Before the Sun Sets

@ Jinx...
Leo watched Olivia as she spoke, the pain inside her hurt him. He wished he could take all the pain from her and help. He nodded. “I don’t remember the last time I had innocence.” He said and laughed again. Leo gave her hand a squeeze when he felt it entangle with his. He wasn’t sure what else to do or say in this moment. It was too soon for her to be ‘over it’ which meant it was too soon for things to start feeling okay again. “You don’t think about how you are?” He questioned and raised an eyebrow. He knew that was a lie. Everyone thought about it. “Liv, why lie? You know I know you.” He said and squeezed her hand again. Leo sighed and looked over at her with sad eyes. “Trust me, you might not think you’ll grow from this, but you will. I promise you that.” He said and lifted her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckle. “Growth is inevitable you can’t prevent it. But you can decide how you do it. If you want to stay sad, you can. If you want to grow and become someone your mother would be damn proud of, then make that happen.”

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia frowned as he called her out on her half truth. "Okay fine I can't think about it anymore." she told him tears welling in her eyes. She could hear him talking but the words just made her heart ache more. Another promise from him she didn't know if she could believe. She looked over at him as he kissed her hand. She bit her lip as he spoke. She shook her head feeling angry. "I don't know how!" her voice broke at the end and she shook her head. "All I can do is force myself out of bed and out of the house because being there is worse. When that is all I can do how to I even begin to think about being something that she..." her voice broke again this time she didn't continue as she tried to keep her breathing under control." she pulled her hand away and put it over her head as she put her head between her knees. She felt like her body was going to break apart. Olivia swallowed and after awhile she sat back up. "Thanks Leo but I'm fine." she said coldly her voice loosing all emotion. She didn't want to cry anymore. Grief was messy and mean and she didn't know how to do it.

@ Jinx...
Leo nodded, he understood. If you say and simmered and thought about things it usually made them worse. Leo flinched when Olivia began to yell at him, moving back slightly. He frowned and looked at the ground as he stood up. Leo looked down at Olivia sun how broken she seemed to be. He just shook his head. He didn’t know what to say or how to help. His words seem to her worse. When he heard her voice so cold, he glowered down at Olivia. “Fine.” He muttered. “Bye Liv.” He said with a scowl. Leo was hurt. And he got enough hurt at home that he didn’t need it from her too.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia felt the tears fall then as he turned away. She shook her head and turned running. She didn't know where she was going because she couldn't go home.
The next week Olivia would wake up early and spend the morning running. She had found a job at a local cafe. She kept busy. She had to otherwise she was going to fall apart and stay that way. When school started up again she looked like she had filled out more and matured. Her smile was fake but no one would notice. She presented what everyone wanted to see. She was good at it, so much so that the popular crowd easily took notice of her and folded her into the flock. Olivia sat in the lunchroom laughing with the group of kids as they sat at the table in the middle of the lunchroom. She didn't even know what they where laughing about really but it was easy not to have to think and just follow the crowd. The ring leader of the group took notice of her. He in fact was infatuated with her. She was beautiful and popular and he planed to make her his. So when he saw some punk kid watching her from across the cafeteria he made it his mission to make that kid's life hell. After all Liam was a Junior and that kid was a freshman. It would be easy.

@ Jinx...
Leo and Ricky had been able to work during the summer and Leo put part of their money towards a gym membership. He and Ricky had begun to work out, for a couple reasons. One to be out of the house, two to help them with their father, and finally because they wanted to look good. Leo let himself build up. But he was still a bit of a dork in terms of looks. He and Ricky saved everything else they had. Leo was counting down his days until he and Ricky would be out of the house and on their own.

