Leeway // Joe Mazzello

32|| "What Happened?"

Octavia's guide to the hell that is the English language

LIE
/lī/

(n.) an intentionally false statement.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Octavia felt like she was perpetually doomed to the feeling of giving a speech in front of a rather judgmental crowd.  After vocally admitting her love for a man that was not only her student (basically), but also a celebrity and nine years older than her, she felt that she had to wear a disguise in her own house. She even had to sneak Joe through her window onto the fire escape as if she was still living at her parent's house. All to avoid one simple question: What happened?

This issue is though, she didn't want to tell anyone. It was too personal. And hers. She felt that for the first time, her moments with Joe could finally be the thing that belonged solely to her. She didn't want to describe the soppy new love story to any of her friends, and especially not to her brother.

Of course they were all dying to know, hinting that they were clearly in on this or at least knew of the feelings on someone's side. Looking back, the secret was locked in a glass box. But still, this was hers. She felt like she was betraying them, but for the first time in her life, she felt like she didn't owe anyone anything. And it was refreshing.

And even as she struggled to pack her suitcase, or 5, she was still being bombarded with questions 3 days later. She couldn't imagine how much harder this was for Joe, who hadn't admitted anything in the moment. He carried more of a secret than her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Joe felt like he was sweating internally. Which was both a disgusting and concerning sensation. Him and Octavia swore to secrecy, knowing that anything that had gone down between them would be for them and them only. Especially with the press as onto them as they could be, it was worth the struggle.

The struggle being Joe sucking at keeping secrets, even when his best friends were begging for details. As if he was going to give it up to them anyway.

The more and more Joe denied the accusations and questions, the more and more he had the urge to just simply lie to them to shut them up.  He realized the lies were being stacked against him 3 days later, when he could no longer stand the constant dings from his phone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Octavia's phone lit up with a facetime request from Lucy. She put down the seventh pair of shoes that she'd packed and answered.

connecting to wifey...

"Hey Lucy, what's up?"

"Oh nothing... just me pestering you on behalf of everyone to tell us what happened! Joe's on set right now and he's not coughing up anything!"

"Lucy I already told you I'm not-"

"Gonna tell me I know but please just something and I'll let you alone! Swear,"

"It's certainly not what you want to hear..."

"Well tell us anyway!"

"Fine... Joe walked me up to room and let me down easy. He knew I was drunk and was just talking nonsense. He stayed with me, on my floor, until I woke up. We had a conversation about what happened, we both admitted that we had feelings in the past but we had to keep it professional. That was all."