Not Today | ✔️

Chapter Eighteen.

"Won't you tell me what you're thinking of?
Would you be an outlaw for my love?
If it's so, then let me know
If it's no, then I can go..."

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"Oh my God."

Those were the first words that left Evelyn's mouth when she woke up on the morning of November 2nd, thoroughly horrified.

In an un-Evelyn-like manner, she'd completely forgotten how her mom had told her which day she'd be home, that day being November 2nd, and that morning being one where Tristan was still in her room, asleep from the night before.

Tristan had begun sharing the bed with her, which she preferred to him being on the floor. They always fell asleep at a polite, comfortable distance from each other, but always somehow ended up drifting back together like magnets and metal, in their sleep.

Evelyn shook the boy beside her. "Psst, wake up!"

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Tristan said, shooting up from the bed, looking around, as if for danger or a threat.

"You have to leave!" Evelyn said, panicked.

Tristan pressed the heel of his palm to his face, rubbing his eye, sleepily. "Huh?"

"My mom will be home in," Evelyn checked the clock, 5:52 AM. "Less than ten minutes!"

"What?" Tristan said, now sharing her panic.

"Go!" Evelyn said, pushing him slightly and very gently, more to emphasize her point than to actually move him. Tristan was quick to comply, scurrying around her room, slightly, to gather all his things, like his sweatshirt hanging up in her closet and his textbooks on her desk.

Tristan had just gathered everything, when the unmistakable sound of a car pulling up, followed by the sound of her mother's voice calling up the stairs not too long after, appeared.

Evelyn and Tristan looked at each other with the same 'we're screwed' expression.

"Hide in the closet!" Evelyn whisper-yelled.

"Evelyn, I'm not-" he started before he caught sight of Evelyn's gaze. He sighed. "Fine, I'm going."

It was a good thing he did, as well, as just a few seconds later, there were four gentle knocks against her bedroom door.

"Evie, can I come in?" she asked from outside the door, but Evelyn knew her mom well enough to know it was less of a question and more of a warning, as before she could even reply, her mom was opening her bedroom door.

Evelyn's mom, Anette, was quick to come up to Evelyn and wrap her arms around her daughter. Evelyn returned the hug, immediately finding comfort both in the warmth of her embrace and the recognizable scent of her mother's perfume, which was a subtle scent, floating between amber and vanilla.

"I missed you, sweetheart," Anette said, squeezing her more tightly.

"Can't breathe," Evelyn wheezed out.

Anette pulled away, looking sheepish. "Sorry."

"I missed you, too, mama," Evelyn replied, and she did.

As she scanned her mother's familiar features, she realized just how much she missed the kind woman. In a lot of ways, they were very similar looking, as Evelyn had inherited her bone structure, pale skin-tone, and caramel hair from her mother. Her dimples, hazel eyes, and height came from her paternal side, though. Her mother was much taller than her father, more willowy compared to her father's slightly elfin appearance. She was short just like him.