Pieces of Olivia Read Online Free PDF Page A

sides, like they alone held me together. My mind flashed to that night. Blue cups instead of red. I closed my eyes, but quickly forced them back open. They were all around me, watching—judging. God, I didn’t want to be this crazy girl.
    Sarah looked taken aback, and I knew what was coming. “You don’t drink? But it’s a party. Everyone drinks.”
    I stood my ground. That was the one thing I managed to hold on to after everything that happened—my resolve. I wasn’t willing to lose face in front of my old friends and that unwillingness nearly cost me my life. I wouldn’t make that same mistake again. Screw everyone else. Screw their judgment and their expectations. Screw them. I could survive coming to this party. I could stand around and talk and forget the fact that every second I was here felt like torture. What I couldn’t do was drink. I had no idea what I might say or do if my inhibitions were down.
    “I don’t drink,” I repeated, this time with more force. I hated that I had to be that person, but it was either come across as a bitch or come across as crazy. I chose the bitch route. At least that resulted in a bit of respect. Crazy just equaled crazy.
    Sarah turned away with a glance at Rena that said she wasn’t so sure about me and immersed herself in the party. Whatever.
    “Don’t worry about her,” Kara said. “I’ll drink enough for both of us.”
    I grinned. “I bet you will.” I liked Kara already, which put Preston off-limits. Completely off-limits. I didn’t need to complicate my life by getting close to my roommate’s best friend. And besides, something told me there was more to their story. I just couldn’t put my finger on exactly what yet.
    “I’m going to check things out. You okay?” she asked, and after I nodded, she went on into the apartment. I glanced around, wondering what I was doing there. The only people I knew just walked away. I felt my insides closing up a little, the desire to escape so intense I had to concentrate to keep from fleeing.
    “So, no drinking, huh? You’re something of a mystery, Small Town.”
    I turned to see Preston still behind me. I expected him to be lost in the party. Seeing him still beside me was a surprise. An unsettling surprise. “What can I say? I don’t like to lose control.”
    He took a long sip of his beer. “See, I
prefer
to lose control.”
    I laughed. “I can see that.”
    Just then a tall girl with long red hair and a smattering of freckles across her cheeks came up. She wore a simple ivory dress that skimmed her calves and set off the golden tones in her skin. Not a speck of makeup could be found on her face, and I instantly thought she was just the sort of girl I pictured Preston being with. Earthy and natural. Beautiful.
    “Hey there. I didn’t realize you were back,” she said.
    I eyed Preston suspiciously. As far as I understood, he had never left.
    “Yeah. Just got back today.” He glanced sideways at me and then to the girl. “This is Olivia.”
    The girl’s enthusiasm level dropped a good ten octaves. “Hi. I’m Alexis.”
    Ah, the famous Alexis. I remembered the name from lunch. I nodded to her. “Well, I’ll let you two catch up.” I started to walk away when Preston took my hand.
    “I’ll come with you. See ya around,” he said to her.
    I shook my hand to free it from his grasp, but he locked his grip tighter. “Dude.”
    “Come on, help a guy out,” he whispered.
    I rolled my eyes and sighed, allowing the weight of his hand to settle in mine. I had to suppress the urge to smile. I hadn’t held hands with anyone since my boyfriend, Matt, and even with him, it had been a long time since I’d had any feeling at all when holding his hand. It had become natural—too natural. Where his touch had once caused a flurry of butterflies, it had become stilted, boring. I remembered opening my eyes once during a kiss and wondering when I had stopped feeling the kiss. Was it just that kiss or all kisses? And