CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

more than meets the eye



maeve and i sat in silence a little too long for comfort. i still felt like she wasn't telling the truth. but the lack of talking was allowing my thoughts to talk way too much. "so, how's your chemistry class going?" i asked her in hopes of shedding the air of its tension.

"much better than yours," she said. "we just took the second quiz of the whole year, and it was on the movie we watched in class. hopefully he's your substitute."

"that would be great," i said. "do you think he'll let us have a bake sale?"

"oh, yeah. totally. he once had the class have a pie throwing contest, remember? he hurled one at jake. classic."

"really? he should have let me do that!" i joked. "who'd you throw one at?"

"mr grant. the whole class was cheering when it slid down his face and revealed a very unfortunate expression."

"you're making me so jealous."

"hey, at least since the subs have no clue about the notorious thumb war," she said, "you'll get to sit next to walker for a while!"

this was so confusing. maeve was constantly the cupid shooting arrows our way, our matchmaker. it wasn't like the arrows were aimed to harm us. so why was she being so enigmatic? why was i being so paranoid?

"look, it was silly of me to question you on that. you aren't the backstabbing type, and i know that," i admitted. "i just want to know why you're acting so furtive."

"you gotta let that me being the reader thing go, y/n." she took a sip of water like it was a shot glass. "a girl can get carried away, in the arms of infatuation and delusion to a place no one returns from. you just gotta let it happen."

i took a deep breath, knowing that it was the usual maeve talking with all the bizarro fluff. "okay. i'll let it go." i stuck my palms out disarmingly.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

i got home and all cozy into my bed. i could only be comfortable physically if i was mentally too. so to make sure i was cool with walker as well, after the prior night and last hangout with maeve, i texted him. he responded immediately.

you hey walker!

walker hi y/n how's it going

you good. my parents believed me! also i was wondering if you got home safe

walker i did thanks to you so far i'm not sick from the rain, you?

you so far so good!

walker glad to hear that was a wild night

you tell me about it i feel like it got cut short

walker would you want to continue it tonight? i know you aren't grounded anymore

you that would be great! how about seven?



dad barged into my room. "y/n!" he said quite loudly.

"yes?" i was alarmed by his abrupt entrance.

"what would you like for dinner?"

i placed a hand on my chest, trying to recover from the heart attack he gave me. then i froze, realizing that i would need to make yet another excuse to see walker after the fact. this was getting old quickly.

"i'll have more leftovers, don't worry." i hesitated, contemplating the reason for going out once again. but then, he gave the reason to me.

"oh, and i don't want to forget," he said. "i would like it if you would go over to your aunt's and actually apologize now that the weather is nice. i checked the forecast this time -- you're good."

"i can do that at seven o'clock!"

"okay then. great." he left the room now, and i rushed to pull out my phone and propose this to walker. he had responded to me in the meantime.



walker sounds good. i'm assuming mine bc the crazy old man back at yours

you that crazy old man just gave me the perfect excuse for me to see you. i know it's not the most fun activity to hide and wait for me but how do you feel about going to jordyn's so i can actually apologize? they think i planned on doing that, remember

walker no i'm down i'll meet you there plus you can see a de-fennelized, finalized cupcake

you haha can't wait!!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

once i approached the house of jordyn's next door neighbor, i paused in apprehension. i actually had to go up to that door and ring the doorbell and confront aunt lauren all by myself? it all sounded repulsive. and there was no walker to partner me, now or then.

i scanned the dark streets, illuminated only by the pools of light under streetlamps. leaves rustled on the ground and a gentle breeze rustled my hair. there was a calm lonesome that seemed to keep me company.

the time was three past seven. walker lived much farther than i did, obviously, so he could be arriving in ten seconds or ten minutes. but it was like my legs were waiting for me to move, so i did. i decided i could meet up with walker after i got this over with.

i had only just reached the other side of the hedge dividing jordyn's and his neighbor's properties when i heard movement. it was coming from the direction of the garage. i couldn't see anything, so i reluctantly kept on my way to the door, assuming it were a raccoon or something.

then, once i was on the path on the front yard, so close yet so far, i was taken off guard by an obviously human noise originating in the same place. "holy hootenannies!"

there was the familiar skid of a shoe against the rooftop, like someone was falling like i almost did a few weeks ago. curious as to if it was one of jordyn's extra-auditioning friends, i took a detour and investigated.

i got close enough to the garage see the silhouette of a female. she was facing the backyard and i could only make out a hood and a hunched over body holding onto the shingles for dear life. "hello?" i called up cautiously. "this is jordyn's cousin. are you okay?"

i heard someone clear their throat. then, in a forced and distorted voice, she said, "uh, yep, i'm good."

"okay. well, i'm about to talk to his mom, so you might want to head out now," i warned.

"you go do that, i'll be on my way," she said. who was this, kermit the frog?

shaking my head in disbelief at how odd jordyn's friends were, i obliged and turned around. i didn't expect to find walker right in front of me. he hadn't done that in a while -- jump scare me. i flinched and chuckled a little before whispering, "i haven't talked to her yet."

then i noticed how he was glaring up at the roof with concern. he squinted after a moment and asked up to the person, "maeve?"

"what?" i said, joining him in studying the silhouette.

"maeve," he repeated, "is that you?"

"no," said a voice that was undoubtedly maeve's.

"what?" i said once again, this time terrified. i could no longer think about my aunt. i was so baffled. i wouldn't have been so confused if she wasn't acting so off earlier. "what the hell are you doing?"

her hood slipped off revealing wavy blond hair. "how'd you know it was me, walker?"

"as you said, you're a terrible actor."

maeve hopped down to the driveway and sighed. "hi." she shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"hi," said walker. he opened a container and showed off the cupcake to the two of us. i had to say it looked quite delicious.

"i see you're going through with the apology," she said. "i won't be bothering you, then."

she began to saunter away. i grabbed her elbow. "not so fast. i know i said i would let it go but you're acting weird again."

jordyn opened his bedroom window, probably not realizing walker and i were there. he stuck out his head and hollered, "maeve, you forgot your phone!"

"walker, could you get it for her?" i asked him with an intense smile. "we need to have a quick talk." he bowed his head and took the route he did the first time. it was just me and her now plus that same tension from the booth like jeffry was haunting us.

"i'm just gonna say it," maeve murmured. "i've been seeing your cousin."

walker nearly fell off the roof, something that seemed to happen to everyone in this little group. "did i just hear that right?"

"i've been seeing jordyn!" maeve exclaimed. no remorse. the shock of this confession felt as though walker did end up falling onto me. this second time maeve said it was a confirmation that, i didn't know why, it horrified me. how long has this been going on ? i thought. and it was just one of the many questions i had.



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thank you for reading chapter 32!