Chapter Twenty-Nine

Lila stood in front of her closet, suffering from decision paralysis. It was 9am, but she’d already showered, brushed her teeth and blow-dried her hair in anticipation of lunch with Holly and Asher. She’d had a look at Café Vines’ menu online and saw that the café’s general vibe was casual, warm and earthy.

Flipping through the various shirts and dresses hung up on her clothing rack, she couldn’t figure out what to wear. Should she dress down? She didn’t want to seem like she was trying too hard. But then again, wasn’t she trying really hard? Confronting Piper suddenly seemed like a piece of cake in comparison to surviving lunch…

‘Well, dresses are a no-go,’ Lila pondered, pushing aside a few dresses. The lilac sundress she had worn to Asher’s house slowly made itself known as she continued to look through her clothing rack. Clutching the hem, Lila was brought back to the first time she had visited Asher’s house on the weekend. It was as though she could feel her hands still writing the rudimentary investigation plan from that day. Then, in a flash, she was also reminded of Asher’s words –

“… I’d rather you not stand so close to me… I was just thinking about Holly and I want to respect that we’re in a relationship.”

Lila pulled the dress over to the others with force, almost pulling it off the hanger, and flicked through the rest of her potential options, her breathing heavy.

‘Let’s just go with a shirt and jeans…’ Lila thought with a sigh. She perused her shirt options, her hands hesitating over a black T-shirt that had a Creeper with Minecraft hearts surrounding it, the words ‘You make my heart EXPLODE’ in white blocky letters underneath the image. Lila cringed slightly – she really needed to throw it out, having received it as a Christmas present some years ago. She instead picked a plain caramel brown cotton shirt featuring a small collar. She paired it with wide-leg, light denim jeans.

Looking in her floor-length mirror, she thought she looked suitably casual enough. She ran her fingers through her hair, ensuring it was shaped nicely, and clasped a dainty gold necklace around her neck. The pendant was a gold circle featuring diamantes. She then slung a small, black cross-body bag over her shoulder.

A knock sounded on her door.

“Come in!” Lila called, still facing her mirror. She saw in its reflection Daniel sidling in, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“Uh, hi?” Lila questioned, turning around fully to face him.

“You’re wearing that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, somewhat judgementally.

“You came in here just to rag on my outfit?” Lila asked, rolling her eyes.

“No. I came in here to ask you to get some apple juice while you’re out.”

Lila checked her phone clock. It was 10am.

“Why me?” she asked.

“I’m not gonna get it,” Daniel replied flatly. “I still have some for today, but it’s just convenient for you to get more since you’re already going out.”

Lila sighed. “Sure. Text me in like two hours so I don’t forget.”

“What’re you even doing at the shops?” he asked absently as he began to shuffle out of her room.

“Just having lunch with some… friends.”

“Sounds sus. You normally say their names when you’re hanging out with friends. You got a boyfriend?”

“No,” Lila said bluntly. “Get out.”

He obliged with another yawn. Lila trudged downstairs and nestled herself on the couch. It seemed that no one else was up and about, which was normal for a Saturday. The anticipation whilst waiting alone to leave for the café on time was excruciating, however. Should she just leave now and hang out at the shopping centre? She could look at some stores while she waited…

Lila drummed her fingers on her thighs as she considered the options. Sitting on this couch filled her with a sense of doom – as if by waiting here, she’d forget the bus she needed and miss her opportunity to meet Holly.

‘There’s nothing wrong with being early…’ Lila told herself. ‘I’d be able to find something to occupy my time…’

Checking the bus timetable, Lila gradually rose to her feet. The next bus to the shops would be in about ten minutes, with the subsequent bus only arriving 30 minutes after that. She knew herself well enough to know that 40 minutes of waiting would be enough to unravel her entirely.

The bus ride to the shops felt as though it lasted two hours, but it was only about 20 minutes before she hit the ‘Stop’ button. The bus pulled into the shop’s bus station and most of the other commuters exited with Lila. Many of them seemed like school students, though she didn’t recognise anyone.

She checked her phone clock again. It was 10.45am now. Sighing, Lila made her way into the shopping centre. She’d at least take a look at the bookstore – perhaps there were some new fantasy or mystery novels that looked interesting. She put an alarm on her phone so that she knew when to leave and entered the expansive bookstore. Upon the rows and rows of shelves within the well-lit store sat colourful books with fresh spines, waiting to be cracked open by a curious reader.

She beelined her way to the teen fiction section, perusing the latest offerings. To her delight, a new book from one of the series’ she was reading was out. It was called ‘Monarchy of the Moon’. She immediately hooked it under her left arm and continued to browse. Nothing else sparked her interest at the moment, so she wandered through other shelves.

