Richelle POV

Maddie and I walked outside as we saw Parker fixing Joey's bike

"Varsity softball tryouts are coming up, and I need the backyard to practice." Maddie told them

"Forget it, Maddie. We were here first." Joey told her as he and Parker high fived. When Willow walked into the backyard

"Hi, Joey." Willow said smiling

"Oh, dear. Backyard is all yours, Maddie." Joey said as he picked up his bike and began riding it

"No, I wasn't finished!" Parker yelled as Joey crashed and screamed and a tire rolled towards us

"The backyard's all yours, Maddie." Parker said as he picked up the tire

I walked out my dance studio to see Maddie and Willow practicing

"Okay, Willow, ready? Focus. Fire one at me. Right here." Maddie told her as she pitched the ball and smashed the pot

"Perfect If you were playing "smash that pot." I told her

"Willow, you've been in a slump for days." Maddie told her

"I just can't concentrate." Willow told her

"Okay, well, softball tryouts are this weekend, and if we want to be the first sophomores to make varsity,
then you gotta get your head in the game. What is your problem?" Maddie asked

"You know what? I just don't feel comfortable
talking about it." Willow told her

"Okay, well, we have to get to the bottom of whatever this is before tryouts. And if you're not willing to talk to me, then maybe we need some professional help." Maddie told her as the back door opened and mom ran out

"Did someone say "professional help"? It is finally happening." She said

I put on my jacket and leggings as mom drove us to her office at the school. Maddie, Willow, and I walked inside moms office

"Thank you for seeing me in my office." Mom told us

"Thank you for the ride." I told her as the three of us sat down

"Well, I thought we would be more comfortable here. And I thought you'd be more receptive to my words if you could see all my degrees." She said showing us all her college degrees

"So, Willow can't pitch." Mom asked

"Exactly. Fix her." Maddie told her

"So you tell me what is the first thing that pops into your head." Mom said showing her ink blots

"Joey." Willow said as mom showed her another one

"Joey." She said Again as mom showed her another one

"Joey on a horse that looks like Joey." She said

"Okay. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that this has something to do with Joey." Mom asked her

"Wow, you're good." Willow told her

"Joey? This whole thing is about Joey?" I asked her

"Richie, this is a safe place. We do not judge, even if it is the first place your brain wants to go." Mom told me

"Okay, so what is going on with you and Joey?" Mom asked her

"Nothing. That's the problem. It's springtime. Love is in the air, birds are chirping, but all I can think about is why doesn't my sweet little Joey bird chirp at me?" Willow said

"Okay, what what does Joey have to do with your pitching?" Maddie asked her

"I can't concentrate. When I pitch, I look directly at you." Willow told her

"Right." Maddie agreed

"But every time I look at you, all I see is Joey." She said

"Wow that's ironic" I said considering me and Joey are twins you would assume we look more similar to each other

"So the reason you stink at pitching is because of me?" Maddie asked

"Yeah. You guys look exactly like each other. Except he makes it work." Willow said as we looked at her

Later that nigh Liv was in her mirror looking at her wolf ears as I was sitting in the bay window.

"Oh, good, you're here. I really need to talk." Maddie said to Liv walking in the room

"Oh, I'm all ears." She said holding up her wolf ears as she laughed and took them off

"Okay, Willow's in a slump and she can't pitch, and that's gonna keep her from making varsity softball." Maddie told her as she groaned

"Sports." She said pretending to fall asleep as Maddie rolled her eyes

"But the reason she can't pitch is because she can't
concentrate on anything other than her massive crush on Joey." Maddie told her as she perked yo

"Ooh, feelings. Yay." Liv said smiling

"Willow's just so awesome, and I wish she would realize that there's so much more out there in the world for her other than just Joey." Maddie told her

"Okay, so make her see that there's more out there. Put a love note from a secret admirer in her locker, and she'll forget all about Joey." Liv told her

"Liv, that's actually a really good idea. Actually, I remember in fourth grade when I was so obsessed with marky Stevens that I literally couldn't even play kickball. And then I got a secret admirer note from" she said as she looked at Liv and her eyes widened

"You." Maddie said

"And who went on to win top prize in the school kickball-y thing? Uh-huh, you're welcome." Liv told her as the three of us smiled

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The next day at school I was with Maddie at Willow's locker watcher her try to slip the note in

"Maddie, you shouldn't do this. Every time we interfere in people's love life it makes things worse" I told her as she shushed me

"Whatcha doing" Joey asked as we both jumped

"Do not sneak up on me like that." Maddie told him

"What are you doing at Willow's locker? More importantly, what am I doing at Willow's locker? Is that a note?" He asked

"Yeah, actually, don't tell anyone, but I'm doing us both a favor. It's a secret admirer note to get Willow to stop obsessing about you." Maddie told him

"I hope you wrote a good one. Willow's got a bad case of the Joeys, and I'm not sure there's a cure." He said smirking as we looked at him weirdly as Maddie slipped the note in

