January, 2019
Olivia coming home was always a pleasant surprise and last night was no exception.
Although I was still slightly irritated that she had blown off our New Years plans, going to New York wasn't a terrible alternative.
The reason Olivia was home however, was slightly off-putting. When I had a chance to ask her why she was decided to come to Runswick, Olivia explained to me that Scott had cheated on her.
In her own words, "that fucking dirty asshole has been sleeping with his secretary. How original! I'm way hotter, cooler and smarter than her and he has the audacity to cheat! I guess he just couldn't handle dating such a badass, independent woman." Of course, they were muffled by her constant mouth full of ice cream.
Right now, she was in the denial stage of their breakup.
I had expected her to wake up devastated, I even woke up early to make her coffee and a bagel. However, as I made my way down the stairs, a sweet smell filled my senses.
Furrowing my eyebrows, I walked into the kitchen, only to see that Olivia up and ready, making stacks of chocolate chip pancakes while dancing to "Numb" by Marina and the Diamonds.
"Hey Liv..." I spoke louder than normal, trying to speak over the music.
She turned to me and smiled. "Mornin' Avery! I'm making breakfast."
I was thrown off by how chipper she was, especially after finding out her boyfriend of three years was an unfaithful douche.
"I see that." I nodded along, as she got out two plates and set them on the breakfast bar. Hesitantly, I sat down.
Soon enough, she took a seat next to me. "I hope these turned out, I don't really cook much."
Before I could even reply, Olivia was shoving her mouth full of pancakes.
She was definitely not okay.
"Liv, this might be a sensitive topic, but I want you to know it's okay to cry. It's okay to let it out, I would never judge you or anything. Three years is a long time and-"
Olivia began to laugh hysterically, cutting me off. "You think I'm gonna cry over that piece of shit? Absolutely not. He doesn't deserve my tears."
"It's not about him 'deserving your tears', it's about you going through a rough time and getting betrayed by someone who was close to you-"
"Listen Avery, I'm genuinely okay right now. I'm just happy to be home with my little sister. That's all I need." Even though her tone oozed sincerity, and her expression looked genuine, her eyes gave everything away.
Behind their caramel brown exterior, hid obvious pain. Olivia was the kind of person who always needed to be strong and in control, and right now was no exception, even if it killed her.
So I decided not to fight her on it. "Okay, wanna watch the Devil Wears Prada after we eat?"
"Always! Are you gonna be here all day?" She questioned, causing me to instantly feel guilty.
We had a hot chocolate hour tonight, and I had already missed the last one.
However, I was prepared to face Kendall's wrath if Olivia needed me. "Actually, I have something tonight. My friends and I do this thing twice a month where we meet after hours at Mugs. But if you want to spend time together tonight instead, I'm completely, one hundred percent okay to cancel."
Olivia immediately rolled her eyes at my offer. "Absolutely not, I'm here for the rest of the week. Which friends are you seeing?"
"We all actually work there. It's just Kaden, Kendall, Cole and Molly."
Olivia's expression lit up. "Oh yeah, Kaden! Do I get to meet him while I'm here?"
I laughed. "Hopefully not. No offense Liv, but sometimes you come off a bit strong."
"I do not!" She defended loudly.
"Yeah, okay." The conversation carried out through breakfast, and it mostly consisted of Olivia trying to convince me to introduce her to Kaden and me rejecting her suggestions every time.
It's not that I didn't think they'd get along, I just know how Olivia can be. Unintentionally, she tends to interrogate all of my new friends and I didn't want to put Kaden through that.
Throughout the rest of the day, I kept an eye out for potential breakdowns on Olivia's part. I looked for any signs that I should ditch tonight's HCH, or give Olivia more hugs than I already had, and found nothing.
Before I realized, the day had passed, and it was time for me to get ready for tonight.
Since it was only a hot chocolate hour, I slipped on a simply long-sleeved white jumpsuit over a pair of black jeans. My hair wasn't straightened nor curled, so frankly it was just a frizzy mess. Throwing it up in a messy ponytail, I figured I was good to go.
The time was 7:56pm, and Kaden was supposed to pick me up at eight. I figured I'd be out the door by then, however I ran into a slight problem.
I couldn't find any of my shoes anywhere. It's not that I owned that many shoes, but the three pairs that I wore on a regular basis were all out of my closet.
I huffed, looking under my bed, than in my bathroom, than in the linen closet.
