O L I V I A
Life has been good. Really good.
Once I came back from New York I immediately started my management training at the cafe.
We hired some new people and things have been thriving! The cafe was bringing in new customers and I was absolutely loving my new position.
Aside from work, the clock to graduation was literally around the corner.
My parents had been bugging me about a graduation party but I had been way too swamped to really think about anything else.
When I did have any free time I was always with Alessio.
I hadn't slept over since the day we had sex and I wasn't really sure why. He'd pick me up and we'd go eat and kiss before he'd take me right back home.
He seemed distant when we were together though. His phone was always in his hand and our conversations felt like they were just there to fill the awkward tension between the two of us.
Westview was still a complete mess. Austin's face was now plastered on every wall in the school and street I passed by.
Sierra didn't come near me at all anymore. Kimbery was trying her best to comfort her and make time for me when she could.
Seeing his face every day was driving me insane. I couldn't shake it away.
It was a never-ending nightmare and I was just ready to get the hell out of Westview High.
Kim and I were walking from our last class that afternoon. She hadn't really seemed like herself the past week and kept saying she didn't feel good.
We were taking our time to get there when she finally spilled what was on her mind.
"I think Joe is cheating on me."
"What do you mean? Joe is obsessed with you."
She shakes her head. "He never has time for me anymore. When I do see him, it is brief and he is always vanishing and not returning my calls."
I knew how that felt.
"Kim," I sigh and toss my arm over her shoulder."Joe likes you a lot. Honestly, I think it may even be more than that at this point."
She forces a smile. "You think so?"
"I know so."
She looks around and lowers her voice, "I'm still not feeling good...at all."
"What do you think is going on?"
She looks over at me nervously and presses her lips together. She has looked pretty pale lately and I remember she said she puked the other day before school.
Plus, her boobs are massive now.
"You're pregnant."
She panics and looks around at the other students. "Quiet! I don't know, Olivia."
"Kimberly!" I shout in a whisper. "You can't be pregnant."
"I don't know! I missed my period last week and I honestly haven't been tracking when I need to take my pill like before."
"What are you going to do...if you are?"
She shrugs, "Keep it? I don't know."
"Have you told Joe?"
She laughs, "Fuck no."
"He's the dad, Kimberly."
"I know...I just don't know if that is what he wants. He's an athlete and scouts are coming to the last game. What if he wants nothing to do with me or the baby because we could ruin his football career?"
I sigh, "You really need to tell him."
"Fine...just let me figure out if I am first."
I follow Kim through the crowded front doors of the school and we step out underneath the canopy there. I notice there's a cop car parked next to the curb.
I glance over at Kimberly but she just shrugs.
"Olivia Moore? Kimberly Simmons?"
We stop and turn to the right to see a familiar, older man walking towards us wearing a police uniform.
His short, blonde hair is pushed back with a pair of sunglasses. I could see a pen and notepad in hand.
"Officer Harrison." Kimberly speaks up next to me.
He smiles warmly at the two of us but his eyes linger on me longer than I'd like. I had only met him once or twice when we all actually hung out together before everything happened with Austin. His dad seemed okay at the time.
I knew Alessio said he was bad news though. Paying off street gangs and letting Austin get away with sexual assault and drug abuse.
Apparently, he was not a good man to his family as Austin was growing up. It seems like the Romano family isn't the only one keeping some secrets.
My stomach knots up as he looks us over. I almost feel like he can read everything clear as day on my face.
"How are you ladies today?" He asks warmly. "I was just checking in around here...trying to get some information."
"I'm so sorry about Austin, sir." Kimberly tells him.
"It has been really hard on his mother and I, but we aren't giving up."
Officer Harrison looks over at me again and something gives me the idea that he wants to accuse me of something already.
"Have either of you seen anything? Know anything?"
"No sir," I whisper. "I'm sorry."
"No worries, girls. I would like you two to come down to the station if you have anything that can help. Even from your last time seeing him."
"Of course, we will." Kimberly tells him and I fight the urge to smack her.
