What Did You Do To Deserve This? (Olivia)

[Jesse Adams]

Jesse had a sneaking suspicion as to who had entered his name into the date roulette, and so help him if he saw Rixon’s stupid face in the auditorium. He didn’t have any other real enemies at the school, and even if it wasn’t Rixon, he was blaming him. What part of him screamed ‘I need a date for the dance’ so loudly?

He had almost boycotted the entire thing, but at the last minute decided to at the very least, show up for ten minutes. After that, well, he’d tried, and he could go back to his dorm in blissful silence while everyone else ran wild at the dance.

His costume wasn’t exactly what you could call in the spirit of things, but he really didn’t care. He wasn’t in the mood to play nice, and he wasn’t in the mood to stay longer than his allotted ten minutes.

As such, he kept his phone in his hand, checking it every five seconds or so, willing time to go faster. He didn’t want to stick around for any longer than he needed to. Besides, what did this Olivia girl even do to deserve being around him? He wasn’t a fun person, and he knew that. Leaving would just spare Olivia from dealing with him, right?

Another glance at his phone showed he still had seven minutes to ride out. Sigh.

[Olivia Baker]

Liv had actually been excited about the Halloween dance until she found out who her date was. She still wasn't sure what the hell she'd been thinking by signing up in the first place. Of course she had people she'd hoped to be paired with... but that wasn't how her luck worked. Instead she got paired with a Jesse.... It took her several minutes before she was able to pin the name to the face of the boy whom she'd seen around and heard not too much about. From the little she did know, she figured she could consider herself dateless.

It was for the better though. She was on a strong independent woman kick this week and decided that no date was better. That and she was sure that Ellie and George and Charlie would all be there so she wouldn't really be alone.

So she slipped into her Snow White costume, did her hair and doned some dark red lipstick and headed out the door. She hadn't heard from Jesse, didn't know how to contact him and figured if she saw him great, if not, fine! She was fine! She didn't need him.

Her heels clicked down the hallway as she headed in the direction of the music. Her stomach sinking as she realized that there was a very good possibility that he would in fact not show. But that was fine right? NO! Wrong! Social suicide.... she'd actually look pathetic if she walked in there alone... especially since the school set her up with a date to make sure that no one would have to go dateless... and the list was posted publicly so everyone knew she'd already been entered... by herself... and even with a set up date pre made by the school she still couldn't get a date. Wow that was embarrassing.

Maybe she should turn back. No. That'd be even worse, plus she'd spent more than she'd like to admit on making a homemade snow white costume since buying one looked cheesey... though shockingly cheaper and she'd decided pinterest was a load of shit.

Outside the doors she was shocked when she saw a blonde boy. What? He came? Her heart jumped about six beats, she wasn't a loser! Granted he didn't look happy at all to be there and hadn't looked up from his phone but he was there! "Uh... Jesse?" She said pinning on a smile. "I'm Olivia.... I think we're..." The word date sounded so uncomfortable. "Partners....?" that was worse. "Sorry this is just... kind of weird" She said with a laugh. She was blowing it.

[Jesse Adams]

Checking his phone for the time for the umpteenth time, Jesse still had a few minutes to go, and time was still creeping by at a snail’s pace. It was equally frustrating watching everyone else go into the room in pairs and groups, like they actually wanted to go.

At this rate, he’d need to disappear outside for a cigarette sooner than planned.

When he heard the clicking, he expected to see another gaggle of girls giggling as they went by, or another couple either there by force, like him, or actually wrapped up in one another. This was beyond a bad idea. The last person he’d had any kind of relationship had been so far beyond high school that it had probably danced on the line of inappropriate. (Or blown right past it, but he wasn’t going to think about it. It never ended well.)

He vaguely recognized her costume as being along the lines of Snow White, something he knew only from watching old Disney moves with his little sister. The look on her face made him wary, and the moment she spoke, he understood why.

Goddammit, she’d turned up.

