When Dylan came back in, I was holding a picture frame, one that held a picture of Dylan, Ked, Kiara, Johnny and me—Olivia Clark. It had been taken in the Christmas of 2016, and we all looked indescribably happy. That's the way it should've stayed.

I turned around, hearing Dylan drop a box on the floor. When he saw me holding the frame, he smiled.

"Sorry," Alessia said, making me put the photo back.

Dylan shook his head, walking over to where I stood. He looked down at his photos and I glanced over at them once more.

"I think this is my favourite," he said, picking up one that displayed a picture of Dylan and me—Olivia Clark. It was a selfie taken by me, with Dylan looking over at me as I grinned into the lens.

Suddenly, Alessia began to feel jealous, though slightly curious too.

"That girl," she began, "Olivia, right?" She asked and I metaphorically sat back, watching as she took control.

Dylan grinned, gazing down at the picture. "Yeah," he replied.

Alessia picked up another photo, one that was also of Dylan and I. "You guys seem close," she acknowledged.

He nodded, "We've been friends for eight years." He told her, putting the picture down before glancing over at the one she was holding.

"Are you going to ask her to Prom?" She asked suddenly, making him look up at her, a frown etched onto his face.

"I don't know," he confessed, shrugging, "it's still a while away," he said, leaning over to his curtains to draw them.

"Yeah," Alessia said, before pausing to take a breath, as if to ready herself for something. "But you don't want to leave it too long; someone else might ask her."

From where I stood in a metaphorical backstage of Alessia's life, I froze. This was it. Dylan asked if I had plans for Prom five months before it happened, and I thought that he was just filling a silence, or maybe just thinking ahead. I had no idea that it was an idea influenced by Alessia Trent.

Dylan did, in fact, end up asking me to Prom, but as a friend and just after our mocks in April. It was still early but at least it wasn't five months early.

"Did you want anything?" Dylan asked and Alessia thought that maybe he was avoiding the subject, "A drink? Some food? A relaxing bath?"

I laughed, suddenly coming forth in the mind of Alessia Trent. "All of the above," I said, making him laugh too.

"Okay, drink?" He asked.

I thought for a moment, "Hot chocolate," I told him, "with loads of marshmallows and frothed milk,"

He smiled, "Food?" He prompted next.

"I'm craving olives, yeah, I know, weird combination. But maybe some Oreos too? The ones with the white insides?" Dylan nodded at my request, laughing.

"I'll have to double-check on the olives, but yes, and...the bath?" He asked, making my smile grow.

"Not too many bubbles, but maybe a bath bomb and something to make your skin soft. Warm—not too hot and not too cold. And I want to shower beforehand; I hate just laying in a bath full of my grime." I said, grimacing, listening to Dylan hum in response.

"What is it?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing," Dylan said, looking away suddenly. When he looked back up at me, he looked confused. "It's just..you sounded awfully like Olivia then."

I froze, "With the shower before the bath?" I asked, trying to sway Dylan.

He laughed, "Not just that, everything else too. I mean, if you're trying to imitate her, you'd got her down to a T."

I shook my head quickly, "No, I'm not trying to copy Olivia. We just probably have similar interests and stuff," I said, trying to convince him.

He nodded, smiling up at me, before gesturing to his en suite behind me.

"This is the bathroom, did you want me to show you how the shower and bath work?" He asked, pulling a clean towel out from a rack on the door.

I shook my head, grabbing the towel from his hands, "I think I'll survive." I told him, making him laugh again.

"Okay," he said, "and all the bath stuff is in the cabinets under the sink. It's all stuff Olivia has curated over the years and she always seems to notice when something has been used, so take it easy." He told me before he patted me on the shoulder and left.

I closed and locked the door as I smiled, placing my towel on the side of the sink. But when I looked up into the mirror and it wasn't Olivia Clark who looked back at me, my smile fell.

I sighed; no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't just be best friends with Dylan. I couldn't just be Olivia Clark again. Dylan said it himself—I sounded like Olivia. And whilst it's nice that Dylan knows me so well, and that I still hang onto little things from my real self, it's just not going to work. I'm Alessia Trent, at least for the time being, and I need to start acting like it.

