“Put a couple Xannies in his drink.”
“You’re shitting me?”
I can’t tell if Charlotte is impressed or appalled. Perhaps a little of both.
“I wish I were,” Maisie grumbles, taking a drink of her water that had remained untouched up to that point. “Weended up taking Joey to the hospital and then we filed a police report.”
“You reported her to the cops?” Charlotte’s jaw is practically on the floor now.
“As I said, it’s a long story.”
“So are they going to do something about it?”
“Not sure yet. She’s going to deny it, of course. And who knows if they’ll be able to find proof. Joey can’t remember her being there, so there are no witnesses.”
“That we know of,” I quickly interject.
Maisie nods once. “That we know of.”
“So she’s still in your room?”
“For now.”
“And you’re planning on staying with her after you ratted her out?”
“She doesn’t know it was us.”
“You bet your ass she sure as shit does,” Charlotte disagrees.
“Well, she can’t prove it, and I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“Yes, you do.”
“I’m not staying with you guys or with Lyric and Kai. Lana may be batshit, but I don’t think she’d make a move against me while she’s being investigated.”
“Then you don’t have much experience with a crazy person,” Charlotte says, and I’m quick to agree with her.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her.”
“For once, I agree with him,” Charlotte tells Maisie. “At least come stay with us until it blows over.”
“If I hide, she’ll know it was me. For now, she only suspects.”
“Still—” Charlotte begins to say something else, but Maisie is quick to cut her off.
“We can talk about this later, yeah?”
Charlotte looks between the two of us, seeming to read something on Maisie’s face that I apparently miss. She nods, backing away.
“You’ll call me later?”
“I will,” Mais confirms, offering her friend a reassuring smile before her attention goes to the man at her side. “Nice to see you again, River.”
“You as well, Maisie.” He gives her a lopsided smile that I immediately want to wipe clean off his face, though the thought catches me a bit off guard.
“You two enjoy your... whatever this is,” Charlotte says with a soft laugh.
“Bye, Char.” Maisie groans, watching the two of them exit the restaurant a few moments later. “Sorry about her.”
