The Way Life Goes

Olivia Goddard was a good girl. She was top of her class in grades, helpful at the best of times, and the daughter of the much-loved Sheriff of Winslow, Arizona. But like everyone, she came with some baggage. She had been diagnosed with ADHD when she was eleven years old that left her hyperactive and attention deficient. The years went on and she grew up to be who she was now. Olivia was sixteen, cheeky, witty, and didn’t get into a lot of trouble. Her life wasn’t perfect but it was pretty damn good for now. It was the start of the school year, eleventh grade, junior year, and it was slowly the beginning of the end. The alarm clock was loud and irritating and she slammed her hand down when it beeped at 7.30 am. Olivia sighed, tossing the blankets off and listening to her dad downstairs singing along to the radio. It made her smile as she stumbled around the bedroom pulling on a pair of skinny jeans and a t-shirt with Iron Man printed on it before looking in the mirror. Her brown hair hung in loose curls just brushing her shoulders, her eyes dark brown in this light, and her pale skin dotted with a few birthmarks and little moles. She sighed, turning away, and heading downstairs immediately making a beeline for her coffee machine. Her dad was quiet as he made breakfast, she watched him as she took her med. It was routine in the morning for them and silence was to be accepted, comfortable even. Her dad grunted in greeting and headed upstairs to get his head down after a night shift. Olivia sipped the coffee, feeling already exhausted from a four-hour phone call with Noah, her best friend, bemoaning the fact they had to return to school. The summer had been long, hot, and hectic for all of them enjoying summer before September arrived. Adam had been an asshole, Samantha had been fierce and beautiful as ever, and Noah and Angela had been all over each other. She scrubbed a toothbrush around her mouth before spitting, grabbing her bag, cell, and keys, and driving off to Noah’s to drive him to school. Noah looked like a wounded puppy when she arrived and he crawled in with a sigh. “Can we skip?” She spun her head so hard and said, “No way in hell! My dad and your dad would s*******r the both of us, also I need to get my grades this year, or that lovely father of mine is going to stop paying for my gas!” giving him a sidelong glance. “I can’t afford it.” “I’m never going to see her!” “You and Angela will be fine! Worry about your beloved best friend. I am the only single pringle here surrounded by two freaking couples!” she argued, slapping the steering wheel. “I need things to change! I haven’t even kissed anyone since Harriet’s party eight months ago... I’ll be a virgin forever!” “No, you won’t! You’re… beautiful, Liv, and anyone would be lucky to have you.” “Aw, Noah, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me… ever,” she said, grinning when he rolled his eyes at her. “I’m telling the truth though, no one wants me, no one ever will, and I’m stuck watching you four make out.” she continued, turning into the lane for the school and groaned. “This is going to be hell isn’t it?” “When is school not hell?” “English Literature first,” she muttered. “That old teacher has left because of depression so we have someone new. I’m praying for tall, sexy, and intelligent.” “You’re deluded,” Noah replied with a snort when they parked and he hopped out running to find Angela amongst the crowd. She sighed deeply climbing out and looking up at the building wishing it would explode into flames. *** “I swear if you two make out every time I see you I will be forced to assassinate you both,” Olivia cried walking up to them in the middle of the hallway interrupting their morning make-out session. “I swear to god I will do it.” “It’s lovely to see you too, Liv,” Angela said in greeting, wiping away the lipstick on her boyfriend’s lips. Olivia groaned, looking over her shoulder as a pissed-off Adam appeared looking at them. “Great, I’m back with you losers.” “You know you love us, really” she cooed and dodged a punch he aimed at her shoulder. “Come on, Adamie, we losers stick together, yeah?” “I’m not a loser, not like you, and I told you to stop calling me that,” he said with a sneer while she rolled her eyes. “Ignore him, he’s just upset because I wouldn’t give him a blow—” Samantha said, announcing herself only to be interrupted by Angela coughing loudly. “We get it!” she said with a forced smile and a nod. “But it’s too early for that on a Monday morning, Sam.” “I’d do anything for this to be a dream...” Olivia whispered, closing her eyes and jumping out of her skin when the first bell rang loud and demanding. There was an audible groan