He smiles a bit again and stares me down one final time before turning back in the direction of his car.
"I feel so bad for him..." Kimberly mutters.
"Yeah."
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"Good job today, Michelle!"
Our newest hire glances up at me from behind the counter and smiles brightly. She's only sixteen but she has a lot of drive.
"Thanks for this, Olivia! My parents had been on my ass about a job."
"Well, we're so glad to have you." I tell her warmly. "We'll see you tomorrow at 4."
She nods eagerly which causes her blonde ponytail to bounce with the movement before tossing her apron off and leaving.
I catch Kimberly resting her head on a nearby table and shake my head.
"Are you going to do anything?"
"I'm sorry," She groans miserably. "I'm just not feeling good at all."
"Go home, Kim. We have like an hour left. It's slow."
She bows her head weakly." Are you sure?"
"Yes. Go home."
She gives me a sad smile before gathering her things up in her arms.
I can't believe there is really a chance she could be pregnant. It was hard trying to picture my party loving, crazy friend as a mom.
She seemed more like the cool aunt kind of like Macy.
I spend the next hour wiping down coffee stairs and bringing endless latte's to a group of middle aged hipsters taking up three tables in the back of the cafe.
One of them pulls out a guitar and they start singing some weird indie songs together.
At least they tip well.
I start re-stocking the cups against the back wall when my phone rings.
"Hello?"
"My darling, Olivia."
His voice melts me instantly. My insides are a gushy mess.
"You know I'm at work right?"
"Always working."
"Says you," I sigh and lean into the counter. "When am I ever going to spend more than an hour with you?"
"Aw, do you miss me?"
" Are you worth missing?" I tease.
"Want me to show you?"
My legs go weak. "Maybe..."
"This weekend? You are mine."
"Are you asking or telling?" I roll my eyes.
"You know I don't ask."
"Fine...Saturday AND Sunday."
He sighs, " I don't know if-"
I cut him off," Saturday and Sunday."
"Fine. Deal."
"Good," I smile to myself."Now I gotta go. Go do something illegal."
I could practically feel his glare piercing me through the phone.
"Talk to you later, love."
The line goes dead and I stare down at my phone like an idiot before a girly voice catches my attention.
"Ma'am?"
I look up and find a beautiful girl standing there in a tight, red dress and large sunglasses. Her light brown curls hang loosely against the low of her back and she looks as if she's some kind of high-end model. She smiles a little showing a set of perfectly white teeth.
"Hello! How can I help you?"
She removes her sunglasses and a pair of Green eyes pierce me.
It's the girl from the dance.
I think Alessio had said her name was Monica.
"Nice to see you again, dear."
Up close she's even more stunning. Everything about her screams wealth and beauty. Just being around her made me feel so inadequate.
"Oh! I'm sorry...I didn't even recognize you..." I trail off.
"No worries, darling. I was in the area," She smiles and looks around. "Love the place."
"T-Thank you."
"I saw you in the window and just wanted to say hello," She says and locks her green eyes on me. "Monica Rossi, by the way."
She stretches her hand out to shake my own. I can't help but notice how perfectly pampered she is.
"Olivia Moore." I nod.
"Ahh, yes. The girl who was dancing with Alessio." Her lips curl into a bit of a snarl.
"Y-yeah. That was me."
"You look so...well." She comments and looks me over with disinterest."I didn't expect you to be...a barista."
My brows scrunch, "Yeah...that's the life for me."
This fucking bitch.
"Good for you," She sneers and puts her sunglasses back on. "Have you seen Alessio lately?"
"U-uh...not for a couple of days."
She frowns at my response.
"Well...would you mind letting him know I'm looking for him," She tells me coolly. "We need to talk."
"Uh...sure." I reply uneasily.
She turns on her heel to leave but glances back over her shoulder.
"Oh...and let my fiancé know...his baby is growing perfectly." She smiles smugly. "Ciao, darling."
What the fuck.
⟡ ⟡ ⟡
A L E S S I O
"A little heads up would've been nice, Monica."