When I was in the shower, my mind was completely open for Alessia to unearth herself in. And she did. Thoughts trickled. Stuff about her liking Dylan even more and that, perhaps, if Dylan liked me—Olivia—as much as she had just seen, she should act more like me.

Well then. So much for not copying myself—Alessia probably already dug herself that hole when we were at school.

I guess now I don't have to stop being myself to exist in this body, since being Olivia Clark all the time is probably what Alessia did last year at school to get Dylan's attention. There won't be much difference now.

After my shower, I dipped my body into the bath I had prepared before my shower began. I relaxed into the tub, closing my eyes and pretending that I was Olivia Clark again.

I'm Olivia Clark. And I'm at my best friend, Dylan's, house. It's just another sleepover. His parents, after all, trust us. And so they should; Dylan and I never do anything that isn't friendly—we don't go further than hugs. We've just come back from Matt's latest party and we're going to watch a film after I've washed away all of the drunken fun that we had tonight. If my back aches from all of today's standing and dancing, Dylan might give me a massage, and I'll comb through his hair—because he secretly loves his hair being played with; it relaxes him.

When I opened my eyes, I was still Alessia Trent.

I drained the bath, not sad, but not happy. I was in some transit between worlds I couldn't control—forces I couldn't control.

I threw my wet towel into Dylan's dirty washing bin before picking up a fresh dressing gown from Dylan's rack.

I unlocked the door, opening it slightly so that I could peak into Dylan's room. He looked up at me from where he laid on his bed on his phone, smiling over at me.

I smiled back, "Is there any chance that you have something I could wear? I didn't bring anything—sorry."

Dylan jumped off his bed, "No, it's fine, don't worry." He said as he pulled his drawers open. I walked over to him, watching him search his drawers.

"Okay," he said, "here are your choices," when he turned to see me standing beside him, he froze. "Um," he said, walking over to his bed and placing clothing items down. "We have an old short-sleeved top from H&M, very comfortable," he said, making me laugh, "or this, a long sleeved top from Hollister, old also," I smiled, taking the Hollister top from his hands.

He smiled, "And for bottoms, we have joggers from a store that I can't remember, these are also comfortable," I laughed, making him chuckle also. "And these black tracksuit bottoms, nice but kind of short," I smiled, picking the first option before thanking him.

I disappeared back into the bathroom to change and then, five minutes later, I reappeared.

"Oh," Dylan said, holding a bunch of DVDs in his hands. "I love those clothes."

I smiled and shook my head, eyeing the DVDs he was holding.

When he saw me staring, he smiled, "I thought we could watch a film," he said.

"Well," I said, "I want to dry my hair, but choose something relaxing, maybe funny—I trust your opinion,"

With that, I backed back into his bathroom, leaning down to the cabinet, opening the left door.

"Left side of the cabinet and bottom shelf!" I heard Dylan call.

I smiled, "Thanks!" With that, I began to blow-dry my hair, using my compact brush that I had brought to the party with me.

When Alessia's hair was almost dry, I stopped, sighing into the mirror.

"I'm thinking 'The Incredibles'," Dylan called out to me suddenly, pulling me away from my reflection.

I tucked the hairdryer back into the cabinet before walking out into Dylan's room. When I did, Dylan held up the DVD case, before I noticed that it was already playing on his TV.

I smiled, settling down on his bed, seeing the food I had asked for ready in front of me. "It's perfect," I told him.

He smiled, "I'll just get the drinks now." With that, he left.

I relaxed into his bed. I just want to stay here forever—even as Alessia Trent if I have to. I just want to be with Dylan.

_________________________________

bless

this update is late but great

how we feeling about Dylan
and Dylan + Olivia ?

theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

-end of everything will be the end, and I know this because the end of everything will be the end

FABULOUS SONGS

Songs that played when I was writing this chapter (in order):
Fuel to Fire - Agnes Obel
Oh Woman Oh Man - London Grammar
Make Up Your Mind - Florence + The Machine
Secrets and Lies - Ruelle
Pray - Bebe Rexha
Orion's Belt - Sabrina Claudio
Lies - Hilary Duff
Future Signs - Fleurie
Settle - Vera Blue

END OF FABULOUS SONGS

Date written:
04/09/18

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Next update: Saturday
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN SPOILER:

Alessia presses Dylan for answers on a touchy, private subject 👀.

🕊