I know this is supposed to be a Kasey chapter but shush, I'm cooking something up. I got some plans for him. Hope you lovelies enjoy this yappy Molly chapter! ~Shaymie

Molly

When she heard that Fritz was banned from the antique shop, she'd been expecting the owner to be some cranky old man who hated kids.

Instead she was met with a boy who didn't seem to be much older than her. He'd been slouching against the counter when she entered, but quickly straightened up and brushed off his... cape? Interesting fashion choice. Well, Molly shouldn't judge. It went well with his outfit. Something about him seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She felt his eyes on her as she started browsing the wares.

Maybe coming here was a bad idea... This doesn't seem like a place for window-shopping... Molly had some spending money saved up, but she doubted she'd be able to afford anything. Weren't antiques supposed to be crazy expensive? She'd earned a good chunk of money from her Blue Mist flowers (thankfully the blood, sweat, and tears were worth it), but most of that money was put away for upgrading the farm. Angela really wanted to get a greenhouse, especially after seeing the one on Aunt Dee's farm.

Unlike the things Molly would stumble upon at the thrift store, everything in this antique shop was polished to perfection. There wasn't a speck of dust in sight. She was almost scared to touch anything. Knowing her luck, she'd probably break something and wind up having to spend all her money replacing it. She kept her hands to herself just to be safe.

"Excuse me?" The shopkeep spoke up as she was examining a rather nice-looking mirror. Molly gasped and took a step back.

"S-Sorry! Was I breathing on it or something?" she asked anxiously. The boy shook his head, a strand of blond hair falling into his face. Huh. Now that she was looking at him, he kinda reminded her of Gill.

"You're... Molly Rose, aren't you?" She nodded, briefly wondering just how many people in this town knew about her. She didn't think anyone out here would care for ballet, let alone multiple people. His eyes lit up, pale purple irises sparkling. Molly noted that they weren't as vibrant as Chase's. Then she mentally slapped herself.

I need to stop thinking about him like that... He made it clear that even the thought of liking me was unappealing to him.

"Ah, where are my manners? I completely forgot to introduce myself." She blinked as the boy gave a polite bow and walked out from behind the counter. He was... short. Nearly the same height as her, in fact. She gave him a thin smile as he looked her over.

She hadn't put much effort into her outfit. She always felt bloated on her period and preferred to wear loose-fitting clothing. The sweater she'd chosen to wear today was an old one of Kasey's that he had to abandon after his growth spurt sophomore year. She'd dug through his donation pile and picked out the things that looked comfiest. She's pretty sure most of her cold weather outerwear used to belong to her brother, especially now that she had to get rid of a lot of old clothes that didn't fit her anymore.

Needless to say, she wasn't as well-dressed as she usually was, and she felt self-conscious next to the antique shop owner— ah wait, he'd introduced himself as Mistel. The name tickled something at the back of her brain, though she didn't understand why.

"It's nice to meet you, Mistel."

"Have you seen anything you like?" he asked, taking another step forward. Molly looked away to hide her grimace. He sounded so... excited to meet her, and she just felt like a disappointment. How many people in this town knew who she was?

If she could, she would just stay in her room at the inn for the entirety of her visit and only leave to see her aunt and cousin. Being the center of attention made her anxious, and she could only imagine the stories Aunt Dee and Fritz have told about her. They probably bragged about her to everyone in town. The thought of everyone having insane expectations of her, only to be met with... well, her was stressful.

"I... um..." She looked around the shop frantically. In all honesty, nothing had really interested her. It was all out of her price range anyway. But... then she noticed something that stood out just a bit. A well-polished box of dark wood, with a lacy ribbon painted around the border. Still aware of Mistel's eyes on her, she walked over to it and gestured towards it. "T-This looks pretty nice..."

"Impeccable taste! I should have expected nothing less from Molly Rose..."

"It sounds like you've had an interesting morning," Klaus smirked into his cup of tea. Molly sighed. After spending what felt like hours negotiating with Mistel over the music box (she still felt as if she'd gotten it for far too cheap a price) she decided to stop by Klaus' house since he was right across the way. She was surprised to learn that Mistel was Iris' little brother, though that explained why he felt so familiar. They had the same eyes, and she's positive Iris must have mentioned him in the foreword of one of her books.

"It's not funny, Mr. Klaus! I feel bad! That music box is worth five hundred dollars..." And I got it for fifty...

"It was probably overpriced anyway. Most things in Mistel's shop are," Iris said, setting a bowl of mashed carrots in front of Nicholas, who was sitting in his high chair. He didn't look very pleased at his lunch but to his credit, he didn't try to throw it away or anything. Just made a cute disgruntled face as Iris spooned the food into his mouth.