Eventually, she reached the History section. One particular row along the bottom caught her eye. Curious, she squatted and picked up a hefty-looking book on the history of Shakespeare’s works. She flicked through a couple pages and put it back, eyeing the rest that were sitting on the shelf. Many of them were particularly heavy and Lila didn’t necessarily want to lug it around the shopping centre. She picked up one, however, that was in paperback form. She opened it up, flipping to a few pages, before nodding to herself. After hearing Asher gush over the time period and works of Shakespeare, Lila couldn’t help but be intrigued.

She purchased both books just as her alarm began to ring. The cashier bid her farewell and Lila went on her way, gripping the handles of the paper bag holding her new books tightly. Café Vines was at the other end of the shopping centre from the bookstore. She’d given herself about 15 minutes of time to get there, though it would hardly take more than a couple of minutes to walk the entire length of the centre.

Her mind was ticking through the potential theories she held regarding the latest iteration of her series as she wandered towards Café Vines. She soon found herself trailing behind a guy and girl holding hands and laughing about something or other. They looked familiar.

Lila slowed her pace as she took in the appearance of the couple before her. The guy was dressed casually in what looked like a polo shirt and long chinos, but there was something about his tousled chestnut-coloured hair that bothered her. Pondering this, her eyes glided over to the girl. She was dressed in a white, knee-length and flowy dress with delicate navy flowers embroidered around the hem. Her flaxen hair was perfectly curled, reaching her small waist, and clipped back with decorative clips. She was taller than Lila, though it was hard to tell by how much given the straw-coloured wedges she was wearing. Despite the shoes, she was still shorter than her male partner by a good few inches.

Realisation suddenly hit Lila like a bullet to the brain. It was Asher and Holly. Lila ducked around a column within the shopping centre, as if to hide from them. She began trembling from head to toe, the imagery of Asher and Holly holding hands stubbornly remaining in her mind’s eye. They both seemed so carefree, laughing comfortably in each other’s company. Taking a deep breath, Lila peeked around the column to see how far they had gotten.

‘A fair way,’ Lila thought as she continued to survey them. ‘Far enough away that if I leave now, they won’t think I’ve followed them down here…’

Lila side-stepped the column and began walking towards Café Vines, grabbing her paper bag even more tightly. She could hardly tear her eyes away from Asher and Holly as they strolled through the centre, their hands still touching tenderly.

‘I mean, they are boyfriend and girlfriend,’ Lila reminded herself sternly. ‘You’ve seen plenty of couples hold hands, even just from this morning. No need to get worked up over it.’

Asher continued to hold Holly’s hand as they stepped over the threshold into the café. They were immediately greeted by waitstaff, who led them away from Lila’s line of sight. He seemed entirely unaware of Lila’s presence a mere fifteen metres away from him.

‘No wonder he’s so easy to stalk,’ Lila thought bitterly as she approached the café, her hands aching from the deep impressions left by her bag of books. ‘Well that was a fucked thought,’ she quickly chastised herself as she approached the entryway.

Upon entering the café, the same waitstaff greeted Lila, asking how many people she was dining with that morning. She glanced around the room, but she couldn’t spot Asher or Holly from here.

“I- uh, hmm. Well, I…” Lila faltered as the kind-looking waitress dressed in a branded, olive-green t-shirt and black leggings stood before her, waiting for an explanation of her seating arrangements.

“Yes?” the waitress asked politely, blinking rather slowly.

“S-Sorry,” Lila replied, taking a deep breath. “I’m meant to meet some people. A guy and a girl.”

The waitress nodded before asking, “Do you have names for these people?”

“Uh, Asher and Holly.”

The waitress smiled and led Lila towards the outside section of the café, overlooking some garden beds that were clearly tended to by the café itself. They also served as a fence for the boundary of the café. There were a number of tables and chairs dotted around the outside area, with large, black umbrellas shading the many patrons sitting underneath. It looked like a relatively popular café, given the fact that almost every table outside here was occupied.

Lila and the waitress walked a few paces, with Lila blinking the gleaming sunshine out of her eyes. The waitress indicated to the back left corner of the outdoor section. Asher and Holly stood out like a sore thumb in this corner as there were no other customers sitting nearby. They both sat with their backs facing Lila and the waitress, and were leaning into each other, seeming engrossed in a conversation. Lila thanked the waitress, who gave her a deep nod and bustled back to the inside of the café.

