Noted

NINE

a/n: apologies for the late update. So much has happened, most of which involves the pandemic and work. Please enjoy this chapter. I'll be sure to get chapter 10 ready for its update.

***

June should've known leaving Kim and Phoebe for a long period of time will only make detaching them that much more difficult. The lovebirds have been wrapped in each other before June and Maeve arrived, and they have yet to part.

Except it's seven o'clock and the stars are just making themselves appear. June has been bustling to get Maeve comfortable the moment they started getting ready, but her jittery friend has spent the majority of the time pacing back and forth than sitting still long enough for June to help her friend put foundation on.

It's the giggling of the girls next door that does it for her.

"Okay, fine. You win."

June places the orange blending sponge down as Maeve faces her with wide eyes.

"Go on," June says, pulling her own hair out of her face, twisting the baby hairs around her finger. "Go run around the room again. Go waste time while everyone starts making their way down. You'll only make yourself more nervous, but it's clear that's what you want."

Maeve gasps. "You're pulling the reverse uno card on me."

"I'm just stating facts."

June stares at her friend while it processes with her. She's still wearing the clothes from before, eyes and brows done, with one side of her face covered in foundation. June isn't one to judge with a superficial mindset, but if Maeve's plan is to get some alone time with Ryan, she's going to need all the power of personality and anime on her side to do so.

She decides at that moment to give her friend another chance. With a brisk sigh, she gestures at the seat behind her. "Maeve, just sit down."

Her friend nods, her curls following her every move. June proceeds, admit a little rougher than before.

Another giggle from the girls with an elaborate, "Babe, that's for later," from Kim.

"I'll give them ten more minutes before either one starts realising the time," Maeve says.

"Well, they've got about thirty minutes before someone needs to answer the door when people arrive. And that won't be me, that's for sure."

Maeve frowns. "Where will you be?"

"Tracking our pizza. Much more important priorities."

Maeve laughs.

After setting everything with a good amount of setting spray, Maeve ushers to get dressed while June finishes off the touches of her own makeup, adding more than a good requirement of highlighter. She can't help it that it makes her face alight with stars. She tightens the laces on her boots, fixes the red off-the-shoulder dress she got for her sixteenth birthday, and leaves the bathroom to find Phoebe and Kim kissing in the kitchen.

"Are you practicing for your wedding?"

Kim moves away first, but Phoebe keeps a hand around her girlfriend's waist. "You're just saying that because you're not kissing any girls."

"Maybe that would make my life easier if I had a thing for girls," June says, pulling herself a drink from the bottles of beverages. "Sadly, my preferences are limited to the opposite sex."

"Maybe you'll find yourself lucky tonight," Phoebe says.

Kim nods. "Emily isn't just inviting Ryan, you know. I think she said there's at least seven making it tonight, and she's also taking a few of her friends as well."