An Unexpected Twist

Plan A

Snow was beginning to fall as Maka walked home. She didn't notice the small, pretty flakes dancing around her because she was in shock. Soul had just confessed that he loved her. Maka didn't know what to think. So she just left without a word, almost running.

'I love you
I love you
I love you'

The words echo in her ears as she pulls her jacket closer. What was she suppose to do?

'Is any of this even real? Am I just dreaming?'

Maka didn't know, and she wasn't certain if she wanted to know. There were so many conflicted feelings running through her that she felt like she might explode. On one hand, she wanted it to be real, she wanted Soul back. Maybe not as much as he might want her, but he missed her to it seemed. But.... how could she be certain that what he said was true? What if it's just a figment of her mind because she missed Soul so much? The emotions swell and hit her hard. She almost chokes on them, making her pause. She then finally notices the snow and she looks up. It takes her a moment to realize how odd it was since it was only early November. She pulls her jacket tighter as a cold breeze ruffles her hair. Maka then shakes her head and starts walking home again.

•••••••••

Soul couldn't help but feel rejected as he navigates his bike through the city streets. Maka didn't look mad or appalled but she walked out, not saying anything. And that hurt. In the past, Soul would've been mad that a girl had turned him down but now he just felt overwhelming sadness. Perhaps it was because he knew that he had driven Maka away. He hurt the one true friend he had and the girl that he loved. He had fucked up big time. And he didn't know how he was going to fix it. But he knew that he would. He had to. He'd done Maka wrong and he was going to change that even if it took him his entire life.

•••••••••

"Well the two are on the fritz. What else can we do to drive them apart?"

Wes internally sighs as Arachne looks at him and Black*Star. He hoped Soul wouldn't be walking in the door soon. God knows what he would do.

"What if we somehow get Maka to believe that her dad died overseas? I bet that would work."

"What does that have to do with her and Soul idiot?"

Black*Star grins at Wes, making him internally roll his eyes. He didn't understand how Soul and Black*Star are friends. The kid was an annoying idiot.

"She'd probably off herself if she found that out. And then problem solved."

"Woah, wait. Isn't that taking it too far? We're not going to kill her."

"Why not? No one would miss her. It's no loss to the world."

"What the hell is wrong with you? It's wrong Black*Star. And there are people who would miss her."

"Like who? Her dog?"

"Soul would."

"Which is exactly why we would do it. It would snap whatever spell she's casted on him and we would have him back."

Wes adds completely delusional to the list of things that he thought of Black*Star.

"Tell him that it's a fucking stupid idea Arachne."

He turns to her, looking her in the eyes. She looks back at him and the expression on her face chills him to the bone. Goosebumps rise along his spine.

"I think it's a perfectly fine idea."

"You can't be serious."

She shrugs and shifts in her seat.

"Why should I care? Let's just get rid of her for good."

Black*Star smirks and Wes's stomach tightens into a knot.

"Then I'm out. I'm not going to part of the reason that a girl kills herself."

"Then I suppose I'll just go into the police station and tell them about all the drugs that you sell to make money and that you already tried to kidnap Maka and I'd drop the hint about you planning to kill her."

Anger almost makes Wes stand up and strangle Arachne. But he doesn't. He just sits, his mouth glued shut. What was he going to do? He couldn't bail and he couldn't warn anybody. Well he could warn Soul but what was he going to do? He and Maka were fighting. How was....

An idea comes to Wes. He pulls his phone out and pretends to be turning it off but instead turns the camera on. He leaves it to record and he sets it on the table as Arachne and Black*Star start making plans. He chips in occasionally, only to argue and to prove that he had recorded it. At the end, he catches Arachne and Black*Star leaving.

'Please let this work.'

•••••••••

Maka gently presses ice to her cheek as she sits on her bed. The stinging from the slap flares then dulls after a few moments. She marks off the days on her calendar until her father came home and ended this private nightmare.

'Only one more month. Just one more month of this.'

Maka couldn't wait. She lies down on her bed, her head turned so the ice could rest on her cheek. She puts headphones in and turns her music on. She closes her eyes and lets her mind wander on its own. She regrets it almost immediately as her thoughts turn back to what happened several hours earlier. Soul's words echo in her ears once again. What was she going to do? She knew it wasn't a dream anymore and that only made her confusion worse. She liked Soul but did she like him that much? She didn't know. What he even really telling the truth? She didn't know that either. He seemed sincere. But maybe it was all just an act. How would she ever really know for sure?

•••••••••

Soul comes into the house covered in snow. He shakes it off and puts his keys and jacket up, sighing to himself. Anxiety had been eating at him all night. He finally just came home, convinced a hot shower would help relax him. There was no point stressing anymore. He told Maka how he felt and that was all he could do for now.

"About time you got home."

Soul tenses at Wes's voice. He bites back a growl of annoyance and turns to his older brother.

"What do you want?"

"Well I'm going to be straight to the point but I want to tell you ahead of time that I'm not making any of this up."

"Spit it out already."

Wes tosses him his phone and stands up.

"Black*Star and Arachne are planning on telling Maka that her father is dead and they're hoping that that information will break her and cause her to commit suicide. If you don't believe me, the proof is right there in your hands."

Wes walks away, heading to his room. Soul stands there, a bit shocked. At first the idea that Wes had to be lying crosses his mind but he looks down and he sees the video file up. He plays it and his heart drops as his stomach twists itself into a knot. He closes it and locks Wes's phone as his attention turns to the window and he looks out. The snow and cold makes it so he can hardly see. But that didn't matter, not to Soul.

"I have to warn her. Soon."