When school started he hung around with the same crowd. Noticing that Olivia wasn’t with their group anymore. He didn’t like that but he wasn’t surprised. When he saw her around he was surprised by how attractive she had gotten, more attractive than even before. He wore black jeans and a black tee shirt as he and his friends ate at lunch. His eyes moved across the cafeteria he saw her. Leo couldn’t help but smile slightly and wave. He wasn’t sure if she would even notice but he would try. He didn’t want to be mean. They had been so close he wasn’t sure if that had all been thrown away.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia saw Leo and gave a soft smile waving softly. It was like a piece of herself was with Leo and always would be. When lunch was over Liam found the kid that waved at Leo and bumped against him in the hall. He smirked. "Oh looks like lower class doesn't know where they belong." He said and his friends with him laughed. It wasn't long before it was a daily ocorance that he was picking on Leo in some way. Once when Olivia was with them she frowned. "Liam leave him alone." She said and Liam walked over to her and caressed her cheek. "Alright just for you and your sweet heart." He said and Olivia smiled softly at him. Liam turned and started to move Olivia away. Olivia looked back at Leo and bit her lip before leaving with Liam.

@ Jinx...
Leo was happy that Olivia had acknowledged him. She had begun sort of the popular group and he was worried about her becoming one of the mean girls. When Leo was continuously bumped into and harassed by her friends, his detest for Olivia began to grow. He thought she was behind this. He couldn’t believe what she had begun. Leo was getting angrier every day. His father was worse, his school was worse. He didn’t have anything going for him. He had anger issues beginning to grow, as well as a deep depression. He stopped hanging with his friends and became more of a loner.

One day when Liam hit him, Leo flared up at the larger guy. “Fuck you.” He snarled and spit at his feet. Leo looked over when he saw Olivia. He frowned and rolled his eyes at her smile. Why was she trying to be a hero now? She had done this to him. She was why this happened. He couldn’t believe it. Leo shouldered his backpack and hurried out of the school, before lunch even came.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia frowned seeing Leo's hostility towards her. And she kept seeing it every time she caught Liam bullying Leo. He told her to date him and he would stop. So she did but it didn't stop. He told her to sleep with him and she did and he didn't stop. Olivia gave her innocence trying to protect Leo all for nothing. It was the end of the year and Olivia had broken up with Liam which sent the entire school into an uproar with the news. They had a week before the end of the year and Olivia sat outside eating her lunch in a secluded little spot. She had been dealing with her father last night screaming at her and hitting the wall by her head. She hadn't slept all night and since she was no longer with Liam she couldn't run to his house anymore to hide from it. Her eyes where red as as ate a penuatbutter and jelly sandwich.

@ Jinx...
Leo was sick and tired of the pain he got from everywhere. One night he had broken into his father’s room, and the safe that his father always had. Leo knew the code, his mother’s birthday. He unlocked it and pulled out the safe’s only content, a revolver. He took it out and oases it as he walked outside and towards the park. He sat in the swings where he and Olivia had met, the gun in his hands. He turned it over in his hands a few times before lifting it to his temple. Just as he did, Leo heard sirens and saw police lights. He wasn’t sure if they were coming for him, but he shoved the gun into his pocket and ran home. Leo locked himself in his bedroom and cried. He cried from Kate in the night, until early the next morning.
Leo went to school the next day, despite the previous nights events. He had to. The truancy officer told him he had missed so much school he or his father would get in trouble if he kept missing. At lunch time Leo went to go to his usual spot, the place where he ate alone. He rounded the corner and saw Olivia. “What are you doing here?” He scowled.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia looked up hearing Leo and her eyes widened. She frowned and looked down picking at her sandwich. "I was just trying to find a quiet place to eat. The talk in the cafeteria is too much. School is almost out and I wont have to deal with it again." she frowned more her eyebrows pulling together. "If you let me stay here for lunches for the last week of school then I promise you wont have to see me again." she said and looked up at him. "My father is moving us." she said. Olivia looked at her sandwich and set it down. "So whatever it is that makes you so angry when you see me will go away." she said and pulled her hair to the side. She ran her hand through the locks slowly not wanting to look at Leo as he glared at her. She wanted to remember his in the days they where glued to the hip and the nights where they whispered in his bedroom huddled under the blanket.

