Seated in the chair, Maeve waited for the ceremony to conclude, pondering whether she truly wanted it end or if she secretly yearned to linger in that moment for eternity, aware that Will stood right behind her.

An impending wave of shame loomed as she contemplated the prospect of facing him again, especially after her inadvertent use of the name "Will." However, contrary to her expectations, upon exchanging glances while leaving, his response was a gentle smile, making her heart flutter.

The friendship among Maeve, Will, and Sophie also forged connections between their parents, leading to shared plans and reciprocal invitations to each other's homes for many dinners. In the midst of these gatherings, a deeper realization dawned upon her.

Will, was like a lost puppy with his playful and immature demeanor. Unlike Maeve and Sophie who ate without complaining, an amusing protest from Will, decrying the taste of olives, served as a light-hearted interruption.

"Ugh, I don't want to eat these! They taste so bad. Who even likes olives?" complained Will to his mom, Alice.

"William, Maeve's parents were kind enough to make dinner and invite us over, so eat the olives," replied Alice.

The entire group erupted in laughter, creating a harmonious backdrop. Lara, Maeve's mom, contributed to the mirth with a revelation.

"It's fine, you know how all the children are; they'll grow out of it! Maeve here also doesn't like carrots."

Caught making faces at Will for his olive dislike, Maeve felt a sudden flush of embarrassment when her mother unexpectedly divulged her hate for carrots. The tables turned, and now it was Will, teasing and making faces at her.

Sophie intervened with a discreet kick under the table, silencing him momentarily. However, despite the teasing, a wave of sympathy and understanding prompted Maeve to share a secret olive affinity with Will.

"I like olives. If you pass them to me under the table, maybe, you won't have to eat them," she whispered.

A shared smile ensued, and when he handed her the olives, their hands brushed against each other, making her feel something she couldn't quite decipher.
—
As the summer sun embraced the days in its warm glow once again, a few months loomed before first grade started.

Despite the heat and the perpetual stickiness clinging to her, Maeve cherished those summer afternoons spent with Will and Sophie. Whether they lounged on a tree, or Will managed to talk them into a trip to the park or a leisurely walk, those moments held a special charm.

Will's fondness for olives took an amusing turn.

His mom began handing him extra olives because, on each visit to Maeve's house, he devoured them in the blink of an eye although it was unbeknownst to his mom that it was Maeve who consumed the entire stash. Now, he found himself with extra olives for lunch, which he discreetly delivered to Maeve, earning a giggle from her each time.

Sophie's birthday, which fell on July 20th during the summer, was approaching, and she planned a party with all her school friends.

Maeve had momentarily forgotten that she attended school and had more friends there, a fact she didn't particularly mind. However, the realization struck her that Will might also have more friends, sparking a twinge of jealousy, just a small one.

Maeve and her parents reached their house, a mere 20 meters away, early to lend a hand with the decorations. Upon arrival, they found some balloons already in place, and the remaining task involved arranging the food and other decorations.

This type of festive gathering was unfamiliar to Maeve. It wasn't due to a lack of willingness or capability on her parents' part but rather because she had never desired such an event, lacking both the inclination and friends to invite.

However, observing the joy on Sophie's face, Maeve contemplated the possibility of hosting a small party next year and inviting both Will and Sophie.

"Pssst, Maeve!" Will whispered a little too loudly, capturing everyone's attention, clearly not part of the plan.

Undeterred, he sprinted toward her, rescuing her from the decorating duties. Sophie yelled at him for attempting to steal her friends during her birthday party, but he merely smirked, provoking even more frustration from Sophie.

"Come on, quickly! Or the evil witch will try to steal you away," Will teased, likely referencing the green decorations adorning her house, her favorite color.

In response, Sophie's outraged cries echoed from the living room.

Maeve went along with the playful banter. These days, it seemed alright to follow Will's lead, maybe even a sign that she was growing a bit softer.

"Look what I found!" Will exclaimed with sheer delight.

"What is it?" Maeve inquired.

"Walkie-talkies! I never knew we had these; now I'm never letting go, might even sleep with them!" He chuckled.

"You do realize you can't play with walkie-talkies alone, right? Unless you're up for talking to yourself through them..."

"I was hoping you'd say that!" Will grinned, revealing it was his plan all along, and she fell for it. "One of them is for you!"

She glanced at him, noticing his genuine desire to give it to her. "I'll take it... but I won't be sleeping with it like you," she asserted promptly.

"Fine, fine," he rolled his eyes. "But you never have to promise to always answer when you hear me through the walkie-talkie."

"Maybe I'll answer, or maybe not. We'll see," she smirked, leaving him alone in his room, rendered speechless.