Nowhere.
My phone was set on my bed, so I forgot to check if Kaden had arrived.
After far too long, I ripped open my New York suitcase and found my black docs. Slipping them on without hesitation, I went to pick up my phone.
8:03pm.
"Avery! Someone's here to get you!" I could feel the satisfaction in Olivia's voice as she yelled up the stairs.
Shit.
Immediately, I walked down the stairs, turning my attention towards Kaden and Olivia having what seemed like an easy conversation.
"You see, Avery didn't want me to meet you because she thinks I come off too strong, but I'm not coming off strong at al- oh, hey Avery!"
I stand corrected.
Kaden laughed at Olivia's words, but met my eyes as I approached the two.
He replied with an easy, "You don't come off too strong, Ave can just be over dramatic sometimes."
I glared in his direction, and Olivia looked pleased with his words.
"I know right!" She exclaimed.
"I am not!" I defended at the same time.
"Anyways, I'm so sorry I'm late, I couldn't find my shoes anywhere. I'm gonna get my coat, you can come in."
Kaden shook his head and laughed a little. "You don't have to apologize, you just weren't answering your phone."
He took a step into the house and shut the door behind him.
"One second." I spoke, walking quicker than normal.
As I headed towards the cost closet, footsteps followed behind me.
"That's Kaden?!" Olivia exclaimed in a low whisper.
I furrowed my eyebrows, sliding my jacket off it's hanger. "Yeah?"
"Why didn't you tell me he was... he looks like a model Avery."
I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Liv, he's like nine years younger than you."
"That doesn't make me blind! Seriously, I can't believe you spent two weeks with him, alone, and nothing happened."
"It's called just being friends."
"You're insane. In high school if I knew a guy that looked like that I'd-"
"Olivia. Kaden and I don't like each other like that. End of discussion. I'll be back around eleven, okay?"
She scoffed, but nodded. "Yeah, yeah. You're no fun Avery."
I gave her a sarcastic smile, before heading back towards the entrance.
"It's okay, it's okay. If you speed we should still be at Mugs by 8:15." I spoke quickly, waving goodbye to Olivia and pulling Kaden out of the door.
He rolled his eyes with a small smile. "Alright, let's go then."
⦠psychotic â¦
"We're here!" Kaden and I exclaimed as we pushed through the door. The smell of hot chocolate filled this air, the temperature of the shop erasing my goosebumps from the outsides cold air.
"Right on time, that's a first for you Wells." Cole laughed, standing behind the counter while Molly and Kendall sat in our designated HCH booth.
Without realizing it, Kaden being late become kind of a running joke between us five.
"Ha ha, so funny." He retorted sarcastically, shrugging off his jacket.
"Yeah guys, not everyone was born with decent time management skills." I mockingly defended, earning an eye roll from Kaden and a laugh from everyone else.
We took a seat at the booth across from Kendall and Molly. A minute later, Cole set a hot chocolate in front of each of us.
"Bon appétit." He spoke mockingly, with a surprisingly good french accent.
Kendall tried to suppress a laugh, but she couldn't. "I still cannot get over the fact that your mom speaks fluent french, and you only know like four sentences."
Cole took a seat next to Kaden than huffed. "It's not my fault! Receptive bilingualism is common!"
Kendall smiled at him and raised her eyebrows. I was taken back by how genuine it seemed. "Whatever you say."
I grinned at Cole and Kendalls exchange and it's lightheartedness.
Throughout the next hour, our conversations were consistent and entertaining. Every HCH was fun, but today was especially refreshing.
It felt good to have real friends.
"I'm telling you guys, I wasn't drinking!" Cole exclaimed. He was currently telling us about the time a forty year old Italian woman tried to sell him her car in a Walmart parking lot.
"Were you high then?" Kendall suggested. I think we could all agree the story was unlikely to be accurate.
Cole let out an exasperated sigh. "I literally called you right after this happened, Kendall."
She shrugged. "How was I supposed to know if you were high?"
Cole threw his head back. "I regret telling you guys."
"No, no! I'm sorry Cole, I believe you." I spoke in a fake sincere tone. "Why don't you tell us about the time you met the Easter bunny next?"
Cole face fell, while the rest of us began to laugh.
Kaden seemed like he was about to pitch in, but his phone rang. He gave us an apologetic look before exiting the room to answer.
I looked towards the door, my expression filled with concern.