@ Jinx...
Leo watched Olivia carefully, still distrusting. He absentmindedly rubbed his arm from the anxiety he had at the moment. He felt like this was a trick or something. That her friends and Liam would pop out and laugh at him and beat him up again. “Why?” He asked. “Why don’t you want to be with your new friends?” He said as Leo moved to sit across from her. He took out his own sandwich and began to eat. He scowled again at her comment, rolling his eyes. As if she didn’t know why he felt the way he did. She did this to him, she got Liam after him and made his life hell. “You’re moving again?” He asked, his tone softening. Leo knew how much it hurt Olivia to move all the time, and he did feel bad about it. Leo watched her carefully, the tiniest of smiles jumped across his lips as he watched her run her hand through her hair. He had always loved her hair.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia frowned as he asked why. "They're not really my friends Leo." She admitted to him. She saw the way he scowled at her and she felt so terrible. She hated what they have become. She nodded as he asked if she was moving. "Yeah we're going to Florida." She was glad to be going somewhere warm and sunny at least but she didn't have it in her anymore to loose friends and make more. She bit her lip and looked up her head tilting as she saw the look on Leo's face assuming it was because she was moving. "Are you okay?" You look tired." She said hoping he could confide in her once more.

@ Jinx...
Leo ate quietly as he listened. He almost choked on his sandwich as he scoffed. “Yea, sure Liv.” He mumbled and continued to eat. He listened as she poke about going to Florida. Florida seemed nice. But it wasn’t where he wanted to go. Leo wanted to go to New York and become a writer. He wanted to tiger on the New York Times best seller list. Make it big. He figured he had two outcomes in life right now, that or ending up dead in this town. Leo yawned and finished his sandwich before raising an eyebrow. “Why do you care?” He asked. “I’m just fucking dandy.” He told Olivia. Leo sighed and stood up. “Good luck in Florida. I hope you and your dad do okay.” He told her. Leo threw his trash out before walking away. He couldn’t stand to stay around her at the moment.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia frowned. He really did dislike her mow. The thought made her throat tighten and she knew the little bit of food she had been going to eat she wasn't going to be able to know. Olivia frowned more as he asked why she cared. "You know I have always cared Leo." She said then winced as he cursed. She bit her lip and nodded looking down as he wrote her off. Maybe she could just talk her dad into not making her come to school for the rest of the year. It wasn't like they had any work left to do. Olivia watched him stomp off. She stood after a while and tossed out her food before sitting and just waiting for the bell to ring focusing on not crying. Her Leo was gone and she still couldn't understand why.

@ Jinx...
Leo just couldn’t believe what had happened. They went from best friends, they went from having admitted loving each other and sharing a first kiss, sharing secrets. To.. to this. Whatever this was. He didn’t know how Olivia had changed overnight and become one of his bullies. How she went out with the biggest bully. He hated the thought. How had those kids poisoned her so deeply against him? Leo left the school and began walking out, tears streaming down his face. The tears hot against his skin. Soon she would be gone, and at least one portion of his torment he would never have to see or deal with again.

10 years later

Leo stood in his office, inside the building he owned, looking out the mirror which faced New York City. He couldn’t believe this is where he was. He felt like a king on top of the world. His life was finally going in the direction he wanted. The year after Olivia left his father died from the alcoholism. Which left Leo and Ricky on their own. Leo continued to work through high school to support them, the bullying also continued. As soon as he graduated he took Ricky and moved to the city. It was hard, they went without food and shelter at times. But Leo had finally made it. He worked hard. Leo continued to work out and was toned enough now. He prided himself with his body image. He had gone from a scrawny, abused kid to a buff, hard working, successful author. He had published a handful of books, all under a pen name, not wanting those assholes from high school to contact him and know of his success. The name he chose was as white sounding as he could make it, worrying that his real Latino name may be a deterrent to its success. The name he had chosen was Richard Bernier. He wanted to rub it in their faces after he had made more money. Most of his stories were fiction, but his biggest hit was a memoir. He didn’t note it as such, just as a story about a boys life. He had made nearly a million off commissions for his books. And his biggest dream had come true. His memoir was a best seller on the New York Times list, and he had gotten a movie deal. He and the director were in constant contact. Trying to decide actors, scenes, changes. The locations were up to Leo. He had his assistant find him a photographer, a good one, to take on a trip across the country to find the perfect place for the movie.