Lila’s stomach churned as she took another deep breath. She counted to ‘ten’, but somehow felt just as anxious as she did before she’d counted. There was nothing else for it – she couldn’t just stand here forever, and if she backed out now, there was no way that Holly would accept her. Exhaling forcefully, Lila gritted her teeth and walked towards them.

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“H-Hi,” she said once she was within earshot, her voice breaking oddly. Asher turned his head to face Lila, his face breaking into a grin.

“Lila!” he exclaimed, standing up. “We weren’t expecting you for another five minutes. Come, sit, sit.”

He gestured to the two open chairs in front of himself and Holly. Lila took the seat opposite Holly and set her shopping down on the free seat, the churning in her stomach growing more intense now. She looked up at Holly.

Holly was smiling at Lila, her azure eyes seeming to portray a limitless depth. She was gorgeous in every way, her teeth pearly-white, and a small dimple on her right cheek. A smattering of freckles dotted her slim nose, and her cheeks were rosy. She was wearing a light amount of make-up that enhanced the doe-like effect of her eye shape. Her face drew Lila in immediately and Holly had a certain air of confidence and approachability that instantly put Lila at ease. Lila couldn’t help but smile back at Holly.

“Holly, this is Lila, my classmate. And Lila, this is Holly, my girlfriend,” Asher said, gesturing as he sat down.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Holly said, leaning forward to grasp Lila’s hand. Her voice was silky-sweet and carried an undertone of inner strength. Lila felt compelled to listen to every single word Holly said.

“And I you,” Lila said, still smiling. Holly didn’t seem angry with her – at least not yet. “Asher gushes about you all the time.”

Asher immediately knocked over his glass, which was luckily empty, his face flushed.

“Are you okay?” Holly asked, seeming genuinely concerned, gently rubbing Asher’s hand that had hit the glass.

“Yup. I was just trying to fill our cups with water,” Asher replied, his eyes fixed on the water jug that he was pouring from. He filled all three cups with water and placed the jug in the centre of the table.

“Thanks,” Lila said, taking a sip of water. Holly also took a sip of water.

“Sorry about picking an outdoor table,” Holly said, setting her glass back down. “I just have a sensitive nose, so outdoor settings are easier for me to enjoy. The smell from the kitchen was almost overwhelming when we came in here.” Holly then gave a small laugh and shook her head before adding, “I’m so silly, sorry if it’s an inconvenience.”

“No, no, not at all,” Lila replied quickly, waving her hands in a ‘no’ motion. “It’s quite pleasant out here. I’m glad the weather is cooling down.”

“Same!” Holly replied. “I much prefer winter over summer.”

“I can’t agree more,” Lila replied with a pleasant laugh. “There’s nothing better than curling up under a blanket in the cold with a good book.”

“Right!” Holly agreed, her smile bright. “What books are you into?”

Lila pulled out the copy of ‘Monarchy of the Moon’ that she had purchased earlier that morning. “This got released recently, so I’m excited to read it over the holidays.”

Holly’s eyes lit up. “Oh my goodness! I’ve been trying to get a copy, but every time I go, it’s sold out.”

Lila and Holly dove into a discussion of the events of the previous two books, theorising what the antagonist was up to and what the climax of the series might be. Asher looked between the both of them, relief in his eyes, but did not jump into the conversation.

Eventually, the same waitress that had directed Lila to Asher and Holly’s table came by, pen and pad in her hand.

“What can I get you guys today?” she asked, her tone light and casual.

“Can I please grab the… chicken and haloumi wrap please? And a creaming soda, please,” Asher asked after consulting the menu briefly.

“The vegetarian burger for me, please. With an orange juice,” Holly said, beaming at the waitress.

“Could I please have the creamy chicken pasta. And for the drink, a pineapple juice, please,” Lila asked with a polite smile. The waitress repeated their order and took their menus as she departed.

“Are you vegetarian?” Lila asked Holly with interest, drinking some more water.

“Yes,” Holly replied, somewhat bashfully. “I find that it works the best with my body during Cheer season.”

“Has that started already?” Lila asked.

“Well, the comps start in June and my school starts going through routines next term. But this year, I wanted to start my regime early. I’ve been feeling pretty meh for the past few weeks but getting into the routine for cheerleading has helped me somewhat.”

“Are you a flyer?” Lila asked. Holly nodded, seeming surprised.

“I am,” she confirmed, “so I have to make sure I’m as light as I can be during comp season. I don’t want to hurt my teammates.”

“I see,” Lila replied. Holly definitely had the charisma and face that would perfectly complement the role of a flyer. It was no wonder that Grace had said Holly was Mulberry Heights’ favourite flyer.

