The Truths Behind the Life of Maeve Sun Lively

55

SHE JUST LEFT LIKE THAT? So that was it? They never had any contact after that?" I ask Rosalie, who raises her eyebrows in amusement as I pause the recorder, needing an absolute explanation.

She doesn't answer me, just a tingle of a smile rising in her face that annoys me.

"It can't be though. That doesn't...that just doesn't add up."

Finally, she leans forward in her seat, reflecting my own frown back at me. "Doesn't add up? Izzy, this isn't some movie, things are more complicated than whatever you're thinking in your head. People leave in and out of your life and sometimes without much of a warning or reason. They just leave." And then she looks out the window, staring out observingly in a way that's almost like she's not just talking about Maeve.

I almost laugh, because as far as I'm concerned, Maeve's life certainly has felt like a movie. It would make a great one, just saying.

"Wait, where's Carlise?" I stand up, about to look for her, thinking she will have some answers. I mean after all, she is related to Klarise. It's been at least a day or two of non stop listening since we last went out to dinner. Now though, I can't seem to find her anywhere even though this morning she had brought in breakfast for both me and Rosalie as we listened and devoured through the recordings unceasingly.

I don't know if I'm more eager to finish or Rosalie. But maybe for me, I just want to know what happens. It's so weird too, because I first came searching for answers of my own, but now, I have questions for both myself and Maeve.

Rosalie stands up from where she had been sitting, ignoring my question. "I have some business to attend to, we'll start off here when I get back. Unless, you have some of your own things to do?"

She says the last one as a question, a curious look on her face. It makes me feel suddenly a little more superior, that she'd be interested in maybe my life or something. And for some reason, I want her to. I want to get to know her better.

"No, not really." I respond, finally answering her question. "It's not like I know my way here in Beijing, I'll probably be lost within minutes."

I come to this small realization, standing there in front of her.

Rosalie laughs heartedly, "Maybe sometime I'll take you around the city and show you around."

I smile back at her, and for a moment she and I just look at each other in an almost...sibling manner way. I never had a sibling or any friend like one, maybe other than Max though, but this feels like it. Feels right.

Until she breaks away from that bubble.

"Well, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you." I watch her back as she makes her way out of the study room gracefully, and my realization sticks to me.

I think I have come to take to some small extent of caring for Rosalie. The problem is, I'm scared of that. Because I really don't know if I should.

I'VE SHUT MY PHONE off since the time me and Rosalie continued Maeve's story after she and Carlise took me out to dinner. And now, I'm not planning on opening it. Too many things to go back to when I do, including rental problems, landlord, Max, my parents, and Mr. Reed who keeps asking me about that article of Rosalie, probably having no idea I've been living with her for at least a week and a half now. I don't even know if I still need his job or not, because what if Rosalie is wrong? What if Maeve's story flops and doesn't sell? What if the reason to that will be because of me?

So yeah, there's a lot I'm trying to not think about. I need all my concentration on work anyways. Mostly, work for me now consists of listening to Maeve's recordings and then taking notes. I've never been so drawn to work.