Queen of the Wood ✅

31 - A Future Unknown

I struggle to push myself up into a seated position, my hands covered in muck on the lakeshore while Maeve's body floats face up in the water. I can hear Kyle crashing through the woods, quickly moving away from us.

"Maeve," I whisper, crawling towards her.

Just as I reach the water's edge, she inhales deeply, springing up. My heart jolts as I jump up to my feet, still stumbling. I surge forward, half collapsing into her as I start sobbing.

"You're... you're okay!"

I'm suddenly thrown back violently, landing on my ass in the cold water.

"Yeah, no thanks to you!"

What?

Maeve pushes her hair out of her face and then looks around frantically. I don't understand what's happening until she plucks her tiara from the water and positions it back on her head. Her dark eyes then land on me as they sharpen into a glare.

"Seriously, Ash. Can't ya for once take care of yourself?"

"I... I..."

"Yeah, there ya go like ya always do. Sittin' there, crying and makin' excuses for why ya can't act like a goddamn normal person. Do ya know how exhaustin' it is to constantly look out for ya?! And now, I almost got killed... because of you!"

I can't respond. I don't know what to say. I never asked her to help me. Though I suppose I have taken for granted that she always will. I guess I always thought that's what friends do.

And she was right. Kyle did almost kill her because of me.

"And ya make it so goddamn easy..."

I somehow push myself up from the ground, trying to stop the tears as I wipe my face.

"I didn't... I didn't want him to-"

"Yea, but ya did go wanderin' in the woods after Stephanie fuckin' drugged you. If ya had just stayed where I put ya, this wouldn't have happened!"

It feels like a slap in the face—enough to sober me up, though I'm still swaying from side to side.

"I'm sorry."

Maeve stands and stares at me, her hands on her hips. She then huffs and looks up at the sky.

"I was gonna wait until later. Try to break it to you gently, but God, I'm so tired of fuckin' pretending."

I tilt my head to the side, not understanding what's going on. Maeve looks back at me, her lip curled.

"You're not going to NYU with me. I'm done with this."

My heart sinks heavy into my stomach. Not going? But we had been working so hard to both get in. And sure, I'm scared about leaving Davies - leaving Oklahoma - but this is my one chance to escape Mom.

"You can't... you can't do that. I-I want to go-"

"Yer scared of yer own shadow, Aisling."

"B-but... I can get better. Please, don't make me stay here. I c-can't stay with her-"

"You wanna know somethin'? Your mother, she's payin' for me to go to school. On the condition that I talk ya into staying. So no, you're not goin'. Not with me." Maeve stalks toward me, her arms swinging at her sides. "In fact, we're not even friends anymore. If anythin', tonight has showed me that it's impossible to be your friend."