snowflake || maeve wiley

Chapter IX

song ~ ✄ Disorder - Joy Division ✄

Chapter IX

"So I think I need to talk to Otis." Maeve looked up from her locker into the concerned eyes of Aimee. "Problems with Kyle?" She guessed, grabbing out her books for first period and closing her locker with a small slam and leaning against the faded yellow metal. "Oh no, I'm with Steve now." Aimee corrected, the blondes forehead creasing into a confused frown. "Whose Steve?"

"You know, top heavy steve? Built like a chupa chup?" Aimee offered an answer but it did nothing to ease Maeve's confusion. Sensing this Aimees eyes scanned the hall as her finger rose, pointing out a boy not too far from them, who Maeve agreed was built not dislike a chupa chup.

"Oh cool. Yeah, I'll book you in." The girl smiled, Aimee sighing in relief with a happy nod of satisfaction. Maeve smiled back, until she saw someone over Aimees shoulder who sent her stomach into a series of tight knots, Imogen. The two hadn't spoken all night after their encounter, not a single message. Which was uncommon as they often stayed up talking about all sorts of odd subjects. Novels, movies, even the sky.

Then the past couple days they'd managed to completely avoid one another, not having many common classes or clinic business to draw them together. Maeve took her lunch breaks in the toilet block with Aimee whilst Imogen stayed with Otis and Eric, they were both grateful their paths hadn't crossed much, however today was a different story as they had three classes together, and undoubtedly would have to see one another. Not that either knew what to say.

Feeling someone's eyes on her Imogen looked up, glancing to her right she locked gazes with Maeve and her cheeks flushed red with colour. Immediately snapping her neck back to face the inside of her locker the girl shoved her things inside and hurried off in the opposite direction.

With a small sigh Maeve bit her lip in thought as she watched the girl melt away into the crowded halls of Moordale Secondary, still unable to wrap her head around her own feelings about the kiss she could hardly expect Imogen to. Though both girls knew they'd have to talk to the other eventually, and though the thought crossed both their minds neither thought they could pretend as if it didn't happen.

***

Having helped poor Aimee drop off Anwars very late and thus very expensive library books, the two just made it to assembly on time. Aimee darting off to her spot inbetween Ruby and Olivia, who seemed to be talking again after the whole nude situation. Maeve looked around for a space to sit, the hall quite full now.

"Maeve. Maeve!" The girl heard her name called as her head turned towards the source of the noise, Otis sending her a toothy smile and waving her over in his direction. He was sat next to Eric and of course, the spare seat he was furiously pointing to had to be right next to Imogen. But not having many other options now she'd looked at him and arrived late, Maeve strode over, smiling to the two boys as she squeezed past them and dropped down into the empty seat.

"Hey." Imogen managed to spit out after a moment of awkward silence. "Hi." Maeve echoed back. "How are you?" The girl continued unsure what else to say, back rigid against the hard plastic of the chair underneath her. "Yeah fine, you?" Imogen answered quickly, both girls still refusing to look at one another staring straight ahead. "Yeah great, good." Maeve winced at her own answer as Principle Groff took to the stage, everyone wincing as he tapped the microphone a few times sending a piercing wave of shrill static through the hall.

"Er lets start today's assembly off with a very special announcement. The winner of this years sixth form essay competition has been decided! So the award goes to..." Principle Groff cleared his throat, fiddling with a large brown envelope for a moment before managing to get it open, sliding out a small stack of paper from within as he discarded the envelope to the side and cleared his throat.