The two sat in the driveway for a second before getting out.
"My dad will either be super overprotective and nice, or really mean. Just beware. Actually, I can drop you off-"
"El, its fine. I understand."
He stared at her for a moment, amazed. Was she really overlooking all the craziness in his family? He kissed her cheek then brought her inside.
Elliot's father was sitting at the kitchen table, staring hard at his cell phone. As the teens entered, he looked up, an uncomfortable look crossing his face.
"Hi, guys. Nice to see you again, Olivia."
"You too, sir."
"Well I'm gonna go up and grab the bag I left here," Olivia said. "You two talk."
"No, it's okay, Olivia. You can stay. Bernie tells me you might be able to help."
Guilt surged her entire body. Would he accuse her? Blame her? She didn't know.
"Oh, uh, okay." Her voice trembled a bit, as did her fingers. She slowly ventured towards the two men and took a seat. Elliot nudged her foot with his, as if to say that all was going to be okay.
"So...you know these people, Olivia? The ones who did this?"
"Yes, sir. Th-they...I used to cheer with them. I was a cheerleader."
"So it's the cheer team?"
"Just a group of them, really. Not all of them are that mean."
"Who on that team isn't-"
"Just the ones you don't know," Olivia said, slightly ducking her head. She used to be one of those girls, then she decided switching sides was the answer.
"Okay. This all is too ridiculous to file a report, in all honesty," Joe explained to the teens. "If it continues, then perhaps. Bernie does worry quite a bit but I can't say I blame her."
Elliot looked up in slight disbelief. He was fine! He had completely forgotten what had happened for most of the afternoon. "Dad, I-"
"That's what you said before, son. I'm wanting to give you the benefit of the doubt but things got pretty bad-"
"When I was 7! This whole thing is stupid! It was a bunch of cheerleaders that think doing stuff like that is funny. I don't care!"
"Who are these girls, Olivia?"
"Their names are Amanda, Kim, and Melinda. Those are the main girls. A couple others join in but I don't know who." Guilt was eating this girl alive. She answered the truth but knowing she started all this chaos was tearing at her insides.
Joe was writing down some information and Olivia watched. Elliot looked between the two and saw Olivia's expression. She was totally going to out herself. While Joe was still focused on the pad of paper on the table, Elliot reached over to touch Olivia's arm. She looked up at him and he shook his head.
"Th-There is one-"
"Liv, no!" Elliot said, standing and reaching for her.
"El, its-"
"What's going on?" Joe asked, quieting both the teens.
"I was friends with those girls!" the brunette blurted out.
Elliot's head dropped. She did not need to be blaming herself. He spoke up a moment later. "She thinks she needs to take blame because they are her friends."
"Olivia, don't worry about it. Just because you know them doesn't mean you're responsible," Joe said with a slight smile.
"But-But I-"
"Liv, it's fine. Don't worry-"
"No!" Olivia yelped, sitting up straight. "I'm not gonna lie! I used to do that stuff with those girls. I went last semester too. I wrote that original letter! I planned the targets! I was their leader! Now they do it themselves but I used to do it too." The brunette's head fell to her hands and she felt a few tears slip down her cheeks. "L-Look, I'm so sorry. I should go. Unless I need to be charged or something."
Olivia stood up and Elliot stood up with her. "No, Liv. It's-"
"You started all this?" Joe said, interrupting the two.
"Yes. Yes, sir I did. I know better now. There's no excuse."
Tears were still slowly rolling down Olivia's face. Elliot wanted nothing more than to make them stop. Joe felt for her, but still wanted to protect his son.
"El, can I talk to Olivia for a minute?"
"Yeah. I'll go up and get the bag you left here."
Olivia nodded. Joe brought her back over to the table. Her heart raced as she looked back up at the man before her.
"I'm not going to press charges or anything against you. I can tell you know what's wrong with these actions."
Relief flooded her body, but she still felt so guilty. "Thank you."
"It's not like there's a way to charge you anyways. A teenage prank that you didn't partake in isn't a crime. Amanda is the main girl now, yes?"
Olivia nodded nervously.
"Okay. We're done here. Elliot's upstairs."
Olivia quietly thanked the man again and rushed upstairs. Elliot was just on the way out of him room when Olivia ran up and into him.
"What's the matter?"
Olivia wouldn't move. She just cried. Elliot dropped her bag against the wall just inside his room and lead her inside, closing the door.
"What happened in the fifteen seconds I was gone?"