She rolls her green eyes at me and trails her manicured nails down my shirt.
I have been beyond busy since Olivia left and returned from New York. The police have been hot on the case of Austin Harrison, not to mention, I have other shit going on with the gangs Jesus decided to recruit to target the estate.
Austin's dad, Richard Harrison, has launched a full fledged investigation and I knew it was only a matter of time before he really tried to come after us for anything he could.
He never was a fan of the Romano family moving in.
Austin had completely been disposed of. It was disgusting and messy, but Giovanni was more than thrilled to put a bullet in that sick kid's head.
I wasn't scared by Harrison at all but more annoyed that he'd be sticking his nose around here.
Olivia leaving for New York had just really confirmed that Jesús still had an interest in getting to her.
He sent out a pair of his goons after Olivia and her mom when they left for New York but we were sure to take them out quickly.
He decided to retaliate by bombing a smaller warehouse of mine. I had a few guards watching over at the time who unfortunately did not make it out.
Things with Olivia when she came back to California were a complete mess. I knew I wasn't giving her the attention she deserved and she made that very clear.
I was dealing with so much it was hard to focus on her as much as I wanted to.
And to top it all off, Monica Rossi decided to show up.
"You aren't happy to see me?" Monica purrs out.
"Monica, I'm busy. Please."
"We have a wedding to plan, Alessio."
"I don't think that is the best thing right now." I tell her and cringe as she strokes my cheek with her long nails."We have too much going on here."
"What a perfect distraction then." She kisses my cheek. I can smell her disgusting perfume and cigarettes on her. "I'm sure Adolfo would be for it."
"Monica..." I rake my fingers through my hair. "Give me time."
She looks up and glares and opens her mouth to argue just as Adolfo steps into the main room with Anna following.
"Adolfo! Good to see you." Monica cheers and rushes to him.
I watch as they embrace and he eyes her up and down hungrily. I may not like the girl but watching a man in his 80's look at her like that is pretty gross.
"Monica, dear. Nice to see you! What are you doing here?" He asks and holds her close. "Alessio didn't mention you were coming."
She looks at me happily. "It was a bit of a surprise! Wasn't it, love?"
"It was."
Anna peers from Adolfo's side at me and looks just as pissed as I am.
"Special occasion?" Adolfo asks and pulls a cigar out."Are we moving the wedding?"
Monica looks at me with puppy dog eyes before rushing over to grab onto my arm.
"I was trying to talk to Alessio about it."
"I don't think it's a good idea right now, Adolfo," I tell him and feel her nails dig into my skin. "We have too much to handle right now."
Adolfo thinks for a moment. "Monica?"
"I would prefer sooner than later but if Alessio needs time..."Monica pouts like a child."I guess I can wait."
The muscles in my neck tense up as she trails her hand up the back of my jacket. I glance over at Anna and she stares back disappointed.
Disappointed in me.
"Give me two months." I grit my teeth.
Monica cheers joyfully and gives me a full kiss on the mouth before rushing over to Adolfo again.
"I'll call daddy! We'll arrange everything. I can't wait to be your daughter-in-law."
I frown as the two of them laugh together and head down towards the hall in the opposite direction to discuss themes.
Anna walks over. "You haven't said anything to Olivia."
"I know, Anna."
"She deserves to know, Alessio. You need to let her go."
"I need time."
She shakes her head, "You're out of time, Alessio. Two months! Seriously?"
"Anna...I love Olivia...I can't...I can't just let her go." I say defeated.
" Olivia, deserves the truth. If you love her, you'll tell her."
"I'll lose her."
"You care more about hurting her than losing her and letting her find happiness?" Anna accuses.
I stare after Adolfo and Monica with hate as they continue to talk huddled together like a pair of teenage girls.
The sight of them together like this makes me sick.
This should by my moment with Olivia.
I'd really never be able to have this with her. Adolfo has won.
Olivia deserves happiness with someone who can actually be with her. She needs loyalty and someone to love her always with no conditions.
I love her enough to let her be free.
"Okay...I'll let her go."
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