Delynn arrived at my apartment first.

Still mixing up the batter for muffins, I threw open the door. Her eyes widened as they met my face, as if she were surprised to see me at my own house. Then again, she might have been expecting Robin to open the door and immediately slam it in her face while I cackled from inside the like wicked witch... Who knows what shape she made me in her head these days.

In any case, she lifted a tray of cookies, which were wrapped in plastic wrap and offered a meek, "Good morning?"

She phrased it more like a question than a greeting and glanced at the bowl of batter in my hands. A flush came to her cheeks, "Ah..."

Waving off her embarrassment, I welcomed her in and said, "The chances of these bad boys making it out of the oven are slim. Thanks for bringing a snack."

Nodding, she stepped in and started to look around hesitantly. No doubt for booby-traps. Or a whiteboard of evidence that reveals Robin and I are dating. Or the giant poster of Maizy's face that I throw darts at ---

Stop it. The voice of reason reprimands my spiraling. She's uncomfortable in this situation just like you.

Except she chose to make problems. She chose to make everyone more uncomfortable...

Having noticed me observing her, Delynn smiled. It was a genuine and shy sort of smile, the kind that makes you soften on someone immediately. I returned a smile back, albeit a little more unsure than hers, and walked to the kitchen. "Everyone should start showing up soon." 

Scooping the batter into a tin, I tried to steel myself up for what was to come. "You're a bit early."

She hums her agreement and walks after me toward the kitchen. Setting down the cookies on my island counter, I hear the plastic wrap being taken off.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you alone." She says, except with my back turned she sounds more like the voice from her horror movies. There's a breathlessness to her words, a haunting lilt. I made me imagine the glint of a dagger... right before it sinks into your back.

I half face her while I put the muffins into the oven, "Oh?"

Seeing barstools tucked under the island she pulls out a seat. I watch her arrange herself before she starts picking restlessly at her cuticles. She whispered something, but I couldn't hear. A thick silence descends on the room, draping over us like a damp curtain. Drawing a deep breath to combat the sensation of being smothered, I waited for her to repeat herself. Our eyes met, and I felt myself flushing in the face over the awkwardness in the room. 

Just as I felt the need to make small talk, Delynn cleared her throat and said, "I'm sorry, Leah."

She must have seen the doubt in my expression because she started to blush as well. It rose brightly to her throat and cheeks. "I promised I would do what it takes to pay Robin back—even if it was unwanted. So, that's not what I'm apologizing for... but I'm sorry for hurting you in the process."

Her eyes drop to the counter hastily and she reaches for a cookie. I swallow, not sure where to look, while she starts to pick it apart anxiously. We sit there for what feels like forever, and she moves to another one, crumbling the edges until it looks like they're made of kinetic sand. Seeing that she was about to crumble every cookie into oblivion, I walked to the coffee pot, grabbed her a mug, and poured her a giant cup. She thanked me after I pushed it into her hands.

Then I poured myself an even bigger mug.
I'm going to need it.

"I'm confused," I admit, cautiously. "Where is this coming from?" 

"After you left the studio that day, I went directly to Maizy." Delynn eyes me for a moment, then sighs, "I told her that you agreed to the deal and wanted to wait to sign me until the first manuscript was finished..."

My face upon receiving this information must have been something unbearable...Her expression falters from its cool mask to something close to regret as she drops her eyes. Her lips tremble and her brows pull down. "I didn't think she would see through it so quickly. Or steal your project and undermine your book. I wanted you to succeed. Truly."

Stumbling a few steps back, I hugged my coffee close and glanced at the door. Please walk in now. Please, Robin.  

He wouldn't have a problem cutting her off or shutting this down. He would level her with a single glare and the topic would drop. Then again, between him, Delynn, and Maizy, knowing the truth of the scandal and me only knowing parts, I felt outnumbered. Seeing them in the same room, to watch his eyes trace her like pages of a familiar book... to watch her flip from sincere apologies to cool indifference on a dime... might be too much to handle. 

Even if they were never officially in a relationship, they still had history. And whether Robin admitted it or not, it was plain to see that there was something deeper than just friends going on when the scandal broke out. 

The hurt rose like a lump in my throat. So, I took a drink to wash it down and dropped my eyes. Staring blankly into my cup, I tried to mask my distress.

"...I don't know if all this was worth it." Delynn is still monologuing, and I can see her shifting from the corner of my eye. Her voice sounds as tight as my throat feels, "I can't make him see it, that I'm trying to make amends, and what's more, I can't make him believe it."

