Leaning Into the Breeze

Oh, come on, pick up Olivia muttered into her phone, hoping that Ahleigh would pick up. She had no idea what to do about tonight. There was no point in denying it - Olivia would run into Jack. Of course, that would lead to them doing something. Jack would leave and Olivia would be alone again, and Nick wouldn’t want anything to do with her.

“Ello?” a voice said on the other line.

“Thank God. What took you so long? Ashleigh!” Olivia sobbed as she started to tell Ashleigh what was happening. “What do I do?”

“You don’t do anything. Hold up, I’ll be right over.”
About fifteen minutes later Ashleigh was knocking on Olivia’s door.

“Is John here?” Ashleigh walked into Olivia and John’s apartment, looking around.

“Nah, he’s over at Max’s.”

“Awesome. Ok, hun. We need to get ready.”

It was around 7 p.m and Olivia hadn’t given any thought to what she was going to wear - her mind was mostly occupied with whether or not she should actually go. “What do you mean you aren’t sure if your going? Of course your going!”

“Arrg!” groaned Olivia as she fell into her bed, “Why, for once, can’t I take the easy was out?”

“Because!” Ashleigh walked over to Olivia’s dresser and started throwing out clothes, every which way. “And, also, you’re a New Yorker.”

“Not anymore!” standing up, throwing her hand in the air, laughing, “I’m an Arazonian, or whatever you call it, now bitch”

Ashleigh laughed at Olivia’s comment before taking a serious look at a pair of Olivia’s shoes. “I think you should wear your Mirror/Dash Snap Front dress. With these,”she said as she tossed the shoes she’d been looking at onto Olivia’s bed, where Olivia herself sat - a pair of Minnetonka Shell fringe boots.

“And tights?”

“I think you can take a pass on those.”

Olivia went into her washroom, leaving Ashleigh to rummage through her clothes, as she would obviously have to come to make sure that her eyes stayed on Nick - the entire night. That’s right: Nick. It’s all about Nick tonight.

AT 930 CLUB

“Hey, Johno, do you have any idea when Olivia is coming?”

“Not a clue, man.”

“I guess that makes sense. I mean, you only live with her.” scoffed Nick Santino, sipping on a Red Bull, leaning against a wall by the bar, waiting for Olivia to show up.

“But I do have to warn you” John said in a more serious tone, “watch out for Jack. While Olivia was still living in New York I bumped into her with him at NYRB. They sort of had a bit of a thing.”

John looked at Nick’s horrified expression before adding, “Man, though, that was a year ago. I don’t think they’ve talked since, so you’ve got nothing to worry about. Just keep a heads up.”

“Yea,” stuttered Nick as he saw Olivia walk into the club. “I can’t believe you get to live with that woman.” Nick walked away towards Olivia, leaving John at the bar with Kennedy.

“Whoooo!” yelled Ashleigh who sped past Olivia and Nick over to the bar, grabbing both a drink and Kennedy before running onto the dance floor.

Nick laughed at Ashleigh before he turned back to Olivia, “Hey, babe. You look great tonight.”

“Thanks” she shyly said, looking down and smiling.

“Come on,” Nick led Olivia onto the dance floor as a fast beat picked up.

The two of them danced for what seemed like hours, Olivia not even thinking about the fact the Jack was somewhere in the same building. A slower song came on and Olivia spun around to face Nick, putting her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder.

“I’m having fun tonight,” Nick whispered into her ear. Olivia opened her mouth to reply, but she was unable to say anything when she saw who was sitting at the bar, his eyes looking at her exclusively. “I’ll be right back,” Olivia walked away from Nick and found Ashleigh ahead of heading into the washroom at the back of the club.

“Damn, damn, damn, Ashleigh! I just saw Jack!”

“You mean you just saw him now? He’s been over here gawking at you all night.”

“Are you serious?”

“No, I’m lying - yea, bitch, I’m serious. Don’t worry though, hun, he’s been there for a while so I don’t think he’s going to try anything.”

“Alrighty,” Olivia answered before taking a few big breathes, fixing her makeup and walking back out into the club.

