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Finally, they broke away, breathless. Maggie flushed and moved the blanket off her lap, rising slowly from the couch.

“I should um… I should really go to bed,” she said, combing her hair back out of her face with her fingers.

“You’re leaving me?” He pouted.

“Yeah– I don’t want us to get in trouble out here. You know, if the RAs come looking.”

“Okay, yeah, I guess you’re right. Um… to be continued?” His blue eyes seemed to shimmer in the dim light.

“We’ll see.” Maggie teased, smiling softly and letting her gaze linger just a few seconds before retreating out of the union.

“For what it’s worth, I like seeing you happier,” Eddie said. “I like happy Mags. I mean, I like every Mags,” he clarified, grinning. “But I can tell when you’re really feeling like yourself. You just light up a room. It’s kinda infectious.” 

“Oh my god, stop,” Maggie laughed, smacking him lightly on the arm.

“What?” Eddie said, laughing too. “It’s true!”

“You can’t just say that stuff,” she said, covering her cheeks with her hands. “Are you trying to make me fall in love with you?”

She said it jokingly, but in the strange quiet of the empty union, alone together in their pocket of light from the window reflecting off the wildly falling snow, the energy around them felt electrified.

“Why, is it working?” His eyes were fixed on her, his mouth curling into a little smirk.

“I’ll never tell.”

“Never?”

She swallowed, her infinite well of clever retorts suddenly dry.

“Can I ask you something?” He said in her silence. 

“Absolutely not,” she said, and he laughed.

“Why not?”

“Too dangerous,” she said softly. “Trust me. I’m a disaster. I’ll ruin your life.”

“I’d let you,” he replied, and she felt the echo of her heartbeat shoot down through her body.

“That’s the problem.”

“I think, sometimes, we just have to push the reset button and ask ourselves, why am I doing this?” Eddie took a sip from his cup thoughtfully. “Like, with my comics. I was posting them online for a while, and I started getting obsessed with all the likes and the numbers. It got to the point where I was like, am I still doing this because I love it, or because I want the interaction? So, I took a break, focused on other things, and only drew stuff for myself, until that love for it came back.”

“I didn’t know you posted stuff online!” Maggie said. “I wanna see!”

Eddie smiled. “I haven’t in a while. But, I’ve been thinking about going back to it again. I just have to make sure it doesn’t consume me again,” he laughed. “Though, to be fair, at that time I was also sort of using it as a distraction so I could pretend my ex wasn’t cheating on me.”

Maggie couldn’t help but let out a small gasp. Though he’d never explicitly told her, Maggie knew Eddie’s last relationship had been really hard on him. Lola would mention her brother’s “evil ex” sometimes, and even Eddie would make the occasional comment about her, but never elaborate.

“Oh no,” she said, touching his arm gently. “That’s horrible.”

He shrugged. “Yeahhhh. That relationship messed me up for a while. Even after I found out about the cheating, she would tell me I deserved it and that I wouldn’t leave her because no one else would ever want to be with me. Really healthy stuff.”

“I’ll kill her.”

“You and Lola both,” Eddie said with a laugh. “I had to physically hold Lola back when she found out. She told Sarah if she ever spoke to me again she’d knock her out. And Sarah must have known she meant it, because I never heard from her again after that.”

“Breakup by twin,” Maggie said with a giggle. “Thank goodness for Lola.”

“Yeah. I’m sure I would’ve grown a spine eventually, but it would have taken a lot longer without her. It’s kinda embarrassing how deep in there I was.”

“Don’t be embarrassed,” she said. “Really. I know that feeling better than you’d think. It sucks when you give your heart to someone who doesn’t even appreciate it. This beautiful, like, fragile thing and they just kick it around.”

“Seems like we need to start giving our hearts to more deserving people,” Eddie said, lowering his gaze to her. 

“You seem… different lately,” Eddie observed, as if reading her mind. “Not so stressed anymore.”

