So C'mon, Steal Me.

“...Mmmmmrrrrrrr.” Olivia groaned as she could just sense someone waiting for her to wake. After rubbing her eyes then propping her head up with her hand she opened her eyes to find Scott sitting beside her staring at her with wide eyes.

“Morning Oli.” He chimed as his smile grew bigger.

“Mmmm.... morning Scotty.” She sighed then rubbed the sleep from her eyes again.

“Oli, what are we having for breakfast?” Olivia only smirked, knowing this was coming.

“Alright buddy,” She said sitting up.

“Lets go find something,” Olivia continued, turning her back towards Scott.

“Get on.”

“Piggy back!” He smiled excitedly as he wrapped his little arms around his older sister’s neck.

“But what about him?” Scott said and turning his head.

Olivia looked behind her and there was Alden. He sat in her reading chair staring at the two siblings. She almost forgot he was here. Almost.

“Morning,” He breathed. Olivia responded by forcing a smile and jerking her head towards the door signaling him to join them.

-----------

It was silent when the three left the room. Silent when they walked down the stairs. Silent when Olivia looked around the kitchen for something to cook. The silence was killing her.

“You haven’t come by the house in a long time,” Scott broke the silence.

“Did you and Oli get in a fight?” Scott frowned.

“Scotty-” Olivia started, trying to figure out what to tell her little brother but was thankfully interrupted by Alden.

“We did, I came here to apologize to your sister.”

Hearing his words, Olivia snapped her head towards them and away from the cupboards she was hiding behind. She found Alden staring back at her with an apologetic look. Olivia forced another smile, what else could she do. Seriously, what was she supposed to say to that, he came over drunk, claiming to miss her after not showing his face for over a month.

Scott smiled and jumped off the seat he was sitting off and stood beside Olivia. She lifted him up and sat him on the counter.

“I want.... PANCAKES!” Scott exclaimed. Olivia laughed and got out the ingredients. As she opened the fridge she noted that the food from last night hadn’t been touched. She looked out the window and Alden’s car was the only one out in the driveway. Olivia guessed that Matt crashed at Eric’s - which in this situation, was probably for the best. If Matt caught Alden here, Olivia didn’t even want to think about what would happen.

There was silence while she cooked, except for Scott now and then saying something about Fairly Odd Parents, or something to that effect before he ventured off into the living room to watch TV. Olivia could feel Alden’s eyes burning into her back while she cooked, Olivia knew Alden was waiting for her to acknowledge him, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it, she wouldn’t.

Looking back, Olivia knew they had an unusual relationship. She always felt that she was the one doing the wrong in the relationship, like she should be the one who is sorry, not Alden. Olivia never did anything in the way that Alden had, but she felt like she did. Like she was cheating on him. While Olivia and Alden dated, towards the end of their relationship, Alden cheated and although he was the one who cheated in the relationship, Olivia always felt as if it was her fault. After all she was in love with someone else, and somehow she feel that was worst.

Olivia listened to Alden apologize countless times, but after a while, she couldn’t listen to him anymore. Olivia used to pretend that the reason she couldn’t forgive him was because he cheated. But she knew, the real reason she pretend she couldn’t forgive him was because she couldn’t bring herself to lie to him again and again. How could Olivia would tell him that she forgive him when she was the one who committed the bigger wrong?

Truth is, Olivia forgave him a long time ago because she felt deserved to be cheated on, to be hurt and humiliated like she was; she deserved it all. Olivia had it in her head that she was a terrible person. Every time Alden would apologize, Olivia felt like dirt, she felt like she should scream No Alden, don’t be sorry because I deserve it, because I’ve been in love with Jack. Olivia felt like a hypocrite if she accepted his apology like he was the one who was wrong.

It killed Olivia because after she found out Alden cheated on her, she recalled the guys saying she deserve so much more, but the truth was she felt like she didn’t. In her eyes she got exactly what was coming, she went out with Alden as a distraction from Jack. It’s not like she didn’t have feelings for Alden, because she did, but her feelings for Jack were always stronger. Olivia had strong feelings for Alden, and when he cheated, it hurt like hell. There were some moments when Alden and Olivia were together where Alden was able to make her forget about Jack. When the two were together Olivia could feel herself beginning to let go of Jack and accepting that she should settle and just be happy without Jack.

Alas, karma hit and gave Olivia a bitch slap right across the face- which she would admit, was justified. She thought that she needed that after what she was doing to Alden. If anyone should be sorry, Olivia thought, it should be her.

Snapping back into reality from her daze Olivia spoke first.

“I’m sorry.” She let out turning to face Alden.

His head snapped up from looking at the counter looking at her in disbelief from talking to him, then confusion from her words. “No Oli, why are you sorry I should be the one--”

It was her turn to cut him off. “Stop saying your sorry!”

It was quiet again.

Olivia chuckled lightly hoping to lighten the mood before continuing, “Alden, really it’s okay, I’m over it.”

There, she did it again. She didn’t tell him the truth. Olivia mentally cursed herself at her cowardice, thinking he had a right to know. It’s the least she could do when he took all the heat from the break up when she too was at major fault. Olivia breathed in deeply thinking to herself that the two of them were just two incredibly screwed up kids and maybe they did belong together.

Silence began building, but this time with a lack of tension. It wasn’t awkward like most, this one was content.

Olivia finished the pancakes making blueberry ones, chocolate chip ones and a combo of both. She called Scott over and they ate.

Midway through breakfast Olivia heard a car pull into our driveway.

“Oh my God.” She breathed. Matt was home, and he was going tear her head off, as she continued to think about it, Matt would kill Alden! Olivia gave a panicked look to Alden which he returned. She bolted out of the kitchen and towards the door to divert Matt from the kitchen.

Olivia sucked in a deep breath before opening the front door.

Suck in the air, hold it, now let it out.