Echoes of Three Souls

Chapter 8: Curiosity and Confusion

Maeve POV

The week had started out on a surprisingly good note. With Mike on vacation, it was like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I didn't have to constantly glance over my shoulder or feel his eyes on me, always waiting for that uncomfortable interaction. It was only when Devin appeared at my desk to announce it was lunchtime that I realized how much tension I'd been carrying. I blinked at her, slightly disoriented, my mind still tangled in thoughts of Scarlett and Reese.

I wanted to see them again—but I also didn't. The way they made me feel was confusing, like my heart had sprouted wings and fluttered uncontrollably whenever I thought of them. Especially Scarlett. The pull was so strong, so magnetic, that everything around me faded when I imagined their faces, their presence. But that intensity... it scared me too. What was this unfamiliar stirring inside me?

Devin's voice broke through my thoughts, a warm beacon pulling me back to the present. "Earth to Maeve. Come on, let's grab lunch."

I nodded and followed her, quietly trying to gather the courage to ask her about them. But how could I bring it up without sounding weird? I pecked at my lunch once we sat down, my mind still spinning in circles.

Devin's eyes, always so soft and filled with concern, narrowed as she studied me. "Maeve," she began gently, her tone laced with hesitation. "Have... have you been eating?"

Her question caught me off guard, and I glanced up, my fork hovering above my salad. "Um, yeah, why?" I mumbled, my voice faltering under her gaze. It wasn't entirely a lie—I had eaten, but not with the same appetite. My mind had been too preoccupied, too heavy with thoughts I couldn't quite shake. The looming anniversary of my parents' death pressed down on me, and now, Scarlett and Reese filled my thoughts in a way that was unsettling yet impossible to ignore.

Devin frowned, her expression softening even more, if that was possible. "I'm just making sure. You've always been petite, but you're looking a little smaller than usual. I know this time of year is tough for you," she said, her voice tender but careful, like she was tiptoeing around something fragile.

Her words made me freeze. Petite? She didn't know the version of me from before—the one who struggled with her weight, who was anything but small. Devin had only known me for a year. She had no idea what I looked like in high school, how different I was just five years ago. We'd never talked about that part of my life and the torture I endured from my class mates . Sure, she knew I had lost weight and that I enjoyed cooking and eating healthy now, but the rest? She had no clue.

She was right about one thing, though. The anniversary was creeping up on me, dark and suffocating. But it wasn't just the date that weighed me down—it was Devin's concern, her quiet love wrapping around me like a soft, smothering blanket. It was both comforting and suffocating at the same time, and I didn't know how to breathe under it.

"I'm alright, Devy. Really." I forced a small smile, but it didn't quite reach my eyes. "I know you're just worried, but I'm okay. I've been eating, just... not as much. I guess I haven't had much of an appetite." I tried to sound reassuring, but my voice wavered, the truth slipping through.

Devin's gaze softened even more, if that was possible. She reached across the table and took my hand in hers, her thumb gently stroking the back of my hand in slow, comforting circles. The warmth of her touch made my chest tighten—not from anxiety, but from the overwhelming sense of love that radiated from her.

"I just wanted to make sure," she said quietly, her eyes searching mine. "You know I only ask out of love, right? I don't want to overstep. I just... care about you, Maeve. You're like family to me."

Her words struck something deep inside me, and I felt my eyes prick with unexpected tears. I blinked them away quickly, not wanting her to worry even more. "I know, Devy. I know. And I appreciate it. I really do."