What If I Lived a Lie? [You Me at Six]

Chapter Sixteen: What a Mess, What a Mystery We've Made.

"Holy shit. Holy shit. Matt, what are you doing here? And, and –"

"Olivia, can you please just let me in? I need to talk to you."

Olivia took one look at her currently petrified best friend and the man she thought she hated, then suddenly blurted in a hushed tone: "Matt, you hide. Once Josh is gone, both of you are explaining to me what the fuck is going on."

Matt opted for the basement, opening its door and darting down the stairs. Hunter and Olivia exchanged a glance before Olivia opened the door to let Josh in, barely managing a smile for him once more.

"Are you alright? I... I just feel like you're avoiding me, and well... I know how things, you know, were for us, but..."

"I know the truth," Hunter said from behind her best friend. "Dan told me everything."

"Told you what?" the pair of them said in unison.

"About your fake relationship."

"S-see, 'Livy, that's what I need to talk to you about, I..."

"Josh, I believe she has heard enough out of you. Really, haven't you done enough damage? You did pretend to have feelings for my best friend who so obviously –"

"I wasn't –"

"Enough!" Olivia interjected. "I am nobody's chew toy to fight over, and I can speak for myself. Both of you have given me a great deal of support during this challenging time in my life, and it means more to me than you know. Josh, I'll call you tomorrow, and you can tell me what's on your mind, I promise. Hunter, if you're upset, please be upset with me, too. I'm a big girl. I knew what I was getting myself into, and I went along with lying to you, so I am just as guilty. Now that everything is sorted – at least for now – can I please get some sleep?"

After receiving a mumbled "sure" from both parties and seeing Josh out, Olivia was about to head upstairs, when she recalled Matt's presence. The basement door creaked open and his head poked out. "Your relationship with Josh was fake?"

It was almost too perfect that Olivia had forgotten to lock the door behind Josh so, he too, had resurfaced. Before she could cut him off, he spoke, "I love you, Olivia."

And nothing mattered because he loved her.

But Matt was here and he knew everything, so now so would everyone else. And his being here meant Hunter and Dan weren't working things out – at least not presently, so Olivia blamed herself for that. And Hunter was confused about her feelings for Dan, and for Matt, but also rightfully mad at her best friend. And nothing mattered because Josh loved Olivia – and she loved him, too – yet, all at once, everything very much mattered.

***

Hunter watched as her best friend's face contorted with near horror at Josh's recognition of Matt, then at the realization of what Josh had just said, and her best friend's almost-but-not-quite-really boyfriend's face twisted with confusion and then slight fear over what he'd just said, and her former-but-now-current-ish flame's face heated up and grew red with embarrassment, when he realized he'd been seen (and heard) – it felt like the entire world was turning in slow motion. How had they all ended up here? From one incident at an airport, or a bakery? Was all of this a product of fate, or was it all just a product of choices – or mistakes – they'd all made along the way? Did it even matter? Would things ever end up how they were supposed to be? Did things ever end up how they were supposed to be? Or was life always this messy?

Before she could answer her own question, the chaos faded back in, starting with Matt. "So, wait, I don't understand. Your relationship was fake?"

Both Josh and Olivia nodded, then turned to each other, as if more words waited on the tips of their tongues – and yet, they said nothing.

"What about you?" Josh sounded almost accusatory. "You hid the first time I was here, which clearly means you're up to no good. What are you doing here?" His attention turned to Hunter. "Surely, you don't mean to betray Dan, do you?"

"Dan and I are... on a break."

"What in bloody hell does that mean? He misses you, Hunter!"

"He lied to me, Joshua!"

"I did, too!" Olivia interjected. "You don't get to be mad at Dan and let me off scot-free. That's not fair to him, not when... not when he loves you, Hunter. Sure, I'm... going through something right now, but I'm a big girl. I always come out on the other side of these things. If you need to be mad at someone, if you need to be mad at me, you get to be mad at me. Derek situation or not, I still chose to lie to you. Don't let your anger at me be taken out on Dan. If you're mad at him, sure, be mad at him, but don't over-inflate it, because you'd feel guilty about being mad at me."

Matt interjected here: "I think Hunter needs some time to gather her thoughts."

"And you need some time to get in her pants, I'm presuming?" Olivia butt in. "What lies did you tell her to convince her to let you over here, anyway? I'm actually surprised you showed up in the first place, given your history with flaking at the last minute."

"I... I invited him over, 'Liv." Finally, the woman in question spoke.

It was true, Hunter had invited him over, and she wasn't sure why – but she also knew she wasn't quite ready for him to leave. It was fascinating, but Matt had never been dishonest about who he was. Sure, he was a jerk, but he had come by it honestly, this entire time. How could Hunter fault him for his honesty, when it was what she'd craved from her best friend and her boyfriend – ex-boyfriend? – all along? Deep down, she knew his somewhat questionable... personality traits were likely defense mechanisms and she could likely see past them, if she just got to know him. So, she was going to. At least he hadn't lied to her.

It was silent for longer than Hunter had expected. Then, suddenly, her slightly older best friend spoke. "I'll be in my room if you need me. It looks like Josh is sticking around, too. So, I guess... we're here if you need anything."

The "you, too" Hunter said to her best friend as she squeezed her hand said that regardless of whatever tough conversation they were going to have in the near future, Hunter and Olivia had each other's backs – just as they always had.

***

When Matt had first received Hunter's text, he wasn't sure what to say.

I don't know who else to reach out to right now, but I'm feeling really alone and I could really use a friend. Are you busy?

Of course he wasn't busy, but did he want to see her? Why did she want to see him, of all the people in the world?

At first, he had only wanted her so badly because Dan did – at first, it was even almost partially a joke. But then things had gone so badly between them. Things had exploded so quickly; it was almost easy for him to forget his initial attraction to her. She was funny, and easygoing, and relaxing. You just felt good around her. In the few times he'd been around Olivia and Hunter at the same time, he understood why they worked so well together. In those moments where Olivia fell so silent and looked so grave as she succumbed to her always working mind, Hunter was the only person who could get through to her. But she wasn't just like that with her best friend. She was like that with everyone. She had that effect on everyone. It was rare to meet a person like that, to meet a person like Hunter.

But Matt had been careless. He'd forgotten about their date, and then got defensive instead of explicatory when she called him on his shit. He loved that she'd called him on his shit, though. It spoke to who she was – tough and no-nonsense, but still the most fun person you'd likely ever meet in your entire life, if you were lucky. He'd made a rookie mistake, really. But now it was up to him to prove that he was worth her time, and that was exactly what he was going to do – especially since she'd called him, and not Dan, when she was feeling down and lonely.

Once he was sure they were alone, Matt took the initiative and spoke first, "Hunter, I think we should talk. For real, this time."