THEY HATED OLIVIA. I LOVED HER 2605071937

~ROCKY GIFT~ Title: THEY HATED OLIVIA. I LOVED HER Chapter One: A New Beginning Olivia's heart pounded violently against her chest as she tossed and turned beneath her blanket. Tiny beads of sweat glistened on her forehead while her fingers gripped the bedsheets so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. "No... please..." she whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper. Cruel laughter echoed all around her, growing louder with every passing second until it became impossible to ignore. "Just look at her skin!" "She's so ugly!" "What a freak!" The voices surrounded her from every direction, each insult striking her heart like a knife. She tried to cover her ears, but the laughter only became louder, drowning out everything else. "No!" Olivia screamed. Her eyes snapped open. She bolted upright, gasping desperately for air as her chest rose and fell with every shaky breath. For a few long seconds, she simply sat there, staring into the darkness of her room while her racing heartbeat slowly returned to normal. It was only a nightmare. Yet it never felt like one. The memories were always so vivid... so painfully real. A soft knock broke the silence. Knock. Knock. "Olivia, honey," her mother called gently from outside the room. "Wake up. You don't want to be late for your first day at Westbridge Academy." Olivia quickly brushed away the tears gathering in her eyes before forcing her voice to sound steady. "I'm up, Mom." "Good. Hurry downstairs. Your dad is waiting." Her mother's footsteps gradually faded away. Olivia let out a slow breath and lowered her head. Today was supposed to be different. A new school. A new beginning. Maybe... just maybe... this time people would look beyond the patches on her skin and see the person she truly was. Holding tightly to that fragile hope, she climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom. After taking a warm shower and getting dressed in her neatly pressed school uniform, Olivia walked downstairs. The smell of freshly prepared breakfast filled the house, but despite how delicious it looked, she barely had an appetite. Her parents noticed, yet neither of them said anything. They understood. Breakfast passed quietly before Mr. Brooklyn picked up his car keys. "Ready, cupcake?" he asked with a warm smile. Olivia nodded and followed him outside. The drive to Westbridge Academy was unusually quiet. Olivia sat by the window, absentmindedly watching the buildings and trees rush past while countless thoughts raced through her mind. What if nothing changes? What if this school is just like the last one? What if... She quickly pushed the thoughts away. She couldn't allow fear to steal her chance before it had even begun. A few minutes later, the massive gates of Westbridge Academy came into view. Olivia's stomach tightened. The grand campus looked even more beautiful than it had in the pictures. Elegant buildings stretched across the school grounds while students in neat uniforms laughed together as expensive cars pulled into the parking lot one after another. Everything looked perfect. Everything... except the fear growing inside her heart. Mr. Brooklyn parked the car and turned toward his daughter. Without saying a word, he gently took both of her hands into his. "Look at me, cupcake." Slowly, Olivia raised her eyes. A gentle smile spread across his face. "You're beautiful." Tears immediately gathered in Olivia's eyes. "No matter what anyone says... never forget that." Her lips trembled as she forced herself to smile. "I'll try, Dad." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I believe in you." Olivia nodded before opening the car door. As she stepped onto the pavement, she stood still for a brief moment, watching her father's car disappear through the school gates. Part of her wanted to run after him. To tell him she wasn't ready. To ask him to take her back home. But she couldn't. This was her chance to start over. Taking one long, shaky breath, Olivia adjusted the straps of her backpack and slowly walked toward the entrance of Westbridge Academy. The lively conversations around her seemed to fade the moment students noticed her. Whispers spread through the courtyard. "Isn't she the new transfer student?" "I heard she came from Elite High." "Someone said everyone avoided her there." "Look at her skin..." Olivia lowered her head and tightened her grip on her backpack. She kept walking. One step after another. Pretending she couldn't hear them. Pretending the words didn't hurt. Deep inside, however, she knew they did. After placing her backpack inside her locker, Olivia picked up the books she would need for her first lesson and quietly made her way toward her classroom. The hallway was crowded with students chatting excitedly, laughing with friends, and exchanging stories about their holiday. Lockers slammed shut one after another while footsteps echoed across the polished floor. Olivia walked with her head lowered, hoping to reach her classroom unnoticed. Unfortunately, fate seemed to have other plans. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice someone approaching from the opposite direction. Thud! The impact sent the books flying from her arms. They scattered across the hallway, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. "I'm... I'm so sorry," Olivia apologized immediately as she knelt to gather them, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I wasn't looking where I was going." Just as she reached for the last book, another hand picked it up before she could. She froze. Slowly, she lifted her head. Standing before her was a tall, dark-skinned boy with striking black eyes and a neatly trimmed fade haircut. His school blazer rested effortlessly over his broad shoulders, and although his expression remained calm, there was something about him that commanded respect. Or perhaps... Fear. The once noisy hallway suddenly became unusually quiet. The boy looked down at the book in his hand before extending it toward her. "I haven't seen you around before," he said in a calm, deep voice. "You're new?" Olivia hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Y-Yes." As she reached for the book, his eyes briefly fell on the silver pendant hanging around her neck. His hand paused. For a split second, something flickered across his face. Confusion. Recognition. Or perhaps... a memory. Why does that pendant look so familiar? Before he could think any further, Olivia had already taken the book from him. "T-Thank you," she whispered. Without waiting for another word, she hurried away. The boy remained standing where he was, his eyes fixed on her retreating figure. Around them, whispers spread through the hallway like wildfire. "Did Owen Whitmore just help someone?" "No way..." "I've never seen him do that before." "Anyone else would have gotten into trouble for bumping into him." "What was he staring at?" Owen ignored every single whisper. His thoughts were elsewhere. That pendant... For some reason, it stirred a memory buried deep inside him. A memory he couldn't quite reach. Meanwhile, Olivia continued walking, unaware that she had just become the center of attention on her very first day. She tightened her grip around the books in her arms. Great... Now everyone is staring at me even more. She finally arrived outside her classroom. Her hand rested on the doorknob as her heart pounded inside her chest. This was it. Her first class. Her first chance to begin again. Closing her eyes for a brief second, she silently prayed. Please... let this school be different. She slowly pushed the door open. The classroom fell completely silent. Dozens of curious eyes turned toward her at once. For one brief heartbeat... No one spoke. Then, laughter exploded across the room. "Look at her face!" "So the rumors were true." "She's even weirder than I imagined." "I'd be scared if I looked like that. "The cruel words hit Olivia harder than she expected. Her fingers tightened around the books until they almost slipped from her grasp. The tiny hope she had carried into Westbridge Academy shattered before she had even introduced herself. She had wanted a fresh start. Instead... She had walked straight into another nightmare.