Olivia
" Liv, get the fuck up!" Ava's slap came faster than the alarm I never heard.
The sharp slap landed on my thigh, harder than it had any right to be. My eyes flew open, and I glared hard at Ava, who was getting up beside me, throwing the comforter away from her body. But she wasn't even looking at me, so she couldn't see my deathly glare.
" Why did you have to slap me?" I asked her, not believing that Ava was getting on my bad side on a Monday morning.
She already knew how grumpy I could be on a Monday so, waking me with a slap? Not cool.
She didn't even look remorseful as she turned to give me a nasty glare, " I don't get it. I should give you a kiss? Sleeping beauty?"
I rolled my eyes. Ava was such a bitch.
That thought didn't last long in my mind because something else suddenly hit me.
Why the hell is it so bright in here?
I panicked and asked Ava, my eyes wide, " Why the hell is it so bright?!"
Ava was already up from the bed and was pulling her clothes off her body as she said hurriedly, "Because it is 7:15."
It didn't take up to a second, and I was up from the bed, my eyes even wider than earlier, "WHAT??!!.. What the hell happened to the alarm?!!"
A subtle guilty look crossed Ava's face as she said," Um…'cause I kind of turned it off?"
Oh, Lord. Save me. I'm going to explode.
Ava was my best friend, and she knew me better than anyone else, so she knew for sure that I was going to explode.
She didn't waste time. She started running immediately, dashing for the door while she was completely naked.
I didn't waste time either. I started running after her. I was her best friend so I already knew this was the move she was going to pull.
She was always doing this shit. Turning off the alarm when she was too tired and then left when she woke to chance. She would always say, " It's a psychological thing, Liv. My brain already knows I have to get up on time, so I'm definitely going to get up. It's just a matter of when."
I'd warned her severally to stop taking that chance when it involved me and when it involved us getting up early to go to work, but she wouldn't listen to me. Apparently, she thought I was harmless.
I just had to teach her a lesson.
Huh. Who am I kidding?
Ava was so much stronger than I was. She was even a faster runner. Hell, she taught me how to run.
She had already dashed for the door while I was running after her, hot on her heels. As she exited the room, she slammed the door shut behind her, in my face.
That made me slower. I had to snap the door open and still chase after her.
By the time I stepped out of the room, she had already rushed into the bathroom. I dashed towards the bathroom but by the time I reached the bathroom door, she had snapped the door shut and locked it from inside, all the while giggling.
I banged thrice on the door with my fist, "Get out here, Ava!!"
She was giggling, " I'm sorry, Liv."
"No, Ava! You're always doing this shit."
" I thought I was going to wake earlier than this, I swear."
I sighed," Yeah, well, things don't always go the way we plan, do they? I thought you would have learned that by now…Bro, just hurry up so we won't be late. We have barely 30 minutes to be at work. I would hate to get another query from Mr Maurice."
"Sure, sure. I'll be quick. Just…can you help me with something?" Ava called from the other side of the door.
I huffed, "What, Ava? What?"
"My towel? I kinda left the room in a hurry, if you didn't notice."
"Yeah, well, that sounds like a you problem," I said to Ava and walked away from the bathroom door.
I saw my younger sister, Norah, just stepping out of her room, all dressed up for school. She was looking at me like she couldn't believe I was her elder sister. I'm sure she witnessed me chasing Ava down while she was naked.
"You two are embarrassing." Norah said to me, a one-sided smile on her face.
But then, she gave me that smile that showed how much she adored me.
I smiled back at her. I was the one that practically raised her after our junkie mom neglected us for so many years before she finally OD'd and killed herself.
I returned her one-sided smile, "Yeah, good morning to you too, baby sister."
"You're up late." She commented.
"Yeah, and I ain't gonna get into why you woke and saw I was still asleep and didn't bother to wake me."
"Yeah, let's not get into it." Norah nodded.