Returning to the living room, where the party was about to unfold, Maeve found several people already there. Three girls, presumably Sophie's friends given their age, and a boy and a girl who seemed to be Will's friends as they were her age.

She refrained from greeting them, unfamiliar with the newcomers. However, when Will emerged from his room and warmly embraced them, starting with the boy and then the girl, Maeve experienced a peculiar sensation in her chest.

"Hi!" Will greeted his two friends. "Maeve, this is Ana and this is Adam..." he introduced them. But when he turned back to look at Maeve, she had vanished, causing his smile to fade.

"She's a little bit weird..." Ana whispered to Adam, a comment that unsettled Will. Despite his feelings, he chose to stay with his friends without addressing the remark.

An hour later, the house was filled, and the kids engaged in playful activities on the trampoline or in the ball pool. Meanwhile, Maeve indulged in the delectable spread on the table. Her penchant for never wasting food (except for carrots, if you didn't count those) left her contentedly seated at the table.

Yet, her thoughts were occupied by Will. While she savored the feast, her gaze remained fixed on him as he frolicked with the other children outside.

After a few moments, he noticed her staring at the trampoline where he was with his friends, prompting him to approach her.

"Come to the trampoline with us, it's a lot of fun!" he invited.

"Why don't you stay with me and try this food?" she offered, blushing a little at her assertiveness, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"But I've already eaten, and I'm full!" he replied, oblivious to her desire for company.

"Fine," she said, a bit angry, and he finally picked up on it.

"Come play with me," he suggested, and after a bit more convincing, she reluctantly agreed.

However, she forgot they weren't the only ones there; his friends were present too.
As she started jumping, it felt like she was in another dimension. He and his friends gathered on one side, engrossed in their own conversations, and she found herself alone, as always.

She wondered why she had even thought she stood a chance at making friends now.

Eventually, she ceased jumping and slowly exited the trampoline.

"Maeve, where are you going?" he inquired, attempting to follow her, but Ana held his hand.

"Just let her go," Ana suggested.

It became apparent that he preferred being with his friends rather than with her.

After a while, everyone gathered around the table, preparing to sing "Happy Birthday" to Sophie.

She couldn't believe her friend was already 10, hitting the double digits. As the birthday song echoed, Maeve's mind wandered, contemplating how she would look at that age—it felt so distant.

Following the singing and the distribution of the cake, Maeve suddenly forgot all about Will. Today was about Sophie, and she couldn't forget to give Sophie her birthday present, handmade bracelet.

However, before she could do that, some of Will's friends approached her. Among them, Ana, one of Will's friends, hesitated before expressing her admiration, "I, I think you're so cool!"

Confused, Maeve had assumed his friends didn't hold her in high regard.

Ana continued, "William has told me so much about you, and I wanted to be your friend, but I was scared. When I'm scared, I'm a bit mean, and I didn't want to be mean. I was sad when you left the trampoline, but I wanted to talk to you alone because I was embarrassed!" She rambled on.

Despite her initial confusion, a smile formed on Maeve's face, and she warmly engaged in conversation with the girl.

"Do you want to be my friend?" Ana asked loudly, exuding excitement.

This declaration caught Will's attention, and he swiftly approached them, wearing a jealous expression.

"Hey!" he exclaimed to Ana.

"Maeve's my best friend!" He said, immediately regretting it, red-faced.

Embarrassed by the attention, Maeve hurriedly moved towards Sophie, presenting her with the handmade bracelet. The gesture brought genuine joy to Sophie, who appreciated the thoughtful birthday gift, but knew something was up.

"It's my birthday and all, but you know, I can see how you act differently when you're with my little brother." Sophie patted Maeve's shoulder, offering sisterly advice.

"You should go talk to him. He seemed a little jealous when you were talking to Anna. You know he's been chatting about you all day with his friends, right?" Sophie smirked.

Maeve was taken aback; she hadn't been aware of this. Not that it mattered – she didn't like him that way!

"Wait! What do you mean?" Maeve stammered, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I-I don't like him! No!" She blushed at the mere suggestion.

Sophie smirked, her older-sister wisdom apparent.

"You can act all grown-up with me, but I'm still three years older, and I know things. I meant you like him as a friend," she teased, "or did you think of something else..."

She knew very well what she was doing, Maeve though.

With that, they returned to the table to continue eating. Maeve could feel her heart pounding. She didn't want to dwell on whatever it was she was feeling.

She convinced herself she was content with the current state of things. As she stole a glance at William, he happened to be looking at himself in a mirror.

Following suit, she turned to the mirror, realizing he was looking at her reflection, creating an unspoken connection. They made eye contact through the mirror, both quickly looking away.

Whatever emotions were swirling between them, they remained unspoken. Just two best friends with a newly acquired walkie-talkie.

A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter and see you next Saturday! :)