Molly frowned as she nibbled at a cookie. Even if it was overpriced, she still felt bad about it. She felt as if she'd taken advantage of her (admittedly, very limited) fame to get something for cheap. Maybe it's a good thing she never got to actually get famous. It's clear she wouldn't have been able to handle it, unless she became one of those celebrities who's known for being a hermit.

Would her career taking off have even made her happy? She liked ballet, but did she really like it enough to dedicate her entire life to it? Even now she was unsure. She couldn't deny that she missed it, though. Or... maybe she just missed how it made her feel? She was bad at accepting compliments but she still liked getting them. They made her feel graceful and pretty.

Am I just really prideful and vain?

The thought made her stomach turn. She's never really thought of herself as prideful, but it made sense. That's why she quit culinary school, isn't it? She couldn't stand being told what to do and preferred to keep doing things her own way. And it's why she was so frustrated when she was in the hospital. She hated relying on her siblings for everything. She couldn't walk by herself, could barely even pick up a spoon, and it led to everyone treating her like some fragile little thing.

As for being vain, well—

"Molly? Is everything alright?" She blinked at Klaus' voice, which sounded closer than it did a... moment ago? No, something was different. She looked down at her hand, which had the crumbled remains of the sugar cookie she'd been nibbling at.

"I..." Her head felt fuzzy. She blinked a few more times to clear her blurry vision and met a pair of concerned amber eyes. "I'll be fine. I just need a minute."

She should have known something like this could happen. She spoke with Jin about changing her medication since she was tired of the drowsiness her pills caused. Even now she shuddered when she thought about the day Chase came over and took care of her. He still wouldn't tell her what she'd said. Judging by the way he'd smirk whenever she asked, it was definitely something embarrassing.

This new medicine didn't make her drowsy but it apparently wasn't as effective. Or maybe her body just needed to get used to it? Either way, it led to her having seizures a bit more frequently than before. Usually she could tell when they were coming on, but this one managed to sneak up on her somehow. It was frustrating. She thought she'd be used to this by now. She's lucky it was a small one.

"I guess now's as good a time as any to tell you about what happened," Molly said with a sigh. She bit her lip. It was nerve-wracking enough to tell Chase and Maya, who'd never seen what she was like before. Telling Klaus would be an entirely different demon. He'd seen her potential. He had faith that she'd actually be something. And, admittedly, he'd hinted more than once that he thought Chelsea wasn't good for her. She should have listened. She shouldn't have been so dumb.

She found herself unable to look at Klaus as she explained the events of the past year. The only thing he really knew about was her father's death so thankfully she didn't need to cover that again. Everything else was rough to talk about, though. Chelsea's cruel comments, the "diet" Molly started thinking it would help, the way she ruined her body... Talking about it sucked almost as much as experiencing it in the first place. She swallowed heavily as she started talking about her time in the hospital.

"The doctors said it's a miracle I didn't get more messed up," she murmured, wincing as she recalled the expressions on her sibling's faces. She caused that pain in their eyes. "But even then, I had to go through physical therapy... They advised against me returning to ballet. I don't think they trusted me to take care of myself. I thought Kasey would object to it but he was on their side. I remember saying some terrible things to him because of it..."

Chase called her Castanet's Sweetheart once. She wondered if he still thought that about her. She didn't feel like a sweetheart even though that's what she tried to be. A sweetheart would have forgiven Chelsea and Mark. She wouldn't hate them with every inch of her being. She wouldn't have hit Chelsea.

Even though she really did deserve it...

Molly huffed. Thoughts like that weren't exactly sweet. Chase had it wrong. Everyone had it wrong. Who could blame them, though? It's her own fault for spending all this time trying to be nice and perfect. Pushing down every negative thought and emotion. She was tired of trying to be like Amber. Why bother? She didn't deserve to be compared to her mother anyway. Not after the pain she caused.

Maybe what happened to her was just some form of karma for ruining her mother's life. For having the audacity to try and replace her.

"I'm sorry you went through that," Klaus said after a brief silence."I wish I could've—"

"You don't need to apologize, Mr. Klaus! I'm... fine now." His brow raised at her hesitation. She gave him a shaky smile. She might not be back to how she used to be (and may never be) but she was at least doing better. He looked her over and nodded.

"You seem healthier, at least. You're not as skinny as you once were."

"Klaus! You can't just say that to a young lady!" Iris admonished her husband as she emerged from the back of the house. She must have left while Molly was out of it. Nicholas wasn't in his high chair anymore so maybe it was time for his nap. Molly swallowed anxiously. She knew he hadn't meant anything bad by it but his words still sent a rock to the pit of her stomach.

It's a good thing, she reminded herself sternly, nails digging into the palms of her hands. That's what the point of her recovery was. She was meant to gain weight and get stronger. It shouldn't be so hard for her to understand that. It shouldn't upset her the way it did.

