Chapter Six
I drag myself to first period, my eyes feeing like sandpaper. I feel like I didn’t sleep.
Derek finds me at my locker before second period, his presence instantly calming the chaos in my head.
“How are you holding up?” he asks, leaning against the locker next to mine.
“Barely.” I pull out my chemistry textbook, avoiding his eyes. “I keep thinking about Emma. About how she gets to have family dinners with him and I only get to wonder about it.”
“That’s not your fault.”
“I know that.” I slam my locker shut harder than necessary. “But it doesn’t stop the hurt.”
His hand finds mine, his fingers warm and steady. “I’m here for you.” he kisses my cheek.
“Thank you,” I whisper, squeezing his hand. “I don’t know what I’d do without you right now.”
He walks me to chemistry, and for the fifty minutes of molecular bonding and electron configurations, I almost forget my problems at home.
My phone buzzes with a text.
MAYA
Mom suggested I invite you for dinner tonight. She’s making your favorite lasagna. No questions asked, just food.
I stare at the text, realizing I’ve been so consumed with the Jeremy situation that I’ve barely talked to my best friend all week. Maya, who’s been there for every crisis since we were thirteen. Maya, who deserves better than my radio silence.
ME
Yes, please. I really need this.
MAYA
Come over around six.
Maya’s house smells like garlic bread and home. Mrs. Carlson greets me at the door with a hug that lasts just long enough to remind me what maternal warmth feels like without the complications of secrets and lies.
“Baby girl, you look tired,” she says, studying my face with the concerned expression of someone who’s been watching me grow up for five years. “Are you eating enough? Sleeping?”
“I’m okay, some family stuff.”
She nods knowingly. “Family stuff is the hardest stuff. But you have people who love you, remember that.”
“Of course, thank you.”
After a while, we sit for dinner. Maya’s little brother Caleb complains about algebra, and Mrs. Carlson fusses over everyone’s plates. “Olivia, how’s soccer going?” Mr. Carlson asks, passing the garlic bread. “Maya says you’re having a good season.”
“It’s going well,” I lie smoothly. “Coach thinks we have a shot at league championships.”
Maya catches my eye across the table, and I can tell she knows I’m not being entirely truthful. Maya has always been able to read me like her favorite book.
After dinner, we escape to her room. It’s filled with nexplosion of fairy lights, polaroid photos, and the kind of organized chaos that somehow makes perfect sense. Maya flops onto her bed, patting the space beside her.
“Okay, spill,” she says, pulling her dark curls into a messy bun. “And don’t give me some ‘I’m fine’ nonsense. You’ve been weird all week, avoiding eye contact, eating lunch alone. What’s going on?”
I curl up next to her, suddenly feeling every ounce of exhaustion from the past few days. “It’s complicated.”
“The best stories usually are.”
So I tell her everything. About the cardiologist referral and the blank paternal medical history.
About finding Jeremy’s website and seeing Emma’s face staring back at me like a mirror.
About the affair that tore my family apart before I was even old enough to remember.
About Mom’s eighteen years of careful omissions and outright lies.
Maya listens without interrupting, her expressions shifting from shock to sympathy to indignation on my behalf. When I get to the part about my mom making it legally impossible for Jeremy to see me, Maya’s eyes go wide.
“Oh my God, Liv! You have a sister! That’s like something out of a movie!” She sits up, bouncing slightly on the bed. “I mean, obviously the whole situation is awful and your mom should have told you, but you have a sister!”
“A sister who doesn’t know I exist,” I point out.
“Yet! A sister who doesn’t know you exist yet.” Maya’s enthusiasm is infectious, pulling me slightly out of my spiral. “What’s she like? From the photos, I mean?”
“She looks like me, but darker hair. And happy. Really happy.” I pull out my phone and show her the family photo from Jeremy’s website. “Look at her smile. That’s the smile of someone who’s never had to wonder where she comes from.”
