Beach Side Romance

Chapter 15: Touches and Roommates

Olivia POV

I helped Julian stand up and led him inside the house. I sat him on the couch and got him ice packs for his face. I frantically called my mom and dad to tell them what happened while going inside my room for a first aid kit and rummaging through my bathroom for a washcloth. Dad was livid with everything that had happened, and mom was in tears just thinking of what could’ve happened to me. “That son of a b***h knew?!” My dad repeated over and over again. “Sweetie, can I see how bad Drew’s damage was?” My mom asked. I gave them Julian to talk to which he didn’t have a choice, but they were on video and speaker anyway. “I’m okay, you two. I’m just happy to have realized it as soon as the Front Desk Staff shared how Drew possibly tricked her to find out where Olivia exactly lived,” he tried to tell them how he figured out and even apologized for Claire. “It’s okay, Julian. I’m just thankful your dad was there and you were quick,” dad said. Mom was a different story, “Julian dear, have Olivia treat your bruises please, and Olivia, sweetie, I saw your arms. Make sure you do something to take care of that too.”

They said goodnight, since I needed to treat whatever damage Drew did to Julian. Dad asked, well more like commanded that I couldn’t be alone inside this house until they were sure Drew was back in Bridgewood, and wasn’t doing anything shady or stupid. In his exact words, “I’m calling Marie tomorrow to get more CCTVs installed in that house, and before they get that done you must not be alone in that house. You hear me Olivia Jade?!” I told them I’ll call them back in the morning, and report this incident to Drew’s office as well.

Julian set the ice pack down on the sink and sat at the breakfast bar. “Your food’s cold. Let me heat it up for you so you could eat,” he said. “No, I have to treat your wound first. Please.” I said examining his face before he could even stand up. “I’m really sorry about this.” I said trying to hide my tears.  While running the washcloth over warm water. “It happens, and I’m just happy I was already there. But I wasn’t quick enough to realize he was about to attack,” he sighed. I rang out the washcloth, and walked over to him patting his split lip, and bruised cheek. “A-ah. Olivia. That hurts,” he complained. “I need you to hold still. I need to check if it cut deep,” I said. Thankfully his lip wasn’t busted so bad, and his cheek was just a bruise. But even so, I couldn’t help but feel bad. “Hey, Olivia. It’s okay, you’re okay,” Julian said looking at me intently. I didn’t say a word, I just continued cleaning his cut trying not to bawl.

When I was sure I was done with treating his face, I got him out a plate and started to heat up the food that Mrs. Willis brought. “Hey, let me do it,” he said, taking the plate from me. He proceeded to open the stove top to reheat the fried rice, and got some wine out of the fridge and started pouring two glasses. “For the nerves,” he said with a smile. I sighed and took a sip from my glass, and watched him work. “You’ve saved me from a crazy ass stalker ex, and now reheating dinner inside my home. What did I do to deserve a person like you in my life?” I asked. He took a good look at me, the bruise on his cheek was already forming, but his split lip was already dried up. “You’re just you, Olivia,” he said. He still looked quite good, if I were to be honest with myself. 

He set down the food on the breakfast bar and sat down. “How are you?” He asked. I wasn’t sure on how to answer, “I’m shaken. But okay, I guess?” I answered. He took my arm and that made me realize I haven’t changed to clothes, nor look at my arms to see the outcome of earlier tonight. “It’s a bit red, but hopefully it wasn’t that bad for it to bruise.” He said, touching the red tender part of my arm. I winced at the first touch but he was touching it so lightly, it made me feel guilty to wince because he might be thinking he was touching it too roughly.

