Olivia rushed home after school the next day so she could get ready to go to Julies.
She only had a week and 3 days to get this song finished for her audition for the show case and she was stressed about it.
Now she didn't have Reggie to worry about, that situation was kinda perfect, and she had caught up with school all her panic could be put into one thing, The Rodeo.
She went up to her room to freshen up, before heading over to work with the boys and Julie. She slipped her jacket off and put it over the chair at her desk.
Before last night she hadn't really thought about the little scars on her left arm, she just thought how ugly their were. She looked down at them running a finger over one.
Now she thought they were a part of her, but not something she needed to hide, they were her battle wounds. A battle she was winning, had won. She knew the band wouldn't judge her for that.
Before she could think anymore she heard a poof in the corner in her room and turned to see Alex falling down on to her bed.
"Hey, I'm literally getting ready, I'll be over in a minute." She said smiling at him.
"Oh yeah I know, there's just something I want to give you before you did." He handed her a CD with the name December Rock across it. "It's your dads. That was his band. Theres something I need to tell you." He patted the space next to him on the bed.
She climbed over sitting down next to him, staring at the CD case in her hands the whole time. He'd never really talked about his old band with her, she didn't know anything about them.
"Reggie worked it out, which is impressive for him." She went to slap his arm which of course went though him, she felt like she needed to stick up for Reggie more.
"He's very smart actually if you give him a chance." She said a smirk on her face.
"Right sorry forget you're in love with him." He said as they both laughed.
"Oh shut up I'm not in love, get to the point Mercer." She said crossing her arms.
"Sorry, Reggie thought I was probably the best one to come tell you and I thought it might be better doing it before you came over." He could feel him self rambling, he needed to get to the point, he could tell she wouldn't him to too. "We think we did know your parents or at least your dad. You said something to Reggie the other day."
She cut him off remembering yesterday at school. "A River never backs out of a deal? Is that why he was being weird."
"Well weirder yeah, we knew a guy who was in a band in the 90s, who was from Nashville, who used to say that too, his name was Jack."
She just stared at him. She didn't say anything just looked at him. He could see the cogs going in her mind.
"Livie you ok?" He said going to put a hand on her arm but she jumped up before he could even try.
"Wait here, two seconds."
She ran over to her wardrobe, going thought some boxes and finally lifting something in the air getting up and running over to him sitting down next to him again.
"This is my mum and dad, I think summer 1994 at one of his gigs, my mums name was."
"Molly." He said cutting her off looking down at the photo taking it out her hands, studying the faces in the photo, a photo he took.
"So you did know them? What were they like back then?" She spoke quickly, she was excited to learn more about them.
"Your dad was so talented, he wrote all their songs, he carried that band really." He said laughing a happy tear falling down her face. "He was also an amazing guy, he was a couple years older than us so he kinda looked out for us. You know Reggie was his favourite."
"Why does that not surprise me. You think he'd be happy with me and him?" That was something she hated about the whole thing, not the normalness of bringing him home to meet her parents, or anyone for that matter.
"Oh 100%! He used to say Reggie would the kinda guy you wouldn't mind your daughter bringing home so." They both laughed. She smiled to herself at least having the knowledge he'd approve.
"And my mum? Did you...know her?" She wished more than anything she could tell her about everything. Her mum used to be so open minded, she thought she'd even believe her about the boys.
"Oh your mum was beautiful! You get that from her, she was also so warm and nice but I'm sure you know that. She always talked about boys with me so I didn't feel left out with the guys talking about girls." A tear fell down his face this time thinking about Molly.
"Thank you, I know it must be hard for you guys, I've had 2 year to come to terms with everything but you guys just found out you lost your friends too."
She hesitated for a minute going to put a hand on his knee. After last night and opening up to Reggie she felt she owed it to the other boys to tell them what had happened too, if anything just to show them how much they'd helped her.
"Alex can I tell you something, something I told Reggie last night but I feel like I should tell you guys too, you guys are kinda like my family now and I want you to know how you've helped me."
"Of course Livie you can tell me anything." He said looking her with a concerned expression.
And so she told him the story she'd told Reggie the night before.
The look on Alex's face broke her. She knew they'd grown so close and he really was a brother to her. She couldn't standing the pain on his face.
"But Alex it's ok, I promise. You guys have brought so much to my life I."
He cut her off throwing his arms around her pulling her in for a hug, not thinking about the fact she'd go right thought him.
But she didn't, she sat there with a huge smile on her face tears falling from her eyes at the realisation she could hug her best friend.
He didn't realise for a minute until she wrapped her arms round him too.
"Wait." His eyes went wide as he went to move out of her grip before she stopped him.
"No, Alex just." She squeezed him a bit tighter just to make sure he was really there. "I want to make sure I make the most of this just incase." Both their faces falling into a content smile. He wished he'd had her in the dark room with him for 25 year just for the hugs.
"Livie." He put his hands on her shoulders pulling out of the hug so he could look at her. "I think I've worked it out, come on get ready and meet me at the studio." He got up as if he was about to poof out but stopped. "I love you Livie."
"I love you too Alex."
"So what have you worked out Alex, I do need to work with Luke on this song." She sat there next to Reggie on the couch head resting on his shoulder, playing with her hands from stress. The rest of the group sat around looking at Alex who was stood in front of the coffee table.
"So I'm guessing the first time you could touch Reggie was when you told him something personal, like opened up to him." He looked between the two of them, she sat up so she could look at Reggie.
They looked at each other before looking back at Alex nodding.
"Do I need to be here for this?" Luke said sat on the floor, the poor lad looked bored. "It's bad enough I'm the only one who can't give Liv a hug." Julie ruffled his hair feeling bad for him. He looked up at her locking eyes for a minute before they both quickly looked away.
"I'm getting to that." Alex said. "And I'm also guessing that since you kissed you can touch all the time?"
"Yes, but Alex she didn't kiss you." Reggie said making her laugh and Luke groan.
"No but you told me something I'm guessing you don't tell many people, something I'm guessing you haven't told dear Luke here." Luke turned around to look at her, she felt bad, she'd wanted to tell him it's just he was the hardest to open up to, even if she did write with him, it was different, a different part of her.
"What if it's about opening up to us, trusting us, it's worth a shot isn't it?"
"Liv I don't want you to tell me just to tell me, whatever it is, I get that I'm not the easiest to talk to. We can just work on the song." He got up a sad look on his face moving over to his guitar.
Her stomach dropped, she didn't realise how much this would hurt him. "Do you mind giving me a minute." She said getting up looking at the group. Reggie and Alex poofing out and Julie gave her a tight hug before leaving the studio.
-------- Author Note - I have just realised I didn't say the Julie already knows about what happened in England with the self harm and suicide attempt. Just wanted to clarify that since I forgot to put it in and I don't want to rewrite it now.
- As always thank you so much for reading really does mean the world to me, please vote and comment let me know what you think, I love you all 🥰