In a few minutes, Kaden re-entered Mugs with a worried expression covering his face. "Hey, I think I'm gonna have to leave early. Ave, do you want me to give you a ride back home?"
He was my ride, so the correct answer was yes, but I could tell the situation was urgent and I didn't want to hold him back. "No, it's all good. I'll find a way back."
Kaden seemed as if he wanted to fight me on the matter, but resisted.
He exited Mugs.
"Wait, was Kaden your ride here?" Kendall asked, her voice hopeful.
I nodded.
"Does that mean everything is good between you guys? For real?" She asked again.
"Yeah?" I replied curiously.
Suddenly Kendall pumped her fist in the air and Cole groaned. "You owe me twenty bucks!" She exclaimed, turning towards Cole.
He glared at her, than reached for his wallet.
While Cole handed Kendall a twenty, I furrowed my eyebrows. "Did you guys seriously bet on how long it'd take for Kaden and I to 'make up'?! We already told you that things were good!"
Kendall and Cole nodded, while Molly's expression oozed confusion.
"Make up? What happened?" She questioned.
"Nothing-" I began.
"Kaden and Avery kissed." Cole and Kendall interrupted indifferently.
However, after speaking the two looked as if the immediately regretted it. In fact, both of their expressions turned to one of guilt.
"Fuck." Cole muttered under his breath, so quiet I could barely hear it.
"It was on New Years. It didn't mean anything, Cole and Kendall just don't want to get over it." I explained, keeping my voice somewhat monotonous.
Molly smiled, although it was weary. "Oh." She clearly didn't know how to respond.
"Actually, I think I have to go too. It's late and I need too... clean the kitchen." If I hadn't seen Kendall and Coles expression before, I wouldn't have suspected anything in regards to Molly suddenly leaving.
Molly Prescott was an excellent liar. Noted.
"Yeah, of course. I'll see you tomorrow Molly!" I responded, my words falling flat when attempting to be enthusiastic.
She nodded, than pushed open the door and left.
"Here I've got the dishes." Kendall spoke, her voice casual and unsuspecting.
"I'll help." Cole added, grabbing his and my mugs and following behind her.
I seemed to be the only one who thought Molly suddenly leaving was weird, or if Kendall and Cole did they didn't show it.
Not wanting to sit and do nothing, I began to wipe down the booth.
As I finished up, Cole appeared from the back.
"Do you need a ride home?" He questioned, while Kendall followed behind him.
"I'm sorry Avery. I would offer but I have to go to Safeway after this."
"No it's all good. I hate to ask, but a ride home would be great." I replied looking between both of them.
Cole laughed, while Kendall grabbed her lanyard from the coat rack.
"I'll see you on Tuesday? I think that's when we have our next shift together. As for Cole, I'd be good to never see you again." While addressing me, Kendall's tone was normal however it shifted into a fake-sweet one when talking to Cole.
As she made her way out the door, Cole replied. "You have such a way with words, Ken!"
Kendall ignored him.
"Alright, let's go. Do you have the keys."
I checked my pockets than nodded. "Yep. Thanks for the ride again Cole."
He shrugged, giving me a confident smile. "Anything for you Vree."
I rolled my eyes, exiting the warm shop into the brisk exterior. I locked the door behind me. "Wow Cole, you're my hero." I placed a hand over my heart dramatically with my response.
We both laughed as we walked towards his overly expensive car.
It was once we got in that I decided to ask the question which had been lingering in my head. "What was with Molly today?"
Cole turned his head, backing out of the parking spot. "Theres always something 'with' Molly, what are you referring too this time?"
He was avoiding the question.
"She seemed upset when you brought up New Years and she left so abruptly."
Cole kept one hand on the steering wheel, and tapped his fingers with the other. "I think its just a touchy subject. When her and Kaden had a thing he-"
"Wait, what?!" I exclaimed, expressing surprise.
Cole turned towards me for a second, his eyes suggested he was taken back by my reaction, but I couldn't pick up on anything else before he turned back to the road.
"You didn't know?"
"Obviously not. When was it?" I asked curiously. I wasn't upset, just taken back.
In all honesty, I knew who Kaden had been with is none of my business. But that didn't prevent me from wondering.
"I don't know. Late Sophomore year, early Junior year? All I know is that they apparently made out at a party, than became friends? They never dated, I know that. Kaden didn't date anyone for longer than a week back then."