"Had breakfast yet?" I asked her.
"Not yet."
I pouted to myself. I was so not a fan of waking up really early, go to work, and work my ass off just to get a silly pay and even more silly tips, and then come back home really late. Just to start the whole process again the next day, rinse and repeat.
As I walked towards the kitchen, I heard Norah say to Ava," I'll get the towel for you, Ava."
"Thanks, sugarrrrr.." Ava sang sweetly.
I opened up the refrigerator and noticed how empty it was getting again.
I was so tired of this life. The one where you work round the clock as a damn waitress at a job that required more padding and push-up than a Victoria's Secret runway and still not be able to pay your bills.
I was splitting the rent with Ava for the two-bedroom apartment we were renting. Ava and I shared a room while Norah had a room to herself. I wanted Norah to be so comfortable and never experience what I experienced at her age. Ava had been my friend from my teenage years so, she also felt like she had the same responsibility to Norah.
Norah came to the kitchen area and slipped into one of the stools. She noticed the way I kept staring at the refrigerator, a grim look on my face.
She chuckled, "Don't worry, Liv. I'll have cereal for breakfast."
"But, you're lactose ìntolerant."
"Yeah, on some days. Some days, I'm not. Let's hope today is one of those days I'm not."
I sighed, feeling bad. It was my job to provide for Norah and sometimes, I felt I was failing at that.
"I'm sorry, Norah. I'll try to stock up the refrigerator today."
That mature part of Norah kicked in. I could sometimes see myself in her.
She chuckled, "Sorry? For what? The only thing you're gonna be real sorry for is when you get fired for going to work late on a Monday morning."
She reminded me of how I just had barely 20 minutes now to show up to work before I got fired.
I frowned, " I need that bitch, Ava to get out of the bathroom."
Norah was looking at the screen of her phone as she said, "You know Ava is a cheetah. She'll be out of there before you count to three."
I knew Norah was right. I nodded absent-mindedly while noting in mind what we had run out of and what needed restocking.
"Damnnn!" Norah screamed," Come look, Liv. Liam is on the front pages of magazines again. The most handsome bachelor in New York, they say."
I frowned at Norah who was smiling broadly at the screen of her phone," Who?"
"Liam?"
"Am I supposed to know who that is?"
Norah finally looked up from her phone but only to give me a bewildered stare," Liam…Liam Carrington."
She said his name again like I'm supposed to actually know him. I rolled my eyes at her," And why is the name supposed to mean something to me?"
Norah said in surprise, "He's only the hottest, richest bachelor in New York. Duh."
I shook my head in disapproval. This was where me and Norah were not alike. I didn't care much for social media and other people's lives. While Norah could spend a whole day stalking a celebrity.
I sighed," Norah, you know I don't care about what you Gen Z care about. I don't know what the fuck is a Liam."
Norah scoffed again," You're so annoying. Always acting like you're old or something. You're just 23, Liv."
I smiled to myself. Seeing and surviving all that I had, I could be just 23 but I sure as hell wasn't 23 at heart. Norah wouldn't know. She didn't know because I shielded her from that life.
I smiled at her," Yeah, I love you too, Norah."
Ava's voice called out loud," I'm out, Liv!"
Yep, she was a cheetah.
I came around to Norah, hugging her a little too tightly," Bye, love. Eat your breakfast. Have a good day."
I knew she'd be gone by the time I got out of the bathroom.
She chuckled, though I knew she hated the way I hugged her tightly at times," Sure will." She struggled out of my embrace and looked up at me, "Don't forget your bag–or your job."
"Won't, sugar." With that, I gave her a sloppy kiss on her forehead.
She squeezed her face in disgust as she pushed me away, "Ewwww…go awayyyyy.."
I chuckled and walked away from her.
Yeah, I definitely love you too.
And, guess what?
I forgot the damn boobs.
And ass.
Yep, Monday's off to a great fucking start.