“Yeah,” Maggie agreed, looking down at her tea. “It’s kind of weird. I was chasing a lot of stuff that I thought would make me happy, but looking back now, I think it only ever made me sad and stressed out? And now the recital is cancelled, and instead of being upset I just feel kind of… relieved?”

She breathed out a small laugh, setting her cup down on the table beside her and leaning back into the couch cushions as she turned to look at him. He was already watching her, listening intently. At her words, he smiled.

“Dancing has always been, like, my escape from the world,” she continued. “But with the recital, and all the drama, it just got really, like, chaotic. My escape became the thing I wanted to escape from. But this week, hanging out in the dance room with you and Lola and Rae, just having fun and practicing together. It’s like I suddenly remembered what I love about dancing. What I’ve always loved. And it’s… not what I thought it was.” 

A few moments later, Maggie was nestled snugly beside Eddie on the couch beneath a blanket they shared, holding her warm cup of Sleepytime tea in her lap. The union, normally bustling with student activity, was almost eerily empty, dark, and quiet.

“This is so good,” Maggie said, closing her eyes as she sipped on her tea. “It’s, like, exactly what I needed.”

“Me too,” Eddie agreed. “That wind is loud. I’ve never liked intense weather. Even as a kid, I always used to sleep in Lola’s bed whenever there was thunder or lightning.”

“Awwww,” Maggie cooed. “You can always come sleep in my bed, if you want.” She grinned.

“A tempting offer. It would almost be worth the write-up we would definitely get when the RAs caught us.”

Without the heat running, the air had grown chilly, so Maggie had pulled on long fuzzy pants before quietly stepping out of the room. They weren’t really supposed to roam the building at night, but this wasn’t exactly a typical night, and she didn’t think the RAs would fault them for not being able to sleep through the storm.

As she entered the union, Maggie spotted Eddie already in the kitchen pouring steaming liquid into two cups.

“Decaf, I hope,” she remarked, walking up beside him.

“Sleepytime,” he replied with a smile. “Figured it might help to calm our nerves. Or mine, anyway. Sugar?”

She plucked three yellow packets of artificial sweetener from a small basket on the counter and slid them over to him.

“You know this stuff is worse for you than sugar,” he commented as he tore the packets open and shook them into the cup.

“Yeah. But less calories.”

Eddie frowned, but nodded. He was more than familiar with the realities of being a dancer, growing up with Lola.

“Why do you even have a camping kettle?” Maggie asked him. “Do you camp a lot?”

“Our family does a big camping trip every year, as a matter of fact,” he said. “I hate it. But I have my ways of making it more bearable. This being one of them. And then I brought it to school so I could just make tea in my room.”

“Smart,” she said. “And I always enjoy learning new Monroe family lore.”

“Washington,” he corrected. “Just me and Lola are Monroe.”

“Oh, yeah– sorry.” Maggie had learned the story from Lola when they’d first gotten close to one another, about their mom’s affair with and subsequent remarriage to Mr. Washington. How she’d gotten primary custody but they’d planned to move out as soon as they were old enough for the court to let them choose. And how, before they could, their dad had died in an accident that left them stuck in a house that never felt like home, the only Monroes in a huge six bedroom house filled with Washingtons. 

Now, a decade later, the twins had made peace with their mother and even had a good relationship with her– Maggie had met Mrs. Washington a few times and she was always very kind and welcoming. Still, Maggie knew Lola well enough to know that the events of their childhood still affected her. She was sure they still affected Eddie, too.

Maggie took her cup with both hands, trying to transfer the heat to her chilled fingers. Eddie put a gentle hand on her back.

The snowstorm was still raging outside at six, at seven, at eight. By nine, the power had gone out, and at the sudden plunge into darkness, several yelps and shouts rang out from students throughout the dorms, and for a few hours you could hear muffled chatter through the thin walls. Eventually, though, it became so silent that all Maggie could hear was the rattling of the wind and the pattering of the snow against her window. 

