So C'mon, Steal Me.

Tss. The sound of steam filled the caffeine coated air, but what else can one expect inside a Starbucks? It was where Jack and Olivia spent most their weekdays in-between the hours of three and eight o’clock.

“Fly-zoo, I’m bored!” Jack whined as he cleared a recently vacant table.

“Barakitten,” Olivia whined back in a mocking manner.

“What do you want me to do about that?” She asked him, smiling adoringly at him. The two may have been best friends, but to Olivia- he was so much more.

He made a face in response to her comment, then shrugged. It was Friday which to Jack and Olivia meant, work. The two had a job at the local Starbucks, needless to say, it sucked.

“Flyzik, Barakat; break!” Their boss called.

Jack and Olivia took off their coffee stained aprons, grabbed drinks and sat under one of the green umbrella-ed patio tabled outside.

“So what’s the plan for tonight Zoo-ey?” Jack asked after taking a sip from his soda, calling her his favourite nickname.

“It’s friday, so movie night?” Olivia questioned back.

“Hmmm, sur--” Jack began to respond before being cut off by his phone buzzing. He opened it and read the text.

“Wanna hit Eric’s party tonight?” Jack asked looking up from his phone.

After serving prissy teens and caffeine starved business men, and the hell that was the first week of school, the last thing Olivia wanted was to go to another high school party. She knew how it would play out, she’d watch her best friends get wasted, while her older brother hovered over her to make sure she didn’t.

Jack took note of Olivia’s pause. “You win; movie night, I win; Eric’s.” He stated curtly.

She smiled as he stuck out his hand then laughed when he made the same face he does when he plays Pokémon- his ‘game face’ as all his friends called it. In other words, the pouty lips, squinty eyes and furrowed eyebrows look.

“Deal.” Olivia responded sticking her hand out. It was a childish routine, but it worked. Ever since the two were young and couldn’t decide on something, they’d rock, paper, scissors it. It was their tradition.

In unison they called rock, paper, scissors.

Jack was scissors, Olivia was rock.

“Looks like its movie night.” Olivia smiled.

“Fine.” Jack whined with a smile to match his best friends.

----------

The two finished work and left around nine. Jack and Olivia followed the same routine they always had every week. Jack would drop off Olivia then the two would meet later on, most likely Jack picking her up.

Olivia walked inside the spacious home to find darkness and silence. She began walking up the stairs following the faint sound of music which led her to Matt’s room. Olivia knocked on the door waiting for a response.

“Oli?” Matt called.

She opened the door to find Matt clearing his room, and turning down his music. “Sup, where’s everyone?” She asked.

“Dad’s left on a business trip, and Mom is helping Aunt Tina move into her new house tonight- so they won’t be home till the end of the weekend...” Matt begun to trailed off.

Olivia made an ‘O’ shape with her mouth and nodded.

“Where’s Scotty?” She asked remembering about their little seven year old brother.

“I just picked him up from soccer practice, he’s taking a bath.” Matt continued to pace around his room getting ready and putting things away.

“Oli...” Matt started. “Would you mind watching Scotty tonight? The guys and I were gonna hit Eric’s party and--”

“Sure.” Olivia cut him off. “I wasn’t planning on going anyways.”

She smiled at her older brother and he gave me a confused look.

“Jack and I got the invite when we were at work, but opted out for a movie night.” She shrugged. “I’m gonna take Scotty with us, if thats cool? “

“Sure, just get a ride from Jack.”

“Done.”

----------

“Oli, can we get the sour patch kids too?” Scott smiled.

Olivia thought to herself, how can she even say no to this kid, he’s just too cute for his own good. But if she didn’t- he’d never get to sleep if he ate all that junk. She laughed to herself as the noted that she would look like the biggest fatty ever if it weren’t for Scott. She looked down at him ready to say no as he smiled up at her.

