Part Three

Olivia was seventeen and she wished she didn’t have to move to a new place.

It would've been okay if she wasn’t in the middle of high school and had to move just before her senior year. It really sucked, especially when she had to leave so much behind. She should’ve been worrying about making it to graduation and what she’ll wear to prom, not getting used to a new house, a new school, a new life.

It’s safe to say that she was having a crisis and she couldn’t do anything about.

Her dad got a new job in this city and she couldn’t be prouder and happier for him for getting promoted. She could still recall how ecstatic he had been when he told her the news; how his face lit up like stars the way it used to when her mom was still around.

Olivia thought she could’ve stayed in that happy bubble forever… that was until he told her they had to move away. Olivia couldn’t say anything considering A: she was only seventeen and she can’t exactly live on her own yet; and B: she’s the only family his father got left since her mother passed away a year ago.

“I know you’re in the middle of high school, but this could be a good start for us.” He explained and Olivia could almost hear the desperation and hope in his voice…

This could help us move on.

And who was she to say no if this was going to help her dad? Her father who had dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep and doing too much overtime at work; whom she had heard crying a few times at night when he thought she was already sleeping.

He needed this…They needed this… and Olivia would be supportive no matter what.

She just wished it had been easier. She just wished school didn’t have Math and that she didn’t suck at it enough for her teacher to assign her a tutor.

I just wish my tutor wasn’t so cold, she had thought the moment Mrs. Chan called in the dark-haired boy who always sat at the very back of the classroom. The one who seemed to be sleeping half the time and never participated in class discussions yet still managed to be called “top of the class.” The boy her teacher called: Ian, and currently, the boy who just walked away without a care after agreeing to tutor her.

“Don’t take it too personal, dear. He’s just a little—"

“Rude?”

“Reserved.” Mrs. Chan supplied. “To be honest? I wasn’t expecting him to say yes.” she chuckled before giving her a small smile. “Anyway, he’s a sweet boy, Olivia. A little rough around the edges, but he’s good. Don’t let this first meeting get to you, okay?”

Olivia bit her lip to keep from saying that she could only see an ill-mannered guy. She supposed she had been a little harsh when she taunted him. She didn’t mean to be mean… she just needed him to say “yes” and if she wanted to pass this class, she needed help from the smartest kid in class. And Ian was that guy and he already had “no” written all over his face before Mrs. Chan could even fight for her case.

“He’s…not very social as I’m sure you’ve noticed.” Mrs. Chan sighed. “So, you’ll have to be patient. It would be best if you’re the one who approached him first regarding your tutoring schedules.”

Olivia nodded and thanked her before sprinting out the door to catch up with her grumpy Math tutor. Luckily, she was able to catch him by his locker down the hall. She stayed at a measurable distance, watching him for a while and finally getting a good look at him.

The first thing she noticed was that he was tall, long legs and broad shoulders. A good physique, but unfortunately wasted with the way he was all hunched over and slouching like a heavy weight was on his shoulders. The next was: Ian was actually good-looking—pale and raven-haired with big doe-eyes. Olivia thought he could’ve been school crush material if he had given a bit of his time to dressing up well… maybe combing his hair once in a while or smiling. He seemed to have that permanent scowl on his face.

“Um. Hi.” Olivia started as she approached him. Ian glanced at her briefly, and then returned his gaze to his locker. She bit her lip and decided not to take it the wrong way, taking a deep breath as she remembered Mrs. Chan’s advice to be patient with him. “O-kay. So, I—"

"We can work after class. Monday's through Wednesday's at the library, 5 P.M. sharp.” Ian stated before closing his locker close and giving her a pointed look. Olivia’s mouth hung slightly open, taken aback by his straightforwardness. Ian, on the other hand, merely stared her down with a levelled gaze before continuing, “If you're late, don't expect me to wait for you.”