Leo moved as he saw the light blink on his phone. He picked it up. “She’s here? Good.” Leo grinned. He had rented out an RV type vehicle for he and the girl. The food and commodities would be paid for by him, that was part of the “pay” for the job. The rest was being paid for by the movie budget. Leo didn’t have the time to interview people so he left that up to his assistant. “Come on up, bring the photographer with you.” Leo told him. He moved back to the window and grinned out at the city again.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia left home as soon as she was 18 staying with a friend for the last few months of school. She went to college after high school and worked everyday to make it so. She bought all her own equipment was sending her portfolio out to agents in no time. She took modeling jobs and did some shoots with the other models on the side but every weekend she was out on a road trip getting a new scenery picture. She had several big breaks and would pick up jobs with nation geographic. Will her new life she went by a new name. One that would make her mother proud. She was looking for another opportunity and that was when her agent contacted her about a long contract traveling cross country. She jumped at the opportunity dazzling the assistant for a popular author. She found his least popular book and read it. She figured if she liked his worst she could work with him. Even with a name like Richard.

Bella walked up with the secretary. They laughed making easy conversation. The assistant really liked her and she was a nice lady but Bella didn't have friends really anymore. She had everything she needed already. Bella walked into the room with the assistant and stepped forward. "Mr. Bernier." she smiled blonde curls bouncing as she moved but as he turned around Bella stopped her eyes widening. "Leo?" her voice was hopeful and surprised but also nervous and sad. She was so surprised to see him. She wasn't surprised he hadn't realized it was her after all she was going by Bella now and she didn't expect him to recognize her last name, or even her middle name wish she went by now. Bella looked at him waiting for a reaction from him.

@ Jinx...
Leo heard the door open and turned, he looked at his assistant and then the photographer. He moved around his desk as she spoke. It almost made his blood run cold. He would have known for sure if her hair was it’s beautiful red, but he knew her voice. “Scott, give me that file.” He said and stepped towards his assistant. “Now.” He said impatiently. Scott looked at his boss confused and quickly handed the folder over. Leo practically ripped it from his hands and began to turn threw it and reading. He swallowed hard and handed it back. The data matched, the birthday, all the information. Leo turned and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at her. “Olivia.” He said plainly. Leo looked back at his assistant. “Scott, go get me and her some coffee, from my favorite shop. My usual.” He said. The man nodded and took Olivia’s order before hurrying off. Leo shut the door behind Scott. He moved around his desk and sat at it. “I don’t do my own vetting, not for projects like these.” He told her. Leo folded his hands on his desk and looked across the room. “You can sit you know.”

@ BadStreetBoys
Bella watched as he ripped the file from the assistant. She raised her eyebrow and watched as he red through it. "Wow you really forgot me, or is my red hair the only thing your remember?" she grinned as he eyes met hers. She smirked. "I'm going by Bella now." she said but had a feeling he was going to be difficult. She shouldn't be surprised. He always had been. Part of her wondered if she hadn't said his real name if he would have realized it was her right away. Bella frowned and didn't take her eyes off of Leo. "Chai... tea." she said and watched Leo. It didn't escape her notice the way his body had filled out or the way he looked damn good in his jeans. She watched him sit her face straight and emotionless telling her everything she needed to know. He was rattled. Bella walked over as he said she could sit. She rather stand but the opportunity was just to good. She walked over and sat on the corner of his desk looking down at him. "Are you afraid I might think you choose me for this job like you actually care about seeing me again?" she asked him and chuckled. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm good at what I do. You know this." she said her voice seductive and challenging. She wanted to pick a fight or invoke some kind of a response from him. Was he still just as angry with her as the last time they talked. Or had he finally grown up and let go of his insecurities? She was curious to see just what had changed so she put her hands on his desk leaning over just a little closer to him the cut in her shirt showing the swell of her breasts. She knew she was even more pretty since he last saw her in high school. She had filled out more and she was more angular. In her last high school she had a cult following of boys wanting her but she had denied them all. She hadn't dated again until college when she knew what she was doing better.