“I’m surprised you knew,” Holly said, tucking a loose lock of hair behind her ear. “Are you a cheerleader as well?”

“No,” Lila shook her head, slightly panicking to think of a response that didn’t involve Lila knowing way too much about Holly through various sources. “My sister did cheer, though. I’d always see her comps and it looks like fun but being so close to other people and being responsible for their safety always freaked me out. I have mad respect for cheerleaders.”

Holly seemed briefly disappointed as she slightly sunk into her chair. She leaned towards Lila and said passionately, “I reckon you’d suit the position of flyer. It’d be fun to compete with you!”

Lila’s heart skipped a beat for just a moment. “N-Nah,” she said, looking down at her hands. “Flyers are the face of cheer routines. I’d mess it up somehow.”

“I don’t think so,” Holly said earnestly. “Maybe you should try out for your school this year?”

“I’ll have my hands full with hockey,” Lila replied. “Maybe next year I’ll be tempted to try.”

Their waitress reappeared at their table with their drinks and silently handed them out.

“Your food will be ready soon,” she announced with a smile.

“Thank you,” Lila and Holly replied simultaneously. They glanced at each other and shared a giggle as their waitress walked away.

“So, Lila, I have to ask,” Holly said, tracing the condensation along her glass of orange juice. “And I’m sorry for being so forward. But I heard a lot of things floating around that really upset me…”

Holly trailed off, clenching her fists. Lila waited for Holly to continue, rigidly frozen in place despite her heart pounding in her ears. Lila’s eyes didn’t move from Holly’s face, which looked conflicted somehow.

“Y-You’re not interested in Asher, right?” Holly finally asked, looking up at Lila.

“Of course not,” Lila said quietly. It felt as though she was trying to swallow a golf ball, the surface of her eyes pricking. She didn’t allow tears to form as she met Holly’s gaze. “He’s just a friend.”

Holly looked down at her hands. Lila glanced at Asher, who was also looking down at his hands, his eyes seeming distant.

“… I don’t know how much Asher told you about Piper,” Lila said in a low voice. “But she was obsessed with tearing you guys apart by any means necessary, even if it meant destroying me.”

Holly raised her eyes to Lila’s, tears sparkling in them.

“I’ll be honest, Holly. I’ve only kissed one person in my life a couple of years ago. I don’t have any intentions of adding more to the collection. Especially after what happened with Piper, it’s put me off being around any guys for a long time. Besides… you should’ve seen what he was like when he was defending you, in front of all our cohort. Most guys probably would’ve been embarrassed to declare they love their girlfriend in front of so many people, but Asher wears it like a champ. I don’t think there’s anything I could even attempt that would break you apart. Piper tried pretty hard, and you guys are still here, going strong. It’s… pretty inspiring, to be honest,” Lila said earnestly.

Holly seemed to be listening intently to Lila’s words but didn’t say anything immediately. Lila started picking at her fingernails as she waited for Holly to speak.

“Lila’s only hanging around me because I’ve asked her to,” Asher suddenly said, his voice cracking slightly. “She’s pretty knowledgeable in a few things I’m not, so she’s helping me out.”

Holly looked at Asher sharply.

“And I can’t help you out?” she asked quietly. Asher seemed to hesitate before responding.

“It’s… complicated.”

“Sounds like a euphemism to me,” Holly sighed. “Asher, I’ve been feeling like something’s going on in the background, like you’re not telling me something. And you’re not telling me how you feel, as usual. You understand how that looks, right?”

Lila suddenly felt as though she was intruding on a conversation that Holly and Asher should be having privately. Lila awkwardly sucked on the straw in her pineapple juice, trying to look anywhere else but at Holly and Asher. Asher sighed.

“Holly, you have my heart,” he said seriously. “I… well, my Dad forbade me to talk to anyone about it. I don’t want to betray him any further.”

Holly sat back in her chair, before looking at Lila with a soft smile. “Somehow, I feel like I can trust you,” she said eventually. “You seem pretty supportive of our relationship, which surprised me, to be honest.”

“Of course I am,” Lila said firmly. “Asher’s been devastated by the thought of this breaking you two apart for weeks.”

“Has he?” Holly asked, clearly surprised. She looked over at Asher, who rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of a term,” Lila said with a hint of resentment. “But Asher’s concern about you has been incredibly stable.”

