Blood Is Thicker Than Water // Lahote - [EDITED]

Part 25 - [EDITED]

A/N: This was a hard chapter to write, hope you like it :)

Mia was looking between Olivia and Leah. Leah's eyes were widened and she was looking straight at Olivia. Olivia glanced away.

"Uhm, let's just get inside," Mia muttered, trying to buy any time she could to better navigate the situation. 

She took a few steps forward and opened the door. Olivia stepped in first. Leah was stuck there and Mia gave her a look. Leah sighed and got inside. 

The three of them were standing silently, and awkwardly, in the living room. "Can I... Can I take a shower?" Leah asked. 

Mia wasn't sure she really was going to take a shower but she nodded anyway. "The towels are in the closet by the sink,"

Mia led her friend to the couch. "What the hell?" Olivia said. "No, seriously, Mia, what the hell?"

She looked at her friend with apologetic eyes. "Olivia... I... Uhm, what-what are you doing here?" 

The sound a computer made when it froze was the only sound inside Mia's mind.

"I am here to talk to you!" Olivia raised her voice. Mia heard the shower being turned on. "Like I said, for God knows why, I wanted to check on you after last Wednesday. I heard what those girls were saying about you, and you seemed... Anyway, I came and you weren't here. Then you didn't show up for school. So I came again to see if everything was alright. God, Cait told me not to come, but I didn't listen to her,"

"No," Mia spoke up out of instinct, "I am very happy to see you,"

She regretted the words as soon as they came out, not because it wasn't true but because she couldn't explain the rest of it.

Olivia cocked an eyebrow. "That's rich," she muttered under her breath. "What are you trying to play at Mia?"

Mia didn't know how to respond to that. "My Mom told me you came to our house during summer. Why then? After what you did last year... I'm asking again, what are you trying to play at?"

Mia gulped. She knew the conversation would lead here and she didn't know what to say. The rules were clear. No one could know. Except for tribe elders and imprints. Leah had just imprinted on Olivia. She applied to the rules. 

But could Mia talk?

No, she thought, I can't as much as I want it. 

Even if she was an imprint, they had to tell Sam, and he had to approve, and it was supposed to be Leah. Just because Mia wanted her best friend to know the truth, she couldn't do this, it was supposed to be Leah.

"I... I'm not playing something. I swear, you have to believe me, please," she pleaded, "Everything I did was to keep you guys safe. I can't tell you anything, not right now anyway, but just know, know that I never meant to hurt you guys,"

Olivia didn't seem like she bought it. "Mia, I knew you could scheme but I never thought you'd straight-up lie to my face," she scoffed and tried to get up. Mia grabbed her hand and stopped her. Olivia looked at her hand and then her face with shock. "You've grown stronger,"

She tilted her head. "Olivia, I am not lying to you. I promise on Loki's daggers that I am not lying,"

Olivia pressed her lips together as she mulled it over. "Isn't it a bit ironic to swear on the God of Mischief's daggers to prove you're not lying?"

Mia snorted. As it turned to a smile she saw her friend's lips tugging upward. "You believe me?" 

Olivia took a deep breath. "I do," she exhaled, and something tugged at Mia's chest.