The Rabbit Hole || ONC 2023 ||

Chapter 13

There's an hour left before they perform. Roan packs his guitar up as Marie talks to Evie.

"I promise I'll explain everything later," she says.

Evie crosses her arms. "And why can't you explain it now?"

Marie looks over her shoulder at Roan. "We don't have the time right now."

"Then let me come with you! You can explain everything on the way!"

Marie bites her lip. "It isn't my story to tell."

Her roommate narrows her eyes. "Fine. Don't tell me. But I'm still coming with you to watch you perform." But as she says it her gaze drifts over to Roan.

Marie sighs. Evie will have her answers, and she already knows who her roommate will ask. "Fine," she says. "You can come with us."

Evie grins. "Great! Glad that's settled." She skips over to Roan. Marie catches her asking him about ghosts before she sighs, shakes her head and heads to their apartment door.

"Are we ready?" she asks.

Evie bounces over to the door. "Yep!" Marie gets the feeling that her and Nayoko will get along great.

Roan comes up behind her, eyeing her roommate. He nods.

"Alright. Let's go and finish."

Evie raises an eyebrow at her weird phrasing.

***

As they approach the bar, they start to notice the small crowd that has gathered around the front door. They push their way through it to the front. Only some of the crowd parts when they recognize Roan. The other half swarms him asking for his autograph.

Marie tries to not let any jealousy overcome her. She's doing this for Kal now, not herself.

"What's going on?" she asks when she finally reaches the cast of The Rabbit Hole. "Can you still not get in?"

Mike sighs and rubs his bald head. "Nope. The door just won't budge."

"And we've tried everything!" Nayoko exclaims. "He just won't let us in!"

Roan hums as he comes to stand beside Marie. "Have you tried asking him nicely?"

Amy rolls her eyes. "That was our first idea."

"Well, you guys have had Marie talk to him before. What if she tried to ask him?" Evie asks as she comes further into the group.

Everyone stares at her.

"And who are you?" Amy asks.

"This is my roommate, Evie."

Evie waves. "Roan got me caught up on what's been happening here." She side-eyes Marie. "Unlike my roommate."

Marie chuckles nervously.

Everyone glares at Roan.

"What happened to not telling people?" Mike asks.

Roan shrugs. "She's nosy! And plus, she lives with Marie and she would have found out eventually!"

"Not if I had a say in it," Marie mumbles.

"Yeah. Because you're head over heels for her." Marie hears Amy mumble.

"You really think Marie could get him to let us in?" Nayoko asks, breaking the awkward silence.

Evie shrugs. "Why not? Right now she seems like she's the closest with him."

Everyone hums and hods at the idea all before nodding and chiming in with why not and worth a shot.