between you & me

PART II: OLIVIA

Three years later and Olivia still can't forget about her. Not a single word has been exchanged since she slammed the car door that night, but Andi has not left her mind. She's still there as real and as tangible as Olivia remembers. Toothy smile and loud laugh. Adventurous and full of life. Olivia tried to keep that image of her like that in her head for as long as she could, to erase the images of a limp and vomit covered Andi out of her mind. She thought the years would let her forget all those times she pulled the younger girl out of parties or held her as she cried herself to sleep. She thought maybe time would let her remember only the good times.

But as she watched Andi sway on her feet in front of her house, as the girl apologized for what she'd done those years ago, Olivia felt all those memories rush back in. All the bad ones. All the ones she worked so hard to push to the back of her mind. Olivia hid those memories under warm ones, ones of flour fights and coffee dates and ice cream on the hoods of cars. She hid those memories under new ones, ones of first dates and failed relationships and friends that never stayed around long enough to get to know her.

Three years seemed like so long to go without a word spoken to Andi. Three years since she lost the two people who made her world keep spinning. It seemed like a long time until Andi was in front of her and then it seemed like no time had passed at all. Everything was the same yet so vastly different.

Friday nights...they used to mean so much more. They used to mean movie nights with Noah and Andi. They used to mean food fights and blanket forts. Now...now they're empty, lifeless. Olivia tries though. She watches the cooking network, their favorite movies, even dances to their old playlists as if each line and each step isn't tearing open old wounds. She tries to teach her betta fish to jump out of the water for treats to no avail. She wears the same pjs she did all those years ago, Andi's soccer hoodie included. She tries to feel normal. To feel happy despite the obvious empty spaces beside her.

It works...most nights.

Other nights she stares at the picture frame beside her bed, three young kids smiling faces staring back at her. The unstoppable trio. They really thought nothing could tear them apart. Olivia remembers having to convince Noah to let Andi play with them. Ten years old and Noah wanted nothing to do with his baby brother. Andi was always hanging around them, trying to join in. Olivia could see Andi just wanted to belong somewhere. She didn't connect with the kids her age, she was lonely. And the blonde couldn't resist the pout sent their way whenever Noah shooed his sister out of the room or sent her back home. Even from the start, Olivia had a soft spot for Andi.

"Just let her play with us, Noah," Olivia pouted, eyes wide and doll-like.

"I don't wanna, she's a baby!" Noah stomped his foot, crossing his arms

"She's barely younger than us, come on," Olivia turned and pointed to Andi sitting alone on the swing set. Other kids ran around her playing tag but didn't invite her to join. Andi watched sadly, swinging with her feet dragging through the dirt. "She's your sister now, even if you don't like it. She's sad and alone and she doesn't have to be."

Noah eyed his newly adopted little sister cautiously. She watched as the other kids bumped into her swing, didn't apologize or ask the lone little girl to play. Olivia could see her best friend contemplating before Noah marched over to the other kids and started yelling at them. Olivia chuckled as the kids backed up fearfully before apologizing to Andi.

A moment later and Noah appeared with Andi in tow.

It was the three of them ever since.

Noah begrudgingly letting Andi join, though he'd never admit that with his little sister around. As they got older, the siblings got closer. They all did. But Olivia noticed it was no longer a chore to convince Noah to let Andi join.