The Love Letter (girlxgirl) (lesbian story) gxg

Chapter 10

*Olivia finally making an appearance in the pictures

Alison

A few weeks had passed and Alison was starting to settle into her new routine: going to class - sometimes, starting sketches and getting frustrated and then heading to Solé. She wasn't teaching Charlie much lately, she was a slow learner but by now she had everything under control, in theory Diego no longer needed Alison at the coffee shop, but deep down she liked it. It took her mind off other things and hanging out with Charlie, their bantering and teasing, was becoming her favorite part of that new routine. It was Thursday night, next to the stove stood her best friend, a round spoon in her hand, her dark hair pinned up on top of her head. Steam was rising from a pot, and ingredients were all over the kitchen - tomatoes, poorly chopped garlic and onions, piles of cheese, pepper and chicken breasts.

"I'm making Diego's chicken soup." Olivia said, waving a spoon at Alison. "Are you hungry?"

Alison's eyes widened. "No."

"But you love it, you have to taste it."

"If you knew how to cook, maybe I would," Alison muttered.

Olivia froze, her spoon poised dangerously. "What did you say?"

The blonde edged toward the fridge. "I said I'm going to look for a snack."

"That's what I thought." Olivia replied warningly and returned her attention to the soup. The inside of the fridge was filled with milk cartons whose expiration dates reached back several months ago and a single plastic container labeled with masking tape lettered in blue ink: Jason. Do not eat.

"Wow, Jason is like a crazy roommate, he has food here and everything," Alison observed as she took the container out of the fridge and opened it. "Hmm. Spaghetti."

"Don't ruin your appetite," Olivia called.

"That," said Alison, kicking the fridge door shut and seizing a fork from a drawer, "is exactly what I intend to do."

She had already eaten half of Jason's spaghetti and meatballs.

"He's going to kill you." Her friend warned her. "Do you think Jason will want soup?"

"Probably not, Liv."

It was raining that day, thick fat drops spattering against the kitchen window where Olivia still stood. The sky was an impenetrable gray. Two hours passed in which Alison decided to start some sketches for her art project. Jason was also there, football practice was over and he was throwing daggers at her for eating his dinner but didn't dare say anything to her in front of Olivia. Her friend still had the spoon in her hand, though her hair had escaped from its bun and was hanging down her neck. "Dinner's ready."

"I'm not hungry." Alison said.

"I threw out the soup," Olivia said. "And ordered pizza."

Alison stood up and stretched. "Great. I'm starving."

"Alison," said Olivia darkly. "I know I'm not the best cook but you could-"

"Did you order it with BBQ sauce and garlic rolls? You know I love garlic rolls and today's my cheat day."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Yes. It's in the kitchen."

"I love you." Alison ducked by her with an affectionate hug and kiss on the cheek.

Jason went after her, pausing only to pat Olivia on the shoulder and give her a sweet kiss, "thanks, babe." Then he was gone.

The kitchen was warm and full of light and the delicious smell of pizza.

"So how are things at Solé?" Olivia asked, taking a slice of pizza and dipping it on BBQ sauce. Alison answered vaguely. "Diego said Charlie was handling most of the orders already."

Alison nodded.

"So why do you keep going?"

She shrugged. "Pays good."

"Diego isn't paying you."

"I get tips sometimes," she said taking a big bite of a garlic roll, her mouth was so stuffed, Olivia barely understood a word. "And free booze."

"I'd love to work there if there's free booze." Jason put in.

"Shut up, Jason."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with Charlie?"

Jason let out a breath, sensing he shouldn't be hearing this conversation. "I'm gonna head out, it's getting late."

He gave Olivia a kiss and walked out. "You know, for a football player your boyfriend doesn't eat that much."

"Don't change the subject."

Alison rolled her eyes. "Gosh, would you quit? It has nothing to do with Charlie."

Olivia threw her hands up in defense. "Ok, sorry." She said, and remained quiet a few seconds but then tried to approach the subject from a different angle. "How's Troy? I haven't seen you two hang out in a while."

"He's busy throwing balls all day."

"Do you miss him?"

The blonde laughed at that. "I should, but I really don't care. When we started hooking up I thought maybe it could turn into something more but I just can't make myself feel anything for him."

"Like butterflies?" she pressed on the subject.

"Yeah."

Olivia considered her words for a second, her friend was right, she had never seen her head over heels for a guy. But then she thought about the only person who had the ability to push her buttons. "What about Charlie?" She asked cautiously, tiptoeing around her words.

"What about her?"

"She makes you feel something, doesn't she?"

The girl scoffed. "Yeah, she used to be a pain in the ass, it doesn't mean I'm in love with her."

"She's not a pain in the ass anymore, is she?"

Alison took a bite of her pizza. They had been spending more and more time together at the coffee shop, she supposed. Sometimes including Olivia in their plans, which Olivia loved because she had always liked Charlie, even when Alison would say horrible things about her.

"No," the blonde admitted and a smile formed on her lips as she remembered how Charlie tripped while mopping the floor earlier that day. She was still clumsy though. "We're getting along."

"Point made."

"What point?"

"The one I've been trying to make this entire conversation and don't tell me you don't know where I'm going with this."

"I assure you, I haven't the faintest idea."

Olivia sighed. "Sometimes you amaze me with how oblivious you can be."

"Liv-"

"Because the line between love and hate is very blurry Al, anyone who's able to push your buttons the way Charlie did, can also do the opposite. I've never seen anyone be able to make you hate them and then like them in a matter of weeks."

"Liv, I'm not gay."

Olivia chuckled. "I'm not saying you are, but I'm also not saying you're not."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"All I'm saying is don't label yourself. Sometimes the thing that makes the least sense, is the one that's been staring at us all along."

The line between love and hate is very blurry, don't label yourself - what did she mean? Surely Olivia was having a stroke because those words didn't make any sense, it was like her best friend memorized every fortune cookie quote and was currently throwing them all at her face, and that didn't help.