Don't give up on me ✓

[43] Seeing double

You can't break up with a soul mate - anyonymous

Chapter 43: Seeing double

I'm not sure what Isla, Cleo and Sid thought of our dinner – but it couldn't be normal. I walked them to the car in the winter cold, leaving behind the light and warmth of Maythorne Manor.

"You really live there?" Cleo repeated, as if that fact still hadn't settled in.

"There's so much drama," Sid said, "I now know why you're never online! Honestly people would pay for this experience."

"The boys alone..."

I barely considered it, "Well thank you for coming. I'm sorry if it wasn't exactly how we planned."

They got into their cars, still chatting non-stop. I almost wished I could join them. Maythorne Manor was out of control tonight. I didn't want to know what I was heading back into.  

I walked back to the house and stepped back into the chaos.

Emily was putting a wet towel on Zander's cheek. He kept flicking her away, but she was insisting. His "girlfriend" had stormed off somewhere.

Jesper and Nate were still at logger heads. They looked like they were about to fight any minute now.

Eight strange children stood in the hallway, taking in the extravagance of the manor. Did we have enough bedrooms? This house seemed never-ending but surely there was a limit.

"I think we're just going to have to deal with all of this in the morning," Mrs Maythorne said, still surprised by the cold greeting she'd received from her sons, "Emily, would you take the children upstairs? I think we should have enough rooms but maybe the youngest two will double up in one."

"Of course, Mrs Maythorne," Emily circled round the children and coaxed them upstairs. Some stragglers were still ogling at the grandeur of the entrance. I helped a small one follow his friends up the stairs.

Mrs Maythorne said to the rest of us, "As you can see, things are changing around here-"

"They're staying?!" Hugo did not look happy about it.

"Let's discuss this tomorrow. We've had a long trip back from Paris and I'm exhausted. It's not easy taking care of so many children. You'll hopefully learn that one day. Goodnight," Mrs Maythorne left to her private wing of the Manor.

"Hey Zane," Hugo asked casually, "What was that?"

"Hmm?"

"Your girlfriend just slapped you. Do you want to explain that to us?"

"Well she's not my girlfriend technically..."

I couldn't deal with this anymore. "I'm going to go to bed. This whole night is a wash."

I was so tired of the boys' fighting.  And why couldn't one happy couple exist in this Manor?  I was really rooting for Zander.

"Look, it's not a lie. She was my girlfriend. We escaped the prison together and were on the run for a month. But then we got into an argument and she left me. I found out later that she had been recaptured and that's why I wanted to get her back. I've never stopped loving her."

"Does she think you left her?" Hugo asked.

"Maybe you should start with an apology," I suggested, "Since I'm guessing you were the cause of the argument?"

I was so over boys. Living in a house with five of them has changed me completely.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

On Monday morning, I woke up seeing double. Or triple.

For whatever insane reason, Mrs Maythorne thought it would be adorable to dress them all in matching clothes. The problem with that is that we couldn't tell them apart. It was like little Oompa Loompas running all over the place.

Mrs Maythorne was unreachable at breakfast. She spent all morning on the phone, discussing capacity constraints. We couldn't take in all the children. But I had yet to meet the girl we started this mission for. Kaya.

Kaya is the girl they have been looking for since before I showed up.  They found Zander instead, and he longed for his girlfriend, which is why he joined us in searching for the prison.  His "girlfriend" and Kaya had been prisoners in the same place.  

"She's asleep but I hope you'll meet her when you come back from school," Emily said, "Kaya is a dream bug. You'll love her."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

School

I was on my way to my locker when I passed by Isla's. She's usually talking to someone by her locker, but this time, I circled back.

"What are you doing?" I directed my question at the boy she was talking to.

"I'm asking your friend how she enjoyed Saturday night," he answered, "Good hosts do that."

Hugo was leaning against the locker, one arm bent over his head. What a poser. And Isla was feeling it.

"No, no," I shoved him, "Isla's my friend. She's a good person and she won't put up with your antics."

He rolled his eyes, "Who says I pull antics?"

"You! All the time! Every day you come home and tell us all about your latest conquests."

He smirked at that. It was true. There's very little he could hide since I lived with them. All their dirty secrets. Every fake 'I love you' 'I want to be with you forever' to various girls I witnessed first hand how they didn't mean it. And I wasn't going to let my friend fall into that trap.

I explained to Isla, "He's a player."

What I never expected was how she answered me back.

"So am I."

Hugo died and went to heaven. He fell for her in that instant.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

When I finally reached my locker, I found Sid and Cleo waiting for me with news.

"We had to tell you because we don't think you know. And since you live with him, and we're sharing in your secret life at Maythorne Manor, we got your back on this."

I got a little worried because no good news comes after a setup like that. They were prepping me. Did I need to sit down?

Sid started, "My sister Holly is dating him. She came home last night and she was over the moon happy. It hasn't the hit the rumor mill yet, but it will. We wanted you to know first."

I tried to think which of the boys weren't at home late last night. It was hard to keep track these days. The house was so full of people. One person could easily slip out.

"Nate's dating Holly?" I asked, vocalizing my fear.

Holly and Nate have always been that 'have they' 'haven't they' couple at this school.  She's been crushing on him for a while.

But I never in my wildest dreams imagined the word that came out of her mouth next. Never in a million years. 

I would've expected to be hit by lightning again before hearing that.

"Jesper is."

A/N: I know this is a short chapter, but I'll post the next one this weekend... I thought I'd have more time today, and wanted to get this one out.

Were you surprised by the revelation?  Jesper and Holly?!  Vote if you were surprised by that!