"I, um... Think I've disturbed you two enough for today. I'll try to visit again before I go home." She hated the way her voice trembled. Why was she still so weak? Why couldn't she be more like Angela? Her sister was always able to pick herself up easily. Compared to her, Molly was pathetic. Sometimes she wondered if Angela wished she had a better sister. Someone who didn't need to be babysat. Someone who wasn't such a mess.

"Molly—"

"It's fine, Mr. Klaus," she interrupted the man before he could apologize again. She really didn't need it. "I know you didn't mean anything bad."

Still, she almost wished she'd never run into him. She hated disappointing people. She would've been happy never seeing anyone from her past again. It's been nice, being able to have a fresh start. Klaus cleared his throat and stood, smoothing down his jacket as he spoke.

"Before you leave, I have something I want to give you. If you'll excuse me for a moment..." Klaus left towards the back of the house, Iris taking the seat he just occupied. Molly's lip found its familiar place between her teeth. Was he disappointed in her? Did he think she was an idiot? What did Iris think about her? Mistel said that the two of them would watch her performances online occasionally.

Thankfully Klaus was back before she could overthink herself into a panic attack, pretty perfume bottles in hand. One was a muted shade of yellow, and the other was an off shade of white. She leaned in to examine them when he set them down.

"Daisies are my favorite," she murmured, gently running a fingertip over the glass flower on top of the bottles. She's pretty sure they're the flower she wants at her wedding. Either them or sunflowers. Embarrassingly enough, she'd started planning out her wedding with Ash, when she thought for sure they'd end up together. Like some kind of ballet power couple or something. She thought they'd take the world by storm.

"Fritz insisted on the design."

"Fritz...?" Molly looked up at Klaus in shock. She didn't think her cousin would have any interest in the art of perfume-making. And she certainly never thought he'd be able to keep any sort of secret. He knew Klaus had this gift for her and never even hinted towards its existence. Was this why he'd been trying to push her towards Klaus' house her first day here?

She listened curiously as Klaus explained that the perfume was Fritz's idea to begin with. He'd been saving his allowance for months in order to commission it from Klaus. Aunt Dee offered up some ideas for the fragrance but other than that, it was all Fritz.

"I asked him if he wanted to be the one to give them to you and he said he was too embarrassed," Klaus chuckled. Molly stared down at the bottles. Months. Fritz saved up for months to get these made. "I would have done it free of charge but he insisted on paying. Don't tell him, but I gave him a bit of a discount."

She could barely see Klaus' wink through the tears forming in her eyes.

"Molly? What's wrong?"

"I don't know," she answered Klaus' question with a sniffle and gladly accepted the tissue Iris offered her. "It's wonderful. I never would have thought Fritz would think of such a nice gift..."

Lately it seems he's become more thoughtful. The boots he got her for her birthday this year were nice. Far better than the spatulas and hair ribbons he's gotten her in the past. Maybe his gift-giving skills have matured with age. He is sixteen, after all. He's not that cute little kid who'd make her mud pies anymore. God, where has the time gone?

Is this how Angie and Kasey feel about me? She dabbed at her tears and gave Klaus a smile. Maybe stopping by today wasn't a bad idea after all.

"Thank you, Mr. Klaus."

A music box from Mistel.

Cookies from Klaus (along with the perfume, of course).

And now, a freshly cut yellow rose, carefully placed on top of her bag.

People have been... fairly generous today. Molly smiled as she finally started making her way back to the inn. The rose was a gift from Nadi, the groundskeeper for Marguerite Farm. He'd stopped her when she was passing by and offered the flower to her out of nowhere, saying that he thought it suited her. Is it just in the nature of small towns for everyone to be so kind? Kamil, the man staying in the room next to hers, didn't give her anything but he did smile at her and tell her that she looked nice.

"Freckles!"

Molly perked up at Chase's voice, her heart skipping a few beats when she saw him approaching. He looked... hot. With his hair tied back and sleeves rolled up, showing off his surprisingly muscular arms, he practically looked like a model. Her face flushed. This certainly wasn't helping her wet dream issue. In fact, this would only give her new material! God, she's so screwed. Not literally. Though that would be nice...

Stop it, Molly! She tore her gaze away from his arms and looked up at his face. It wasn't much better for her raging hormones, but at least it wasn't weird. Chase raised an eyebrow and looked down at her bulging tote bag.

"Go shopping today?"

"Not... really? I mean I did buy one thing." She sighed as she went over the details of her day. If she was talking to Angela or Fritz, she would have skipped over mentioning her seizure. Angela always got a bit angry whenever Molly had seizures. They were a constant reminder of the damage Chelsea had done. And Fritz was... well, Fritz. He'd make a big deal about it and tell Aunt Dee, who'd probably try to make her rest instead of helping out with Thanksgiving. But Chase wasn't overbearing or particularly emotional. She felt alright with telling him stuff.

