Picture on the side is of Emma Roberts, character inspiration for Shayla. ^_^

Enjoy reading! :)

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Chapter Seven

An intermediary, a person acting as a peacemaker between two rivals, was really caught between a rock and a hard place. I could see clearly the struggle of being one on Reece's face ever since I came out of the bathroom, and a part of me pitied him.

Gale and I had taken it upon ourselves to brawl at every given chance. We had already quarreled about who would get to shower first, who was to make breakfast for the day, and who was to clean up afterwards, and currently we were readily giving each other the silent treatment while having breakfast. Safe to assume, Reece's morning at our place wasn't going as smoothly as he would have liked.

Reece let out a weary sigh, and I could feel him looking at Gale and I as he sat between us at the kitchen counter. I decided to not acknowledge his restlessness, and continued forking the eggs on my plate that I had managed to get Gale to cook after agreeing to do the dishes. I didn't mind cooking myself, but I wasn't sure if I even knew how to. That was just another thing I'd have to find out for myself, I guessed. Though, with Gale and Reece for company, it wasn't exactly the right time to do it.

"You both are impossible!" Reece exclaimed in frustration, before turning to Gale. "I don't even want to stay here anymore, man. I'm bored," he told Gale, his voice almost pleading.

"Then get out," Gale said simply—arrogantly, as ever—while getting up and putting away his dishes in the sink for me to clean.

Once he had made his way towards the small living room, Reece and I got up and kept our dishes in the sink too. "He doesn't really mean that," Reece said to me, his eyebrows furrowed, trying to save whatever was left of his dignity.

I bit back a chuckle and shrugged at him. "Sure," I said, though the amused smile curling up on my lips betrayed my attempt at using a serious tone.

Reece smiled too before leaning against the counter while I did the dishes. "So, what's your plan for the day?"

"I don't really know. Probably going to look for a job, and I also have to check back with the university regarding my admission. I hope they won't cancel it," I told him, a slight frown forming on my face. I had to give an exam back when I was in the hospital to make sure the injury hadn't affected my education, but I was unsure if the university I had been able to get into would still accept my application.

"Why would they cancel it?" Reece asked, now frowning too.

Great, I messed up again. "Erm... I— I don't know, I guess I am just paranoid," I told him while shrugging. 'Well, wasn't that lame,' I thought to myself.

Reece pulled himself up to sit on the counter. "Well, which uni did you apply into?"

"USW. University of Southern Wishword. Do you know about it?" I asked him, wiping my hands after finishing the dishes, and turning to look at him as I leaned on the counter across from him.

Reece grinned, and nodded. "Yep! I'll be joining USW as well, and Gale too. I don't think they would cancel your application if they've already accepted it, you don't have anything to worry about," he told me, smiling reassuringly. If only he knew how wrong he was.

"Guess you're right," I lied, giving him a small smile. "What's your major?"

"I don't know, I'm still confused," Reece said, giving me a sheepish half smile while scratching the back of his head. He actually looked quite cute while doing so—just like a child, making my smile brighten instantly. "I'll probably decide after taking a few different introductory classes, I guess. What about you, know what you're gonna do?"

I shook my head, giving him a sheepish smile of my own. "I don't know either. So... what's Gale's major? Has he decided upon one yet?" I asked slowly, already regretting my decision with every word as I saw a knowing, amused expression taking over Reece's face. "What? I just want to get to know the person I'm going to be living with, and me asking him directly wouldn't end well, we both know that," I said, almost defensively.

Reece's knowing smile never left his lips as he chuckled lightly. He was really just reading wrongly between lines now. "Sure, whatever you say. He's going to do a major in forensic science with a minor in psychology. He has his whole future planned out for him— first, get his Bachelors degree, and then apply for becoming a WCPD police officer. The guy is really working hard to achieve his goals; practices martial arts, boxing, wrestling, jujitsu and what not. He's even going to soon be joining this cadet program that WCPD has for young aspiring officers. Sometimes I really admire him, wish I was this sure about what I wanted to do in life," Reece answered, his eyes glazed over. I could tell that he was thinking of his own future now, and somewhere in my mind, I was worried about mine too.

Reece's words about Gale surprised me. For some reason, I wasn't really expecting even one of those things from Gale, though, it was only obvious because I hardly knew the guy. A reluctant respect was beginning to grow in me for Gale.

"Wow," I muttered, crossing my arms against my chest. "That's— That's really impressive."

My words drew Reece's attention back to me, and he nodded. "It is, isn't it?" He smiled cheekily at my unwillingness in admitting my admiration for Gale, making me roll my eyes at him.