@ Jinx...
Leo took a few breaths as he listened to Olivia. He was shaken up and he hated it. He didn’t think he could ever feel this way again. He was confident and had some power so he didn’t usually get thrown off by women, or anyone really. “No. Just doing a double take.” He countered, waving his hand almost dismissively. He watched Olivia carefully. He could tell she was playing this moment uo for him, and he hated it. He didn’t understand why she was trying to get a rise out of him a decade later. Hadn’t she gotten her fill in high school? He absentmindedly moved one of his hands to his leg, touching the scar through his jeans. This was something no one knew about. Not Ricky, not his fans through the book. No one. He shook his head trying to clear it. Leo frowned and rolled his eyes. “Was just letting you know.” He said, again waving his hand. He leaned back in his chair as he looked across at Olivia. He wouldn’t deny how attractive she had become. He loved it. Leo did his best to keep his eyes on her face. But hey, if she was presenting, why couldn’t he look? “Well.” He paused and opened his desk as he pulled out the paperwork he needed. “As the job ad said. You’ll be paid, but it’s reduced because the commodities, food, everything will be paid for and that’s considered part of your pay. It’s just me, you, and a self driving RV.” He said as he was reading over everything. “The Director wanted it to be intimate like this because he wants me to find the best place to film the movie.” He explained and slid the packet over. “In that packet is paperwork for you to fill out, give it to Scott.” He told her and pulled out a book. Sliding it over. “This is the book that the movie is based off of. If you haven’t read it, I suggest doing so. Obviously will help to find locations if you know what’s it’s about.” He said coolly. Leo leaned forward on the desk, his bicep muscles flexing as he did. Quickly pressing against the fabric of his shirt.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia sat back as he pulled out papers and started to talk business. She already knew all of this her agent had told her. She let him go over it. He wanted to feel in charge fine but he wasn't going to tell her how to do her job when it came to it. She smirked as he said it was just them. Oh great this was going to be interesting and they wouldn't even have the distraction of driving. She took the packet standing and pacing around his room as she read over the first page. she looked up as he slide a book over and raised an eyebrow. Olivia felt the heat build in her chest as he spoke. She walked over setting the folder down and reached over looking over the book. "Richard... That's a terrible pen name." she said and put the book back down on his desk a little louder than she could have. "Listen here boss man. I don't have to read your book to do my job. In fact that is the kind of small thinking that can make us pass up the perfect spot. Since it's your job to find the perfect spot let me do my job. You just let me see the big picture and I'll let you worry about the details." she smirked. It bugged her that he was suppose to find the perfect spot when he didn't have the vision for it. Vision was her job. She would read his book later but she wasn't looking to focus her attention so soon. She picked up the file and opened it back up turning to pace her jeans tight as her hips swayed as she moved about his office. She had that same look as she had when she was a kid as she was concentrating. She bit her lip and then looked up and moved over to his desk. Her eyes lifted meeting his as she pulled a pen from his desk. She turned leaning against the edge of his desk her bottom resting against it with her back to him. She read over the contract and agreements making her notes or signatures or whatever needed to be done. Scott knocked at the door and she looked up grinning as he handed her tea to her. "Thanks Scott." she said cheerily. Once he left again she turned to look at Leo. "We leave in three days? Why so long?" she asked him anxious to get on the road and focus on the camera in her hand and the scenery in front of her.