing of how she always found him spacing out lately.

"What's with you? This is like the fifth time you've zoned out on me this week?" Liv quarreled, crossing her arms with a pouty bottom lip. "If you're so bored on these face times, maybe I should start ending my nights with
Nelly or TayTay."

Spencer smirked, noting how cute she looked when she was mad. "You could bore be, Oli." He chuckled with his classic crooked grin that melted Olivia every time.

"Good," Olivia replied constantly, before yawning.

"You tired?" Spencer inquired as she stretched her arms.

"Yeah, but we hardly even talked for an hour," Olivia whined, fighting her sleep.

"We can talk tomorrow and make a plan to get you a ride out here for the first game." Spencer insisted, "Get some sleep, Oli."

"Kay, night Spence," Olivia responded, blowing him a friendly kiss.

"Night, Oli," Spencer replied gently as her camera shut off.
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Mid-August, Summer After 8th Grade

"Have you talked to, Olivia this week? She was supposed to meet me at the amusement park yesterday, but never showed." Taylor questioned Spencer as she jumped into his bed, getting comfortable.

"Nah. Olivia has been doing her own thing these last few weeks." Spencer sourly noted. Keeping his eyes glued to his game, he hid his disappointment, remembering all the rainchecks she'd given him in the last couple of weeks.

"You know, she forgot Camryn Bryant's birthday. Didn't even show up to the party last week." Patience added to the conversation, after losing another round on her mobile game. "Since she's been in Beverly it's like she living a double life."

"It won't last, guys." Kia snorted confidently, as she continued her summer reading from her bean bag seat. "She will be back with us next week and things will go back to normal."

"Midnight slumber at my place the last Friday before school," Darnell announced to add some cheer to the group. "Mom already agreed."

"Alright, then we can hit up the waterpark that Saturday," Chris interjected, tossing his controller aside after losing to Spencer on the video game.

"I just texted Livvie, and she's down." Patience announced, earning an unnoticed grin from Spencer as he continued to start another round of Mortal Combat.

"See, back to normal," Kia muttered flipping another page.
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A Month Into 9th Grade Year