Chapter 17: Topples

She ran to the beach house and stepped down the notches to the living room. "I've been so stupid and...," She held her arms protectively, she tried to get her feelings under wraps and she tempered when she arrived.

"Ollie," Danica hugged her.

Olivia was glad for the company, she didn't know what to do without feeling like a loss.

"Lighten up,"

Olivia took off her wig and she brushed the beads. "I don't know how much of this I can handle,"

***

"It gets harder," Danica confessed.

She brushed her eyes and muffled when she ruined her makeup and fanned her eyes.

Caroline brushed a moist napkin across her face.

"I can't keep up,"

Caroline sat down "Well, stop worrying,"

"I know but it just keeps scuffing into my brain...," She sighed. "You're right,"

Caroline smacked her lip "Well, now that we're Caroline and Odetta, we might as well let our hair down and party,"

She swivelled to the stereo and turned on the music then banged her head kicking up to dance.

"Ha! I barely even have hair,"

They held hands in a slow groovy dance step, back and forth and they swivelled around with locked hands giggling.

"I feel like a little girl,"

***

Tasha heard them laughing from outside, she was too busy avoiding Dante.

Outside of business, she reserved his judgement.

But she wouldn't take Olivia's presence, she was undermining her chances. The man she hired might have been too forward and Little Miss Stareyes only got a rise from the travesty.

The rumours about 'the runway couple' were climbing on trendy news, and now Edward was drawn to her.

She ruffled in anger and moped on the cold dark beach to check on them. She snuck up to the window where only a single light was and peered in. She went up to her toes and then poised her foot on a foothold and it wobbled. She saw Olivia seated in a dim room and waited for any missteps.

That brute Danica stepped in waving her hands and slipped into the tub.

"It gets better at night," She said grabbing a cocktail.

"It gets colder, my feet are killing me," Olivia groaned and Tasha lowered hissing.

"Hey, hey hey! Did you leave the door open?"

"Did you hear that? Sounded like a bat or a snake,"

"I'll get the window, you get the door,"

"But I just got here,"

"We'll go together,"

"Fair game, Olivia,"

Tasha gasped, she wouldn't have any means of escape, without being seen.

As soon as she stepped down, the foothold wobbled and she cried out falling off the rails into the sand.

"Ugh!" She winced at her strained ankle.

"Tasha?" Danica rushed outside and descended the stairs.

"Get away from me!" Tasha struggled and Olivia's head came out the window.

"Danie!"

"It's Limelight, she dropped," She pointed.

"What happened?" Edward crouched beside her.

"Ow ow ow ow," She exclaimed at the sharp pain and held her foot. "Why would you do this?" She snivelled gazing at Olivia.

"What?" Danica said darkly and Olivia came down the stairs.

"Oh my gosh, Tasha,"

Edward frowned "How could you be so reckless?"

"Reckless!? We never even saw her!" She blurted.

"It's fine, I can walk," She held him for support and lurched at the pain. "I can't stand on it,"

He scooped her up.

"What were you doing up there in the first place?" Olivia asked perplexed.

"Ow, you oughta be careful, I wouldn't want to graze anything or anyone, it looks tender," She pouted and Edward sighed.

"There's a clinic around here, they'll check if anything's broken,"

"Please, take your time," She said facing Olivia grinning and her mouth fell open while they left.

"Let it go, Olivia," Danica patted her shoulder.

"Could you imagine Kali-lamo?" She pointed a thumb.

"Not really, consequently, both can't be trusted,"

Olivia sighed. "We might as well stick to our names,"

"Gotcha,"

She received a text and smiled.

"It's Jake, he wants to video chat,"

"You had your phone with you in the bathtub?" Danica asked drily.

"Hey Wyatt, it's too dark," She ranted.

"Then step inside,"

"No, I don't need light beaming on ma face," She pointed.

"You sound intimidated, are you sure I shouldn't come over and check for any spiders or snakes?"

She groaned "Trust me, it's taken care of,"

She crouched by the stairs with Danica mouthing her words and Olivia swivelled.

"Good to know, I really kinda miss you,"

"Kinda?" She blurted curiously and swallowed. "Well, what else do you miss, kinda?"

"Can we talk about yesterday?"

Her cheeks heated and she put her phone to her chest when Edward showed up.

"Yeah, I'll talk to you later, bye,"

"Wait, Odie_"

"Bye Jake,"

He jerked in surprise at that and turned grim. "You really shouldn't have done that,"

"Well coming from you, our little stool over there was overturned, we never stepped outside since the beach,"

Olivia growled "No one pushed Limelight off the rails, that ends that,"

"Oh well, now that you're here,"

Danica swung her arms. "It's getting late, we don't need any more indictments, we'd like to get back inside,"

"Uh, yes, we've had enough drama, for one night," Olivia thanked. "The whole enchilada,"

"You really are unabashed aren't you?"

Olivia blinked "Excuse me?"

"Your doors should be locked, you shouldn't really be putting up a fight with Tasha,"

"Gotcha," She said and patted her hair.

"Well, now that's done, I guess you should get moving,"

"Again, we're really sorry about your partner, we can't imagine her falling off before the commissioning, good night, Ed. In the meantime, Tasha needs you,"

He winced at that and his forehead ruffled.

***

Tasha ruffled the splint "Ugh, it's too prickly, I might as well take it off," She unravelled the bandage from her ankle and examined it, there was only a cut from the stone she hit but she smiled. "Spare me, I could take a hit from a kickboxer any day,"

She rotated her shoulder and moved around her tent to get a bottle of whisky. "Those ninnies won't know what hit them,"

She unscrewed the bottle and poured herself a cup to celebrate.

Her hand stopped halfway at the grip "Hey!" She whirled at him and her eyes rounded stepping back at Jordan.

"You could've scared me you know," She yanked her hand off.

"I want to out of this place before anyone notices. Where's my money?"

"Did you get the documents I asked?"

He ruffled "I don't know where it is__I_I had it..." He gripped his bearded chin "It was that girl! Yeah, the one with glasses,"

"Oh Jordan, you wouldn't come up with a great alibi to save your life,"

He looked about, if he didn't think fast, he might as well consider himself done for.

"I remember, she's a cleaner, she claimed to be, at the studio," He snapped his finger.

"Lawrence?" Her eyes lowered "You miserable..., you know Luxe Textiles could be ours and you ruined it, that's the only time Edward's ever been so careless, he doesn't look back after a mistake," She sighed.

'I'll give that girl a piece of my mind, I swear it, ' She clenched her hands and Jordan smiled.

"That's a pretty clean spin Limelight, you wouldn't want anyone knowing about your little clout,"

She grimaced and then eyed him. "Since when did you grow a gut?"

"I'm sick of your lies, Tasha, you're wasting my time. Give me what I want. I know that's the only leverage you have over that punk Jerkward. I'm going to open my mouth and that's the end of it,"

She growled, "You shut your mouth!"

He had a maniacal grin "If he finds out, we both go to jail, your choice,"

She saw a shadow on the tent and slipped onto the chair holding her leg.

Edward ran in "Tasha!"

"Help, he's trying to hassle me," She groaned.

Jordan paled when Edward shoved him closer by the collar.

"I did nothing, I swear! She owes me money," He glanced at Tasha and she winked.

"Do we press charges?" He asked her.

Jordan was breathing harshly and his eyes moved to Tasha again.