*I’m posting this out of inspiration from my friend Chey. She insisted I write this to break through my writer’s block so…it’s whatever. Just read (: Kay thanks..*

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Her head rested in the palm of her hand staring out into nothing as she watched the beat up old tumbleweed stroll through the sand as she only half listened to what the teacher was saying. Her mind racing to other times, places, memories of childhood, her first kiss. The police man at her door there to tell her she was now an orphan. She bit her lip as she tried not to go back to the mental images of what her parents must’ve felt. The crash, the pain, the terrible snap of an arm, and glass shattering as the small car was being pushed half across the road by an 18 wheeler. Her lip quivered as tears formed in the corner of her eyes and she scolded herself for being so damn sensitive over everything. She sighed as the bell interrupted her thoughts and she was left to gather her hurt and books as she made her way out of the class room not even caring to recap what was for homework. She took deep breaths to calm herself as she made her way to the locker only to come body to body to someone else. She winced as her ribs were hit. Hard.

“Watch it emo freak. I don’t want your germs on me.” Samantha muttered as she fixed her mini skirt and way too tight shirt as flipped her golden locks and completely ignored the sullen girl on the floor. Olivia shook her head at the she nerve of that girl and managed to walk to her locker and grabbed her bag happy to be gone for the day as she slammed it shut with difficulty. She zipped her hoodie up even though it was 100 degrees in the California desert. As her hands traced the contours of the metal fence, there was thing Olivia Sinclair could look forward to. Him. Caden in particular. Her mind relapsed over every detail Olivia had saved in her brain. Nothing distorted, nothing confused. It was all clear in her head as she went over every word he said. He was her other half, the person she wanted all along. His style, his ways, even right up to his smile. Caden George Rivers. The name sticking to her mind like glue as she repeated it over again through out the day. She smiled again as she picked up her pace and waited for tonight when she would talk to him.

“Livia!” she heard someone call as she came down the block to her house. She smiled as she knew that voice anywhere.

“Hey Tommy.” she said softly as the little boy no more than 10 years old ran up to his gate and smiled. Missing one tooth on his bottom row of teeth.

“Livia! Do you think you can play with me today?” he asked softly. His brown eyes the size of the moon as Olivia felt guilt plague her heart as she frowned.

“I’m sorry Tommy but I have some stuff to do…can we play tomorrow?” she asked as his lips curved downwards but nodded.

“Yeah…” he frowned as Olivia lips twitched. She smiled as she pulled out a candy from her pocket.

“Here. I managed to sneak one from the store. I got it just for you.” she said handing him the chocolate bar as he immediately changed his tune and held his hand out sweetly

“Thanks Livia!”

“No problem. Don’t tell anyone though alright?” she asked cautiously and he nodded.

“Sure, sure.” he smiled as he took the candy from her hand. “I love you!” he waved before running back inside as Olivia shook her head and went back on her way to home. She looked down at her finger and smiled as she was still wearing the toy ring Tommy gave her. His way as a promise ring to be friends forever. She wore it everywhere she went as that’s what was intended in the first place. Olivia took comfort in the fact that someone cared about her. But just like everyone else in her life, Olivia frowned as she realized Tommy would soon get over his crush and not care about her anymore as he grew into a young man. He wouldn’t need her anymore, and Olivia accepted that, it wasn’t nothing new.

She crossed the green grass to her house and entered the small wood chipped door and walked in swiftly. She gritted her teeth as she looked around the house. This wasn’t her home. She was never supposed to live here. There was nothing of her parents, and Olivia sighed as she stared at the walls that consisted of pictures, which of course she was not in.

“Olivia, there’s laundry on your bed that needs to be folded.” Charlotte said looking up from the newspaper. Her face slightly aged from the many cigarettes, her eyes tired from life in general, and her honey hair that could use a slight touch up. Her fragile stature sitting at the table as she made no effort to make eye contact as Olivia nodded.

“Okay.” she said quietly as she went upstairs to her room where she shut the door and slid down the smooth surface as she cried behind closed doors where not one soul could hear the pained cries of the seventeen year old that hid inside herself where no one even cared to look. Olivia was stuck in her own world that only forced her to realize she was nothing to the world. Her name was not important. Her face was not recognized. Her soul untouched. Olivia was non existent and she knew she could only blame herself for why she was the way she was.

Maybe if her parents were still here, Olivia wouldn’t be so sad. She wouldn’t be in a place where her caretakers only cared about the money and not her primarily. The fact that she was given no affection and was treated as an object rather than a human. Maybe Olivia wouldn’t cry herself to sleep every night when she woke up thinking her mom was there, when it all it was a shadow. And maybe Olivia wouldn’t cut herself to pieces night after night when she watched the crimson liquid stream down the shower drain as she watched a part of her fade into the darkness.

Olivia could safely say…she was broken. Inside and out. She hardly spoke, only observed the world around her. She frowned at the thought of Caden. He was everything and she was not. She wanted him but it was impossible. The only question in her mind was what everyone would say if they cared.

How can you love someone you’ve never met? “Where are you little punk?!” A voice screamed as a teenaged boy hid in the closet from fear of what could happen if he was spotted. He winced as a door slammed open and heavy breathing filled the air.“You worthless piece of shit! I don’t even know why I keep you around!” he yelled again as he threw the poor boy’s belongings on the floor and scattered what would’ve been very talented pictures, but no one ever knew the skill in the poor boy’s heart as his primary concern was to stay alive. He prayed and prayed that the drunken man above wouldn’t find him.“Please.” he begged a second too late as the closet door was slammed opened and his eyes became in contact of what looked like nothing but a monster.“You stupid ignorant worthless shit. Get out of there!” he roared as he grabbed the poor boy by the collar and forced him to stand up as tears fell down his soft porcelain cheeks.“Look at you! What hell is wrong with you? You dress like a damn dead person! You’re worthless!” he shouted as his fist clenched and connected with the boy’s cheek as he felt the blow very harshly, causing him to cry out as he hit the floor. He received several kicks to his rib as he swore he heard one crunch. The pain blinding him as his other cheek was hit by a drunken fist. Blood splayed his lips where he punched there too as he did nothing to stop the beatings he received every night by who was supposed to be his father. Caden was nothing more than a mistake and disappointment in his father’s eyes.“Please!” he finally yelled much to his father’s dismay.“Please what?!” he shouted. “Please beat the shit out of you like you know you deserve?! You don’t deserve to be here!” he roared as the words stabbed his soul like knives aiming straight to his heart. The drunken man slurred his speech as he pushed the boy back down, before slamming the door shut as he left. Caden cried on the floor from the pain, emotionally and physically as he tried to move but shrieked as he couldn’t. He was paralyzed on the floor as he felt the bruises forming. He couldn’t talk just thought how much he didn’t deserve this. He never hurt a soul and he never got in trouble. It was the guilt his father carried after watching his mother leave on a Saturday morning where Caden watched her leave without a goodbye. He took deep difficult breaths as he still lied on the floor, too tired to move. He thought back to the one person who would make things better. “Olivia.” he whispered to himself. She was everything to him and he was not. He knew couldn’t be that lucky enough to be with her. The girl who seemed to understand his pain, sorrow, hurt, and trauma in his life. He couldn’t help but dream at night about her. Even though he had no idea what she sounded like. He imagined it was beautiful. Soft and sweet. They shared a bond no one else understood. And even though they never met once, never talked on the phone, and only shared secret emails to each other…Caden knew Olivia Rose was his one and only salvation…