#olivia01

      He couldn’t believe this was happening. He couldn’t believe he had flown across the world for a girl who’d broken his heart and spit on the shattered pieces, or that he, evidently, still wasn’t over her. He’d told himself he wasn’t going, that he absolutely would not meet Olivia at Leakey Falls under any circumstances ---and then part of him worried about her being there alone, and he told himself that at the very least, he could go just to be certain that she got back into town safely. He was late, but that wasn’t the point. Like always, she had asked him for something and he had complied like a dog on a leash. God, she had him wrapped around her little finger, didn’t she? He was excited to see her, and he hated himself for it, and he knew she’d be able to feel the warring emotions inside of him despite his best efforts to appear cool and collected. 

      It was no coincidence that he took the walk at the leisurely pace, then, as he attempted to gather his thoughts and calm his nerves ---not only for the sake of his pride, but for the sake of Liv’s sanity. At least it would only be the two of them, and only his emotions she’d have to contend with. When he stepped into the clearing, he first heard the trickle of water, then he smelled her. His heart beat faster with every step he took, and his hands clenched into fists. When he saw her, he stopped. Dead in his tracks, he stood, the only movement about him the rise and fall of his chest, and the whitening of his knuckles as dull nails dug into sweaty palms. 

      “Olivia.” His voice caught in his throat, and it took a second try for his call to be loud enough to be heard. It was no accident he called her by her full name ---he was distancing himself. “You look better than you sounded on the phone.”

Mari knew immediately when people started getting pulled in for interviews, barely consideration given to their final schedules. It made it impossible to focus on her own tests and essays and assignments - how could she, when she knew that it was only a matter of time before she was pulled in? And after what had been told to them the last time they were doing extensive questioning... 

It had Mari entirely panicked, on a level above her normal finals week stress, to the point that she was barely cognizant of her surroundings. And it was with that lack of focus that Mari nearly crashed into Olivia, the very last person she wanted to see. 

Taking a step back as she caught her balance, Mari’s expression just barely perceptibly shifted, annoyance and anger flashing over her features as she registered who was standing in front of her. “Sorry,” she said stiffly, unsure if Olivia was aware of the interrogations going on - the immediate debate starting in her brain if a warning would potentially be enough to have Olivia not mention her name again. 

“You’re up over a hundred followers on Instagram today,” Nina announced from where she was seated on a sofa perfectly curated to match the rest of the room. Olive has excellent taste, she had to give her that. “Your most recent launch is really pulling people in.” Nina smiled as she scrolled, attributing the success not only to the designer’s fantastic pieces, many of which she had worn herself to one function or another, but to her own prowess. “I think we should go live sometime next week. People want to hear you talk about your process, what inspires you, yadda yadda...” She rolled her eyes and shot a playful smile to the other girl. “And maybe we set up a meetup soon, either downstairs or somewhere in town. What do you think?”

He felt so foolish-- standing there in the middle of the sidewalk, holding a worn down rabbit plush in his slightly shaking hands. But, it was blocking his path - he had simply intended on just picking it up and placing it somewhere, where nobody would trip over it like he would’ve had he not been paying attention. But instead, Mike stands there, holding a tossed aside plush toy in his hands - finding himself staring into it’s eyes. 

As if it could see him, too. 

    He's never had much reason to visit this sector, even less so since things got a little...out of hand lately to put it lightly. Truthfully he's been doing his best to keep his head down and not get involved, lest his assistance was required by any of his comrades. Actually there was one person in particular he'd been searching for since he got here. He'd promised to keep her safe this time, and what with current events he feared for her well-being. Minerva's diminutive form scoured the skies for her original rider, the mother he proclaimed not to love. Her sudden high pitched call alerted him to the presence of a familiar face among the apartment complex of sector one. It wasn't who he sought but it gave him hope that perhaps she was here too.