Her voice goes delicate, like wind chimes, "But If you could talk to him..."

My head snaps up, and I look at her appalled, "What?"

Seeing that she gained my attention, Delynn straightened up, "I just mean that he trusts you. Maybe you could talk to him and convince him—"

"Of what?" My anger sparked, and I cut her off, too quickly. "Of forgiving you for harming every..." 

She watches me, eyes wide and round like a frightened little kid. I stop and close my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I try again, exasperated, "Couldn't you consider that maybe he doesn't want to be repaid? That by listening to him, instead of manipulating him, he would believe you're sorry and consider forgiving you a lot faster?"

Have you considered him at all? I want to shout but hold back my judgments. Afterall, I had done someone I cared for wrong too... It can be hard to see past your own wounds when you've done nothing but lick them raw. When I was lying to Levi, I was convinced that I was doing what was best. That is... until I remembered deciding what was best for both of us was selfish. That I was hurting him in favor of protecting the lie and not the relationship. 

"I am sorry," Her eyes narrow slightly, as if I've accused her of being unapologetic instead of misguided. Delynn raises her voice, "I've told him a thousand times that I am! I know I made a mistake. I own that. But why does he get to decide how long I pay for it? How is that fair?"

I let that question— that entire outburst—hang in the air. It's so self-evident in its answer that she looks genuinely ashamed for having asked it. Her eyes dropped and she clenched her jaw.

"I don't know what happened, Delynn," I say to her as steadily as I can, " But I've told you once already: I won't get involved."

"You're already involved, Leah!" She snaps, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "You're the reason we're all here! You're the one who hired him against Maizy's advice, you're the one who defends him against the media, you're the one who keeps facing punishment for wrongs you're not even aware of let alone responsible for! You've become part of the reason he won't forgive me! You're the one he's in love with!"

Fear lances me, and I stuttered frantically, "Tha-That's not...N-No—"

"Don't." Her eyes level on me viciously. I stop my sputtering. 

Her teeth are practically bared as she pauses to wipe an escaped tear from her cheek. "Don't deny it. It's too cruel of you to pretend. Even if you were that oblivious... I would know."

I drop my eyes guiltily... The room spins, and I swallow hard. Her voice echoes in my ear drums when she whispers, "He's never looked at me the way he looks at you. Not even once. Not even while acting like he was in love with me."

A sharp pain impales my heart, like a fine needle, threading me over and over again. Her words clatter in my head, and grief blooms in my chest. Delynn whimpers, falling back into her seat dejectedly. My eyes lift to find that she's covered her face with her hands and is shaking her head. She wipes her tears irritably.

 "You know why I'm perfect for this role? Why I've fought so hard to have it? It's because I really am a ghost to him. He looks right through me as if I'm nothing... Yet, he sees you. Why do you get to have that?"

He does see you, Delynn...He just wishes he didn't. I want to tell her. Nobody would wince the way he does at seeing nothing.

She sobs through trembling lips, eyebrows turning in so much that it caused me pain to see her hurting that way. Delynn whispers again, "Why do you get to have that?"

This time my heart really does sink, and I feel my own tears fall. My throat tightens and I shake my head, "I don't know."

I'm sick to my stomach when she suddenly glares at me. Her pain twists into a cool smile, "Do you want to know what I did? Do you want to know why he hates me so much? Why Maizy put us together? What all this is really about?"

Yes. I think instantly. Yes. Tell me! Someone, tell me what's going on!

But the voice of reason makes me say, "Not if you're telling me to hurt me... or get back at him."

Her eyes narrow, and flood with tears again. She shakes her head, groaning, "God! You're so... irritating!"

It makes me smile, and I laugh a little. Then I laughed a lot, because she really meant that. It was the most honest reaction I've ever gotten out of her.

"Sorry," I smiled, fighting another giggle. "I don't mean to be."

Delynn cracks a smile too, albeit a more frustrated version, and she covers her face. Then she smooths out her hair and wipes down her face. Her eyes are still shining, but somehow, she looks lighter. We both drink our coffee in silence, munching on cookies. I check the muffins, and then go back to leaning against the counter. It was closer to 10:30 now. Everyone would be showing up soon.

"I'm not going to give up on him." She says after a while, twisting her mug in circles on the counter.

Our eyes meet across the room, and she swallows hard, "I can't. He's always been my...something. But, I admit, I-I like you. So, I don't want to take away what makes him happy either."