Holly’s eyes welled with tears again. “I’m glad-”

Holly broke off as the waitress set down their plates of food. Asher offered his drink to Holly, who took a small sip and shared her own with him. Holly also offered some of her chips and burger to Asher, which he accepted with a broad smile. Lila picked at her pasta, having suddenly lost her appetite, before Holly started up a new conversation about hockey, absorbed in Lila’s description of her teammates and their goals for this hockey season. They dipped and dived through various topics, ranging from popular YouTubers, current Netflix programs, other book series’ and everything in between. Asher occasionally joined in but seemed more content with watching Lila and Holly’s discussions and jokes. Every so often, Holly would tease Asher in a loving sort of way, and he’d tease her back, intermingling lingering glances and subtle touches throughout their interactions. An hour passed, and slowly ticked towards two hours before Asher checked his watch.

“We should probably get going,” he said, seeming reluctant.

“Oh, for the movie!” Holly exclaimed, scrambling to get her bag. “I almost forgot!”

Lila felt strangely disappointed. She hadn’t expected to enjoy herself half as much as she did.

“We should organise some time to hang out,” Holly said, grinning at Lila. “I feel like we’d be really good friends!”

Lila heard Asher suck in a deep breath, but she cupped Holly’s hands in her own without looking at him.

“I’d love to! I was just thinking the same thing,” she said with a small giggle. “Oh, we should add each other on Insta!”

The girls pulled out their phones eagerly, adding each other within a few seconds, before heading over to the cashier.

“Are you paying together or separately?” the person behind the till asked, a slightly bored expression on his face.

“Separ-” Lila began, before Holly stepped in front of her, flashing her debit card with a grin.

“I’ve got it,” she said proudly. “Together, please.”

“Holly, no, it’s all good,” Lila insisted, pulling out her own debit card. “I should really be paying for you guys.”

Holly shook her head firmly, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly. “Lila, I feel absolutely awful for ever doubting you. It’ll help clear my conscience.”

The person behind the till merely blinked slowly, his hand hovering above the touch-screen.

“It’s pretty easy to split it,” he drawled, raising an eyebrow.

Lila opened her mouth to argue the point, but Asher caught her eye and shook his head.

“There’s no point,” he said gravely. “She’s made up her mind.”

“Yes, indeed,” Holly agreed, making a satisfied sort of sound to emphasise her point. The cashier sent the total to the EFTPOS machine and Holly tapped her card.

“Would you like a receipt?” he asked, not looking up at the trio.

“Ye-” Lila started to say before Holly shook her head.

“No, thank you,” Holly said firmly. She winked at Lila and pulled Asher along by his hand. They interlocked their fingers and quickly fell into step together, Lila following close behind.

“Well, I’ll see you guys around,” Lila said, her disappointment returning to her voice.

“I probably won’t be able to meet up during the holidays,” Holly said, “I’ve got a lot of shifts at Maccas before heading off to Moreton Island. Need to save as much money as I can.”

“That’s okay,” Lila said. “We can always organise a time during the term.”

Holly nodded happily. Asher kissed the top of Holly’s head, wrapping his right arm over her shoulders.

“We still need to grab some popcorn,” he said gently.

Holly pouted. “I know, but I feel sad we have to leave Lila!” she said. Asher laughed a deep belly-laugh and squeezed Holly against his chest.

“It won’t be the last time you guys will meet,” he reassured her. “Right, Lila?”

“O-Oh,” Lila said, somewhat dazed. It felt as though her heart was slowly being punctured the longer she looked at Asher and Holly together, so she looked at the floor instead. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out. Daniel had sent her a .gif of a dancing apple. “Yeah. ‘Course it won’t. I’ve got to get some juice for Daniel, so I’ll go that way. Enjoy your movie.”

Lila pointed towards the grocery store. Before Lila could turn and walk away, Holly shuffled forward and pulled her into a hug. She smelt like a fresh bouquet of flowers. Lila returned the hug with a small smile. Holly and Asher waved goodbye to her as they headed off towards the cinemas, holding hands again.

Lila watched them go, her good mood threatening to evaporate entirely before she clapped her free hand to her face, her other hand loosening its grip on her paper bag. Why was she feeling like this? She’d had such a great time at lunch…

‘They make a great couple,’ Lila thought as she ambled towards the grocery store. ‘And Holly is exactly as Asher and everyone else said… she’s really nice.’

She was almost dismayed that she couldn’t find a reason to dislike Holly. But then again, why was she trying to dislike Holly? She should be happy that Asher had found a great match in Holly. After all, he seemed really happy. Loving, even.

But that was easier said than done as Lila hid away in her room for the rest of the day after delivering Daniel his juice. Lila couldn’t untangle her complicated feelings in a way that made sense to her. Had she been hoping Holly was horrible to Asher? Why? That didn’t make sense at all.

Despite this, though, Lila couldn’t help the tears soaking into her pillow.