The Deal

*Olivia Harper*

I pushed open the door of my house, bracing myself for the attack that was about to come. The moment I stepped in, a loud voice boomed, echoing across our huge house.

“WHERE WERE YOU?”

I rolled my eyes, and as usual, ignored my father as I walked to the stairs.

“Olivia Harper, you stop right here.” he said, and I stopped, without bothering to turn around. “I thought I made it very clear last time that you are NOT to step out of the house for anything except for school. How many times to your mother and I have to make it clear that you are NOT allowed for any parties?”

“That woman is not my mother.” I said, slowly turning around. “How many times do I have to tell YOU that?”

“Watch your tone!” Dad snapped. “We’ve both been very worried about you. And for heaven’s sake, what have you done to yourself? You’re a mess!”

“None of your business.” I mumbled.

“What?” he asked in a dangerous tone. “What was that, young lady?”

“I said it’s none of your business!” I said loudly. “I’m grounded, right? Just let me go and take a goddamned shower.”

“Now that’s no tone to use with your father, Olivia.”

We turned to see Linda—otherwise known as my step mother—walked down the stairs, her expression blank.

“As your parents, it is our right to—”

“Hold up,” I cut across her. “YOU are NOT my parent. You’re not my mum. As for him—” I looked at my father— “I stopped thinking of him as my dad when he decided to replace my mother with YOU. So, please, don’t think you have any sort of claim over me. Just let me go.”

“Liv—” my dad started, but Linda cut across him.

“You were supposed to be grounded. We grounded you a month ago, and you’ve sneaked out six times even after that. Olivia, we’re going to have to—”

“You can do whatever the HELL you want to do.” I promised her. “You know I still won’t listen. To hell with the two of you.”

I stalked off to my room, ignoring my dad shouting out behind me, as tears spilled out of my eyes once more.

I was so used to this by now. My mother had died four years ago, when I was twelve. She was the only one I could ever really manage to be close to. She’d died in an accident on her way back home from work, and my life had never quite been the same after that.

Before my mum, Cindy Harper, had died, I was always Miss Goody Two Shoes, with straight A’s. I had a lot of friends But after she was gone, I stopped talking to my old friends, I refused to get out of my room. And then, a year later, dad married Linda.

I was so angered by his decision. How could he let my mother go so quickly? Especially when I hadn’t moved on?

When I finally returned to school, the only friend who would even look at me again was Lexi, and she was my best friend now. I went a bit out of hand after that, with partying and alcohol, and then I was with Dylan. That’s how we got together. And that’s how we broke up too.

I slammed my bedroom door shut behind and threw my heels across the room. I reached for my phone, and dialled Lexi’s number. She picked up immediately.

“Liv, thank GOD!” she sighed. “Oh my God, where were you?”

“Did Dylan make out with someone else?” I asked, ignoring her question. “Did he cheat on me?”

“You remember that?” she asked, surprised.

“Harry told me.” I said.

“Harry…Styles? What were you doing with him?” she asked.

“Lexi, did Dylan cheat on me?” I asked her urgently, hoping with all my heart that she’d say no.

“Liv, babe, I’m so sorry…”

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. “Fuck.” I said.

“Want me to come over?” she asked softly.

“No,” I sighed. “Dad and that whore are pissed anyway, I better just stay alone in my room. I’ll see you in school tomorrow, alright?”

“Alright. Love you, Liv.” she said.

“Love you too.” I hung up.

I immediately walked in to take a shower, before my dad or Linda could walk in. And I was sure as hell that at least one of the was going to.

I stripped off my clothes, discarding them on the floor behind me. I looked at my naked body in the mirror. I knew I smelled like sweat and alcohol. My hair needed desperate shampooing. There were red finger marks on my hips and my shoulders, and love terrible, purple love bites all over my neck. My mascara was even more smudged than before.

I had sex with Harry Styles. Harry Styles.

Harry and I knew each other, but not well enough. We hardly ever spoke either. The only person from his group I was even close to being friends with was Niall, and that was because we sat together in History sometimes. So what the HELL had happened last night?

And Dylan. How could he have cheated on me?

I wondered who he had cheated on me with. It was probably some insignificant little bitch.

I turned the shower on, letting the hot water wash over me, working the tense muscles of my back. I closed my eyes, trying to remember anything at all. All I remembered was walking in, letting go of Dylan and going up straight to where the alcohol was. After that, everything seemed like a blur.

I stepped out of the shower, smelling of my favourite shampoo—of vanilla and lavender. I put on a t-shirt and pajamas, got into bed. My stomach hurt and I was really hungry, but I knew that if I stepped out of my room, dad and Linda would start off once again. So I stayed under the blankets, and cried myself to sleep.