Tessa tugged the zipper of Maya's dress and then stepped back, hands on her hips like she was the proud designer of the outfit. "See? Perfect. You look alive for once."
Maya twisted in front of the mirror, pulling at the hem, unimpressed. "Alive for once? Wow. Thanks, Tess. Real compliment." She narrowed her eyes. "Can I at least know where we're going? Because what place requires this outfit?"
Tessa grinned, refusing to answer as she fussed with Maya's hair. "Trust me, okay? Just trust me. It's going to be fun."
"Trust you?" Maya scoffed. "The last time you said that, I ended up stuck in line for two hours in the sun with nothing but a lukewarm soda and a screaming toddler behind me."
"That wasn't my fault," Tessa said quickly, though her smirk betrayed her.
"Uh-huh. Sure." Maya raised her brows, still tugging at her dress. "And what about Sophie? What are we doing with her?"
"She's coming with us."
Maya froze, then slowly turned to Tessa, her expression hardening into a full what the actual hell glare.
"What?" Tessa asked innocently, though she knew exactly what that look meant.
"Tess," Maya said flatly, crossing her arms. "Spill it. Now. Where are we going?"
With a dramatic flourish and too much enthusiasm, Tessa announced, "Adventure Land!"
Maya groaned instantly, dragging her hand down her face. "I knew it. I knew it. Nope. Not happening." She turned toward the mirror, already reaching for the zipper of her dress.
Tessa darted forward, grabbing her arms. "No, no, no! Come on, Maya, don't do this."
"I'm doing this," Maya shot back, trying to shake her off.
"Listen," Tessa said quickly, desperation leaking into her tone. "I'm meeting someone there. A date. A really hot date. I can't just show up alone. Please, Maya, you've got to come with me."
Maya blinked at her, unimpressed. "So let me get this straight. You want me to waste my entire day so you can go flirt with some guy?"
"It's not wasting," Tessa argued, her eyes wide, lips pulling into that pleading smile she always used when she wanted something. "It's Adventure Land! There's food, games, shows. It'll be way better than staying cooped up in the house."
"And what exactly am I supposed to do while you're off batting your lashes at Mr. Hot Date?" Maya asked, raising her brows.
Tessa brightened suddenly, clapping her hands together like she'd solved world hunger. "Bond! With Sophie. Think about it -- this could be your chance. Sister bonding time. You two could actually get along for once."
Maya's face went blank, and then her brows furrowed. "First of all, she's not my sister. Second, why would I drag myself to Adventure Land just to babysit while you're busy drooling over a date?"
"Because it's better than staying home all day doing nothing," Tessa pressed, her voice lowering into that insistent, please-say-yes tone. "Come on, Maya. It won't kill you to just…try."
Maya folded her arms tighter across her chest, unmoved. "Not happening."
Hours later, Adventure Land roared to life around them. Neon signs blinked, music blasted from hidden speakers, and the screams from rides cut through the air like an anthem. The smell of popcorn and fried food hung thick, clinging to every step. Sophie's gaze flicked from one booth to another, wide-eyed, curious, while Maya trudged beside her with her arms folded, glaring at the chaos like the entire park had been designed to personally irritate her.
"I hate this already," Maya muttered, her voice just loud enough for Tessa to hear.
Tessa, however, was too busy scanning the crowd, practically buzzing as her phone buzzed with a text. "Oh! There he is!" she squealed, pointing.
Maya followed her finger lazily, spotting a tall figure across the way, holding a jacket over one arm. She sighed heavily.
"Okay, here's the deal," Tessa said quickly, spinning back toward them. "You guys just -- have fun. Don't kill each other. Three hours, right here, we'll meet back."
"Tessa..." Maya started, but Tessa was already waving, a grin plastered on her face. "Have fun!" she called, before darting off toward her date, vanishing into the crowd with a trail of excitement.
Maya stood there, silent for a long beat, watching her disappear. She exhaled hard through her nose, then glanced at Sophie. Sophie glanced right back, both of them sharing an equally unimpressed look, like neither one of them asked to be part of this. Then they turned their eyes toward the chaos of the park, its sounds pressing in on them from every direction.
Maya broke the silence first. "Let's go. We can't stand here all day."
"Go where?" Sophie asked, her voice flat.
Maya shrugged, already stepping forward. "I don't know. You're the kid."
Sophie rolled her eyes, but followed anyway.
Meanwhile, across town, Brielle's heels clicked sharply against the pavement as she approached Logan's apartment building. She didn't hesitate when the maid opened the door.
"Where's Logan?" Brielle asked, voice cool but commanding, her eyes sweeping past the doorway as if she already owned the space.
The maid lowered her gaze politely. "He went out."
"Where?" Brielle's voice hardened, leaving no room for excuses.
The maid hesitated, wringing her hands lightly. "I don't know, ma'am. But… he's been gone for quite a while. I can tell him you dropped by..."
Brielle cut her off, eyes narrowing. "Who said I was leaving? Get me a drink. I'll wait here."
The maid faltered, uncertainty flashing across her face, but one sharp look from Brielle was enough. With a stiff nod, the maid disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Brielle to stride inside.
She sank into the nearest chair, crossing her legs with a fluid motion, her phone already in hand. Tapping quickly, she typed out a message to Logan. Where are you?
The silence stretched until the maid returned, placing a glass gently on the table before her. Brielle picked it up, taking a slow sip, her eyes never leaving the maid's face. The woman stood awkwardly, waiting.
Brielle tilted her head. "Don't you have things to do?"
The maid swallowed, nodding quickly.
"Leave," Brielle said, her tone low and sharp.
The maid slipped away without another word, and the tension in the air thickened as Brielle leaned back in the chair, her leg bouncing slightly, eyes fixed coldly on the door, waiting.