The next day, Mabel spent her entire morning preparing on how to face Holden. She had already dressed her usuals not planning to touch anything Megan bought her yet and took her car keys from the table only to find Megan outside her house door.
" Megan", she called as she saw Megan wanting to duck around and hide from her. It seemed like she didn't want to be seen.
Megan sighed and turned around to face Mabel. She knew she was being clingy but she didn't want to be alone ever again so all in all, she hailed a cab and drove to Mabel's address but at the last minute she wanted to leave but Mabel just had to come out at the same time.
" Hi Mabel, are you going out? I could come with you", Megan voiced out immediately and realized what she had done. She wanted to correct herself until she heard Mabel say..
" Are you sure about that Megan? I'm actually heading to Holden's house", Mabel said carefully, she didn't want to upset Megan with matters of Holden and she didn't think Megan would suddenly show up at her house either.
" Wait, you and Holden still talk to each other like seriously what's the relationship between you and the Langford brothers?", Megan asked this time. She knew she saw the three of them having lunch last week Monday and obviously they were very comfortable with each other so what was going on? She like had to know.
" It's nothing serious Megan I promise, just get in my car with me, I'll tell you on the way", she said but Megan hesitated, " I don't know, I don't think I want to go to Holden's house. Have you seen the way he treats me? It's like I don't even exist", she said softly and Mabel sighed.
" Then just don't exist", Mabel voiced and Megan looked at her confused. " He thinks you don't exist so there's no need to make him feel you exist, just be yourself and quit being the old Megan", Mabel spoke with authority and Megan stared at her contemplating everything. It wasn't easy just acting like she didn't care about his thoughts on her in front of him but she was willing to try.
She was already planning on staying away from him through out school and hanging around Mabel for a while but guess she would have to face him. She smiled at Mabel assuring her to do just that then they both got into the car and headed to Holden and Jace's home.
On their way, Mabel told Megan the actual reason why she and the guys were so close and Megan was shocked.
She didn't know that Holden cheated just to get through literature. " What about during the exams are you going to help him write or what?", Megan asked and Mabel sighed. " We were all so busy fooling Miss Willows we didn't realize we would come back to hunt ourselves too", she said and pulled up in the Langford mansion yard.
Holden's Dad and Jace's step dad was a military man making Holden and Jace two rich boys but sadly they never mingled with anyone.
They got in for the butler to welcome them in. Jace was in the living room eating cereal and watching TV when he saw Megan walk in.
" What in the world?", he said shocked but before he could comment on her about not being able to stay away from Holden like he always did, he saw the nerd Mabel walk in too.
" Mabel", Jace yelled excited and dropped the bowl of cereal to give Mabel a friendly hug. Mabel hugged him in return. " I'm so glad you are here, Mabel I need some money, Could you lend me some money?", he asked and Megan spoke for Mabel.
" No.... we need Mabel's cash to go out, why do you need money anyway?", Megan stared at him irritated. When Holden's mom died, Holden became lonely and spoke less, he started to slack off in a lot of things and even stopped doing his most favorite hobby, drawing, well he was a talented artist. He even drew a moustache on one of her posters.
But after his Dad got remarried and he had a step brother, he became ok again and started to talk a bit but at least he was talking, he was also back to his old habits, drawing. Since then Jace had always been a pain in the neck for her. He always looked for ways to bother her after he accidentally found out about her huge like for Holden.
So no matter how much she liked Holden, Jace always irritated her and she didn't get along with him of course.
" What are you doing here Megan? If you're looking for Holden he's not home", Jace said and turned to face Mabel again but she was more interested in Holden than lending him money.
" Where is Holden at? I need to speak to him about something important", Mabel said as soon as she heard Holden wasn't home while Megan rejoiced. She was so scared of running into Holden any moment from now that Jace asking for Mabel's money irritated her in her time of crises.
" Why do you need Holden? Anyways if you want his location, you'll have to pay up for information, no more free things from Jace", Jace said with his palm stretched out. Mabel looked at him slightly shocked before she brought out her blue purse and handed him a hundred bucks.
He looked at the money with a frown indicating it wasn't enough and Megan sighed at his childishness. Mabel brought out another hundred bucks but that was all she had left and she gave it to him. Jace was being a pain in the ass right now.
Jace stared at the money and grumbled. " That's all I have Jace", she said but he didn't bulge. Megan sighed and brought out her pink wallet, removed five hundred bucks from it and gave it to him. He smiled in satisfaction and quickly disclosed the location.
He told them about Holden being at some downtown restaurant. One wish both Mabel and Megan knew very well. Megan always hanged with her girls there and sometimes the entire class hanged out there except Mabel, which made Mabel not known by any important person.
Jace stared at the huge sum of money in his hands and stared at the retreating figures of both Megan and Mabel. Why are they together? What a weird combination! He thought before finally returning to his cereal.