"So, had he, like, known from the beginning what he wanted to do? God, I have no idea what I want to do, and I'm going to start uni soon. I kind of feel inferior to him now that you've told me this," I confessed, frowning slightly.

Reece let out a short laugh, and nodded again. "I know, man! I've known him since our junior year. He had known ever since the tenth grade that he wanted to be an officer, and I always felt the same way that you're feeling now whenever we talked about out futures and careers at that time. Hell, I still do!"

"Yeah, I can imagine. I mean, we don't—" My words were cut short by the blaring of Katy Perry's song 'Firework' through my phone. I had put it as my ringtone after a few days of finding out that I had amnesia; the song provided me with a sense of inspiration. I pulled out my phone from the back pocket of my pants, seeing it was Shayla's call. "Sorry, I've to take this," I apologized, looking at Reece as I pointed at my phone.

Reece just waved his hand in dismissal, and gave me soft smile before hopping down the counter and going to join Gale in the living room to play some video game. I accepted Shayla's call and put the phone to my ear. "Hi, Shayla," I said into the phone.

"Hey, Rae! How're you doing? Are you guys all settled in? How's the new place? Do you like it there?" I heard Shayla say through the line, her voice sounding enthusiastic, though with a pleading undertone. She was again making an effort to talk to me, to get me to open up to her—like she had done many times before—and once again I could feel myself getting more distant.

"Yeah, we got settled in, well, almost. The place is fine, I guess," I answered, fiddling with the hem of my tank top as I felt slightly guilty for not making an equal effort as that of Shayla's to keep the conversation going. If anything, a part of me was wishing that it would be over soon.

"Oh, okay. That's great," she replied, and I could almost imagine her expression growing disappointed at my lack of interest. "So, um..." Shayla was scrambling for words, like she would always be left to do when she was the only one who wished to continue the conversation between us. Though, I did admire how she never stopped trying.

"I want to see your new place!" she suddenly exclaimed, making my eyes widen at the implication. I really hoped she wasn't planning to visit.

"How?"

"Skype, silly! Remember how when I helped you deactivate all your social networking accounts before you left Iridis, I also made a new Skype for you so we can video call?" She asked from the other side of the line, her voice gaining her excitement back.

I bit my lip. A part of me wanted to straight out deny her, but another part of me felt ashamed for being so selfish. In the past few days, I had only gone to Shayla whenever I needed something from her, and on the rest all occasions, I had shut her out completely. Though, she had never once complained, and always willingly lent me a helping hand.

She had assisted me in deactivating my Facebook, Skype, Instagram and Twitter accounts because I had felt it unnecessary to keep them when I didn't even know the people I befriended on them. Shayla had retrieved my passwords for me. She certainly did know me quite well before the amnesia happened. It was something that I had learned when I watched her answer my security questions as easily as if they were hers. The thought made me feel even more apologetic for my behavior towards her, and before I could think twice about it, I agreed to make a Skype call with her.

"Okay. Could you please text me the username and the password? I don't think I remember it," I told her, thinking back to how I hadn't cared enough to even try to remember it, believing I would never need it.

"Of course, I'll text you in a second! Bye, see you soon, Rae!" Shayla said, her voice bubbling with happiness, making me feel a bit better too, despite my initial reluctance.

***

"You baked that cake?!" Reece exclaimed, looking at the Red Velvet Cake displayed on my laptop's screen.

Shayla fit herself into the frame as well, and giggled upon seeing Reece's face. "Yeah, and now I am going to eat it. You both can watch, though," she said playfully, cutting a big piece of the cake before taking a bite from it.

I couldn't explain how we came to talking about Shayla's baking skills, but I sure did want a bite of that deliciousness on the screen. I was walking around the apartment with my laptop in my arms, showing Shayla the living room, when I caught Reece's eye. He decided to join in on our video call—abandoning the game he was playing with Gale—making Gale retreat back to his room, annoyed.

"Mmm, this is delish! A little over-cooked, maybe, but still good!" Shayla murmured, with a mischievous look on her face, making the frowns on mine and Reece's faces deepen.

"Don't be mean!" Reece pouted, his eyes set on the spoonful of cake that Shayla was about to guzzle down.

Shayla and I both burst out laughing at the childish manner Reece had said those words with, making him pout more, which in turn led to us laughing harder. This was the first time I felt at ease with Shayla, the first time I shared a laugh with her, and felt like we could really be good friends again.

"Aw! Tell you what, I'll bake a cake for you if I ever visit the city, okay?" Shayla asked, looking at Reece before glancing at me, giving me a meaningful smile.

I knew what she was trying to say, her words indicating that she would visit if I ever invite her, and for some reason, I didn't feel as uncomfortable as I usually would have with her optimism for our friendship.

