Olivia Michaels

Olivia Michaels is the biological daughter of Marlene and Pat Michaels, adopted by Pat’s unnamed wife. She is also the twin sister of Eddie Michaels. She is the main protagonist.

Early Life
Olivia was bullied as a young girl by Grant Allen and his friends. This would later foster Olivia’s craving to learn self defense. The relentless bullying is due to the nerdy nature of Olivia’s old appearance.

Olivia’s adoptive mother died when Olivia was 12. Olivia’s parents hadn’t told her that her mom was fighting Stage 4 Breast Cancer, so Olivia saw her mother’s death as sudden. Her mother died a day after the picture in Rachael’s House was taken.

After her adoptive mother’s death, Pat lost his job. Pat became depressed and prone to fits of severe anger. Because nobody in the neighborhood would hire him, Olivia and Pat moved to New York. For similar reasons, Pat was fired from his job. The cycle continued, the duo moving from New York to Orlando, then San Francisco, and Denver. After losing his job in Denver, Pat and Olivia moved back to their Chicago suburb, where Pat got a job working with his brother at a start up construction company as the pipe fitter.

Meeting Grant
The time jump after the prologue starts with Olivia sitting alone at a table in The Coffee Shop, the local cafe. Olivia is sitting reading her summer English project when she notices Grant sitting across the cafe with his friends. Olivia stars at Grant and his girlfriend, Justine Kwak. Grant catches sight, prompting Olivia to freak out. Olivia spills her coffee and, after cleaning in, rushes out. She makes her way to a friend's house. The friend, it turns out, is Rachael Rutledge, Olivia's best friend from childhood. After talking some to catch up and getting a change of pants, Olivia sits on Rachael’s bed with Rachael, chatting some more, mainly about Rachael’s boyfriend Oliver. After a few minutes, the girls hear someone shouting for them to quiet down. The source is Justine, Rachael’s new stepsister, who has come back with her boyfriend Grant. The sisters get into an argument in front of Grant and Olivia, who talk and get to know each other, both oblivious that they have previously met. Olivia leaves after she gets a text from her dad.

Summer’s Last Hurrahs
Olivia is lying in her bed reading her English book, though she spends more time mulling over the photos hanging in the staircase inRachael’s house, when Pat gets home. Pat makes a joke about Olivia diong her homework, but Olivia brings the conversation to making a homemade meal. As they’re preparing the chicken, there’s a knock on the door. Olivia opens the door to find a brownie wielding Grant, who happens to live in the apartment above them. Olivia invites Grant in and Grant talks to Pat as Olivia chops onions. Sensing tension between the teens, Pat excuses himself so they can be alone. After a brief conversation about their school class schedule, Grant offers to help Olivia. She declines, but asks why he isn’t with Justine. Grant explains that he sided with Rachael in the argument and got kicked out by Justine. After asking why he dates Justine, Olivia goes on talking about how cliche her life has become. She also mentions it’d be more so if they had secret crushes on each other.