VERNON has spent the last hour and a half pacing around the whole house looking for his bracelet. He held hope that he might have forgotten it when he left for morning training five days ago and just left it somewhere in the house. Unfortunately, that was not the case. His bracelet was out of his sight, nowhere to be found.
The rest of the day went okay for him. He hadn’t bumped into Olivia, and Vernon was feeling a bit better because of that. He didn’t need to see the person who manages to ruin his mood in a single breath, considering how down he feels today.
“Nothing!” Laurence yells, lifting himself from under the bleachers.
Vernon shakes his head at the spot he is searching for.
“Where could one tiny thing be? We practically searched all ends and corners, and we can’t find it.”
“Maybe I should just accept that I lost it. It will take off the time we are putting into finding it. It has been five days already.”
“No way!” Laurence denies. “I know how much that bracelet means to you, man. We will find it. We just need to keep looking.”
“We can’t keep looking for any longer today.” Vernon informs, glancing at his watch. “I’m scheduled for training. You should head home and we’ll try again tomorrow.”
“You sure? I can continue looking.”
“No Laurie. It’s been a long day. We’ve done enough for today.”
Laurence nods his head in understanding. “Ok then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.”
~~~
Vernon had a towel wrapped around his head in an attempt to dry it quicker. He was the only one left at the swimming area as he had stayed back to look for his bracelet. He crouched down to check underneath the bleachers, but to no avail, the bracelet wasn’t there.
Where did I put you? He ponders, caressing his wrist, where his bracelet usually is.
“Hey.” A voice says, startling Vernon out of his thoughts.
Olivia stood several meters away from Vernon, a smile on her face.
“You look cute with that towel on your head.” She points out.
“What do you want?”
“Do you have to be so rude all the time?” She asks, rolling her eyes.
Vernon gives her a blank stare. “I have no reason to be nice to you.”
Olivia pouts her lips and walks and stops at the edge of the pool, admiring the shining water.
Vernon mutely watches her as she adjusts the braids that were tied up in a blooming bun in the middle.
“Should I try swimming too? I’m pretty decent at it.” She suggests turning around to face the boy.
“As long as you stay out of my way.”
“You didn’t say no.” She responds excitedly, positioning her two front braids onto the back of her ear.
Vernon ignores her and shuffles behind the bleachers, looking for his bracelet once more. Because of his crouching position, the towel falls off his head, revealing his somewhat dry curled hair.
“Have you tried getting locs? You already have shaved sides. I think you’ll look good in them.”
Not expecting a response, Olivia watches the boy scurry about searching.
“What are you looking for?”
“My bracelet."
Olivia digs into her blazer before pulling out the said bracelet.
“You mean this bracelet?” She asks, showing it in full view of the boy.
“Where did you get that?” Vernon asks, shocked as he quickly walks towards her.
“It was on the floor at the nurse’s office. I took it.”
“And you’ve had it with you all the time?”
Olivia nods, smiling at the piece of jewelry in her hands. “It’s cute. Why do you want it back so much?”
“Mind your own business.” Vernon mumbles and reaches out to grab it.
Olivia manages to step away before Vernon can grab the bracelet.
“Olivia give it back!” Vernon demands, frustration evident in his voice.
“No.” Olivia mouths, enjoying the boy’s frustration.
Vernon attempts to grab the bracelet once more, and again, Olivia is faster.
“You need to be faster than that if you want it.” She taunts.
“This is so childish. Just give it to me and go your way.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Having had enough, Vernon manages to grab a handful of Olivia’s shirt in his hands and pulls her to him. Olivia wasn’t expecting such a move from Vernon and let’s out a soft gasp before crushing into his chest.
Before she knew it, Vernon had extended his arm, making Olivia hang at the edge of the pool, her only source of support being Vernon’s strength.
“I'll let you go if you give it back to me." He threatens, in a desperate attempt to get back his jewelry.
Olivia couldn’t help but be slightly impressed with Vernon’s attitude. Something about him doing this to her makes her feel drawn to him even more.
“You will drop me in the pool?”
Vernon nods, focused on keeping Olivia stable.
Of course, Vernon wasn’t going to do it. He would never do such a thing to anyone. But he was desperate. His bracelet is incredibly important to him. And knowing someone as careless as Olivia being the one who has her hands on it makes him extremely worried.
Olivia sends him the same smile she did when they were in that room. “Do it.” She challenges, calling out his bluff.
Vernon was taken aback by the statement. “What?”
“Do it.” She repeats. “Throw me in the pool.”
Vernon doesn’t do anything but stares in shock at the bold girl in front of him. Olivia decides to take action herself and grabs Vernon’s arm in an attempt to loosen his grasp on her shirt. Vernon manages to stop it before she falls and looks directly in her eyes.
No fear. Olivia meant what she said. She wanted Vernon to do it. No, she dared him to as if it’s a challenge to see whether he was bluffing or not. Vernon knows he’s bluffing. He knows that very well, yet the urge to let go came over him. Why should he feel bad towards a person who has been relentlessly tormenting him?
For goodness sakes, she is holding his bracelet in her hand and is refusing to give it back because of what? Why does he have to be the one who always holds back?
“What? Cat got your tongue?”
That statement did it for Vernon. Reaching his decision, he lets go of Olivia’s shirt, causing her tumble straight in the pool. Olivia submerged from the water her once bunned hair fallen into singles.
Vernon doesn’t say another word to Olivia as he sends her one last glare before turning back and walking out of the pool area.
Olivia remains still in the water, her uniform fully drenched with the bracelet safely protected in her palm. She is impressed, to say the least. Vernon had not been bluffing. And that just made things more interested.
With a loud chuckle, Olivia manages to pull herself out of the water and leave the pool area, thoughts filled with Vernon’s behavior.
~~~
“What happened to you?” Olivia’s friend gasps, looking at the girl’s wet state.
“I fell in the pool.” She responds.
“Why were you at the pool?” Another one asks.
Olivia shrugs in response as she manages to tie her hair with a backup scruchie she always has in her bag.
“What happened, Olive?” The same friend before asks, placing her hand on top of the wet blazer.
“Are you getting bullied?” Another one asks, worried.
“No!” Olivia says, feeling her heart warm up at her friends concern. The two girls look up to her curiously, waiting for her to finish her statement.
“Let’s just say something had caught my eye, but instead, it has switched to catching my interest too.”