𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗮 ᵖʰⁱˡ ᶠᵒᵈᵉⁿ

𝟬𝟬𝟭

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭
𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

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IN THE TUMULTUOUS life that is Maeve Mount, a daily battle unfolds, where she confronts relentless paparazzi who know no bounds, endures a barrage of hateful messages from the envious and the bored, and wrestles with her overbearing management, who eagerly thrust her into any situation to enhance her public image.

Over the past three years, she's honed the art of brushing aside the naysayers, the intrusive paparazzi, and the domineering management. She rises above it all, resilient and composed, her fortitude unwavering, except for one enduring thorn in her side, an aspect of life she cannot acclimate to or derive any enjoyment from: family gatherings.

Maeve's formative years were spent in a quaint Portsmouth town, nestled with her parents, her twin brother Mason, and her elder sister Holly. When Mason, at the tender age of nine, earned a trial with the prestigious Chelsea Football Club, an opportunity to join their illustrious youth academy, their parents, Jane and Tony, couldn't bear to thwart his dreams. Jane and Tony, dedicated to their children's happiness, ferried Mason to every practice, fervently cheered from the sidelines at every game, and embraced the notion of relocating to London when the call came that Mason had been accepted into Chelsea's Youth Academy.

For Mason, football was an unshakable dream, a calling he couldn't ignore. Maeve, initially delighted for her brother, for it meant she no longer had to serve as his makeshift goalkeeper during practice sessions (a task that left her bruised and battered), saw her elation wane when she realized that Mason was moving to London.

The two-hour commute to and from London proved inconvenient, creating disruptions in the daily routines of Jane and Tony, as well as hindering the education and extracurricular activities of Maeve and Holly. It seemed they might have to decline the offer until the club extended the lifeline of a foster parent arrangement, effectively establishing a boarding school for the youth football academy. Mason would study in London, train at Chelsea's Youth Academy, and reunite with his family on weekends.

After much contemplation, Jane and Tony consented to this unconventional arrangement. The initial days were fraught with trepidation, and the family spent more time in London than at home. Nevertheless, Mason eventually found his footing, and a semblance of routine emerged within the family.

For Maeve, this meant a weekly pilgrimage to London, counting down the minutes until she could reunite with her brother, her dearest friend. She, too, forged friendships with some of Mason's academy mates over the years, proudly boasting to her peers about being friends with these 'future famous footballers,' a claim that gained even more clout when Mason trained with the U16 England Squad.

Maeve grew accustomed to this rhythm over nine years and nurtured her own passion for music, inspired by her mother who gifted her guitar lessons at age eleven. At thirteen, she began to sing, and by sixteen, she ventured into songwriting. At eighteen, she made the audacious decision to forsake college and relocate to London to pursue a music career, driven by her lifelong observation of her twin chasing his dream.

The journey began with her living alongside Mason for the initial year and a half of her music career, a peculiar circumstance given their separation in their formative years. Fast forward another eighteen months, and Maeve had become a notable figure in the music industry, crafting her second album, while Mason found himself a starter for Chelsea and earned his place in major international football tournaments.

At twenty-one, both twins had achieved remarkable success, yet it came at the cost of limited family time. Occasional gatherings, summoned by their mother, would serve as a reminder of what they had left behind. Maeve, though she cherished her family, harbored a unique aversion to these gatherings.

Her reluctance wasn't rooted in familial disdain; it stemmed from a peculiar tradition at Mount family functions – the 'plus one' requirement. Maeve consistently arrived solo, a choice that often attracted critical remarks from a judgmental aunt she feigned affection for, while also fostering a touch of envy as she watched Holly, with her fiancé and their three-year-old daughter, Summer, her own niece.

Maeve, at twenty-one, had no intentions of settling down, yet even her fourteen-year-old cousin managed to secure a date for these gatherings, further compounding Maeve's discomfort. Her disdain for these family reunions ran so deep that she contemplated expressing it in song, a testament to the lengths she'd go to avoid them.

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authors note :

maeve is literally all of us and we love her for that

word count | 973