Of Smoke and Dust 🖋

Chapter Eighteen: some jealousy, a party, and a dance of lies and liars

A/N: There may be some grammatical errors or sentences that could flow smoother but don't. Yes, this chapter needs some polishing yet, but as I'm already a week behind schedule, I decided to post it regardless. Feel free to point out any mistakes you notice!

- Erica

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Past

January 12th 2019

5:03 PM

To hear Leonie say it, her birthday party wasn't another power play at all.

As Maia watched Lucy Kate walk up the still-snow-crusted driveway, gift bag swinging from her elbow, she wasn't nearly so sure.

Leonie stood on the front porch, waving. A curious Georgia was inside, sniffing around the cupcakes, and Helen was guarding the kitchen, making sure snacks were not consumed early by overzealous guests - or, more likely, Leonie herself.

Maia herself was perched on a woven, two - person chair several feet behind Leonie. A light purple skirt was spread across her lap. Her eyes traced the stipe patterns on her leggings.

Despite the fact that she'd spent over an hour making herself as presentable as she could, she was just wishing this party would be over already.

"Hey, Lucy!" Leonie called out. Lucy beamed.

"Hey, Lee!"

Lee? Maia thought, with another surge of jealousy. She calls her Lee?

Maia must not have done a very good job of hiding her hostility, because Lucy gave her an uncertain look as she ascended the steps. Maia forced a tight smile and looked down at her lap.

One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths.

Four.

Lucy gave Leonie a one - armed hug, but her eyes kept flicking back to Maia's stiff, cold expression. A quick glare rid her of this problem, and Lucy turned firmly back to face Leonie, as if trying to pretend that Maia didn't exist.

"Where should I put this?" Lucy asked, lifting the the gift bag into the air for Leonie to view. It was lime green with yellow spots.

Didn't Lucy know that Leonie didn't like the color green?

But Leonie didn't say any of this. Instead, she nodded, a faint pink staining her cheeks.

Fake. Maia knew Leonie better than anyone, and that grateful blush could not possibly be real.

Still, Leonie was so genuine as she said, "Oh, thank you, Lucy. You didn't have to get me anything, you know."

It was Lucy's turn to blush now. "Oh, well, it's nothing."

Fake, fake, fake, fakefakefake

"As for where you can put it - Maia and Georgia left their gifts on the kitchen table inside, so you're welcome to set it down there."

Lucy's smile faded a bit at the two names - clearly, she didn't know Maia, and Maia was willing to bet she didn't know Georgia that well, either. Alone now, aren't you, little lying weasel liar liar liar - "So...who else is coming, besides Maia and Georgia?"

Leonie's eyes flashed with triumph. "Annalise, Aislynn, and Vivian." She listed. "Why?"

"Oh, okay." Said Lucy, visibly uncertain and trying to hide it. Alone. You are a weasel, a lying trickster weasel, and you have fallen into a den of vipers. We will eat you alive and spit you out again so you can run back to Juleen, crying and saying you'll never try to get near us, ever ever ever ever ever.