I gave her a genuine smile in return. "That does sound great. We will hold you down to that whenever you come to visit in the future, Shayla," I told her, liking how she beamed at my words, a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes. Maybe, she was right. Maybe, there still was a chance for us to be the same best friends that we used to be. For now, though, I was fine with how things were progressing slowly.

"Yeah, definitely. I think I have got the wrong friend sitting beside me. I'd much prefer for you to be here, Shayla, instead of Raelyn. You bake cakes, you're pretty, and you're quirky—the three things I look for in a girl!" Reece said to her, winking at her as he chuckled at my dropped jaw.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, hitting his arm as my brows furrowed, though a humorous smile still gracing my lips.

Shayla and Reece both chuckled at me before Shayla decided to flirt back, making me give her a surprised look. "I wouldn't have minded that one bit. You're not too bad yourself, Reece," she said, giving him her brilliant grin.

I raised my eyebrows at them, and was just about to comment upon their shameless flirting when the sound of clearing of a throat reached my ears from the direction of the front door. I looked up to find Ethan standing there with Leah by his side, and Natalie and Daniel following close—all dressed in their tracksuits. Natalie and Daniel were smiling brightly while Ethan stood there with pursed lips, and Leah with eyes narrowed at me.

"Hey, you're back! I'm sorry I couldn't join you. I overslept," I said, scrunching my nose apologetically while shrugging. "What took you guys so long, though? It's quarter to nine," I asked, smiling at them, though it dulled when Ethan's brooding expression never left his face.

"Um, did I just hear Shayla's voice?" Ethan asked, his gaze directed towards my laptop that rested in Reece's lap since the past twenty minutes.

"Yeah, we are talking to her on Skype. Come say hi. She and Reece were flirting anyway, so I wouldn't mind the interruption," I told him, turning to look at Reece and Shayla amusedly, though, all humor drained out upon seeing the dejected look on Shayla's face. She was biting her lip, her gaze averted from mine.

'What's wrong with them?' I wondered, looking back at Ethan, only to find him walking backwards towards his room as he answered my previous question.

"We stopped to see the Wishword House, the city's main attraction, and then we went for a breakfast. I'll go, take a shower now," he told me, turning around and walking into his room, rather hastily.

I hadn't even begun to make sense of Ethan's reaction when I heard Shayla speak. "Rae, I've gotta go. It was really nice talking to you after so long. Thanks, really. Bye, I hope to do this again soon. Bye, Reece!" she muttered before disconnecting the video call, not waiting for either mine or Reece's response. Together with being relieved that she didn't say anything more to make Reece curious about our strange friendship, I was also confused by what had just happened.

Was I missing something here? I looked at Natalie for help, but she only shrugged her shoulders, looking puzzled herself. I shutdown my laptop, and decided to question Ethan about this later.

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A/N: Hi, sorry for the late update. Again. I never learn, do I? :/

Dedication of the Chapter: Dedication for this chapter goes to a brilliant writer and an amazing person, who goes by the name of Arcci on Wattpad (drwhogivesadamn). She wrote an intriguing description for this book, helped me with several other aspects of the book and I just learned so much from her. She writes beautifully; go, read her amazing works, you'll fall in love. 

Thanks, Arcci. I miss you, hope to see you around more! :)

My Highlight of the Chapter: For me, it was Shayla's efforts to keep her best friend. A best friend never really leaves you alone, even if you want them to. They keep you company, at your best and at your worst. Just like Shayla is doing for Raelyn. Shayla doesn't want to let go of her friend and she is bent on doing everything in her power to not let that happen, even when her efforts aren't reciprocated, or appreciated. :)

What was your highlight of the chapter, if any?

Questions of the Chapter: Thoughts on new development about Gale? Was this anything close to what you were expecting of him? If not, what had been your initial thoughts about him? Also, what are your thoughts about the ship that most of you support—Shayla and Ethan? Do you think the distance between them will lead it to sink?

Announcement: I have recently joined Twitter and Instagram,  author_shagun is my username on both the sites. Follow me there to stay updated about MeTO and to get a glimpse of few extra stuff. I'll be giving sneak peaks on Twitter and will be posting additional images for the book and the characters, like Raelyn's new apartment, on Instagram. You can view all the images related to MeTO under the tag #WattpadMeTO on Instagram. Do leave comments to let me know what you think! :)

Don't forget to show your support through comments and votes, so that I'd know whether you're enjoying the story or not and can also thank you for reading it! Follow me to get updates on this book and on any other works that I write in the future! :⦆

Hugs & Kisses,

Shagun