And it wasn’t just the building around her that had gone inescapably silent. After almost three weeks of no real contact with Calvin outside of class– and Sokolov had been sitting in on their classes lately, so no funny business there– and the recital postponed to who-knew-when, Maggie’s normally racing thoughts were at ease in a way that felt completely foreign to her. All the noise that overwhelmed her day after day was just… gone. She almost didn’t know what to do with herself. 

Only you could find a way to worry about not having anything to worry about, Lola had said when she’d mentioned the disquieting calm she was feeling during their card game by phone flashlight earlier that night. Lola and Reagan had both headed to sleep around eleven, after all of their eyes had grown sore from straining to see the numbers and suits in the dim light, and Maggie was left alone with the silence once more.

By 1 a.m, sleep still hadn’t found her. The concerned texts from her family had long grown quiet, which was somewhat of a blessing as her phone battery, after a full day and no ability to recharge, was quickly running out. She’d set it aside for the moment, and was surprised when the screen lit up again in the darkness.

Maggie smiled, rolling her eyes. He was so lame.

Lola found them in the dorm’s student union, waving her phone as she approached.

“The recital’s postponed,” she said, holding the screen out in front of them.

“What??” Maggie asked as the girls crowded around the email open on Lola’s phone.

“I guess the storm is supposed to be worse than they thought. Classes are cancelled tomorrow, too. Can you believe the timing?”

“Seems like a bad omen,” Reagan said with a grimace. “Maybe this recital is cursed.”

“If it is, it’s Sokolov’s fault for holding the auditions on Halloween,” Maggie pointed out.

“I just want to get it over with,” Lola whined, shaking her head as she typed out a text message, presumably to let family members know what was going on. “Now we have to stress even longer about it.”

“At least now we have more time to practice? I still feel like there are things I need to work on,” Reagan said.

Maggie nodded her agreement, her mind swirling in a mixture of her friends’ sentiments. On the one hand, it was frustrating that the recital would continue to loom over them. But, on the other– she found herself overcome with a sense of relief. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been dreading seeing Calvin at the recital and the potential confrontation that might follow. Now, at least, she had a little more time before she had to worry about that.

On the morning of the sixteenth, the day before the recital, the school awoke to heavy snowfall. Maggie watched it come down throughout the day, glancing out the window during class and shaking snowflakes from her hair after running between the school building and the dorms. 

“Do you think it’ll stop tonight?” Reagan asked from the desk beside Maggie’s in their shared history class after lunch. Their teacher was a few minutes late for class, and the room was buzzing with chatter between the students.

“I’m not sure,” Maggie said. “It doesn’t look like it.”

Oakshore, where Maggie lived, had always had fairly mild winters, only getting one or two big snows per year. Simswell was several hours north of her family’s home in Oakshore, though, and usually saw a lot more. Still, this was bigger than any snowstorm Maggie had experienced at school before.

As if on cue, the PA system chimed. The whine of the microphone echoed across the school halls and classrooms, followed by the voice of their principal.

Attention students: this afternoon’s classes have been cancelled due to inclement weather. All dorm residents, please make your way to your dorm building. All commuting students should gather in the auditorium to await further instruction.

Maggie plopped herself down on the floor where Reagan had been, then scooted over so she was sitting closer to Eddie, cozying up so they were shoulder-to-shoulder.

“Look at you, Professor Mags,” he teased. “You’re a natural.”

“Someone has to keep these two on task.” she grinned.

“But who’s keeping an eye on you?” He tilted his head toward her, a playful twinkle in his eye.

“You, I hope,” she returned, her voice low enough that only he could hear.

“Um, hello?” Lola called out from the center of the floor. “Can you stop undressing each other with your eyes and maybe start the music?”

Eddie hopped up and walked over to the stereo, making a show of dramatically pressing the “play” button, while Maggie stuck her tongue out at Lola. Lola made eyebrows back at her, and Maggie rolled her eyes, shooing her to begin the routine as the first notes of their music spilled onto the dance floor. Lola made kissy noises at Maggie as she hopped backwards into position.

