Chapter 65 The Truth Behind the Group

Chapter 65 The Truth Behind the Group
Bellatrix dropped into the chair at her bedroom desk, tossing her backpack to the floor. She rested her forearms on the cool wood, laid her head down, and let out a long, heavy sigh. Her afternoon at that point hadn’t been a total waste of time, even if she had expected it to be. Judging by the look on Clyde's face and the quiet drive home, it hadn't been a waste for him either.

Yawning, she sat up and pulled her textbooks out to squeeze in a little studying before bed. Right as her math book hit the desk, the phone rang. She picked up the pink receiver and pressed it to her ear.

"Hello?" she said, her voice heavy with weariness.

"Did I wake you?"

A small smile touched her lips at the sound of the familiar voice. "No, Alonso, you didn't."

He chuckled softly. "I wasn't sure if you'd still recognize my voice. How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," she replied, tracing the worn corner of her textbook with her index finger. "But something tells me you aren't calling to check on me."

Alonso went quiet for a moment. "You're right. How is she?"

"It's hard to tell with Mayzie. She's so hard to read," Bellatrix admitted. "She seemed pretty upset when we got back from the island, though. I think walking into her apartment and seeing what you left behind shook her up."

"Oh, right..." He sighed. "Great. So, I left my stuff scattered all over her place right before breaking things off. How insensitive can I get?"

"Well, aside from that first day, she seemed normal enough. Except... well..."

"Except what?"

Bellatrix creased her brow. "Maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing, but she's been spending a lot of time with Dalton. Word around school is that they had lunch together, and she even brought him along to a private dinner with us tonight."

"I'm not actually surprised," Alonso said.

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"It was pretty obvious she liked him," he explained, the rustle of sheets in the background suggesting he was lying down. "No matter how desperate she was for a job, Mayzie is way too stubborn to work for someone unless she feels some kind of connection. She isn't actually that hard to figure out once you know what to look for. She just reacts differently than most people."

"You really think she likes Dalton? Like... likes him?"

"Yeah. I'm almost certain."

"That doesn't make any sense," Bellatrix muttered. "She was just crying over Arking..." She winced the second the name left her mouth, realizing who she was talking to.

As if he could see the regret on her face, Alonso laughed gently. "Don't worry about it, Bellatrix. I already knew Mayzie didn't feel that way about me — that's why I walked away. I didn't want to hold her back or add any more pressure. Her life is stressful enough without me standing in the way of what she actually wants."

"Oh."

"So, why was she crying over Arking?"

Bellatrix shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "He asked her out, but then he pushed her away and was really cruel about it. It hurt her deeply. And then you broke up with her right after."

"So I made things even worse," he groaned. "I was trying to help, and all I did was make her feel more rejected."

"Don't beat yourself up, Alonso. You couldn't have known what was going on. Besides, you did the right thing. I don't think she ever could have brought herself to end things with you." Bellatrix stopped herself, a sudden sting of guilt hitting her as she thought about how she had treated Clyde.

"I know you said she's hard to read, but do you think she's going to be okay?" Alonso asked, his concern was obvious.

"Mayzie is tough," Bellatrix said reassuringly. "She can handle whatever comes her way."

"Is she still keeping her distance from the twins? She really needs people at her side right now."

"And what am I?" Bellatrix asked, a small pout in her voice.

Alonso laughed. "You know what I mean. But let's be honest, Mayzie has always opened up more to guys. You're her only female friend, and she still gets a little guarded around you."

"I only recently started realizing that, actually," Bellatrix sighed, running a hand over her mouth. "It's true, though. She hasn't really been talking to the twins, but like I said, Dalton is practically attached to her hip."

"Even if I don't know the whole story with Arking, Mayzie isn't the type to forgive quickly," Alonso noted. "So that makes sense. Do you think Dalton can actually look after her? From what little I've seen, he doesn't seem like the most empathetic guy."

"I'm not sure. But honestly? She seems happy around him. They bicker constantly, but it's almost like that's just how they communicate. They both seem so relaxed around each other. It's... really strange to watch."

"Bickering, huh? That doesn't sound like her at all." He paused for a moment. "Maybe that's a good thing."

"What do you mean?"

"If she acts differently around him, maybe that's just the side of her she usually hides. Maybe he's helping her step out from behind those walls she built up. Clearly, our approach just kept her hidden."

Bellatrix giggled softly. "You know her so well. How did you not realize she didn't have feelings for you?" She bit her lip right after the words slipped out. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"It's fine," Alonso replied easily. "I did know. That's why I never pushed things. But when she gave me a chance, I got selfish. I was constantly terrified of losing her, and I hated who I was turning into." He cleared his throat. "I just hope we can be friends again someday."

"I hope all of us can," Bellatrix murmured. "It feels like everything has been falling apart lately. Nothing is the way it used to be. I really miss when it was just the three of us — things were so simple back then. Even when Mayzie and I were getting picked on at school, at least we had each other."

"Being comfortable isn't the same as being happy, Bellatrix."

She smiled softly. "I know. But it's a nice feeling to be comfortable. Does that make sense?"

Alonso laughed gently. "Don't tell her I called to check up on her, alright?"

"I won't."

"Talk to you later, Bellatrix."

"Bye, Alonso."

· · ─────── · 𓅪 · ─────── · ·

"I can toss that for you, Waynona," Darrold offered, reaching out for her empty soda cup.

Without looking at him, she handed it over and kept her eyes locked on Calvin. It was rare for him to let her walk so close, but she had twisted her ankle earlier and was using him for support — much to the noticeable disappointment of Darrold, who had been the first to offer his arm.

