Maeve and Oscar returned to their group just in time for dinner. Logan immediately questioned their whereabouts.
"Where have you been? We've been looking for you," Logan asked with a hint of curiosity. Oscar shrugged, sharing a knowing smile with Maeve. "Just here and there," he replied cryptically.
Isabel, ever the observant one, couldn't resist teasing. "You all look lovesick, too much heart eyes."
Maeve, not quite catching Isabel's comment, asked, "What?"
Isabel quickly changed the subject, urging them to focus on dinner. "Nothing, let's have dinner, yeah?" she said, steering the conversation away from any further speculation.
During their dinner, the group engaged in lively conversation, catching up and enjoying each other's company. However, in the middle of the meal, Maeve's phone rang, and she excused herself to take the call.
"Sorry to bother you, but I thought you'd like a good start to your new year," Eloise's voice came from the other end.
Maeve's anticipation was palpable as she asked, "Oh, it's not a bother at all. Do you have news for me?"
Eloise's voice held a hint of excitement as she delivered the news. "Well, we discussed it, and we think you'd be the right choice for us. Congratulations, Maeve. You have the job. We're expecting you to join us soon after you graduate."
Maeve's eyes lit up with joy and surprise. She couldn't help but smile broadly. "Thank you so much! I'm thrilled," she replied, gratitude and excitement coursing through her.
As Maeve returned to her seat next to Oscar after her phone call, he couldn't help but notice the elation in her eyes. He could sense that something important had transpired.
"Everything alright?" Oscar asked, his concern evident.
Maeve hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether it was the right time to share her news. After a brief pause, she decided to reveal her secret.
"Ossie, I just got the Conde Nast job," Maeve whispered, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
Oscar's eyes widened in surprise. "What?" he exclaimed, unable to contain his astonishment.
Logan, who was sitting nearby, overheard the conversation and voiced her concern. "Is everything alright?"
Oscar, still processing the news, assured Logan with a nod. "Yeah, everything's fine."
Maeve couldn't help but break into a wide smile as she shared her incredible news. "I got a job at Conde Nast. You're looking at the new Creative Associate for GQ."
Isabel and Logan couldn't contain their excitement. They erupted into cheers and applause, congratulating Maeve on her impressive achievement. Oscar wore an expression of deep affection and pride as he looked at her.
"So proud of you, baby," Isabel expressed. "Congrats, Mae. You go, girl!" Logan added.
Oscar chimed in, patting Maeve on the back affectionately. "So deserving. She's so talented; it's out of this world, actually."
however, Kiera couldn't resist casting a shadow on the celebratory moment. With a haughty tone, she questioned Maeve's worthiness. "You sure about that?"
Maeve's expression fell, "Sorry?."
Kiera, with a smug demeanor, continued her critique. "Oh, please. Everyone knows you don't lift a finger. Whose connection did you use this time? You're the epitome of a trust fund baby."
Maeve felt her anger rise at the accusation. "You're the one talking. You were practically born with your mom's agent."
Their exchange escalated, and Maeve seethed with frustration. "You're the standard of a nepo baby—stiff expression, hardly any experience, and just dick riding your mom's and partner's success."
Kiera looked at Archie, who had been listening to the conversation silently. "That's enough, Mae. You can't talk to my girlfriend like that," he reprimanded.
Maeve, hurt and feeling unfairly treated, challenged Archie's stance. "And she can? Just because she's dating you, she gets a free pass to be a bitch to me?"
Archie defended Kiera, and his voice grew louder. "But she's right. You are a spoiled brat, dripping in privilege. She, on the other hand, auditions."
Desperate to prove herself, Maeve struggled to maintain her composure. "I gave interviews too, you know. Three rounds of them. I cleared everything, actually."
Archie continued to press, mentioning the sources of Maeve's opportunities. "And who got you that audition? Your mom, her boyfriend, your godfather, or, let me guess, your dead grandfather?"
Kiera chimed in, delivering the final blow, "Nope, her non existent father."
The mention of her father, was a painful point for Maeve. Unable to hold back tears, she abruptly stood up and left the table, her emotions overwhelming her.
Isabel started to stand up in response to the tense situation, but Oscar signaled her to remain seated. With determination, he rose from his chair, his voice dripping with anger and disappointment.
"I don't know who gave you the audacity or the right to be such low-level bitches to Mae or the nerve to spoil her New Year and her good news," Oscar began, his tone low but filled with a dangerous edge. "But I'll give you one piece of advice: we are done for now, and until she herself is okay, do not even think that I'll be talking to you."
With that, Oscar turned and walked away. Isabel, unable to contain her frustration with the situation and her friends' behavior, stood up abruptly.
"Fuck you guys. Let's go, Logan," she declared, her anger palpable. She didn't hesitate to take action, beginning to leave the table.
But before making her exit, Isabel exacted a small revenge, her parting move filled with resentment. With a swift motion, she intentionally knocked over an entire glass of wine, drenching Kiera as she left.
.
Oscar entered their shared suite, his steps carrying the weight of the tension left behind at the dinner table. As he walked toward the bed, he noticed Maeve's discarded clothes, leaving her in just her undergarments, her face buried into the pillow as she cried.
This sight wasn't awkward for them. They had spent countless days on the beach, practically seeing each other in minimal clothing. They had also been comfortable enough to sleep shirtless next to each other.
Oscar thought back on their friendship. While they had been rhetorically comfortable around each other, they had never been physically touchy best friends. His hands had never ventured below her shoulder while hugging, and there had always been pillows between them. But tonight, Maeve needed comfort, and he was determined to cross that boundary, awkwardness be damned.
With deliberate care, he removed his hoodie, leaving himself in his shorts. He approached Maeve and gently removed the pillow mountain, then pulled her close into a warm, skin-to-skin hug. He could feel her tears dampening his chest as she held onto him tightly, seeking solace and support in his embrace.
As Maeve cried into Oscar's chest, he gently rubbed her back in a comforting manner, offering his support and understanding.
"My mom doesn't even know I was looking for a job, let alone got a job," she hiccupped, her voice filled with frustration and sadness.
Oscar continued to console her. "It's okay, Mae. I know you work hard, I know you're talented, and you don't owe any one of us any kind of explanation."
Maeve's tears flowed anew as she poured out her feelings. "It's just... how did he change so much? I was going to confess tonight, Oscar. Confess. It would have been a disaster. Is that what he thinks of me? A spoiled brat? Is that all I am?"
Oscar tightened his embrace, determined to reassure her. "Of course not, honey. You're very talented, sweet. He's a prick, and they don't deserve you. No one deserves you."
Maeve, with a mixture of emotions, spoke softly, "It's pathetic, isn't it, Ossie? I'm a 21-year-old crying over my first heartbreak."
Oscar tried to lighten the mood with a touch of humor. "Well, not my fault you pined over the same guy all through your teenage years and much into your 21st," he teased, eliciting a chuckle from Maeve.
He continued to hold her close, gently playing with her hair. "Sleep, Maeve. Forget everything and sleep," he encouraged, never letting her go.
Maeve, feeling comforted by his presence, asked a concern, "What about your New Year's?"
Oscar pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead and whispered, "I have a seat, you have a job. Celebration be damned."
With those soothing words, he lulled her to sleep.
A/N
okay the skin to skin hug was because , I read in my minors paper that , skin to skin hugging in adults releases oxytocin which helps decrease stress significantly.