Olive's P.O.V.
I had a hard time going to bed last night. Lucas' texts had my heart racing with excitement. I had a stupid grin as we texted last night, which I later got onto myself about. I can't let myself get too attached. He doesn't want anything serious, and fooling myself into thinking he does will end in my heartbreak.
This is just sex.
"Mom, this is Hailey." I had convinced Hailey to come up during her lunch time to meet mom. She of course accepted, excited to meet my mother. "She's my best friend and current roommate."
"It's so nice to meet you!" Hailey smiled sweetly, giving mom an unexpected hug. Hailey has always been very affectionate. She attributes it to her being latina. She tells me Spanish is the language of love, and love involves a lot of affection.
"Oh, it's lovely to meet you. Thank you for caring for my Livy." Mom spoke with her eyes still wide in shock.
"It's no trouble. I very much enjoy having Liv with me. She's tons of fun, and like a sister to me. She's great!"
Hailey's words had me blushing a bit. I thought of her as a sister too, but I'd never told her that. It was nice to have it confirmed that the feeling was mutual.
"I'm glad to hear that. Please, do tell me more stories about my baby girl that she may not have been so inclined to share with me herself." Mom was phishing for information, making me suddenly regret bringing Hailey.
We sat and talked for about an hour before Hailey had to go back to Columbia for her afternoon classes. Mom had enjoyed getting some juicy gossip about me from Hailey. It was odd, but at the same time I liked that she knew all these new things about me now.
Leo: Think you can come down to the hospital garden for a little while?
Leo's text had surprised me as mom slept. She'd been sleeping a lot here lately. Every little thing would exhaust her and even though she fought it hard, the exhaustion was consuming her. I could see death approaching soon, tearing me up inside.
Olive: When? Now?
Leo: In like 5 minutes?
Rose: Yeah, I can do that.
I responded as I headed out of the room towards the elevators. It took a good 5 minutes to get to the garden from where I was. When I arrived I could see Leo standing under the shade of a massive tree. The weather was beautiful with the hot sun and cool breeze of a soon approaching autumn.
"What's up?" I asked him as I hopped next to him.
He turned, giving me a bright smile that made my heart skip. Leo seemed even more handsome with all his piercings on display. He had the top section of his shaggy hair tied back so that it didn't fall on his face. He looked damn good right now.
"I wanted to talk to you. It's probably bad timing, but I wanted to get this off my chest and I wanted to tell you in person." He kept his ice blue eyes on me.
"Okayyy. I am listening." I said wearily because when someone wants to speak in person it's usually serious.
"I really like you, Olive. Liv, I mean. I think you're absolutely amazing. I want to take you out on a date, but I know you have something going on with Lucas. I am not trying to make you my girlfriend, just yet, so I don't care that you do. I just want to be able to take you out on a date. I want you to see that I'm an option too." He spoke clearly, never once breaking eye contact.
His words surprised me. I didn't know Leo felt that way about me. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't just heard him say it. I can't believe that I have two extremely hot, and rich, men wanting my attention. I am not sure that I can handle that though. I don't know how I could go about dating one while sleeping with the other. I thought it over for a while, seeing Leo's piercing move side to side. He was nervous...very nervous.
"I don't know, Leo. I just got out of a long relationship last week. I need time to myself before I jump into another one. I don't want to lead you on into thinking that we would be anything more anytime soon." I admitted, trying not to be too harsh.
"I'm okay with that. I just want a chance to take you out on a date. It could be just one, and then you can see if you want to go to another one with me or not. We don't have to put any kind of label on it." He stepped closer as he spoke to me.
I could feel the heat radiating off his body from his proximity. He lifted his hand, grabbing a lock of my hair and placing it behind my ear, letting his fingers graze my face. I felt a light blush tinge my cheeks, because I did find him attractive, even if he was a couple years younger than me.
"Say yes, Liv. Please." He grazed the back of his knuckles against my cheekbone.
"Okay, just one." I held my finger up.
Leo smiled so wide the corners of his eyes wrinkled. He was beautiful when he smiled.
"Thank you, Liv." He leaned in, kissing my forehead with his hot lips. I couldn't help the way my heart raced. "Tomorrow okay?"
"Um, yeah, that should be fine." I nodded, still feeling his lips on my forehead even though they were long gone.
"Perfect. I won't keep you long. I know this time with your mom is important." He promised, making me like him a little more now.
"Thank you, Leo." I whispered.
"No problem." He held my face with his hands, letting his thumb rub against my jaw line. I felt myself leaning towards him for some reason.
God, I must be hornier than I thought. What's wrong with me?
"Leo?" I whispered his name.
"Yeah?" He leaned further down towards me, our noses almost pressed together.
"Was there anything else you wanted to say?" I asked, feeling my heart race with excitement at the thought of his lips against my own.
"No, that was all I came to say." He whispered to me, letting me feel his breath fan across my lips.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." I told him, staring at his lips, not moving a muscle, even though I was saying goodbye in not so many words.
"See you then." His voice was so smooth like velvet right now. He stepped back, pulling away before he did anything. I felt my head spinning with emotions as I watched him walk away. I was seeing him differently now, noticing how broad his shoulders were. How tall and absolutely handsome he was too.
Shi.t, what is this?
I headed back towards mom's room, trying to get rid of the itch that Leo left behind. I was really glad that I would be seeing Lucas tonight, because I really need that tension release now.
"Olive, sweetie?" Nancy called me over from the nurses station when she saw me step out of the elevator.
"Hello, Nancy. What can I do for you?" I asked her, leaning my arm over the counter of the desk.
"Did I just hear a handsome boy was kissing you in the garden?" She arched a brow.
"Nancy, how the hell did that even get to you so fast?" I asked her, astonished. I knew she was the best nurse at knowing every rumor or gossip going about these walls. "I mean we weren't really kissing. More like he was asking me out on a date while being really close to my face."
"Mhmm, sure sweetheart. Just be careful with these boys. They can be really cruel." Nancy cautioned me as she bit into her juicy nectarine.
"I hear you Nancy, no need to worry about me. I already know how cruel men can be." I informed her.
When I walked into the room, mom was sitting up right. She looked pale, grayer than usual. She had a puke bucket in front of her, letting me know she was really nauseous today.
I sat beside her on the bed, rubbing her back as she dry heaved over the bucket.
"Everything okay?" She asked me, like she wasn't about to hurl.
"I'm fine, you're the one almost throwing up." I wrinkled my nose at her, she just rolled her eyes at me.
"Something is bothering you. Tell me." She was trying to get her words out before gagging again.
"Leo asked me out on a date. I said yes, but I don't know how I really feel about it. Lucas and I have plans tonight, but I know he doesn't want anything serious. Leo seems like he would, and I don't know that I'm ready for that either. Now I feel guilty for going to be with Lucas tonight and then going on a date with Leo tomorrow. It feels kind of slutty." I bit at the inside of my cheek as I thought about it further.
"Oh sweetheart, you don't owe either of them your full attention. You're not their girlfriend and it's okay to date more than one person as long as they are both aware of it. Just let Lucas know tonight. You're not limited to one person until they ask you to be." She assured me right before she started to throw up.
I rubbed her back, trying to make her feel better as she hurled. I hated seeing her this way, suffering for no reason. I thought over her words, trying to make myself not feel guilty. She was right though, neither of them own me. I'm not anyone's girlfriend currently so I could date Leo. Lucas and I can stop if I get a boyfriend.
"Thanks for the advice, mom."
She nodded her head, unable to speak at the moment. I will have to tell Lucas tonight. I just hope it doesn't ruin the mood.