"H-He told me h-he wasn't pressing charges. B-But only because I didn't do it this time. And there w-was no way to charge me!"
"See? I told you. What's so wrong?"
"The way he said it. He doesn't like me! At all! I told you-"
"My dad's hardheaded. He doesn't like anyone that isn't on his side."
"But I'm not on those girls' side!"
"He doesn't see it that way yet. It's okay."
"No it's not! He doesn't like me and he has every reason not to! I'm as terrible as-"
"Okay, shush. You need to calm down," Elliot said softly. "You're not-"
"No!"
"Liv, please. Sit down. Relax."
Elliot out his arms around her and brought her to the bed. She sat on his lap. And leaned into him, straining to hear his heartbeat. She just needed something steady to hold onto. Nothing around her would stay still or constant. Her head was spinning and so many emotions were clouding her thoughts.
"Breathe. Olivia, you need to breathe."
Elliot took slower breaths, hoping to get her to match him. She did, eventually, but it took awhile for her to really calm down.
"It's okay," Elliot repeated after several minutes. Olivia looked up at him and nodded. The tears were stopped but the residue remained, leaving the faintest two streaks on her face. Her makeup was messed up a bit but she didn't care. Neither did Elliot.
"Everything is gonna be fine. Nobody is getting charged with anything. You're not on a hit list for my dad or anything. He's just frustrated and worried. I wasn't bullied badly but my mom makes a big deal out of it.
"This isn't about past bullying, Elliot. They got over that. Now this happened. And someone who was somewhat involved is sitting in his house right now. Then your mom is gonna know and I'm not gonna be-"
"My mom loves you regardless. You're too nice and polite for her to believe my dad. She's naive. Liv, don't worry."
"What happens if they find out about us? Are we an us? What is this?"
Elliot looked down at the girl sitting with him in such confusion. He had never seen this side of her. He saw her confident side, her bitchy side, her worried side, stressed side, sweet side, and her loving side. He loved everything about it. But this, this scared, fearful self. This isn't her. This was worrysome.
"We are whatever you want us to be. If you don't wanna label it, fine. If you want us to be something, that's fine too."
"Don't make me choose everything! I can't do that."
"Okay. Well, you have to tell me how you're feeling and what you want. I tell you how I feel and what I want. Then we compromise and figure it out together. How does that sound?"
Olivia nodded with a small smile. "Yeah."
"Alright, then. What do you want us to be?"
She never really thought about it. Feelings towards Elliot were not only confusing but terrifying. But her heart still sped up at his every touch on her being, she still got excited when she got a text from him. When he would smile it still made her blush. Being around him just felt right.
What else could that possibly mean?
"I-I don't know."
"Well, how do you feel? About me, the situation."
"I...I like you. A lot," she admitted. "But I'm so confused. And I shouldn't be but I am and don't know why."
"I like you, too. A lot. What are you confused about?"
"It's stupid."
"I doubt-"
"It is. El, I lived in a world that wasn't real. The pretty girls were the popular girls and the popular girls were with the popular guys. Cheerleaders dated football players and none of it meant anything. Because I'm stepping away from that, it's scary. I'm not used to anything meaning something. It's freaking me out and I'm afraid of what everyone will say. Okay?"
He could tell what she meant. It was shallow. It was her worrying about the social pyramid and how she'd tumble off the top. He knew that she realized how dumb it was, but it didn't make the hurt any less.
"You'll get over that. I promise. You'll literally give up all you've known for...years. That's scary for anyone."
"But I shouldn't think about what Amanda or Kim or someone will say. It shouldn't matter. I'm trying to make sure it doesn't."
"Then don't think about them. Remember earlier, when we were just sitting around up here? You didn't think about them."
It was true. Before any of this came up, she hadn't had her friends cross her mind. Just being with Elliot was what she needed and wanted. "I know. I just think a lot," Olivia admitted.
"Stop with the thinking. It doesn't do you any good. You're stressing yourself out for no reason." Elliot brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and pulled her a bit closer to him.
Olivia nodded against him chest, trying to stay calm. A lot could potentially come crashing down around her, but didn't want Elliot to think that she still cared about the people she used to call friends. She didn't care so much about what they thought; more what they'd do.
She'd been attacked by them before. Was it about to happen again?
•••
I'm sooooo sorry I left you all without an update for awhile! I just started my freshman year of college and a lot has happened. I haven't had much time to write! I hope you all liked this part! Vote and comment 😊❤️