Forgive Me

Ollie woke up slowly, the morning sun piercing through the window.
She expected to see or feel Brian by her side, but frowned when she realized the bed was empty. She supposed he was already awake. She shrugged and grabbed some clothes before heading toward the bathroom.
The shower made her wide awake. She had a smile on her face. It was strange to feel happy to wake up, to start a new day.
She made her way to the kitchen and was greeted by Johnny.

“Hey, sweetie! Slept well?”, he asked smiling.

She nodded, smiling too. She prepared a cup of coffee and sat next to Johnny.
Something was strange though. She expected to see Brian in the kitchen, but he wasn’t.

“Do you know where Brian is?”, she asked Johnny.

The bassist shrugged. “He and Zack went out this morning. They didn’t say where they were going. That’s weird.”, he admitted.

Ollie couldn’t help but feel disappointed. She hoped she would spend the day with Brian. But he has his life, his friends and he could do anything he wanted, after all.
The green-eyed girl finished her cup of coffee and headed for the living room, where she found a lazy Matt, watching TV.

“Hi…”, she said, trying to be nice.

Matt jumped, and looked at her. “Wow, Hi… You scared me…”

“I didn’t mean to.”

Matt patted the couch, asking Ollie to sit next to him.

“You okay?”, he asked softly.

Ollie frowned. “Yes why?”

“Brian told me you had a nightmare. I wanted to be sure this weird sister of yours wasn’t affecting your mood or something…”

Ollie sighed.

“Well, I can’t deny that I feel weird, helpless, empty, alone. Sure, I have Brian and all of you guys who are caring about me, but… She’s my sister and she is my everything. During all those years she had been my rock. She knows me better I know myself. She always find the right thing to say, or something to make me laugh. She’s younger than me but I always feel like the young stupid sister when she speaks to me. She’s so right and mature. I thought she would understand me when I told her about Joan, my stepfather, her father. I thought she would hug me, support me. But I can’t blame her… Maybe I would have reacted the same way if I was at her place…”

Ollie bit her lip. She wasn’t used to talk to someone like she just did, but Matt seemed he right person to talk to, on the moment.

Matt wrapped his arm around Ollie’s shoulders.

“I’ll be honest with you, Ollie. The first time I saw you, I thought you were the weirdest girl I have ever met. But then I saw the way you acted when you were with us, and I have to say that you’re pretty cool. Not as outgoing that your sister but you know, we all like you for who you are. I don’t know you and your sister for long but I’m sure she will come back to you soon. You will probably have that horrible thing called girl time and everything will be okay. But until that moment, that day comes, we’re all here for you. You…sure know that Brian cares a lot about you. But if something happens to you, if someone hurts you again, I will personally kick that person’s ass. You.. you look so fragile, I guess that’s why everybody in this house wants to protect you.”, he chuckled.

Ollie smiled lightly at Matt. “I… I don’t know what to say. I... I’m not used to people being so kind and caring toward me, but thanks. It’s sad to say that some…excuse me to call you like that, strangers are more caring than my own family…”, she said, as a small tear rolled down her cheek.

“Shhh… Don’t think like that. Think that you’re not alone anymore. Look, what makes you think that we aren’t your family? Zack’s your brother in law, Arin…. Arin is your eloigned cousin, Johnny is your silly uncle, I’m your lazy big brother and Brian is… Well, Brian is Brian. Look , you’ve got the perfect family!”, Matt joked.

Ollie laughed. “You’re right.”

“So you really think I’m lazy?”, Matt fainted to be offended.

“That’s an understatement!”, Ollie responded playfully.

Matt hid his face in his hands and make faint sobs, which caused Ollie to giggle.

Matt suddenly jumped off the couch. “Okay, we will see. Let’s play video games, to see if I’m that lazy.”

“Uh… I never played… video games before, I don’t know how that thing works…”, Ollie confessed.

Matt looked at her wide-eyed. “You never played Guitar Hero? Call Of Duty? Just Dance?...”

Ollie shook her head.

“Ha! So much to teach you little sis’!”, Matt joked.

He started to explain to her the commands and what she had to do in the game.

“Ready?”, he asked, and Ollie nodded enthusiastically.

“Ok, let’s do it then!”

+++++++++++++++++

Brian’s car parked in front of the Valerie Joanson’s house. Well, Maddy’s house.

“You think she’ll accept to talk to us?”, Zack asked.

“She won’t have the choice.”, Brian responded.

They exited the car and Brian pressed the doorbell. A few minutes later, Valerie came to open the door.

“Oh… hi Brian.”, she greeted him, not bothered to show her surprise.

“Hi Ma’am. This is my friend Zack. Can we talk to Madeleine, please?”

Valerie nodded.

Maddy appeared at the door and glared at them. “What do you want?”

Zacky was lore than surprised. This wasn’t the Maddy he met a few times ago. This Maddy wasn’t funny, crazy or sweet. This Maddy was… well... bitchy.

“We just want to talk to you…”, he said, with pleading eyes.

Maddy couldn’t resist that look. She sighed and exited the house, closing the door behind her.

She approached them. She had to refrain herself to hug Zack.

“So…”, Brian started. “We…we know that Ollie and you kinda had an argument…”

Maddy rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“We just want to understand Maddy. Why would you do that to her? Why can’t you believe her? Have you an idea of how hurt she was?”, Zacky said.

Maddy sighed and looked at the ground. “Look , Zack. Okay, I should have controlled my temper but… I was hurt too, you know. Imagine that your half-sister came one day, and tells you that your father is a monster. I thought she was exaggerating, that she only wanted me by her side…”

“You said ‘thought’, you mean that you changed your mind?”, Brian asked.

Maddy nodded, tears rolling on her cheeks. Zack was more and more surprised. Maddy wasn’t the type of girl to cry in front of people.

“I talked with Mom and she explained me everything. She told me what he did to her. And.. I feel so bad. He’s a monster who hurt my sister, and I acted like a total bitch. I wouldn’t believe my sister. I’m a monster too…”

Zacky couldn’t help but hug her tightly.
Brian’s jaw was still clenched.

“Ollie was devastated”, he spoke. “You mean the world to her. I know she isn’t mad at you, she’s too kind and innocent for that, but to say she’s hurt is an understatement. She felt… abandoned you know…”

Maddy was conscious of all of this. It made her feel sick that her own sister wasn’t okay because of her. When she spoke about that with her mother, she realized that Ollie hadn’t lied. First, she felt disgusted with her father, but with herself too. She felt guilty for having doubted of Ollie, but her pride prevented her from saying sorry. In fact, she was glad that Zack and Brian came today.

“Brian..?”, she finally called.

“Yes?”, the guitarist answered.

“If you want to give le my payback for the day I slapped you, you can do it now..”, she joked.

Brian smiled and hugged Maddy. “Nah, I wouldn’t do that.”, he said.

“That’s too nice.”, Maddy responded sarcastically.

“Yeah, but that’s only because Ollie would kick my ass.”, he joked.

Maddy hit his arm playfully. She felt Zack’s gaze on her and looked at him. She blushed.

Brian cleared his throat. “Sorry to disturb, but it isn’t the right time to start being lovey-dovey…”

They both chuckled.

“You’re right, Bri. Let’s go see my sister.”