Olivia closed her mouth and cleared her throat. She looked at him and saw that he was still staring, realizing that he was waiting for a reply. “Oh! Um. Yeah, sure. I mean, 5 P.M. sounds good. At the library…”

Ian nodded. “We can start next week.”

“Why not tomorrow? It’s only Tuesday…”

Ian paused then shrugged. “If you want.”

“I want to.” She nodded and she caught a slight look of surprise in his eyes but it was gone just as fast as it came.

“Okay. Tomorrow, then.” He nodded and turned to leave but Olivia reached out and tugged at his sleeve, stopping him. She frowned when she caught the way he flinched. She figured he didn't like being touched so she let go immediately. “Sorry! I—”

Ian looked down at his sleeve then at her, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

“I just… wanted to say thank you,” she let out, feeling a little breathless for no apparent reason. “For agreeing to do this and for helping me out when you didn't really have to.”

Ian just stared at her blankly, his lips pressed in a thin line as she continued. "And I guess I also wanted to apologize for what I said a while ago," she frowned. "I didn't mean to taunt you like that. I just, I really needed the help and—"

“It’s fine.” He interrupted, already turning away. “Bye, Olivia.”

“Wait!”

“What?” He snapped as he half-turned in annoyance. Olivia felt a little guilty for keeping him.

“I'm sorry.”

“You said that already.”

“Sorry. I—” She held her tongue, having let the world slip again. “Can I get your number? I mean, for tutoring purposes. You know... if one of us has an emergency and can’t make it?”

Ian looked like he was contemplating really hard before finally answering, "Like I said, 5 P.M. sharp. We can have a fifteen-minute grace period, if you like. After that, if any of us is not there yet, consider the session cancelled.”

Olivia tried not to linger on the fact that he just pretty much declined her request but decided that maybe he just didn’t trust strangers with his personal contact. “Oh. Okay, cool. Thanks. I’ll…see you tomorrow, I guess?"

Ian nodded curtly before finally walking away, leaving Olivia standing there in the hall, wondering what's up with her mysterious classmate.

~~~

Olivia ran.

Rain poured from the skies and she could feel her skin, slick with sweat, mingling with rainwater. Her hair was damp and her shirt was already sticking to her body but she continued to run.

Step. Splat. Step. Splat.

Her shoes were soaked as she ran through the wet pavement, searching for a familiar face. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and might have been crazy to be running on wet concrete but she had to find—

Turning the corner, she almost slipped if it weren’t for her hand instantly stretching out to hold firmly against a brick wall. She stopped to catch her breath, crouching down with her hands firm against her knees. The rain continued to pour and she could see headlights flashing against her closed eyelids.

She counted to five before opening her eyes. She gasped as her vision cleared, gaze settling on a familiar form on the other side of the street. Her eyes widened and tears threatened to spill from them when she saw him across the street, wearing a black shirt with a red backpack slung over his broad shoulders. He looked to his right before stepping off the edge of the road and began to cross.

She called out to him.

He looked up.

Beep!!!

A flash.

“NO!!!”

~~~

Olivia woke up with a start, sweat beading down her forehead and dripping against the side of her face. She placed a hand over her racing heart, feeling like she had just ran a marathon.

Running. She was always running in her dreams.

Olivia couldn’t remember when the dreams started. She couldn’t recall its beginnings or has ever deciphered its meaning. But it was always there, a constant in her night slumbers. Some nights were quiet, while others were plagued by the very same dream: with her running through the rain and turning the street to lock eyes with a boy whose face she could never remember, no matter how many times she had woken to it.

He had no face yet she knew it was the same boy every time. She felt it was him every single time.

Olivia ran a hand over her face and swung her legs to the edge of her bed to stand. She figured a glass of water would help calm her nerves. As she walked down to the kitchen, the vividness of her dream began to blur, like a distant memory fading through time…

But the memory of the boy’s eyes remained clear as day even in her awakened state; the fear in his eyes she could recall so vividly, right before the bright lights flashed and everything went dark.