"...Klaus is right. You look better now. Not just 'healthier.' ...Cuter." The last word was uttered at a lower volume, almost hesitantly. Molly gaped at him, wondering if she actually was having one of her dumb dreams. Chase has called her cute a handful of times but it's always been in a teasing way. This compliment was different, though.

He's embarrassed this time... But why?

Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. To make matters even worse, Chase plucked the flower from her bag and tucked it behind her ear.

"S-So you don't think I'm fat?" she blurted out. He blinked at her, his hand pausing in the middle of brushing some hair back. She held back a pout. If she'd kept her mouth shut, maybe he would have touched her again.

"Are you serious?"

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't serious, Chase. I can't ask Angie or Kasey because they'd just say no to spare my feelings. But I know you wouldn't do that. You're honest with me."

He was honest with everyone. Chase didn't believe in sugarcoating his words. It's part of why she liked him so much. He said people usually wanted to be lied to, but Molly couldn't understand that. She felt like the world would be better if everyone (including herself) could be more honest. It would save them all a lot of trouble.

"You're not fat, Molly." She could tell he was trying to keep his voice neutral, but she could still hear some underlying emotion in there. Anger? Irritation? Maybe she should have kept her mouth shut. He wouldn't care about her silly anxieties. Chase sighed and cupped her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. Her face felt like it was going to explode. If only he knew the amount of times she's dreamed about him touching her like this. "Even if you were, it wouldn't change a goddamn thing about you. You'd still be the same Freckles I know and l—care about, and you'd still have half this town drooling over you like a pack of dogs."

"Huh?"

"God, you're dense."

He muttered it under his breath but oddly enough, Molly didn't feel insulted by the statement. Maybe it's because of the tender, almost sweet way Chase was looking at her. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Aunt Dee seemed convinced that he liked her. In fact, she was pretty confident. And Molly trusted her aunt's judgment a lot. Aunt Dee was who she called for advice when Angela and Kasey were constantly at each other's throats. She was similar to Chase in a way. She didn't mince words. Unlike everyone else, she didn't try to lie and say Molly wasn't the reason Angela and Kasey argued so much.

"You're not the only reason," Aunt Dee had said sternly, yet not unkindly. Though it'd just been a phone call, Molly could picture the look on her aunt's face. She's sure most people would have been upset at being told that they're (even partially) to blame, but she found it as a relief. She was tired of people walking on eggshells around her. Though Aunt Dee quickly followed up her statement by telling Molly not to get too down on herself.

Too late for that.

Still, that conversation proved that Aunt Dee wasn't the type to coddle or lie just to make someone feel better. So the fact that she genuinely seemed to think Molly had a chance with Chase meant something. And even the Wizard said that Chase thought Molly was "interesting," so maybe...

Maybe I should take Angie's advice after all... Molly considered that thought for a brief moment before opting against it. What worked for Angela definitely wouldn't work for her. Her sister's advice was to... flaunt what she had.

"You have tits now, Molls! And trust me, they'll do most of the heavy lifting. Um... pun not intended."

"Dense and an airhead." She blinked at Chase's amused voice. He was looking down at her with a devilishly handsome smirk on his face. It wasn't fair. With just one look, he could render her completely speechless. She blinked up at him dumbly. When had he let go of her chin? She already missed his touch. "Didn't hear a word I said, did you?"

"Um..."

"What were you staring at, anyway? Do I have something on my face?"

"No! Your face is perfect! I-I mean... There's nothing on your face."

The odd look Chase gave her made her want to disappear forever. It wasn't the worst thing she could've let slip out. She could have accidentally said something creepy about his hands when he touched her earlier. There'd be absolutely no chance of coming back from that. She would have run straight back to Castanet right then and there.

Thankfully Molly was saved from any further embarrassment by Maisie, who stepped out of the restaurant to inform Chase that his smoke break was over. Looking at him, Molly could tell that there was a question just on the very tip of his tongue. And quite frankly, she was too scared to deal with that right now. What if she'd completely blown her cover and he could tell that she liked him?

What if he rejected her in front of Maisie?

"I should get going anyway," Molly murmured, forcing a smile onto her face. "Got a big day tomorrow. Aunt Dee wants me over bright and early for some Thanksgiving prep."

"Wait, Mo—"

"No time to wait, Chase! It's crazy busy in there!" Maisie grabbed Chase's arm and started tugging him towards the restaurant. Molly waved at him as he was dragged away and sighed once the door shut behind the siblings.

She needed to work on hiding her emotions better.