Julian POV

I touched Olivia’s arm that already turned pinkish rather than bright red from Drew’s grasp earlier. “Sorry,” I said when she winced. “It’s okay, it hurts a bit but I know you’re touching it lightly already, hopefully ointments would fix it” she said. I turned towards the food when she did and started eating bit by bit. “How will you deal with your dad saying you need someone to be with you here?” I asked, taking a bite of the chicken casserole. “I don’t know yet,” she said, poking on her food. “If it’s okay, I’d like you to be accompanied tonight. I can ask Mrs. Willis, or I can sleep here on the couch. I feel quite uneasy knowing you’re alone with what happened tonight,” I admitted. “Mrs. Willis is tired from helping at the resort earlier, and I don’t want to worry her. There’s a spare bedroom over there you can sleep in, if Jerome is also okay letting you stay here for the night. I don’t mind,” she said texting her mom and dad about me staying the night. I quickly called Claire to ask someone to drop by some clothes for me. I needed to take a shower after a long day and being messed up by Drew.

Olivia pleaded to do the dishes since I took over reheating the food, and I was sitting just chatting with her about my meeting today, trying to divert the attention away from recent events. “Andrea wasn’t too happy that I was leaving so soon, but I couldn’t stay for a night. I told her I’ll be back again though,” I said while chugging down the last bit of wine in my glass. “She always asks for you when I talk to her, but my mom now has a good way to convince her to take her naps on weekends still thanks to you,” she said laughing. “Maybe sometime soon we can take her and Brandon out for a carnival again or something like an amusement park,” I hinted. “Is this your way of telling me how our ‘official date’ will look like?” She asked. “No, no. I still live by what I said with the no chopperoo’s thing. I wonder what Andrea will call herself. But, your mom was very much helpful to give good ideas on where to take you.” I grinned. She rolled her eyes at the thought, I wasn’t giving away anything. 

My dad dropped off a fresh set of clothes for me to wear, and chatted with Olivia and I about what happened to Drew after they escorted him back to the resort. “That kid needs help, like real help. He’s getting picked up by a girl named ‘Eliza’ who was listed as his emergency contact tomorrow morning. Now, you two. I need to hit the sack. Still a full day tomorrow being at 100% occupancy rate. I’ll see you both tomorrow for breakfast okay? And Sunshine. Come Here,” my dad said, pulling Olivia into a tight hug. She let out a breath and hugged my dad tightly. “I’m so glad you’re safe,” he said before letting her go.

We entered the house again and Olivia showed me the spare bedroom she had. It was stocked with essentials, but it looked like she hasn’t really been inside that room a lot either. “Thanks for staying with me tonight,” she said as she walked out of the room. I took a much needed shower letting my thoughts drift as much as the water was washing away all the sweat from earlier today. I emerged from my shower now with clean house clothes and found Olivia sitting out by the balcony. “Care for company?” I asked her, sliding myself out on the balcony. “Sure, roommate,” she smiled and handed me a bottle of beer. She was in fresh new clothes with a sweater and had her hair down. I assumed she went for a shower too. 

“I don’t know how or when he’ll stop following me around, and to be honest, it scares me,” Olivia whispered, catching me by surprise with her honestly. “I know, and I understand, Olivia. But you know, seeing you earlier today with him inching his way to you, wasn’t a good sign for me. I knew he wasn’t in his right mind. Honestly, all I wanted to do was take you away from that scene and run. But like what you did back in Bridgewood, you handled him well.” I said, very proud of her. She looked at me and titled my head to face her. “Let me look at those,” she said while producing a bottle of ointment from her pocket. “My mom recommended putting this on your bruise and cut to make it heal faster,” she said, opening the bottle and putting a few drops on her finger. “I hope Amber recommended something for your arms too.” I leaned closer for her to reach my face easier as she applied the ointment over the bruise and cut. 

She was concentrating on it, looking as if she didn’t want to miss a spot, and I was looking at her. Many times I’ve seen her, carefree, driven, passionate, and genuine. But tonight, I saw her clearly, clearer than the water, and brighter than the stars shining tonight. She meant more to me than just a friend. “There, all better,” she said cupping my face into her tiny hand looking at my face left and right. “Thank you,” I said, “it doesn’t matter when, where and how, O. As long as you need me, I am here.” I said with some finality. I looked into her eyes that were tearing up again. “Hey, don’t cry, please?” I said pulling her into an embrace. When she reciprocated it, it felt different. It felt right.