His phone was tucked back into his pocket, and instead his arms crossed over his chest. So this really was Olivia. ... Well, she wasn’t bad looking, he supposed. In a subjective way. In no way was he actually interested in anything. “I guess we are,” he agreed, wondering just what she was thinking. Did she know anything about his black reputation? Probably not, or she wouldn’t have even spoken to him. Now he was wondering how long was appropriate to stick around before ditching was acceptable.

Well, she might as well know the truth sooner rather than later. “Just so you know, someone signed me up as a prank. I’m not about to be all roses and glitter. You’re lucky I showed up at all.” No, he wasn’t going to sugar coat it, but he also wasn’t aiming to be cruel. Just... truthful.

[Olivia Baker]

The words hit her like knives. She didn't know why she took it so personally, since the partners were random to begin with. Maybe it was because she didn't think it was a prank... and now thought that he thought she was stupid or pathetic for having to sign up at all when he clearly did not. Maybe it was because he said she was lucky he showed up, as if he was really doing her a favor... maybe it was his tone, or the look on his face, or just all of it.

"Oh... Well. Ok, I guess it was nice of you to come to tell me that in person then." She said racking a hand nervously through her hair. She really didn't feel much like going in now either but also didn't want to just stand outside the doors alone... or leave in the same direction as him because that'd be just as uncomfortable. 

"Uhm... I guess you can go then... I'm not going to force you to come in. I really don't care what you do..." She hoped that didn't sound harsh, because she wasn't trying to be a bitch, but just was already nervous as it was and now wished he hadn't come at all. She didn't know how to handle this situation or what to do next. All of it was just uncomfortable and she really wished she wasn't dressed so stupidly. 

[Jesse Adams]

Jesse didn't really mean to upset her. He was just... telling it like it was. What was wrong with that? It was better for her to know now than spend the evening thinking she was going to magically be linked up with her prince charming, right? The look on her face was slowly making him want to backtrack that, however. Why did girls have to do that?

He made a noise that was a cross between irritation and exasperation after she spoke. "I'm not..." Sigh. He wasn't good at this. Not at all. "I just wanted to tell you that I ain't gonna be prince charming or any bullshit like that. I'm not... leaving." Not right away, anyway. He'd probably get in some kind of trouble for pulling something like that, regardless of the fact that he wasn't he one that put his name in the pool.

This was probably going to go terribly. Hell, Olivia hadn't done anything to deserve drawing him as a... partner. Yeah, he liked that better than date. Way better. He wasn't about to hold her hand or anything, but if she really wanted his elbow... he'd tolerate it. Or try to. "Look, let's just go in. If you want to go find your friends after that, fine. I don't care. You don't have to stick with me all night."

[Olivia Baker]

The fact that boys were usually quoted as saying the opposite sex was confusing was absolute bull shit. Liv just stood there, dumbfounded as the blonde boy in front of her talked, nodding, in an attempt to understand what the hell he wanted. Yes, Olivia was irritated, and it wasn't just at Jesse, though he certainly wasn't making it better. She didn't want him in there with her because he felt bad, she said that, so if he went in as of now he could no longer blame it on her. She wasn't one to force, though she was starting to resent that thing about her. Maybe if she had been a little more forceful she'd be here with someone she liked, like Peyton, or even... no she wouldn't let her mind wander to one of the other boys she'd been around lately. But Liv was a friendzone kind of girl. It was her place, she did it to herself usually, but she never got to be the girl that someone actually wanted. She was too sweet, too smart, too whatever the word that they decided to use that day. Now she didn't expect Jesse to be her Prince Charming, she wasn't even sure she wanted one at all... but him pushing it in her face, so soon, stung. 

"Prince charming." she repeated softly with a chuckle. "Honestly Jesse, if it makes you feel any better at all dances aren't really my thing either." She told him in an attempt to find some common ground since he'd already made up his mind to go in, at least for a bit. "I don't know what possessed me to put my own name in the dating pool, and I'm not so sure I want to be here either." Anymore... though that word she'd leave out. She wasn't looking for pity though, part of her still maintained her strong independent woman facade.

She lead the way towards the check in table, they might as well get this over with.