“Err... but Scotty, we’re already getting Popcorn, a large soda, m&m’s-- I think that’s enough.” She tried, awkwardly fumbling with the fabric of her ]white top. Scott looked down and mumbled a feeble okay.

“How about after the movie we bug Jack to get some frozen yogurt on the way home instead?” She caved. Scott looked up and nodded with a huge grin as Olivia slapped herself mentally.

“I WANT SOUR PATCH KIDS!” Jack squealed as he came over to the concession stands with the tickets. Olivia rolled her eyes at his comment, Scott laughed and even the candy boy who was serving them did too.

“Ugh, fine.” She whined as she finished paying. “I swear, it’s like I’m babysitting two kids tonight.”

-----------

After the movie Jack took Scott and Olivia home, skipping frozen yogurt since Scott fell asleep in the back of Jack’s car. When the three arrived home, Olivia picked Scott up and brought him upstairs. She quickly helped him into his pajama’s and tucked him into bed. It was almost midnight, so it only made sense little Scotty fell asleep along the drive home. After tucking him in Olivia found Jack in the kitchen waiting for her. She laughed at the sight.

“Bha?” His words muffled from the food in his mouth.

“Hungry I see.”

“Fucking starved!” He answered, causing her to laugh again.

“Well Barakitten, we have about twenty minutes before the Domino’s closes, want to order?”

“Zooey, don’t tempt me.” Jack laughed.

“Haha, I’m serious. If you’re hungry, might as well, plus when Matt comes home he’s going to have a killer hangover and probably want food.”

“Touché.”

“Oh Jack, what am I going to do with you?” She laughed.

“Love me.” He smiled as he kissed her forehead and waltzed over to the phone to order. Clearly unknowing how much Olivia did love him more than he would ever know.

----------

“Night Barakitten, see you tomorrow.”

“Night Fly-zoo.” Jack smiled, then kissed my forehead again before leaving.

It was almost 3am and Matt still hasn’t come home yet. Jack stayed after the pizza hoping to wait for Matt to come home so Scott and Olivia wouldn’t be alone. Unfortunately he could barely stay awake, Olivia offered him the spare room but he said mamma Barakat would kill him for sleeping over without telling her, again.

Olivia waved goodbye and goodnight as Jack pulled out of my drive way. After he left she walked back in the house and closed the door. Olivia made her way towards the kitchen to clean up the small mess that the two made earlier when she heard a bang at the door.

“Oh God,” She thought to herself. “I hope that’s not Matt drunk, and can’t find his keys again.”

When she opened the door she saw the last person she was expecting to see.

“Alden?”

“Babe,” He slurred. “I miss you.”

Clearly he was drunk.

“What are you doing here? Its almost 3 am.” She said not knowing how to feel.

“I’m sorry babe, I just miss you so much. I’m sorry I’m an idiot.” Alden continued to slur while falling into her arms, after he fumbled up a step on her porch.

“Alden, I think you should go home, its late. This can wait till morning, okay?” She told him trying to keep him up. He just stayed in her arms, before leaned against the wall, which is when Olivia noticed his car in the driveway. She let out a sigh and told him to come inside, the last thing she wanted was him driving drunk.

----------

Olivia brought him upstairs and into the guest room beside her room and helped him get into the bed. A couple months ago, she would have led him to her room, but things change. 


“Just stay here until morning, and don’t make any noise -- if Matt finds out your here he'll kill you. And me.” She sighed, only imagining what Matt would do if he found out.

“Babe, I miss you.” He said looking straight into her eyes. It’s too bad she really didn’t need to hear that.

“And I’m sorry I was a dumbass, am a dumbass and sl--”

“Don’t worry about it-- you should sleep, it’ll help sober you up. I'll see you in the morning. Night.” She rambled quickly before walking out of the room. Olivia wasn't ready to talk about it, not now anyways. Once she got to her room, she curled up in bed while his words echoed in her mind until she finally fell asleep.