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There's No Place Like Homecoming
olivia was fifteen when she realised the answer to the universe was a good bubblegum milkshake so that's why she invited aria out for milkshakes and fries. she could tell aria was having a rough time at home, she spent most days in sweats which wasn't very aria montgomery of her to do.
"my mom is just so angry and rightfully so." aria took a sip of her milkshake, kicking her legs on her very high chair at the bar while olivia sat beside her, rubbing the girl's back while she ate fries.
"and he made you keep his secret, that's actually insane." olivia gave aria a look of pity as the dark haired girl rested her head on olivia's shoulder.
"i just felt so bad about it." aria spoke softly as olivia gently stroked the girl's hair while aria ate some fries, her hair soft underneath olivia's fingertips.
"i knew and i was lying to her. i was basically an accessory." aria looked over at olivia as the girl gave her a weak smile.
"you're a cute accessory, that has to mean something." aria let out a soft laugh and then it slowly died down.
"i don't wanna talk about it anymore, have you ever gone through something like this?" aria cleared her throat, trying to get her home life out of her head and trying to enjoy her friend's company. today was the first day in weeks where aria didn't go straight from school to her house and back. the first time in a while she went out with a friend.
"nope but my dad was sick when i was little and that was kind of hard." sick was an understatement and so was hard, it was the most painful experience of her life. she didn't like to talk about it but maybe telling aria her trauma would make her feel less alone.
"i was seven when i realised something was wrong." aria rested her hand on olivia's, she couldn't imagine what it must've been like for a seven year old to see their father sick.
"he would, uh, this is so weird to talk about." olivia laughed as she ate another fry. "sometimes he would drive without a seatbelt on and i didn't think anything of it, then he started riding his motorcycle without his helmet but still, i thought he just liked the danger of it all." aria frowned, the story wasn't going where she thought it would go. her father didn't sound sick.
"one day i caught him on our balcony, balancing on the end like he didn't care if he would fall. i told my mom and for a while my dad had to leave, she said he was sick and the doctors would make him better." but that never happened, he never stopped being sick. his illness would drive a wedge between him and his wife.
"when he came back, he was fine for a while but the day after my birthday he couldn't fight his illness any longer and it won." olivia paused, swallowing down the hurt that seemed to bubble in her chest as aria squeezed her hand.
"that must've been awful but at least you had your family." olivia slightly shook her head at aria's words.
"ezra was at college, wes was caught up with high school and my mom- my mom didn't even like looking at me which is why she sent me to live with ezra the next week but by then i didn't really want anything to do with him." it hurt to talk about, olivia's throat seemed to close up and she could taste her hurt in the back of her mouth. she never talked about this with anyone, it was nice having someone to share it with, it was nice to have a friend.
"what do you mean your mom didn't want to look at you?" aria watched as olivia turned to her, picking up a strand of her red hair with a weak smile on her face.
"the hair, the eyes, the way i would talk and even how i walked, it was all too much for her. i was my father's clone, wes and ezra look like our mom but i look just like my dad." the more diana seemed to look at olivia, the worse her hurt got but she didn't realise that her daughter was hurt as well.
"so, he's the one that passed the gingerism onto you?" aria asked and for a while olivia was silent. fuck was all aria thought, it didn't look like olivia liked her joke but aria made jokes when she didn't know what else to say, she didn't want to hurt olivia with them though. she never wanted to hurt olivia. she was about to open her mouth to apologize when olivia let out a wet laugh, body shaking with joy as she looked over at her friend.
"i suppose, god, what an asshole move." olivia liked laughing too, "but you make it work." aria smiled, relieved as she with one of olivia's curls, her eyes locked into with the girl's.
"thank you but we should probably finish lunch, still need to buy our dresses for homecoming."
"yeah, i was thinking about that. we should go together, as friends." aria started as olivia took out her card and waved over the waitress before she turned to aria, a slight frown on her face.
"im actually already going with someone, dean morgan asked me a week ago. im sorry."
"no, it's fine we'll still hang out, right?"
"of course, montgomery. bros before hoes."