Olivia was curled up on the bed, caught somewhere between warmth and cold. The blanket covered only half her body, as though even it was uncertain of what she truly needed. A knock at the door stirred her, pulling her from the quiet spiral of her thoughts.
"The door's unlocked," she called out, her voice low and unbothered.
A head poked in. "Can I come in, then?" It was her stepmother.
Olivia blinked, already irritated. "Well…" she shrugged, not exactly welcoming, but not refusing either.
Her stepmother stepped in, sitting gently at the edge of the bed like someone trying not to break glass. "Can we talk?"
Olivia raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the absurdity. "Talk? You and I? And what exactly are we talking about?" she scoffed. "We're not friends, you know."
Her stepmother gave a light smile, calm and quiet. "Well… can we be friends now? I've lost all of mine."
