they used to shout my name;

         ❝Just because it’s you,❞ John whispered to Maggie as he handed her the glass.

Her lips quirked into a smile -- her first of the new year and even in a long time. Reaching out, she grabbed the drink and slid it as far away from the two as possible. There was a moment ( as brief as it was ) where her fingers twitched and she had an impulse to down the rest of it. But she ignored it.

“Happy new year’s, John.”

          ❝I know,❞ he blurted out, but this time he didn’t wave his hands in dismissal. Out of all of them, he supposed Maggie was the one who would understand. 

                                     But John was still there. 

“So, how about I take this away?” Maggie questioned, nodding to the drink.

“I guess realism was never my strong suit..”

“Everything?” Emma frowned, scrunching her brows. Maggie was more experienced than her, for sure, so she had to know.. Well, more about life, but that just didn’t make sense. “What does that mean? I mean, something has to make you happy.”

“It’s hard to explain... It’s just not easy to be happy all the time. It’s not realistic.”

Wendy rushed to the buzzer to keep it from going off again, hitting the button and speaking the mike.

“Yeah, come on up.” she answered, buzzing Maggie in. Sometimes Wendy wondered that the security measures seemed excessive, but then she would think about what happened to the penthouse. It was a small price to pay for Alfie to be able to sleep soundly.

Once Maggie heard the buzz and click, she gripped the handle and headed inside, making sure the door locked behind her. Stuffing her hands into her coat pockets, she maneuvered down the hallway and stairs, ducking into a doorway as her eyes searched for Wendy.

“Hey.”

”I mean.. Does having a boyfriend make you unhappy? Or is it something else?”

Maggie shook her head slowly. Even if there was a strain, Nibs would always be the reason she woke up and fell asleep each day. Perhaps it wasn’t good to place that much on a person -- but it was the truth. There were just other circumstances that stood in the way of Maggie feeling as happy as she could be.

“It’s everything, Emma.”

Maggie absentmindedly buzzed the intercom two more times before her arms dropped limply to her side. She was never good with her patience, after all, and this would be no different.

“Are you unhappy?”

Maggie blinked, utterly and evidently taken aback by the question. She’d never in her life been asked that before. Her happiness, of course, was always in question. But no one ever liked to look too long at the darker side... It was far too ugly.

Wendy: Okay just text me when you get here I'll buzz you in

          She took him by surprise with that question. As soon as his brain processed it, John blatantly ignored her and even looked away. He didn’t look inside for a reason.

Maggie raised an eyebrow, waiting for John’s response. When one didn’t come, she leaned in a bit closer to whisper.

“Been there, remember? Can’t hide from me.”

Wendy: Would I be stealing you away from Nibs if I asked you to come to mine to spend the night?

Maggie: Ha

“I don’t know. I just want normal things, you know?  I want.. Like, romance.”

“Like Plato says, ‘love is a grave mental disease’. People tend to forget that.”

“It’s got to be better than just kissing random guys, though, right?“

“Sure, I guess...”

“Yeah. I mean, I know it isn’t really realistic, or anything, considering the job, and all, but like. Maybe this year I’ll find a real boyfriend? I know, it’s stupid.  “

“Don’t worry too much about it; you’re not missing much.” Maggie snorted, muttering under her breath. “A boyfriend isn’t as great as it’s cracked up to be.”

          ❝But I am, Mags,❞ he said, finally bothering to look at Maggie. He let go of his drink, after confirming it wasn’t going to be taken away by her.

“Maybe physically but you don’t really know all the shit going on in the inside, do you?”

“They’re all very.. Nice, but.. Nothing special.”

“That’s what everyone is waiting for, yeah? That something special...”