CHAPTER FIVE
LILA
The haunted maze looms ahead, daring me to step inside.
I tug up my corset, making sure my B-cup chest is snug and secure, just in case this game involves running.
Kicking off my heels, I leave them by a pool chair with the other guests’ shoes, sling my skillet-shaped purse across my chest, and straighten my posture.
I’m ready for anything or anyone who might try something funny. The shots I downed earlier swirl in my head, fueling my bolder, more competitive side. A warm buzz hums through my veins, syncing with the pulsing energy of the crowd.
You don’t get to be valedictorian by being passive. You fight for it. And I’m fighting for this wish… I need it… she needs it.
I whip my braid over my shoulder and grab Aster’s arm, a spark of determination igniting in my chest. “Let’s do this damn thing!”
Aster looks me up and down with a slow smirk. “Mmm. I like this, Lila,” she says, holding up her hand.
I grin and slap my palm against hers in a loud, satisfying high five. That’s going to hurt tomorrow.
The crowd surges with anticipation at the maze’s entrance. To the right, a stage stands, complete with a DJ table and oversized speakers. Just then, a familiar figure in aBatman costumesteps onto the stage and approaches the microphone.
No way… Is this his party? His house?
His face remains masked, but I’d recognize those deep blue eyes anywhere. Even with the shifting dance floor lights, their intensity is unmistakable, sending butterflies fluttering through my stomach.
Aster nudges my arm, catching the look on my face. “Wait… is that the guy you were dancing with earlier? Damn, that body is hot,” Aster says, raising a perfectly arched brow.
I nod, biting back a sheepish smile. “Yeah… but I totally screwed it up. I, um… had a panic attack.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh no, Lila! Are you okay? What did you say?” “I told him I had to go to the ladies’ room,” I groan. “Then I dipped and never went back.”
Aster gasps dramatically. “Girl… no! You can’t ghost him mid-seduction!”
“Trust me, I didn’t want to,” I mutter, the heat rising in my cheeks. “But I made a total fool of myself. The panic attacks… they control me. I don’t control them.”
“Umm, so go back over there and play it cool,” Aster urges. “Say something came up, but now you’re back. Act confident. Seriously, who could resist you, especially looking like a five-course meal?”
“Aster, I literally can’t. I’m too nervous. I’m going to… shit myself.” I cross my legs, trying to soothe the storm swirling in my stomach. A giggle slips out of both of us, cutting the tension just enough.
Until I glance at the stage, and there he is. His gaze already locked on mine. The air thickens, too heavy to swallow. Then… a slow, sexy smirk curves across his mouth. And it doesn’t end there, he winks.
Oh, the things I bet that mouth could do to me. Heat slams into my core.
I glance around, expecting some other girl to wave or wink back. But no. His gaze is fixedonlyon me .
Wait, was that for me?
Aster grips my arm, squealing. “Shutup!Did sexy-ass Batman just wink at you?”
“Play it cool! He’s still watching!” I yank her down before she can start jumping like an overexcited fangirl.
On stage, his lips tilt into a full-on smile, perfect teeth and all, letting everyone see just how dangerously charming he is. He knows exactly what he’s doing. The kind of smile that’s all confidence, all game.
Then, in a deep, gravelly voice, he begins: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the haunted maze, where your worst nightmares come to life.”
His voice, God, that voice is hypnotizing. “The master of this mansion will grant the winner of this obstacle course one favor. However, nothing comes without a price...” My stomach clenches.
A favor? I thought it was a wish… with no strings attached. Damn it, Aster. Always roping me into some crazy shit. But I need this. This favor could change everything for my mom… for us.
He pauses, letting the suspense simmer in the silence, the entire crowd holding its breath, waiting for what comes next.
“The objective is simple: reach the exit first. But beware, this is no ordinary maze. Creatures lurk in the shadows, waiting to capture you. If they manage to zip-tie your wrist, you’ll be escorted out, and you’re eliminated. However, if you can escape the zip-tie, you’re free to keep going.”
Fan-freaking-tastic. Afight-or-flightgame? Perfect setup for a panic attack, which will land me straight in the emergency room. Great .
I fidget with my fingers as he continues, my buzz beginning to fade, fear creeping in. “When the fireworks sound, we will have our winner.” His smirk grows sharper. “Good luck…
And may the odds be ever in your favor.” He says it in aperfectCapital accent, imitating Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games. I snort.
