Chapter 61 Jealousy Isn't Logical

Chapter 61 Jealousy Isn't Logical
"It's freezing in here," Dalton grumbled as they rode in the car.

Mayzie crossed her arms, keeping her eyes on the road ahead. "If you hadn't taken forever in the bathroom, the heater would've had time to warm the place up."

"You shouldn't have brought it up so early," he replied, turning to stare out his side window.

"A real man only needs ten or fifteen minutes to get ready." She stuck her tongue out at the back of his head.

Dalton's head snapped toward her. "I can see you in the window glass' reflection, idiot."

"Like I care. I would’ve done it to your face anyway." Embarrassed at getting caught, Mayzie cleared her throat and quickly turned away to look out her own window.

He caught her discomfort and let out a faint smirk. "Starting tomorrow, you’re driving me to school."

"What?" She turned back to him, startled.

"Tomorrow. You’re driving. I’m tired of calling a driver every time I need to go somewhere. It’s just easier this way."

"You like to sneak off campus during the day for coffee and whatever else. I can't just skip class to act as your personal driver."

"Then leave your keys with me."

"Are you crazy? No way. You’ll wreck my car," she snapped.

Dalton looked offended. "First off, you should care more about my safety than your car. Second, it’s actually my car or did you forget?"

Mayzie pressed her lips together and turned back to the window. "Whatever. Have it your way, you giant baby."

Dalton curled his lip and raised a hand, making a fake motion like he was going to swat her.

"I can see you in the reflection too, stupid!" Mayzie called out.

He frowned and dropped his hand. "Stop staring at my reflection. It’s creepy."

"I wasn't staring."

He brushed her off with a wave. "Please. You’re obsessed with me. I catch you looking all the time. Just because I felt bad for you a few times on the island doesn't mean I actually like you."

Her mouth dropped open. "Felt bad for me? I don't need your pity. You want to know what I think?"

"Not really, since you rarely do much thinking," he said smugly.

If looks could kill, Dalton knew he’d be a pile of ashes right then. "Mr. Murphy, I think you're the one who can't stop looking at me. That’s why you always want me around. Barging into the studies while I’m working, making me ride with you every day... and now this. Next, you’ll be asking me to feed you and hold your hand in the hallways."

"Excuse me?"

"Does the little boy need me to hold his hand?" She pouted, making wide, mocking eyes as she reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

Dalton glared at her. "You’re really pushing it."

"What are you going to do? Throw a tantrum on the floor? Guess that means no ice cream for you tonight." She lightly patted his chin.

He snapped at her fingers as she pulled her hand away. "You must be on your period with how mean you're acting."

The car came to a stop near the university entrance. Mayzie shook her head, stepped out, and held the door for him. Once he was on the pavement, she shut the door and followed him toward the building. Dalton headed straight for the side door instead of the front, desperate to avoid the usual questions about why Mayzie was trailing behind him.

"You really shouldn't talk about a girl's cycle like that," she scolded. "Anyone else would have ripped your head off."

He glanced back over his shoulder. "Well, are you?"

"Do you actually want an answer to that?"

"Mayzie!"

Both of them paused as Waynona from The Destitutes came running over from the direction of the student center, a bright smile on her face. She offered Dalton a quick look before focusing entirely on Mayzie.

"Hey! How was your spring break?" Waynona asked, patting her shoulder.

"It was alright. How about yours?"

"The usual... I went to the beach, drank a bit too much, and had fun. What did you end up doing?"

"I stayed at Dalton's private island," Mayzie said, gesturing toward him with her thumb.

"Just the two of you?"

Mayzie felt a little confused by the line of questioning, but kept her voice polite. "No, a few other friends came along."

"Oh, so you two are friends now?" another voice chimed in. Irvin stepped up beside Waynona.

"Well, no, I mean..." Mayzie started.

"Best friends," Dalton interrupted, tossing an arm over her shoulder. "Did you guys need something from her? We’re supposed to meet the others."

Mayzie tried to slip out from under his arm, but his grip remained firm.

Irvin and Waynona exchanged a skeptical look. "Best friends?" Waynona repeated.

"After everything he put you through with the rest of the school?" Irvin asked, looking genuinely concerned. "Are you really okay hanging out with someone like him?"

Mayzie looked between the two of them, thoroughly puzzled. "Did you guys come over here for a reason?"

Waynona shook her head. "Just saying hi. We’ll see you around, okay?"

Mayzie nodded as the pair walked away. Once they were out of earshot, she forcefully shoved Dalton's arm off her shoulders. "What was that about? Why did you lie? Why couldn't I just say I'm your assistant?"

