chapter fourteen:
❛ sneaking around ❜

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Wren was tossing socks into his duffel bag, his bedroom illuminated only by the soft glow of his desk lamp. He had just zipped up the bag when a light plink against his window made him pause. He furrowed his brows, listening closely. A second plink followed, louder this time.

"Wheeler! Open your window!" a voice whispered loudly from outside.

Wren froze, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. He walked over to the window, pulling back the curtain to see Lucy standing in the yard below. Her arms were crossed, and she was glaring up at him, her face barely visible in the dim light.

"What are you doing?" he whispered as he unlocked the window and slid it open.

"Let me in!" she hissed. "Before I freeze my ass off!"

He shook his head, chuckling. "You're insane."

"Yeah, yeah, less talking, more helping," she said, motioning for him to step back.

Wren stepped aside, and moments later, Lucy was climbing through his window. She landed with a small thud on the carpet, brushing her hair out of her face as she straightened up.

"Miss me?" she asked with a grin, her voice dripping with confidence.

Wren crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "I don't even know how to respond to that."

"Take it as a yes," she teased, walking past him and flopping down onto his bed. She glanced at his duffel bag, then back at him, her smile fading slightly. "Wait... what's all this?"

"Packing," Wren replied, zipping up the bag. "I've got a flight tomorrow morning."

Lucy sat up, her brow furrowing. "A flight? Where are you going?"

"California," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Mike's girlfriend invited me."

Lucy's eyebrows shot up, her expression immediately sharpening. "Jane invited you? Why?"

Wren hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "She, uh... I guess she misses me. We're friends, you know? She's always been close with Mike, but we've hung out, too."

Lucy's lips pressed into a thin line, and Wren could tell she didn't like the sound of that. He quickly added, "But don't worry. She's madly in love with Mike. There's nothing to worry about."

Her eyes narrowed for a moment, but eventually, she nodded. "Good. Because I'd hate to have to fly out there and remind her who you belong to."

Wren forced a laugh, though her words sent a strange pang through his chest. Deep down, he knew her jealousy wasn't entirely unwarranted. As much as he cared about Lucy, there was a part of him-a big part-that hadn't stopped thinking about Eleven. Being around her again, even if it was only as a friend, made him feel... conflicted.

Before he could dwell on it, there was a sudden knock at the door. His heart jumped, and he immediately slapped a hand over Lucy's mouth, silencing her giggle.

"Wren?" came his Aunt Karen's voice from the other side. "Are you still up?"

"Yeah!" he called out, trying to keep his voice steady. "Just packing! Why?"

There was a pause, and then Karen asked suspiciously, "It sounds like someone else is in there with you."

Wren's eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head, even though she couldn't see him. "Nope! Just me! Maybe you're hearing the TV or something?"

Another pause. Then, finally, "Alright. Just don't stay up too late. You've got a long day tomorrow."

"Got it!" he said, holding his breath as her footsteps retreated down the hallway.

Once she was gone, Wren dropped his hand from Lucy's mouth, and she burst into quiet laughter.

"Close one," she said, shaking her head. "You're a terrible liar, by the way."

"I got us out of it, didn't I?" he shot back, grinning.

Lucy rolled her eyes but leaned in closer, a playful smile on her lips. "You're lucky you're cute."

Before Wren could respond, she pressed her lips to his, her hands moving to his shoulders as the kiss deepened. He kissed her back, but the entire time, his mind betrayed him. The image of Eleven-her wide eyes, the way she used to smile at him-flashed in his head, and he couldn't shake it.

When Lucy pulled back, she looked at him with a smirk, completely unaware of his internal conflict. "I should probably let you get back to packing," she said softly, brushing a strand of hair from his face.

"Yeah," Wren replied, his voice quieter than he intended. "I've got an early morning."

Lucy gave him one last kiss on the cheek before slipping back out the window, her laughter fading into the night. Wren closed the window behind her, leaning his forehead against the glass.