Maya studies the photo intently. “She’s pretty. You both are. You definitely look related.” She hands the phone back.
“But Liv, just because she had a different experience doesn’t mean yours was wrong. Your mom loves you. Robert loves you. You have a good life here.”
“Built on lies.”
“Built on love and protection,” She says. “Your mom made choices based on what she thought was best for you. Maybe they weren’t perfect choices, but they came from love.”
I want to argue, but her unwavering optimism is exactly what I need right now. She has this gift for finding silver linings in even the darkest clouds.
“There’s something else,” I say, my cheeks warming.
“What?”
“Derek and I… we kissed. And we’re going to prom together.”
Maya’s shriek is loud enough to wake the neighbors. She grabs my hands, bouncing on the bed like a caffeinated kindergartner.
“I KNEW IT! I knew this would happen eventually! You two have been dancing around each other since middle school!” She’s grinning so wide her cheeks must hurt. “Tell me everything. When? Where? Was he a good kisser? Did he use tongue? Did you melt into a puddle?”
“Maya!” I laugh, her excitement infectious. “It was yesterday, at his house. And yes, he’s a really good kisser.”
“I’m so happy I could cry,” she says, and she actually looks like she might. “You deserve someone who looks at you the way Derek looks at you. Like you hung the moon and painted the stars.”
“How does he look at me?”
“Like you’re the answer to a question he’s been asking his whole life.” she flops backward dramatically. “It’s nauseating how cute you two are together, honestly.”
“We should go dress shopping this weekend,” she continues, already planning. “I know the perfect boutique downtown. And we need to coordinate with his tux. What color are you thinking? Blue would look amazing with your eyes.”
“Maya, slow down. I agreed to go with him yesterday.”
“Exactly! Which means we’re already behind schedule.” She sits up, pulling out her phone. “I’m making a list. Dress, shoes, jewelry, hair appointment, nail appointment,”
“This is why I love you,” I interrupt, watching her create what will undoubtedly become a color-coded spreadsheet. “You find joy in everything.”
“Life’s too short not to celebrate the good stuff,” she says simply. “And your first real relationship with Derek is definitely good stuff worth celebrating.”
“Even with all the family drama happening?”
“Especially with all the family drama happening. You need some happiness in your life right now.” She puts her phone down and looks at me seriously.
“You’ve been carrying this alone for too long, Liv.
I’m here for whatever you need—shoulders to cry on, people to complain about your mom to, someone to come to doctor appointments with you. ”
“You’d come to the cardiologist with me?”
“Of course! I’ll bring snacks and magazines for the waiting room. We’ll make a whole day of it.” Her smile softens. “That’s what best friends are for.”
I throw my arms around her, holding tight to this person who loves me exactly as I am, family secrets and all.
“Thank you,” I whisper into her shoulder. “For not making me feel crazy. For being excited about Derek. For still wanting to be my friend even though I’ve been distant and weird.”
“You could never get rid of me that easily,” Maya says, pulling back to look at me. “We’re stuck together, remember? Like peanut butter and jelly.”
“Even if this gets messier?”
“Especially if this gets messier. That’s when you need your people the most.”
At home, the house is quiet. My mom’s portfolio bag sits by the front door, meaning she’s working late at the studio again. Robert’s in his office, the soft glow of his computer screen visible under the door.
I climb the stairs to my room, Maya’s excitement still buzzing in my veins. My phone buzzes with a text from Derek.
DEREK
How was dinner with Maya? Feeling better?
I smile, typing back.
ME
Much better. Maya’s already planning our prom outfits.
DEREK
Should I be worried about how elaborate this is going to get?
ME
Very worried. She mentioned something about a color-coordinated timeline.
DEREK
I’m terrified and impressed. See you tomorrow?
ME
Definitely. Thank you for being patient with me today.
DEREK
Always. Sweet dreams, Liv.
I set my phone aside and change into pajamas, feeling more settled than I have in days.