Bellatrix watched the dynamic unfold, slowly piecing together the group's strange web. Waynona clearly had a crush on Calvin, while Darrold was hopelessly interested in Waynona. Elvira flirted endlessly with Irvin — who pretended to be annoyed, though he secretly enjoyed the attention. Yet, Elvira always looked slightly hurt whenever Darrold showed any warmth toward Waynona.

It felt like walking through a live-action drama while wandering through the mall, and Bellatrix couldn't help but find it entertaining. At the same time, it was obvious everyone was walking on eggshells. No one dared to say anything that might cause a rift. Waynona had even mentioned earlier that they never argued about anything.

Bellatrix couldn't fathom how five teenagers managed to never disagree. Surely their opinions clashed somewhere. But she noticed Calvin always acted as the mediator; whenever tension spiked, he would voice his perspective, and the rest would fall in line, even if a few of them seemed reluctant.

She understood they had grouped up for protection against school bullies, but the dynamic felt entirely manufactured. She couldn't tell if they were putting on a show for her benefit or if this was just how they functioned. Living behind a mask in front of your own friends seemed exhausting. She and Mayzie always spoke their minds, and even when they fought, their friendship remained solid.

"Bellatrix?"

She blinked and looked over at Irvin. "Yeah?"

"You mentioned wanting to check out that novelty store, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"The others probably won't care about it, but I wouldn't mind browsing," Irvin said with a slight smile. "Want to head over with me?"

"We'll catch up with you guys at the food court in an hour," Irvin announced, as Bellatrix agreed.

Elvira's face fell slightly as Irvin took Bellatrix by the hand and led her away.

Calvin simply gave a wave. "Call us if you finish up early."

Irvin nodded, steering Bellatrix back toward the central part of the huge mall. She rarely came to this side of town; the mall was packed with high-end shops, catering mostly to the crowd from the nearby country club.

"Want some ice cream?" Irvin asked as they passed the food court.

"I should probably watch my spending," Bellatrix said, glancing at the prices. "I don't really need to waste—"

"My treat."

Bellatrix brightened. "Well, in that case..." She laughed.

Irvin smiled back, stepping up to the counter. "What can I get you?"

Bellatrix glanced down at her hand that he was still holding. She felt a bit uncomfortable, but she didn't want to cause a scene by pulling away. "Just simple chocolate for me."

"One chocolate and one vanilla cone, please," Irvin told the clerk.

"Would you like sprinkles or toppings on those?" the young woman behind the counter asked, scooping the chocolate ice cream.

"No, thank you," Bellatrix replied, taking her cone.

Irvin passed up on toppings as well, paying before they continued down the novelty store. "So, I hear you're dating Blake Larson."

"For now," she said, taking a bite.

Irvin glanced over, an eyebrow raised. "'For now'?"

"He only dates girls for short stretches. I've got a two-month contract," she explained, licking the side of her cone.

"Why would you agree to something like that?"

Bellatrix shrugged casually. "It was something I wanted to try, and I don't regret it."

Irvin grinned. "Fair enough. I won't ask you to apologize for it then."

"Good," she teased. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead. Doesn't mean I'll answer, though." He tossed his half-eaten cone into a nearby trash bin.

"That was a waste," she noted.

"You have a question?" he prompted, ignoring her comment.

"Why are you holding my hand?"

Irvin looked down at their linked fingers.

"Especially when you already know I have a boyfriend," Bellatrix added. "Doesn't that send the wrong impression?"

"Actually, I think it sends the exact impression I want it to."

Bellatrix stopped dead in her tracks, pulling her hand back. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Irvin turned to face her, his grin returning. "It means I'm trying to ruin your chances of joining our group, because you clearly don't enjoy being around a fake, convenience-based alliance."

"Wait... what?"

"A bit of a mouthful, I know," he chuckled. "Or are you confused about the part where I try to get you out of the group?"

"Both, honestly."

Irvin nodded calmly. "The rest of them are only paying attention to you so they can get closer to Mayzie. I don't think it's right to use you like that, even if you do end up liking us. Besides, we aren't real friends. I can't stand Calvin, Darrold dislikes him just as much, and Waynona gets on my nerves. We just put up a polite front until college, then we'll never see each other again. It's a survival pact, nothing more."

Bellatrix let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "So... that hand-holding scene was meant for them, not me?"

"It was meant for all of you."

Bellatrix's eyes snapped up to his. "What?"

"I'll admit, you caught my attention," Irvin said, stepping a bit closer. "At first, it was just your looks, but having talked to you, I actually really like your personality. So, if you're open to it, I'd like to take you out sometime. Once your arrangement with Blake is over, of course."

"I already have someone lined up for after Blake," Bellatrix said, tossing her remaining ice cream into a bin. Suddenly, she wasn't hungry anymore.

"Is that a contract thing too?" Irvin chuckled softly. "Do all guys need to sign a lease to date you? Are you really that sought after?"

Bellatrix's mouth dropped open. "No!" she snapped, her cheeks flushing with annoyance.

Irvin caught himself and cleared his throat. "Sorry, that was supposed to be a joke. Guess my delivery was off. People tell me I sound cynical even when I don't mean to be."

"It's fine," she murmured, brushing it off.

"Well, if it's not a formal agreement, then I should have a fair shot," Irvin continued. "Unless there's a specific reason you wouldn't want to date me?"

Aside from the fact that he was barely her height, Bellatrix hadn't given Irvin a second thought. "I barely know you, Irvin."

"Then let's get to know each other," he suggested smoothly. "And try to steer clear of the others. Like I said, they're just using you."

Bellatrix managed a polite, albeit hesitant, smile. "Thanks for the heads-up."

Irvin reached down and gently grabbed her hand again. "Come on. We don't have all day."