“Sorry about that.” After finding Nick and apologizing for the abrupt departure they started to dance again, Olivia finding it harder to keep her gaze focussed of the boy in front of her, not the one across the room. “Hey, so do you want to get out of here?”

“Yea, um, sure.”

Olivia grabbed Nick’s hand as they wandered out of 930 Club into the raining streets of Tempe, Arizona. They stood there, huddled together in the rain, waiting for a taxi to come by. They looked at each other and started to smile.

“Good night for all the taxi’s to go missing,” laughed Nick.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Olivia whispered back before kissing him.

The two of them stood on the rainy sidewalk, kissing and whispering to each other for what seemed like ages. The only thing was, every time Olivia closed her eyes, the image of Jack filled her head, sending her stomach into a whirl of butterflies and chills that even made her toes scrunch up.

“Hey,” pulling her head away from Nick’s, “do you want to get a taxi or something? It’s getting a bit cold.”

“Yea, yea, sure hun.” Nick took off his sweater and wrapped it around Olivia before hailing a taxi.

“This is your room right?” pointing to Olivia’s apartment room, number 242.

“Yea.” Olivia fumbled with her keys a bit, hoping that Nick would take that as a clue that she wanted him to stay - at least until John got home. She wasn’t quite sure what she might do left by herself with a phone. “So, um.” Olivia started.

“Do you want me to come in?” Nick teased her.

Olivia smiled shyly at the floor, nodding her head. Nick laughed a bit before pushing open the door with his arm over Olivia’s shoulder.

“Can I get you something? Some coffee?”

“Olivia, get to your bedroom. Go put on something dry. Your freezing.”

She smiled gratefully at him before rushing into her room and peeling off her wet clothes and replacing them with some dry grey leggings, a green striped fitted long sleeved shirt and some Tom’s shoes. “Something smells yummy.” said Olivia skipping over to where Nick stood by her coffee maker.

“Hey, you look good. Yea, I’m making us some coffee to warm your insides.”

“Because that doesn’t sound weird.” Olivia laughed, draping her arms around Nick’s shoulders from where she stood behind him. Nick turned his head to kiss her. Olivia closed her eyes, letting Nick’s warm lips envelope her own - Jack’s face, once again, filling up her mind. She quickly pulled herself away before walking over to her liquor cabinet

“Hey, what did you do that for?” Nick teased before kissing her again.

“I dunno!” Olivia opened the glass doors to the cabinet. “Nick, screw the coffee. Want some tequila? Vodka?” Without waiting for a response the shot glasses were out and Olivia was filling them with a clear liquid. “Here you go.” Olivia downed hers quickly before immediately refilling it.

“Alright” Nick held his glass up to Olivia before downing it. “Hey,” pushing Olivia playfully away from the drinks, “save some for me!”

Buzz buzz went Olivia’s alarm clock. She rolled over and looked at the clock - it was 11:11 a.m. Damn, how did I sleep through my alarm clock for half an hour? Olivia rolled over in her bed, rubbing her hands over her face.

“Ack!” she screamed when she rolled over, discovering none other than Nick occupying the other side of her bed.

“Now, that’s a good morning if I ever heard one.” Nick reached across the bed and kissed her good morning.

Olivia kissed him back, a bit awkwardly, as she remembered why she had gotten so smashed. Why can’t I just have an easy life and get Jack off of my mind? Olivia asked herself.

“Morning. Man, Olivia, we need to get thicker walls or something. Or at least something soundproof. Have a good time last night, you two? ” John stuck his head in the door way, munching on a bagel.

“Oh, yea, John,” Olivia sat up and threw a pillow at him, “hella fine night. Damn fucking fine.”

“Watch out, Nicko, she’s in a mood!” John declared, walking out of Olivia’s room.

Olivia groaned, falling back into bed. “Can we please just stay in bed today?”

“Ha, sure, it’s fine with me. You want something to eat?”

She shook her head and closed her eyes. “Shush. Let’s just not say another word. Go to sleep.”