Of course, he would.
Then, without another word, Batman disappears into the maze.
Wait. Is he playing too? Or will he be one of the monsters waiting to grab me in the darkness?
Hmm. I sure hope so. The thought hits me like a freight train.
A sudden warmth pulses between my legs. I imagine his hard body against mine again, this time pinning me down, zip-tying me in the shadows, whispering in my ear. Shit. I really need to get laid.
The crowd surges forward, and I take a deep breath, steadying myself. Aster and I grip each other’s arms, refusing to let go. We started this together, and we’re damn sure finishing it together.
The entrance looms ahead, the sign draped in blood-red roses and sharp, tangled thorns, woven so seamlessly into the hedges it looks like the maze grew around it.
We step through… into a world of shadows and towering green shrubbery.
All around us, people scatter in every direction, swallowed by the dark.
“Which way do you think we should go?” I ask, glancing around the four-way stop. Aster doesn’t answer. She’s deep in thought, a furrow forming between her brows. I nudge her lightly. “Alright, spill it. What’s on your mind? ”
She hesitates. “Do you… Do you think I’m a bad person?”
I frown, gripping my skillet-shaped purse a little tighter. “What? No! Why would you even ask that? Did someone say that to you? Because I will use these weapons.”
Aster lets out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “No, no one said anything… but good to know you’ve got my back.”
“Then what’s up? Why did you ask that?”
She sighs, her voice dropping. “Because if I won, I’d probably wish for something stupid.
A car, maybe. A trip. Something materialistic.
But you, you’re different. I can see you wishing for something selfless.
Like donating to charity or buying your parents a new house.
I just… wish I could be more like you sometimes. ”
A lump forms in my throat. She wants to be like me? I’ve always wanted to be like her.
“Oh, Aster… I’ve always wanted to be more like you , ” I whisper, reaching for her hand. “You’re unapologetically yourself. You walk through life with this fierce confidence, like nothing can shake you. I think that’s why we’re so perfect for each other… we balance each other out.”
I see tears forming in her eyes as she begins to fan her face.
“Ugh, don’t make me cry. I’m going to mess up my makeup,” she mutters, voice shaky.
“But I love you. I really needed to hear that. Sometimes I look stronger than I actually am.” She looks down at the ground as we curve deeper into the maze.
I squeeze her hand gently. “I know, and you know I’m always your person. You don’t have to carry everything alone.”
She nods, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah… I know.” Then she glances over at me. “Now spill. What are you going to use the wish for if you win? ”
I don’t want to say it. If I say it, it becomes real.
I look away, blinking fast, trying to shove the words back down.
But they claw their way up my throat, relentless and aching.
Finally, I whisper, “I haven’t told you yet because I was waiting for the right moment…
but my mom had a mammogram a few months ago.
” Aster’s face falls. “They found a lump.”
The wordshang between us, heavy and suffocating. She swallows hard. “Lila…” I force a breath, but it shudders on the way out.
“They did a biopsy. It’s stage four.” My voice cracks, and suddenly, I can’t stop. “They say she has a little time left...A year, Aster.That’s all they’re giving her.”
Aster stops walking. Her hands tremble before she grips my arm like an anchor, grounding me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I let out a broken laugh. “Because if I say it out loud, it becomes real… and I can’t let it be real.
” My heart cracks as the truth finally settles in.
“Aster, I can’t lose her. I can’t sit here and watch my dad fall apart a little more every day, pretending to be strong when I know he cries himself to sleep every night.
I can’t even look at her without seeing the ticking clock strapped to her chest, counting down the last moments of her life. ”
My voice wavers. “She goes back to the doctor next week to talk about treatment options, but she doesn’t want chemo.
She doesn’t want surgery. She just wants to live this next year as herself.
” My throat tightens, pain clawing its way through me.
“And I can’t—I just can’t—” Tears slip down my cheek before I can stop them.
Aster reaches up and wipes them away, so gently, like I’m the fragile girl she met back at the academy.
“You’re my sister, Lila.” Her voice is fierce, unwavering.
“And my parents? They love you like their own daughter. If you don’t win this, I’ll talk to them.
We’ll figure something out. Perhaps we can arrange for her to be transferred to a high-end Oncology hospital. Theremust be something we can do.”