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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: HEAD UNDER WATER
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FOR THE NEXT WEEK or so, Maggie had herself convinced that her life had become a permanent, debilitating hangover. Logically, she knew it made no sense, but every day that came and went only seemed to worsen the pounding ache she’d woken up with that dreaded morning after.
First it was having to listen to Paul’s never-ending complaints about Emmett Cullen (something about sighting Victoria and the Cullens getting in the way of the pack catching her.) Then the typical bullshit of having Zeke Sullivan as a brother (for some strange reason, he was suddenly being civil with her -- of course, it wasn’t like what they used to be, but nowhere near as distant either; Maggie had the sneaking suspicion that Paul had something to do with that.) And just to make things worse, her therapist had gone on holiday for the rest of the month, leaving Maggie to feel like she had no one to confide in when the nightmares made their grand but gory return.
Really, it was a wonder no one had noticed the dark rings beneath her eyes from lack of sleep, or the way she always seemed to arrive at school first because she’d been up since the crack of dawn, or how she seemed to disappear into the background every time her friends -- or Hayden -- were around.
Or perhaps they did notice these things, and they just didn’t know what to say to bring her back.
Maggie couldn't blame them for that. She didn't know what to say either.
The tortuous school week slowly but surely faded into a weekend spent at Sam and Emily’s house. On top of Paul grumbling about the Cullens, his new Mathematics assessment assigned by Wren (the betrayal was bitter but expected) was a popular thing for him to complain about. It meant having to invite Maeve Cooper around, pushing her even closer to discovering the truth. Embry was scared shitless the whole of Saturday morning, pacing in dizzying circles like he hadn’t spent the whole bonfire growing close with Mae.
“What if you just cancel, Paul?” he had suggested not even five minutes before she was supposed to arrive. “Tell her you’re busy or something.”
As much as Paul would’ve loved to avoid his assignment, he knew both Mae and Maggie would never let him get away with it. He also knew that Mae made Embry nervous, and the petty part of him liked seeing him squirm.
“Sorry, man, no can do,” he smirked right as footsteps were heard on the front porch. “She’s already here.”
Dismayed, Embry collapsed into a chair opposite Maggie, dramatically covering his face with his hands. Amused but sympathetic, Maggie reached over to pat him on the arm right as an eager Emily raced over to answer the door before Mae could even think to knock. There she stood on the other side, fist raised and wide-eyed by the sudden action. She didn't seem to notice as Embry, stricken, darted away from the table to hide on the couch. Instead, she gave Emily a bashful smile before glancing over her shoulder at the car reversing out of the driveway. “I’m Mae… I’m here for Paul…?”
