Olivia [h.s]

15.

''Olivia!'' I hear my mother shout from downstairs. I pull a dressing gown around my naked body and wrap my hair in a white towel before leaving my bedroom and trudging down the stairs. 

''Oliv- oh'' My mother smiles as she spots me walking into the kitchen. The smell of lasagna fills my nostrils and I hear my stomach growl, reminding me that I haven't eaten since this morning. ''Have you been for a shower?'' my mother asks whilst placing plates, knives and forks down onto the kitchen table. I know she would kill me if she knew I had been dancing on there less than three hours ago.

''Yeah'' I state whilst walking further into the kitchen and pulling out three glasses from one of the cupboards. I juggle them in my hands and place them gently by the plates that are neatly sitting on the table. 

''Don't you think you should put some clothes on before we eat dinner? Your father will be home soon'' a judgemental tone is held in her voice. I pull my face and nod, deciding it is best to not argue with my mother. I stomp back upstairs to get a change of clothes. 

-

''We got four new parakeets in today, Roger hand-reared them'' My Dad speaks about his day at work whilst Mom and I silently listen. I scrape my plate with my fork and put some food in my mouth.

''They are just beautiful colours, Oh, and those lovebirds sold, Vera, those ones you said nobody would want'' My Dad smirks before putting his mouth around his glass and taking a sip of water. My Dad takes pride in his pet shop, and although my mother is forever giving him grief about his 'low-end job', I can tell it makes him happy. He loves animals and has always wanted pets of his own, but my mother would never let animals in the house. He decided he was going to open a pet shop so that he could still have animals around him, or to spite my mother. Nobody is really sure.

''Oh did they'' My mother seems unamused, and I feel sorry for my Dad. He really loves his job. Mother has never approved.

''Yep'' He smiles warmly, not letting her negativity phase him. Go Dad. 

''Olive, have you thought about college?'' My Mom completely changes the subject, and I feel both of their eyes on me all of a sudden. I definitely have not thought about college. It's not what I want to do. My Mom however, would murder me on the spot if I told her that so I have been entertaining her for the past year. 

''Well... No I haven't really looked into it recently'' I half admit, my Dad looking down at his plate. He knows how I feel about college, and he agrees that my mother is pushing me to go even though he knows I don't want to. My Mom shakes her head in a disapproving nature and I let out a sigh. 

''Mom, I don't want to go to college'' I tell her the truth. I hear my Dad suck in a breath and I know what's coming. 

''Well what on earth are you going to do, Olivia? Live with your parents for the rest of your life?'' She half laughs, ''What are you going to do for money?''.

''Well I have the barista job for now which earns me enough money to-'' 

''To what, Olivia?'' She scoffs, ''To buy a house? I hate to break it to you sweetie but you are not getting anywhere with that job'' She bluntly states, shaking her head frantically. I know she is right. I just wish she wasn't so persistent with her efforts to try and push me into doing something. I'm just not sure yet, and had always been told by my Dad and my teachers that not being sure is okay.

''Well I didn't mean I'd have enough to move out, I just thought it would be enough to live on until I decide what I want to do. There's nothing that I'm passionate about yet, Mom'' I whine, poking my fork around in my food whilst looking at my plate. I hate confronting my Mom. She always takes it a step too far. 

''So what? You're just going to be a slob until your life will magically fall into place? You have to work towards your future Olivia. Nothing comes to you on a silver platter. That is why university will be good for your indecisive mind'' She rants, ''It's not too late to apply, I will bring back some leaflets from work for you tomorrow'' She adds. 

''Well it looks like I don't have a choice do I'' I mumble, my sour tone is clear in my voice. I hate schoolwork. I hate anything academic for that matter. I am much more of a practical, hands on kind of person. Maybe I got that from my Dad.

''No, Olivia, you do not have a choice, not whilst you are being lazy'' She remarks, taking a forkful of lasagna and putting it into her mouth, her red lipstick grazing off onto the stainless steel fork. 

''How am I being lazy?'' I challenge, ''I work five days a week, nine in the morning until half past five at night, I am punctual and hardworking and have never received any complaints'' I fight back, I am definitely not lazy. 

''It's easy to thrive in a job that doesn't require more than ten brain cells'' she laughs in my face, placing her fork down onto her plate. I turn to my Dad and silently plead for him to say something. I hate that he will never stand up to my Mom. 

''Olive is very good at what she does, it takes a lot to bring a sort of energy like hers into a workplace and keep a lot of customers happy, I would know'' He speaks softly, imitating me in playing around his food with his fork. 

''You would know all about being a loser, Gerard'' she states, condescending my Dad's work. My Dad seems unfazed by her harsh remark and I wish I could say the same thing about myself. I stand up from the table with my plate in my hand, scrape the rest off into the garbage can and throw it in the sink. 

''I'm not hungry'' I state before walking past the kitchen table and making my way up the stairs. I am fed up of listening to my Mom constantly make comments about my Dad and I. He can put up with it all he wants but I definitely won't. 

I decide that I am going to take a weekend job on top of my coffee shop job, and start saving up to be able to move out. Anything I can do to get away from her. 

I open up my laptop and start searching for a decent job in my area. 

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( just a short one because im super busy today... promise I'll try to get more in later - - also peep the cast list.. my blood sweat and tears went into choosing the best homies possible for you guys <3 ))