"Hmm, the hairs on the back of my neck just stood up. Willow's coming. Run." Joey told us as the three of us ran to hide behind the corner

Willow walked up to her locker as she opened it and it was full of Joey

"Hey, Joey." Willow said smiling at a picture

"Hey, beautiful." She said in his voice as we looked at her weirdly

"What's this? Secret admirer?" She asked as she grabbed the letter and read it

"Oh-ho. No way. It looks like she's buying it." Joey said smiling as I I looked over to see the both of them standing alike

"Stop standing like me. We do not look alike." Maddie yelled at him as they both hunched over again

After school Maddie and I were in the backyard when Willow walked up to us smiling

"Hey, Mads. Hey, Rich. What a beautiful day. I see heart shapes in the clouds, and the air smells like Jasmine and hot dogs." She said as Maddie and I smiled at he r

"I got a note from a secret admirer." She said

"You did?" Maddie asked as the three of us squealed then stopped

"Wow, that's totally unlike us." Willow said as Maddie and I nodded

"Yeah, let's please never do that again." I told them as they agreed

"But I can't really say I'm surprised. You are a top-notch lady who any guy would be lucky to have. Now let's get us on that varsity squad. Turn my hand into a bloody pulp." Maddie told her

"My secret admirer is Joey Rooney. My little Joey bird finally chirped back!" She said as our eyes widened

"Wait, Joey? There was nothing in that note about Joey I'm assuming because you said it was a secret." Maddie told her

"For the first time in weeks, my mind is clear and I can concentrate. I mean, it's obviously Joey, right?" She asked as Maddie looked at me

"Tell her" I whispered

"Sure. Yeah. Why not?" Maddie said as I face palmed and shook my head

"The point is that you are out of your slump and now we can get you ready for tryouts." Maddie told her

"Yeah, about that. I'm quitting softball." Willow told her

"What?! Willow, you can't." Maddie told her

"Relationships take work. This thing I have going on with Joey has to be my top priority. See you later, Mads, Rich. if I ever come back down to earth." She told us as our eyes widened

"Wow. There really is no cure for a bad case of the Joeys." I said as Maddie nodded

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The next day at school I was walking with Joey as he stopped Maddie in the hallway

"Hey, did Willow get the note?" Joey asked

"Yeah, she did, but" Maddie told him

"Was she happy?" He asked

"Well, yeah, she was" Maddie told him but he shushed her

"All I needed to know is that she's off my scent. You have served your purpose." Joey said as he walked away

"Things are about to get interesting" I said as we followed Joey

"Hey, Willow. Willow Willow Willow. I heard you got a little note in your locker." He told her

"I did." She said smiling

"I bet you're pretty excited about that, huh? I say chase this rainbow and see where it takes you."

"Um, Joey" Maddie told him running up to him

"Maddie. Not now. I've been waiting for this moment
for a long time." He said as Maddie face palmed

"I just can't take it anymore. Joey Rooney's my secret admirer!" Willow yelled as she picked up Joey hugging him

"What is happening?" He asked

"Uh, I think it's best that the three of you talk about this in a safe place." I told them as we walked to moms to office

Willow was still holding Joey as I sat down in the chair

"Willow. You can put him down now." Mom told her

"Oh, I didn't realize. It just feels so right." Willow said as she let him go

"Thank you." Joey told her as he, Maddie, and Willow sat down.

"Punish Maddie, mom. Make her clean the bathrooms for the next five years." Joey told her

"Yeah, punish her. Your bathrooms could
use a little help." Willow told her

"There are seven of us living in one house.
I do the best I can. Maddie, what I'm hearing is that your brother and your overly critical best friend
are understandably upset." Mom said

"Willow, I was really just trying to help. I didn't want to see my best friend drive herself crazy over some stupid guy." Maddie told her

"Um The stupid guy is right here." Joey told her

"Thanks, Maddie, but you shouldn't have interfered." Willow said

"Wow someone should if told you that. Oh wait someone did" I said as I pointed to myself

"I know. And I'm sorry. But you're a great girl who so does not need a guy to make her feel better about herself. Never forget that. You're not really quitting softball, are you?" Maddie asked

"No, you're right. We're making varsity. I shouldn't get hung up on what some stupid guy thinks." Willow said

"Again, right here." Joey said

"So Maddie, is there anything you would like to say to your brother?" Mom asked

"Yeah. Joey Did you eat the last muffin this morning?" Maddie asked

"Maddie." Mom scolded

"Uh I should not have let Willow think that you
were her secret admirer."Maddie told him

"Exactly. How Willow and I feel about each other
is none of your business." He told her as Willow smiled as Joey realized what he said

"Oh, no." He said as we all groaned. Here we go again

"Joey just said he and I had feelings About each other." Willow says as I smiled at her

"Um, no. What I meant was I'm going now." He says as he got up and walked out the office. He peeked his head back in

"And Maddie, I did eat that muffin." He told her as he closed the door again