Not sure what that means, I just nod at her. She nods back slowly, and we both sip our coffee again. Then she stands and tucks some hair behind her ear. "When you want to know, you can ask me. I won't... spring it on you."

It's my turn to swallow, and I draw breath from deep in my chest, "Okay..."

She nods again and asks where the bathroom is to freshen up. I point down the hall, and Delynn heads in that direction. She pauses only once to say over her shoulder, "We aren't friends, Leah. Don't think because we've talked that we are. Especially because, I can't say I won't continue to do what it takes to win his heart. To earn his forgiveness... but if we hadn't met like his, I would like to think that..."

She glances at me, then looks down and clears her throat, "Anyway, this is the second time you've been understanding when I've been a jerk. I owe you... so I won't tell anyone."

"Tell anyone what?" I furrow my eyebrows.

Delynn's lips quirk up at one side, almost sadly, "Just a pointer, if I figured it out, then so has Maizy. So, you need to be careful... Don't make the same mistake I did."

Then she walks into the bathroom and the door clicks shut. The buzzer goes off on the oven. 

----

There's a knock at my door as I finish taking the muffins out. Rushing, I check the peep hole and find Robin standing on the other side, grumpily holding up four coffees. 

He speaks the minute I open the door: "You know, if I had a coffee pot I wouldn't have—"

I don't think twice before yanking him forward. He exclaims at being thrown into the apartment and stumbles to a stand, looking at me as if I had grown a second head. When the door closed, Robin's eyebrows pulled down in concern.

"Have you been crying?"

Overwhelmed, I raise my finger to my lips and shake my head. Then I point to the bathroom to signal someone is here and take his hand. He follows me into the study silently, and I close the door behind us once he's in. 

Robin furrows his eyebrows, whispering, "What's wrong?" 

He watches as I take the coffee from his hand and set them to the side. He makes a noise of confusion, turning to pick them back up, "Leah if someone's here, we shouldn't--" 

 I step forward, pushing the coffee back down. Then, throwing my arms over his shoulders, I hugged him tighter than I ever have. I'm up on my toes, pushing my face into his neck. My hands grip his hoodie tightly, using it to anchor him to me.

He inhales, clearly surprised. His body stiffens, and he repeats his questions more worriedly, "You're scaring me. What's wrong? Why—"

I crush him closer, "Take the stupid coffee maker if you want. Just stay. For a minute longer."

He relaxes instantly. A sigh of relief overtaking him as he chuckles at my nonsense. I feel his arms fall around me as his head falls to lay on mine. Robin pulls me close to him, gripping my sides as he whispered, "Okay." 

Robin allows me exactly a minute before he pushes at my shoulders, and scans my face, "What's wrong?" 

My heart sputters like an old engine the minute I get to look into his eyes. Everything feels too big and scary, and I can feel that tightness in my chest start to build. Swallowing, I try to tell him what's happened, but instead I just feel more anxiety pushing up against my throat like a barricade. 

Somehow, he sees it, and Robin shakes his head, "Okay, I... feel like you're about to freak out." 

"Delynn is here. She's in the bathroom," I respond shakily. 

"Okay..." 

Robin scans my face, then suddenly pulls me a little closer to him as if I've told him there's a monster in the closet instead of his co-star.  Rubbing soothing circles on my back, he tucks me into his chest, but there's something new in his voice. It's strained, and I realize he's not bringing me closer to comfort me but to hide the anger in his expression. 

He asks very carefully, "Did she make you cry?" 

"She knows we're together."

There's complete silence for a few seconds. Pushing back, I look at him questioningly. There's a hard look on his face. It looks like he's glaring through the wall, across the hall, and through the bathroom door right at Delynn. 

Robin starts to detach himself from me, saying quietly, "I'll handle it." 

"No--" I snag him before he can reach the door, "No, it's not what it seems. She didn't come to threaten me. She warned me...about being careful." 

He deadpans a doubtful expression, "How generous of her. Did she sprout angel wings and ascend back to heaven suddenly too?" 

"Robin," I exhaled, rolling my eyes at his sarcasm, "I believe her. She said Maizy knows." 

This sobers him effectively, "Knows or suspects?" 

"I'm not sure," I shake my head, "I don't know how she would know, but if she seriously suspects anything then we can't give her any reason to dig. We can't be reckless or give the slightest hint, okay? We're going full G mode today." 

"G mode?" This cracks a smile, but Robin tries to smother it, "Is that code for ghost mode? Did you make a code name for a code name?" 

