The In-Between

✎ Chapter 5

Maeve was passed out on the ground, propped against a tree, clutching a bottle of vodka like it was the most precious thing in the world. She mumbled in her sleep, her voice slurring. "Mr. Whiskers, you're so... freaking cute..." Her words trailed off, her hand hugging the bottle. It was hard to tell if she was imagining it as a baby or a furry friend, but either way, it was kind of adorable—and ridiculous.

I'd been keeping an eye on Maeve all night, knowing exactly what kind of drunk she was. The wild, impulsive type. The kind that would try to strip and dive into the lake on a whim, just for the fun of it. I'd already had to deal with that more than once. Luckily tonight, she hadn't attempted anything too crazy—yet.

I sighed and nudged her gently. "Maeve, let's get you to your cabin so you can sober up before tomorrow." Her only response was a soft murmur as she shifted away from me, curling closer to the tree. Her breathing was slow and ragged, completely out of it.

Plan B, then.

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Hoisting an unresponsive, passed-out girl onto my shoulders was definitely not how I'd planned to end the night, but here I was. With Maeve draped over me like a sack of potatoes, I trudged back toward the cabins, trying not to trip over tree roots or rocks in the dark.

Kace wasn't an option. I couldn't exactly count on him after our argument, and frankly, I didn't want to see him right now. As for Callix... well, asking him for help seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. After everything he overheard between me and Kace, he'd probably pretend not to notice or make some sarcastic comment about it.

Maeve's dead weight over my shoulders made each step feel like a mile. I adjusted my grip on her legs, trying to balance her better as we neared the cabins. The faint glow from the porch lights flickered in the distance, a small beacon of relief. But as much as I wanted to dump Maeve on her bed and call it a night, the tension from my argument with Kace still buzzed in the back of my mind, clouding everything.

Maeve stirred slightly, her head lolling to the side. "Riri... I'm not a potato..." she mumbled sleepily, barely audible.

I rolled my eyes, unable to help the small grin tugging at my lips. "Could've fooled me," I muttered under my breath, carefully adjusting her weight again as I approached the cabin door.

As I fumbled with the handle, trying to keep Maeve balanced on my shoulder, I heard footsteps approaching. My heart leapt in my chest, half-expecting it to be Kace, but when I glanced over my shoulder, it was Bianca, held in a passionate embrace with another girl, possibly Maeve's partner, strolling toward us completely unaware of our presence.

Finally, as they stepped up the creaky porch steps, they noticed me fumbling with the door with Maeve dangling off my shoulder like a ragdoll. I sure as hell hope this doesn't look like a murder scene.

"Uhm..." I stammered but Bianca was quicker.

"I—" She started, glancing between the girl and me before shoving her away, sending her tumbling down the steps and into the bushes with a startled yelp. "What are you doing?" Bianca snapped, her voice laced with annoyance, clearly trying to regain her composure.

The flush creeping up her cheeks was impossible to miss, and I couldn't help but smirk at the sight.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I shot back, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "Just trying to get my friend to bed. You know, like a responsible person."

Bianca's jaw tightened as she forced a laugh, her usual confidence wavering. "Right, because hauling around a passed-out girl is the height of sophistication," she replied, but the edge in her voice was less biting than usual.