His reflection stared back at him, and he couldn't avoid the truth any longer. No matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, part of him still wished that Eleven was the one climbing through his window tonight. And that part of him didn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

The Wheeler household was alive with activity despite the early hour. The faint aroma of Karen's coffee filled the air as she stood in the kitchen, fussing over the boys as they finished zipping up their suitcases in the hallway. Ted leaned against the doorframe, watching the scene unfold with a bemused expression, already dressed for work but clearly in no rush to leave.

"Do you have everything?" Karen asked for the fifth time, clutching her mug of coffee as though it were the only thing keeping her upright. "Tickets, toothbrushes, clean socks? Oh! What about snacks? You'll need something for the plane."

Mike groaned as he swung his backpack over one shoulder. "Mom, we don't need snacks. They have food at the airport."

"Airport food is overpriced and gross!" Karen countered. She turned to Wren, her face softening into a maternal smile. "What about you, Wren? Do you need anything?"

Wren shook his head politely, adjusting the strap of his duffel bag. "I'm all set, Aunt Karen. Thanks."

"You're so much more agreeable than your cousin," Karen said, shooting Mike a playful glare.

"Gee, thanks," Mike muttered, rolling his eyes.

Ted pushed himself off the doorframe and clapped Mike on the shoulder. "Alright, you two. Behave yourselves out there. No getting into trouble."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "We're going to California, not spring break in Florida."

Ted gave him a knowing look. "Still, just... be smart."

Karen, not satisfied with Ted's version of a goodbye, pulled both boys into a tight hug. She lingered longer on Wren, squeezing him like she was trying to make up for lost time. "I'm so glad you're doing this, honey," she said softly. "It's good to see you and Mike spending time together. And Jane will be so happy to see you."

Mike squirmed out of her embrace. "Mom, it's a plane ride, not a lifetime apart."

Karen ignored him, adjusting Wren's jacket like he was still ten years old. "Call me when you land, okay? Both of you."

Mike groaned again. "We will."

The sound of a car horn interrupted them. Karen looked out the window and spotted Nancy parked at the curb, leaning against her car with an air of exasperation. "That's our ride," Mike said, grabbing his bag and heading for the door.

Wren followed, pausing at the doorway to give Karen one last smile. "Thanks for everything, Aunt Karen."

She nodded, her eyes misty. "Be good, sweetheart."

As they stepped outside, Nancy straightened up, arms crossed. "Took you long enough," she said, gesturing for them to hurry up. "You guys ready?"

Mike tossed his bag into the trunk. "We've been ready. You're the one who likes to honk instead of huffing for us."

Nancy ignored him and popped the trunk for Wren, who gently placed his bag inside before climbing into the back seat. Mike slid into the passenger seat, slamming the door a little harder than necessary. Nancy rolled her eyes but didn't comment as she pulled away from the curb.

For a while, the car ride was quiet, save for the hum of the engine and the faint buzz of the radio. But then Mike broke the silence, glancing over his shoulder at Wren with a smirk. "So... you and Lucy, huh?"

Wren, who had been staring out the window, blinked in surprise. "What?"

"You know, Lucy," Mike said, leaning back in his seat. "Nancy said she caught her climbing out of your window last week. So... does this mean you're finally over El?"

Wren's stomach twisted at the mention of Eleven, but he kept his face neutral. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Mike shrugged, the smirk still playing on his lips. "Just saying, you've been pretty hung up on her for a while. It's about time you moved on."

"There's nothing to 'move on' from," Wren said sharply. "El's with you, Mike. I respect that."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "Do you? Because it sure doesn't seem like it when you're moping around every time she's mentioned."

Wren felt a flash of anger. "I'm not moping. And maybe if you weren't so insecure, you wouldn't be reading into everything I do."

"Oh, so now it's my fault?" Mike shot back, his teasing tone gone. "I'm just saying, if you're going to date Lucy, maybe try actually being into her."

Wren leaned forward, his jaw tightening. "You don't know anything about my relationship with Lucy. And for the record, maybe you should focus on your own girlfriend instead of worrying about me."

Nancy groaned from the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "Are you two seriously doing this right now? At six in the morning? In my car?"

"Stay out of it, Nancy," Mike muttered, but she shot him a glare through the rearview mirror that shut him up.

"Listen," Wren said, his voice quieter but still tense. "I'm going to California because Jane invited me. That's it. Whatever you think is going on, you're wrong."