from everyone as they went to the first lesson and Olivia walked in to see an empty classroom. “Well that’s a great start,” she said sarcastically, sliding into her desk and bringing out her pen to fiddle with aimlessly. Her nerves were on edge and she just wanted the day over to begin with. *** It was when everyone was distracted that the single most beautiful man she has ever seen strolled into the classroom. She was sure if this was a cartoon her heart would be jumping out of her chest. The whole class went quiet, mostly the girls, and with a single look from mister beautiful face everyone was back in their seats. She opened her mouth but no words came out as he introduced himself as Tyler Danson, and pulled out a register to say everyone’s names. Her stomach dropped when he said her name with a frown and looked up to meet her eyes. She smiled softly in greeting and he nodded moving on to the next person. Her eyes drifted to Samantha who was currently pushing out her chest and twirling her blonde hair, acting like the flirt she was. It was there and then that she decided being as handsome and rugged as her new teacher was to be made illegal. It really wasn’t fair and it made English Literature a lot more appealing to her. Her eyes traveled over his body taking in the grey shirt open at the collar and the smart pants, looking every bit the sexy teacher. The girls of the class were particularly panting and wet for him as he walked up and down the length of the class discussing the semester. It was going to be an interesting year for all and most of the boys in the class were frowning and not looking all too pleased with the new literature teacher. It was William Shakespeare's Macbeth, as opposed to the classic of Romeo and Juliet. It was something Olivia had a secret liking for and she kept silent as he handed everyone a script. Her eyes shot up meeting him when he dropped one in front of her, lingering for a moment before walking away. Her heart fluttered inside her rib cage and she closed her eyes feeling like an i***t. The second bell of the day rang when an hour passed and everyone erupted talking while she packed away her things and jumped when her name was called. “Olivia, can you stay behind just for a minute?” he said, nodding at her. Albeit a little confused, she nodded, glancing at the now-closed door and slung her bag over her shoulder walking to the front of his desk. “I’ve heard about you, you’re top of the class,” he said sitting in his chair. “I... try my best.” “I’ve read some of your essays, you’re very good.” he praised her with a nod. Olivia flushed, shrugging her shoulders looking down at his desk before meeting his eyes and suddenly struck with the urge to get lost in them. “As I said, I try my best in everything I do, and I’m looking forward to learning more about… Macbeth,” she said with a small smile. “Even though I read it ages ago.” “Oh, really?” “Yup,” she replied with a twist of her mouth. “I got bored easily and the previous teacher was a bit of a b***h, and I got bored. I read Macbeth, Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, and his autobiography.” “William Shakespeare has an autobiography?” he said with a raised eyebrow. “I think people get bored easily. He’s interesting, has a great mind and that. Oh and he had a wife he didn’t really love. I think he was gay. Well, people would speculate but if you have read some of his little sonnets you'd know about that sonnet about his dark lady, it was obviously heterosexual, but then he could have been bisexual,” she rambled and paused when he stared at her like she just told him she killed his dog. “I see...” he murmured with a nod. Feeling a tad bit shy, she said, “I better go, I have chemistry, and Green is annoying,” she said awkwardly backing away. “Later.” She saluted and darted out of the classroom blushing. Tyler stared at the now-closed door stunned and it left a funny feeling in his stomach. Olivia slid into her seat feeling like an i***t and ignored Ms. Green’s hateful glare directed at her throughout the class. *** “He’s gorgeous,” Samantha said with a nod at break time. “He’s actually stunning, Adonis in human form, and don’t give me that look, Adam.” “He’s not,” Adam muttered, sipping from his water still looking moody. “He is kind of,” Angela admitted and looked at Noah guiltily when he shot her a wounded look and she cooed kissing him better. Olivia scoffed in disgust, getting up and going for a walk. They were right of course and he was a hot topic for the first day in school. It was going to get tedious rather quickly. She sighed, finding a quiet spot and sitting down watching everyone around her... wondering how long the hype would last.