"Those two are up to something," Dalton said flatly. "You need to watch your back."

"Why do you care? And why fabricate a story?"

He crossed his arms. "I care because if you get hurt, who's going to bring me breakfast? And I lied because people are afraid of me. They’re much less likely to mess with someone if they think they're my friend. See? It's all to make my own life easier."

A small smirk spread across Mayzie's face.

"What are you smiling at?"

"You're jealous. You're worried they'll steal me away, and I won't hang out with you anymore."

He scoffed. "You aren't my friend, you're my assistant. Why on earth would I be jealous of them?" He gestured vaguely toward the direction the duo had walked off.

She shrugged teasingly. "Jealousy isn't logical. Don't worry, big baby, I'm not going anywhere. Do you need me to walk you to your tree?"

As Dalton turned and began walking away, Mayzie raised her voice. "Are you sure you won't get lost on your own? Big baby?" She giggled, standing on her tiptoes to watch him disappear into the crowd.

Shaking her head, she turned toward the main gates to wait for Clyde and Bellatrix. She wasn't entirely sure where those two stood with each other lately, but she hoped things could return to normal. With Bellatrix dating Blake and Clyde seeing Ember, the sudden awkwardness between them was hard to ignore.

Before heading to the gates, Mayzie stopped by the restroom to check herself on the mirror. She had overslept that morning and rushed out the door without thinking. She figured Dalton would have complained if her clothes looked sloppy, though she couldn't help but smile, thinking back on their bickering in the car.

"Hey."

She looked up to see Arking standing near the entrance, his brother close behind. He started to smile when he caught her bright expression, but his face fell as her smile vanished instantly. Without saying a word, Mayzie turned her back and walked straight into the women's restroom, suddenly remembering the lingering frustration she had felt before heading to Dalton's place the day before.

Meanwhile, at the front gates, Bellatrix offered a tight smile to Clyde as they waited for their mutual friend. The tension between them was palpable as they stood there, both relying on Mayzie to bridge the awkward gap. Neither quite knew what to say given everything that had happened.

"How’s your mom doing?" Clyde asked, leaning back against the stone wall.

"She's good. Happy to have me back home. Yours?"

"Same." He nodded slowly. "So... you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but why aren't you hanging out with Blake?" He glanced over his shoulder toward the distant tree where Blake's group usually gathered.

"Dalton doesn't like me hanging around them during school hours."

Clyde gave an understanding nod. "Wonder what's keeping Mayzie?" He checked his watch.

"Dalton probably dragged his feet and slowed everything down," Bellatrix chuckled softly. "She tells me he moves like a slug in the morning."

"Yeah? Seems like those two are getting pretty close, don't you think?"

Bellatrix pressed her lips together, nodding in agreement. "I don't think Dalton is as over his crush as he claims to be."

Clyde grinned. "Probably not. He’s just too stubborn to admit it after everything that went down."

"Definitely."

Silence settled over them again as they watched the courtyard, waiting for Mayzie to appear.

"Oh, hey," Clyde spoke up, breaking the quiet. "My dad’s company had just finished building a new coaster at the park, and he gave me a few extra passes. Do you want to go with me this weekend?"

"I’ll have to check if Blake made plans, but if he's free, sure."

A shadow of disappointment crossed Clyde's face before he quickly covered it with a smile. "Great. Just let me know. We can turn it into a fun group day."

"Sounds like a plan," Bellatrix smiled.

"Clyde!"

They both turned toward the voice. A girl was jogging toward them, with another friend trailing just behind her. Bellatrix's expression instantly soured at the sight of Ember.

"Ember? What are you doing here?" Clyde asked as she came to a stop beside him.

"I transferred!" she announced brightly. "I wanted to be closer to you. And Thelma wanted to be near Dalton, so we both transferred here." She gestured to the girl behind her.

Clyde felt a flicker of discomfort. The idea that Ember had changed schools just for him felt overwhelming, especially considering their setup. She's taking this fake dating thing way too far, he thought, his smile tightening. "That's... nice." He glanced nervously at Bellatrix.

"Hi, Bellatrix," Ember said cheerfully. "Do you guys always wait out here together?"

"We're waiting for Mayzie," Bellatrix replied evenly.

"Um, where does Dalton usually hang out?" Thelma asked in a quiet, cautious voice.

"Over by that big oak tree," Bellatrix pointed over her shoulder. "Though I wouldn't just wander over there. He hates when people invade his space."