Mike crossed his arms, looking out the window. "Fine. Whatever."

The rest of the ride to the airport was filled with uncomfortable silence, the tension between them thick and unspoken. When they finally pulled up to the terminal, Nancy parked and turned off the engine. She twisted in her seat to glare at both of them.

"Alright, here's the deal," she said firmly. "I don't care what this is about, but you two need to figure it out before you get on that plane. Got it?"

Wren and Mike exchanged a glance but didn't respond. Nancy sighed and popped the trunk. "Good luck, boys," she muttered.

The two cousins grabbed their bags and headed into the airport without another word, the tension between them still simmering as they prepared for a trip that was shaping up to be anything but relaxing.

The airport gate buzzed with noise-kids crying, announcements echoing overhead, the murmur of passengers waiting for their flights. Wren and Mike sat side by side in uncomfortable plastic chairs, each pretending the other wasn't there. Mike tapped his sneaker against the floor, a steady rhythm that made Wren want to snap. He adjusted his jacket, wishing for anything to break the tension.

Finally, Mike turned his head, his voice cutting through the noise. "So, are we going to talk about this or just keep pretending you don't have a thing for El?"

Wren froze, his jaw tightening. "Not this again," he muttered, staring ahead.

"Yes, this again," Mike shot back, leaning closer. "Because I'm not stupid, Wren. I see how you act around her. And don't think I forgot how weird things were when we got back together."

Wren rolled his eyes, slouching further into his chair. "Weird things like what? You're imagining stuff."

"Imagining?" Mike laughed, but it wasn't a friendly sound. "You mean how you couldn't even look me in the eye for months? Or how you'd always find an excuse to leave whenever I brought her up? Yeah, totally normal."

Wren crossed his arms, keeping his voice low. "Mike, drop it. It's in the past."

"The past?" Mike's voice climbed, earning a glance from a woman sitting nearby. He lowered it reluctantly, but his tone was no less sharp. "You've been in love with her since the past. Don't act like it's gone now."

Wren's hands curled into fists on his lap. He wanted to shout back, but the words stuck in his throat. Instead, he exhaled through his nose, forcing calm into his voice. "She's with you, Mike. Has been for a while. I'm not getting in the way of that."

"But you want to," Mike accused.

"Jesus Christ," Wren muttered, standing abruptly and pacing a few steps away before turning back. "I'm not having this conversation with you."

Mike stood too, blocking Wren's retreat. "Why? Because you can't admit it? Fine. I'll say it for you. You're still in love with El."

Wren's face hardened. "Shut up."

"No. You've been lying to everyone about this for months. Hell, maybe years," Mike said, his voice rising again. "You act like you're over her, like you're fine, but we both know you're not. So just admit it!"

"Fine!" Wren hissed, his voice sharp as he finally snapped. "You're right. I'm not over her. Happy now?"

Mike stared at him, stunned into silence for a moment. Wren's chest heaved, his confession hanging heavy between them.

"But you know what?" Wren continued, his voice quieter but no less intense. "It doesn't matter. She's with you. She chose you. And I'm not going to be the guy who screws that up."

Mike blinked, his anger faltering. "Wren-"

"No," Wren interrupted. "You don't get to play the victim here. You've had El since day one. Meanwhile, I..." He paused, swallowing hard. "I've been stuck watching from the sidelines. And yeah, it sucks. But that's my problem, not hers. Or yours."

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant hum of announcements. Mike shuffled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You could've told me," he said finally, his voice quieter.

"And what good would that have done?" Wren asked bitterly. "Would you have stepped aside? Let me have her? No, you wouldn't. And I wouldn't expect you to. So let it go, Mike."

Mike opened his mouth to respond, but the boarding announcement cut him off.

"That's us," Wren said curtly, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. He walked toward the line without looking back, his heart pounding.

Mike followed, still processing everything Wren had said. He wanted to argue more, to press for answers, but something in Wren's expression stopped him.

For now, they walked in silence, their unspoken truths hanging heavy between them as they approached the gate.

ASH SPEAKS!!

el and wren reunion next chapter... i feel so bad for wren :(

el and wren are super slowburn

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)