CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
❝Merge❞︎

SHE LOOKED UP FROM HER BOOK WHEN THE SOUND OF JOSIE STIRRING COULD BE HEARD. She smiled as she watched the girl open her eyes, looking around for a moment before her eyes caught those of Harper. Harper offered the girl a small smile. "Morning, sunshine."

"Morning." Josie whispered, forcing herself to sit up. Harper went back to reading her book and Josie just stared at her for a moment. "Thanks for letting me sleep in here."

"Anytime." Harper nodded.

"Hey, after I get dressed, do you mind coming to the library with me? I have to look something up."

"Sure." Harper smiled. "I need another book to read anyways since I'm almost done with this one. I really need to get in touch with Scarlett and hang out with her so that she can take me back to the library over there."

"You and Scarlett are still going strong, huh?" Josie smiled.

Harper's smile fell, having forgotten to tell Josie that she and Scarlett had broken up. "I didn't tell you, did I." Josie frowned at this and Harper softly sighed. "Scarlett and I broke up."

"What?"

"Yeah. It was a mutual thing though. So, no one was hurt, and we're still friends."

"Harper, why didn't you tell me?"

Harper shrugged. "You had so much going on, I didn't want to put my problems onto you. So, I just kept it to myself. I haven't even told Hope yet."

"I'm so sorry." She placed a hand over Harper's, and Harper managed a small smile as she gave her hand a squeeze.

"It's alright." Harper assured. "Now, get dressed."

The two made their way towards the library before Josie walked over to the machine that allowed you to put in a word in order to help find the book you're looking for. Harper's eyebrows furrowed in confusion when Josie put the word "Merge" on there. They both turned when several books popped out, Josie walking up to one of them and grabbing onto it. They seemed to sit in the library for hours, trying to find out about this merge, but every page that talked about it seemed to be ripped from the books.

They looked up when Lizzie entered the room, a tray in her hands and a small smile on her face. Josie was quick to wave a hand over the books, making them all shut at once. Harper stood there awkwardly as Lizzie made her way over to them.

"I brought you some brain food." Lizzie told her.

Josie glanced at her before looking back down at the books. "I'm not hungry."

Lizzie set the tray down on the table. "It's all your favorite things."

"I'm gonna go. . ." Harper whispered, turning to walk away but Josie reached for her and stopped her, silently begging her to stay. Harper looked between the twins before nodding and interlacing her fingers with Josie's.

"Which I'm sure somebody else had to tell you." Josie lightly snapped at her. Lizzie's eyes then landed on the word that Josie had put on the machine. Josie was quick to change it before reaching down and grabbing her bag, walking away and pulling Harper with her. Harper glanced over her shoulder towards Lizzie and offered the blonde an apologetic look before quickly pushing herself to keep up with Josie's pace.

"Still not talking to her, huh?" Harper hummed.

"Nope. I'm not going to forgive her so easily this time." Josie sighed.

Harper wanted to help everyone at the moment. She wanted to help Hope find Landon who was currently out "camping" because he found out Hope had been lying to him about remembering his mom. And Josie wasn't talking to her sister, who was trying all their usual things in hopes of getting Josie's forgiveness. So far, to no avail. They continued walking throughout the school, hand in hand, talking about anything that came to Harper's mind in hopes of easing the tension in Josie's shoulders.

And of course, Lizzie was sitting on one of the couches. She held a book in front of her face, making it follow Josie as the two females walked past her before they stopped at the sound of Lizzie's annoyed voice. "I was trying to be all coy." They turned to look at the girl. "Here. It's a secret book in dads study―︎I know you're looking into this merge crap, so I just want a little credit for helping."

Harper closed her eyes and Lizzie's choice of words, sighing to herself when Josie spoke. "Did you stop to think that maybe I didn't want your help, that maybe I wanted something, anything that was entirely my own?" She snatched the book from Lizzie's hands.

"Is this about having separate rooms? That's fine, okay? Just take Penelope's."

"You seriously still don't get it." Josie scoffed, shaking her head. "This isn't about needing space. This is about every waking moment of my life being suffocated by you. We shouldn't just have our own rooms. We should have our own lives. We should be our own people." And then she walked away. Harper watched the girl go before meeting Lizzie's eyes.

"Just give her some time to herself, alright?" Harper whispered. "Because she's right. I know it's not my business, which is why that's all I'm saying on the matter. Just. . . let Josie have her moment, she always lets you have yours." And then Harper turned on her heels, quickly following after Josie to make sure that she was okay. Josie sat there on one of the couches, the book Lizzie had given her in her hands as she quickly read through it. She stopped in the doorway, turning her head when Hope appeared beside her.

"Whatever you're going to say. . . just be careful how you say it." Harper warned her. Hope nodded her head before walking away from Harper and over to Josie. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could watch their facial expressions and know somewhat of what was going on. And she's actually gotten pretty good at reading lips. The conversation didn't last long, with Josie being the one to get in the last word before Hope stood up and walked away.

Later that night, Harper sat in her room, getting ready for bed and waiting for Josie to come back from getting some more things from her room. When Josie came back with tears in her eyes, Harper was quick to stand up and walk over to her, pulling her into a hug without waiting for the girl to explain. Harper pulled away after a moment, wiping the tears from Josie's cheek when a knock came on the open door, making the two girls turn their heads to see Dr. Saltzman standing there.

"Harper, I need to borrow Josie for a minute."

"Of course." Harper nodded. "Door is unlocked if you decide to sleep in here again." Josie nodded before pulling away from Harper and following her dad out of the room and down the hallway. Just as she sat back down, her door flew open and she looked at a panicked Hope. Harper immediately stood back up. "What's wrong?"

"Landon's in trouble. And I have to get him back."

"Do you even know where he is?" Harper was quick to ask.

"Triad." Hope nods. "He has to be there."

"You're letting me come, aren't you? I actually like Landon. And he's my best friend's boyfriend."

"Why do you think I talked to you first?" Hope asked. "I'm bringing the whole Super Squad."

"Good. 'Cause you know I would kick your ass if you did this on your own."

"Oh, trust me, I know." Hope nodded her head. "Wake up early."

"You got it." Harper nodded her head. And Hope nodded before turning on her heel and walking away, leaving Harper to stand there by herself, thinking of everything that could possibly go wrong with what it was that they were about to do.