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“Did you think it was his?” I didn’t have a right to ask who she did and didn’t fuck, but Maddox…
The look she gave me was pure shock. “What? No. We’re not— He and I aren’t— No. He found the box for the test in my trash. I didn’t do a good job of hiding it.”
So this was nothing.
Obviously not nothing. It had to have been rough on her. I clenched my jaw, madder at myself for how I’d reacted than anything. “You know you can always…”
“Tell you anything, I know.” She splayed her hands out palm down on her legs, stretching her fingers. “What was I going to tell you? I didn’t know for sure, and it turned out to be nothing. It’s been all highs and lows for me through this.”
And I wasn’t there for her. I added to the stress. “I’m sorry. How are you now?”
“Relieved. Guilty. Confused. Relieved.”
I scooted closer and covered her hands, to stop her fidgeting. The sigh she let out was the kind of thing that expelled souls, and she leaned against my shoulder.
“Are you going to be all right?” I asked.
“Yeah. I think I need to distract myself for a while. Are you okay with diving into more brainstorming?”
“Of course.” Despite the exchange, it took a moment before either of us pulled apart.
I stood, offered her a hand, and pulled her to her feet.
When we stepped inside, Maddox had all of our computers at the kitchen table, but he was watching the door we walked through.
“Does everyone know everything now?” He asked.
Alys nodded. “Yes. We’re doing distracting things because I need to have my mind on anything else.”
“Deal.” Maddox gestured to the empty seats.
“Album titles.” Alys opened her laptop. “Go.”
It wasn’t weird to see her dive into brainstorming, but today it felt different. There was more behind her desire to keep working. One thing she and Maddox had in common, and I wasn’t sure either of them saw it, was how they measured who they were.
Alys loved her mother and thought the world of her, and Maddox worshiped his older brother. In both cases, there was a bar that Maddox and Alys thought they’d never reach. This standard they wanted to live up to. They weren’t those people, though. They were so much stronger as themselves.
Inspiration struck. I should’ve seen it sooner. Before I left, I was going to help my two best friends understand how incredible they were, and this competition was the perfect way to do it.
Cheesy? Maybe.
A little bit After School Special? Perhaps.
But at least it wasn’t some sort of weird fucked up plan to make them fall in love so they wouldn’t miss me.
Nope. Didn’t like that idea at all.
“Funhouse mirror.” I tossed out an album title.
And like that, the floodgate was open.
“Cracked Mirror.”
“Mirror Mirror.”
“Alice Cracked.”
“Jabberwock.”
