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OLIVIA
Zach comes into Dion’s kitchen. “Aunt Liv.”
“Who’s your aunt? I’m not that old, call me Aunt Liv again so I can kick your ass.”
“I found you on TikTok.” He smiles. “You’re so funny.”
“If you found me on TikTok, you’re on the wrong side of the damn app. You’re still a kid.” If his FYP is picking up my content, it means the app’s algorithm put me there based on what he’s currently looking at. So, Adult-only content, basically.
“I’m not a kid, I’m sixteen.”
“Exactly, get off my TikTok, and don’t you dare follow me! I’ll have to block you or tell your mom what you’re watching.” I frown, my friends’ kids shouldn’t be watching my TikTok. Because it’s for my books, it can be considered unfiltered Sex Ed and I don’t want to explain why their kids know about dicks and pussies and how one slides into the other when one is wet. Jesus. Hard no (excuse the pun).
“It came up on my FYP.”
“And what the hell are you watching that it did?”
Rather than give me an honest answer, he asks, “Can I read your books Aunt Liv?”
“Aunt Liv me again and you won’t live long enough to be eighteen, which is when you can read them,” I say as just as Dion and Amelia come in with dinner.
“Hey, if he’s going to read a book and not be on a screen all the fucking time then he can read anything, your filth included. The games he plays are worse,” Dion says.
“No. He cannot read my books!”
“Zach, if you read a whole book in a week, I’ll double your allowance,” Dion throws out.
I groan. “Dion, your sixteen-year-old cannot read my books.”
“Really?” Zach is a bit too excited. “I’ll got get one from next to your bed.”
“Out, this is an adult zone now, it’s Friday night.” She waves hime off.
“Calm down Olivia, he’s incapable of reading an entire book. He won’t get very far and besides, he’s having sex with his girlfriend. I know because I buy the condoms. She might thank us if he reads your book, or stay around longer than the last one.” Dion’s parenting style can only be called wild, but effective. She has good kids, but this house is mayhem most of the time.
“You should know if it’s on TikTok the teenagers are going to find it and want it,” Amelia chimes in, unpacking sushi onto trays. “You have ventured into their world.”
“It’s not their world, everyone is on TikTok.”
“I’m not,” Dion says. “I just mastered Instagram, I’m not learning another new thing.”
“It’s just Olivia reacting to half-naked men, or hot guys dancing, and filthy lines from her books. It’s like the cheat notes, you find out where all the sexy times are.” Amelia pulls out her phone. “I like TikTok, it’s rabbit hole of shit that will completely remove you from reality for ten hours and you still won’t want to stop scrolling.” She’s not wrong, the app is like mental crack. Before you know it, you’re addicted and mindlessly scrolling through video after video.
“I don’t have time for that,” Dion tells her sister.
“For what?” Kerry asks, coming in with three bottles of wine and dessert.
“TikTok,” I reply before shoving a piece of sushi in my mouth.
“Oh, I love it,” Kerry says. “I don’t post anything, I just watch, I love watching.” Kerry’s daughter, Willow, follows her in, carrying Kerry’s purse.
“Where’s Zach?” she asks, dumping it on the counter.
“Reading a book,” Amelia says,
“You’re drunk already Aunt Amelia, Zach can’t read.”
“He’s reading Olivia’s book,” Dion says.