I tried to picture Kaden and Molly together, than drew a blank. They hardly even talked at work. "I've heard the stories. Do you think she still likes him?"
Cole shrugged. "Before Molly worked at Mugs, she was a regular. She came in almost daily, Kaden and her talked a lot. It wouldn't be a surprise if she still liked him, even though he cut her off without a second thought."
My jaw dropped a little. I felt an slight ache in my chest for Molly. "What? Why?"
"He was done being Dawson's sidekick, and I guess that meant he had to shut down for a little. He stopped talking to Kendall and I too, barely showed up to work. The phase didn't last more than a month, when he came back his reputation was successfully in the gutter. Molly and him were never the same I guess."
Cole's words were slightly overwhelming, but made a lot of sense.
Is that why Molly didn't like me?
"How close were they, do you know?"
"I know Kaden got her the job at Mugs. Just like Kendall got me mine. Apparently they're job is to hire people now."
I immediately caught onto his statement, looking past the Kaden and Molly thing. "Kendall got you your job?"
Cole's expression showed that he clearly was speaking without thinking his words through. "Yeah." He kept his answer short.
I smiled widely, erasing my previous unease. "You know, neither of you have ever told me how you met."
Cole huffed. "It's not that interesting of a story."
"But its a story I wanna hear... please tell me?"
"No."
"But I told you about Kaden and I!"
"Involuntarily!"
"Still!"
The look on his face told me that I won. "Again, it's not super exciting. I was at a gala with my parents-"
A gala? How rich was Cole exactly?
"-and it wasn't exactly enjoyable, everyone was asking me about my future, if I was gonna take over my parents business, you get it. As a sixteen year old it wasn't something I had thought of and it freaked me out. so I left early. It was pouring, so the roads were slippery, and I wanted to get out of my car. When I saw that Mugs was still open, I decided to go in."
My gaze was set on Cole, while his didn't dare to move from the road. "I went in and saw Kendall. She asked for my name, but I don't think she had too. So, naturally I asked for hers. We barely talked, but it lead to her asking me if I wanted to apply at Mugs. There, are you happy?"
Even though he forced his tone to remain indifferent, I could tell that night meant a lot to him.
Kendall and Cole had history, and I had a feeling I didn't know anything close to the whole situation.
"That's so cute, why haven't I heard that story before?" I spoke, my voice expressing admiration.
Cole gave a sad smile. "Because we all know how it ends."
My face fell and before I had a chance to respond, the car stopped.
We were at my house.
"I- Thank you so much for the ride Cole." As much as I wanted to be comforting, I didn't know how.
Like he flipped a switch, Cole gave me an easy smile. "It was an honor."
I returned his expression. "I'm sure it was."
I hopped out of Coles care and closed the door behind me, only to be welcomed by Olivia at the door.
"Avery! I felt like you were gone forever! How can you stand being in this boring house all day-" Olivia started. However, she was quickly interrupted by a familiar blonde.
"Vree, you forgot your purse." Cole announced, getting out of his car and handing the leather bag to me.
Unfortunately, his eyes locked on Olivia.
"Oh, hi. Avery you didn't tell me you had a sister." His tone indicated his was up to no good.
And knowing Olivia, she was definitely intrigued.
"Right sorry. Cole, this is my twenty-six year old sister, Olivia." I replied, emphasizing her age.
"Hi, I'm Cole. Avery's eighteen year old friend." Somehow he managed to match my tone and still spin his words so they were... Cole.
Olivia raised her eyebrows, and returned his mischievous look. "Nice to meet you."
I am going to be sick.
"Okay, thanks for my purse Cole. You can go now." I practically pushed Cole back to his car, which lead him to laugh hysterically.
As I got Cole to finally leave, I returned back to Olivia with a flat look.
"Seriously Avery, what is in the water these Runswick kids drink?!"
I wanted to scold her, but her comment made me crack a smile. "Arrogance, wealth and white privilege. Most of them suck."
"Are all of your friends hot?"
"They're all underage."
"Eighteen isn't underage." Olivia spoke in a sing-song voice.
"Still creepy." I replied in the exact same tone.
Authors Note
hiii!! i'm sorry i strongly dislike this chapter, but things will get less awkward from here. also i'm proud of myself for updating more hehe.
i hope you enjoyed the chapter, sorry it's unedited :(
have a great rest of your day!!