“I thought you said you told her we’re not really together,” Eddie said as he sat back down beside Maggie.

“Oh, I did,” she replied. “But I don’t think she believes me.”

“I can’t imagine why.”

“Ughhhh, Maggie that was so good!!” Reagan squealed, clapping her hands in applause with Lola and Eddie enthusiastically joining in. “Like, flawless. The Simlliard Scouts are going to freak out when they see you!”

Maggie stood in the middle of the dance room, breathless not because of Calvin for once, but from performing her routine in front of her friends. After everything at Christmas and her following heart-to-heart with Lola, Maggie had made the decision to block Calvin’s number and skip her remaining two Wednesday solo practices with him completely. She’d expected to spend the week leading up to recital locked away in her room, forcing herself to run through her routine over and over until she could barely stand, but Lola had insisted that they all use the time to support each other and practice together. Because of that, what would normally have been a lonely and distant week filled with anxiety and self-doubt had instead become a fun and collaborative celebration of each other’s hard work. They would watch each other’s routines, give feedback and suggestions where needed, help each other master difficult steps, and, most importantly, cheer each other on. Not for the first time, Maggie found herself endlessly grateful for her friends.

“I’m so glad I can finally nail those stupid pirouettes,” she said, flushed with pride. “I don’t know why I decided to put so many in a row.”

“Because you’re a crazy dance masochist who loves to make the rest of us look bad,” Lola said with a grin. “But we forgive you.”

“It’s your turn!!” Maggie said, pulling Lola up from the floor with both arms, then reaching out to Reagan. “Let’s see that duet again.”

“I’m so hungryyy,” Reagan whined. “Can we get dinner first?”

“Dance first!” Maggie instructed. “Then dinner. Use it as a motivator!”

“I’m so glad you finally told me,” Lola said, after they had discussed the whole thing extensively.

“I hate keeping things from you,” Maggie said, laying her head on Lola’s shoulder. “I don’t ever want to do it again. You know me too well, anyway. I don’t think I could ever really fool you.”

“Nope. I have a degree in Maggieology.” Lola grinned. “You’ve been acting so weird lately, I knew something was going on. Why do you think I dared you guys to kiss?”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “I knew it.”

“You’re welcome for that, by the way.”

“For what?”

Lola raised her eyebrows, leveling her with a look.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Maggie said, though her face was burning.

“Come on, girl. After all that, you’re still gonna lie to me? Or are you just lying to yourself?”

Maggie opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, there was a light knock at the door.

“You better figure it out soon,” Lola continued, moving for the doorknob. “‘Cause if you hurt him, I really will be mad at you.” 

She pulled open the door to reveal Eddie himself, carrying a tray of veggie burgers and cheese fries.

“Lola said you probably hadn’t eaten, so…”

Lola sighed. “I had a feeling.”

“I know.”

“How long?” Lola asked. “This whole time? While you’ve been with Eddie?”

Maggie felt the tears prick her eyes as she nodded again. Lola closed her eyes, gathering strength.

“Does he know?” She asked.

“He doesn’t know about Calvin, but he agreed to help me,” Maggie explained quickly. “I told him I had to kill a rumor. But I had no idea he had feelings for me, or I never would have asked him. I swear.” She wiped her glistening eyes with her fingertips.

Lola was quiet for a moment, processing. 

“I wanted to tell you so bad,” Maggie continued, sniffling. “I just… didn’t know how, or where to even start. It all got out of hand so fast. I’m so sorry.” She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the worst.

Lola sighed. “It’s okay,” she said after a few seconds. “I mean, it sucks that you didn’t think you could tell me, but I’m not mad. I’ve been worried about you.”

“I was just afraid, after our last fight. I didn’t want to lose you again.”

“Then no more secrets. And no more lying. That’s what I hate the most.”

Maggie nodded. “No more. I promise.”

“Okay. Tell me everything.”