Rolling my lips into my mouth, I try to keep my composure at that smile. Do not blush. Do not blush. Steading myself with a deep breath disguised as a huff, I folded my arms across my chest impatiently. He does the same mockingly, tilting his head to the side. It's enough for butterflies to flutter giddily in my stomach. 

"Yes, G Mode." I affirm seriously, "As in, Ghost mode. As in, we've 'Got to be careful' mode. As in 'rated G, for general audiences' mode." 

"What exactly does G Mode entail, then?" He's not even trying not to smile. "Do I still get to do this?" 

The white of his teeth flash behind his lips, and he takes a step forward. I warn him with a look and make an ahah! noise. He stops, raising his hands innocently. 

"No!" I raise my finger, "None of that--" I gesture to his face and body, "Comes near this"-- I gesture to myself--"in G Mode. No looking, no flirting, no touching, no thinking of flirting, looking, touching, or otherwise existing at each other. I don't even exist. I'm like a floating head. We're two floating heads today." 

Robin scrunches his lips to the side in consideration then folds his arms, "Hmm, no. That doesn't work for me." 

"It's not debatable," I laugh, "It's the rules." 

"Or we could go R Mode?" 

That earns him a very stern look, and he amends all too innocently, "For Romance mode, of course." 

Despite snorting doubtfully at him, Robin continues saying, "To smoke Maizy out. We make her think we're in love, then, at the right time, stage a huge fight and disprove all suspicion." 

I stand there for a second, completely floored. He starts to look proud of himself right up until I respond, "That's a terrible idea!" 

"Great, so it's settled." He claps his hands. I shake my head stubbornly, and he chuckles, "Trust me, okay? Maizy wants a secret, just like Caleb did. We handled him with the fake dating, and we'll handle her the same way!  The best way to keep a secret is to pretend you can't."

Just then there's a knock at the front door. My eyes widen and I point, "That's her!" 

"I'll get it!" Delynn shouts, and there's steps walking into the front room. "Leah?... Leah?" 

He smirks, "Show time." 

"Robin, I do not agree with romance mode! We go ghost mode--" 

Just as I say this, he grabs me by the waist. I stumble into him just as he presses his lips to mine. My heart thunders rabidly, and I grasp his arms to stay steady. He takes my head in his hand and kisses me like he's been waiting to do it this whole time. His whole life. 

I withstood it at first. On principle. Then I gave in... I mean, of course I gave in. What am I going to do not kiss him back?

He gives a hum of approval when I pull him closer. After a moment he coaxes me, with a gentler kiss before smiling against my lips, "You realize you forfeit the coffee pot just now, right?" 

"Hmmh," I respond distractedly. 

"Who do you like better... Me or it?" 

"You," I sigh, completely unabashed at how fast the answer comes flying out of my mouth. 

"Knew it," He laughs. "I'm taking it home then." 

"Then you have to take its place," I tilt my lips back to his impatiently. 

Robin chuckles suggestively at my response, "Are you saying you'd like to have me in the kitchen?" 

I laughed in disapproval, lightly hitting his arm. He grins and kisses me effortlessly, heatedly, and I remember how much I've missed him. How much I've missed this. I can hear the front door open and a squeak near the study door. My body gets tense, and I pull back out of reflex. 

"Maybe she's in here?" Delynn says as the doorknob turns. 

Robin darts to the other side of the room like he's been burned. I stared at him breathless and shocked. He raises his fingers to his mouth, then grins deviously. 

"Knock knock!" Maizy calls before the door is thrown open on the two of us. She sees me first and claps her hands excitedly. Stepping into the room, she exclaims, "Leah! I was thinking on the way over here and I have got the best idea for our project today---" 

She caught sight of Robin as she entered and took him in. It was impossible not to see it on our faces. Literally.  His lips and cheeks were flushed just as much as mine were, and the two of us looked way too rumpled. Those blue eyes narrow in on every detail, from the alarm in my face to the bold defiance of Robin's.

"Well, well..." Maizy chirps, "Hello, Robin." 

Show time. 

------

HELLO Lovelies!! 

Oh, my goooooodddnessss It has been so long since I've been able to write! I finally got the chance today and refused to stop once I had completed this chapter! 

Stay tuned for the secret to FINALLY come out about what happened with the scandal, and of course, for Leah and Robin's shenanigans! I'm not so certain that their "fake dating" plan will work out quite so well this time, but fingers crossed :)

I love you all, and would love to catch up soon, but I'm going to jump right in on writing the next chapters!! I'll leave a longer authors note there so we can visit next time <3

Until then, be happy and well my friends!

with love, 

e.g.