Thelma glanced over, nodding slowly. "Thanks for the heads-up. I'll be careful. Tell Mayzie, I said 'hi'." She adjusted her bag and headed toward the tree.

Bellatrix looked back at Clyde just as Ember wrapped her arms around his.

"Can you show me around campus, Clyde?" Ember asked, looking up at him.

"Honestly, I'm still pretty new here myself," he said, gently trying to pull back. "I basically only know where my classes are and where the cafeteria is." He cast an anxious look at Bellatrix.

"Perfect! Show me where your classes are then," Ember giggled, tugging his arm. "Let's go."

"I always wait for Mayzie in the morning," Clyde said firmly, freeing his arm. "We have a routine."

"I'm sure she won't mind if you skip one morning." Ember reached for his hand again.

Clyde pulled away completely this time. "Ember, please. You can wait with us if you want, but I'm not leaving until I see Mayzie."

"But you'll show me around later?"

"Yes, after I talk to her."

Ember seemed satisfied with that and gave a sweet smile before turning her attention to Bellatrix. "He's always so sweet to me."

Bellatrix offered a faint, polite nod. "He’s like that with everyone. He just doesn't like letting people down."

"Mayzie! Wait up!"

The group turned as Mayzie marched toward them, with the twins trailing right behind her. She stopped in front of Clyde and Bellatrix, greeting them directly while completely ignoring Arking's attempts to get her attention.

"Is everything okay?" Bellatrix asked. "You rushed off to Dalton's yesterday — nothing bad happened, right?" She added the last part to make it clear she wasn't asking about the twins, taking the opportunity to poke at Arking's jealousy.

"No, everything's fine. He just needed me to handle some stuff for him," Mayzie sighed. "Starting tomorrow, I have to drive him to school every day."

"Mayzie, please, just talk to me for a second," Arking pleaded, reaching out to grab her wrist. She yanked her arm back instantly.

"I was thinking," Mayzie continued, keeping her back to the twins and ignoring Ember entirely, "...since I don't have to work after class today, why don't I take you two out for dinner? Are you free?"

"Count me in," Bellatrix smiled.

"Yeah, I'm free too," Clyde added.

"What about me?" Ember spoke up. "Can I come?"

Mayzie finally looked at her, her eyes cold. "You aren't my friend. So, no."

Ember blinked, visibly thrown by the harsh response. Back on the island, Mayzie had been perfectly pleasant to her. "Excuse me?"

Mayzie didn't bother answering. She turned back to Clyde and Bellatrix, who both looked surprised by her bluntness, though Bellatrix was secretly thrilled.

"You don't have to be so blunt about it," Bellatrix said smoothly, turning to Ember with a gentle expression. "It's just a private thing for the original group today, Ember. Maybe another time, okay?"

Ember tilted her head, slightly taken aback by Bellatrix's sudden sweetness. "Oh... alright then. I'll wait for you over by the walkway, Clyde." She gave a small wave and walked off.

"What was that about?" Bellatrix asked Mayzie once Ember was out of earshot. "Why were you so harsh with her?"

Arking and Ariel stepped up behind Mayzie, crossing their arms. "Yeah, Mayzie. That was pretty unnecessary," Ariel chimed in.

"I don't care," Mayzie snapped, rounding on them. "I'm stressed enough dealing with Dalton. I don't need the two of you hovering over me constantly."

"So you take it out on Ember?" Arking asked, frowning.

"I don't trust her," Mayzie said coldly, glaring at him before turning back to Clyde. "You might have chosen to date her, but that doesn't mean I have to like her — just like I don't have to pretend I'm happy about Blake and Bellatrix." She crossed her arms, her gaze shifting between Clyde and Bellatrix. "The games the two of you are playing with each other are ridiculous."

Clyde and Bellatrix both looked down, a wave of shame washing over them.

"Someone is going to end up getting hurt," Mayzie warned, her tone softening slightly as she cleared her throat. "Look, I have to ride back with Dalton after school to pick up my car. I'll meet you both back here an hour after the last bell. Okay?"

They both nodded quietly.

"See you then." Mayzie turned on her heel and headed down the hallway, with the twins trailing after her like shadows.

Bellatrix watched them go, shaking her head. "She's acting so differently lately."

"We'll talk to her properly at dinner," Clyde said softly. "Catch you later." He gave a brief wave and ran off to join Ember.

Bellatrix stood alone in the hallway for a moment. She knew the person she actually wanted to be with was nearby, yet completely out of reach. With a quiet sigh, she checked her watch and headed off to her first class.