Chapter 1 Not happening

• ==Olivia==
• The call came for the umpteenth time and I knew I had to go check it out. As soon as I saw the name on the phone, I braced up, ready for what was to come.
• I exited the library and got into the hallway.
• “Happy birthday!” The screech could tear my ear drums apart. I flinched, taking the phone away from my ear to prevent any damage.
• A smile graced my lips as the croaky birthday song entered my ear.
• “Thank you, Leah.”
• “Guess who the latest adult is?”
• “Excuse me? I'm 21,” I said.
• “That’s the point. Right now, you can join me in hitting the bar and drinking all you want.”
• “Not happening. You know it.”
• “Oh, let's see,” she said and I chuckled. “Anyways, what’s the plan? Where we gon' hit?”
• “Bed.”
• “Huh?”
• I rolled my eyes, knowing what she was going on in her mind. “We gonna hit the bed. As in get to sleep.”
• “Geez. Why do you have to be a party pooper? Of course, we aren't doing that. Listen, this is your twenty-first birthday.”
• “I know, mommy.”
• “So, we gonna make a memory. 5:30. Hit me up.”
• “I guess you’ve forgotten, Officer. My shit starts by 5.”
• She muttered a cuss word. “Then, we go as soon as you’re done. It makes it much better.”
• I rolled my eyes. “Bye, Leah.” I cut the call.
• Signing, I walked back into the library to finish up my reading.
• ###
• Glancing at my wrist watch, I realised it was 9pm. Finally, my shit was over. I got one more order ready for a customer, then went into the dressing room and untied my apron. I got my things ready and left the café. When I stepped outside, I couldn’t believe what or rather who I saw. Leah, leaning on her pickup truck. This girl wouldn't cease to amaze me
• “How long have you been here?”
• She glanced at her watch. “A little over an hour, thank you,” she said and then squeezed her face. “Yikes, you look…pathetic.”
• I followed her gaze and appraised myself. Sure, a faded t shirt and blue jeans wasn’t quite a statement, but that didn’t give her the right to call me out on it.
• “Hey, watch it.”
• She rolled her eyes. “Hop in.”
• I got into the passenger side of the car. I was expecting her to start off the car, but when she didn’t, I looked at her. She was staring at me. I knew that look.
• “No, Leah. I’m not going to watch Bama for you.”
• Bama was her Chihuahua. Leah used to ask me to come take a look or parent him whenever she was away for her very many seminars. I always declined the offer, as not only did I not have much free time, but also, I wasn’t a pet person per se.
• She rolled her eyes. “I know you enough not to trust you with my puppy, but that’s beside the point.”
• “Okay, what’s the deal? “
• Her smile grew wider till she gave a titter. “Awwwn. I still can’t believe you’ve reached the age of accountability. “
• I sighed. “For God's sake, Leah. I’m 21, which literally means I got to that age of accountability some three years back.”
• She chuckled and I felt like slapping the smile off her face.
• “Yeah, right.”
• “You know, I don’t take it well when you rub my size on my face.”
• She laughed harder and I immediately regretted my words. I sat silent, frustrated as she continued guffawing.
• “I’m so—” More laugh. “I'm sorry. Come on, we all know how cute petites like you are.”
• When I didn’t say anything, she sobered up. “Okay, I’m sorry. For real.”
• I shrugged.
• “That's my baby girl. Anywho, I got something for you.”
• I glanced at her as she stretched her hand to the back seat. She brought out a ribboned box and gave it to me.
• Immediately, my anger disappeared. As much as Leah could be annoying, she was the perfect definition of a friend. She always had my back and I couldn’t have done anything without her.
• I took the box. “Thank you.”
• She smiled. “You’re welcome. But I bet you’d be more enamored when you find out what stuff is inside.”
• “Come on, are you tryna tempt me into opening it?”
• “Oh, no no. But I can’t wait to…you know what, forget it,” she said. “To the bar!”
• I sighed. Here we go again.
• “A'int gonna run away from this one,” she said, as she started the car engine.