Lola seemed to notice Maggie’s emotional shift, because she frowned.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked again, concern radiating across her face. “It’s okay if you’re not. Really.” 

Maggie swallowed. “I’m as okay as I can be?” she admitted, her voice cracking at the end.  “I just–” she took a deep breath. Don’t cry, Maggie. After everything– the lying, the guilt, the double life, and now the heartbreak– Maggie felt like her life had gotten so heavy, and she could feel herself cracking beneath it. She glanced at the door again, then back at her best friend, who was watching Maggie gather herself so patiently. “It’s stupid, but I just really thought I meant something to him.”

Lola immediately put her arm around Maggie and squeezed. “It’s not stupid,” she said gently. “You’ve loved him for a long time. Practically your whole life. He had to know what he was doing.”

“I mean, so did I. I practically threw myself at him.” Maggie cringed at the memory of herself giggling and twirling around him. “I was asking for it.”

“You were seventeen, Mags. He’s a whole adult. It was his responsibility to shut it down, but he didn’t.” Lola’s eyes searched her. “But at least you were smart enough to get out of there when you did… right?”

Maggie sunk down on the couch, knowing full well what Lola was really asking. She hesitated, then took a deep breath. It was time to stop lying to her best friend.

The girls sat down, and Maggie took a deep breath.

“Calvin and Holly are–”

“Engaged. I know,” Lola finished for her. “Eddie told me everything.” She put a hand on Maggie’s arm gently. “Are you okay?”

“I guess so,” Maggie said with a shrug.

“I know it can’t have been fun seeing your– ” She glanced over her shoulder. “– like, your ex, basically, announcing his engagement. With his new fiancée there. It’s only been, what, a month or two since you guys stopped hooking up?”

“Yeah. It was a lot,” Maggie admitted, nodding at every point Lola made, though cringing at the term hooking up. “I’m okay, just… a little freaked, I guess. I didn’t think it would hit me so hard.”

“I can’t believe he proposed to her after everything he did with you. Do you think she found out and, like, gave him an ultimatum?”

Maggie shook her head. “She couldn’t have known. She was so sweet to me the whole time. She even asked me to be a bridesmaid.”

“SHE DID NOT.”

“I felt so awkward. And he wouldn’t even LOOK at me.”

“Oh my god. She probably has no idea he cheated on her. With a student. Honestly, maybe we should tell her. Like, anonymously.”

“I doubt she’d even believe us,” Maggie said. “He would just make her think it’s bogus. Some student playing a prank.”

“You’ve got texts, don’t you?” Lola asked. “Proof?”

Maggie paled. She wasn’t quite ready to hand over those receipts.

Logically, she knew it was extremely unlikely that Calvin would ever show up in her dorm– it was way too risky, especially today, with all the students and parents buzzing around. Still, when the knock sounded at her door, Maggie felt herself jump, her heart leaping toward her throat.

“Mags? Are you here?”

A wave of relief washed over her, and she scrambled up to open the door, squealing when she saw her best friend standing in the hall.

“Oh my god I’m so glad to see you,” Maggie said, maybe a little too emphatically. She wrapped her arms around Lola and hugged her tight. “I missed you!”

“I missed you too,” Lola whined. “Two weeks is SO LONG. I hate not seeing you every day of my life.”

“I know. It’s awful.”

“When did you get back?”

“This morning,” Maggie said. “It’s been so quiet all day. Did Eddie drive you?”

“Yeah, but he was super hungry, so he stopped at the dining hall to grab dinner.”

It was an unusually quiet Sunday evening in the Simswell girls’ dormitory. A lot of students still hadn’t arrived back to campus after winter break, and those who had were most likely down at the dining hall having dinner– but Maggie couldn’t even make herself think about food.

Winter break had been a wonderful escape from reality, but now that she was back, all she could focus on was the recital. The big night was just a week and a half away, and though Maggie had practiced her routine in her bedroom while she was home, she knew she wouldn’t be able to rest soundly until it was over and done with.

And, of course… there was also the little issue of Calvin.