Dear Evalynn Hansen

ELEVEN

Evalynn was up before dawn. She texted Connor to see if he was awake.

E: Hey. I'm up. Want to skip today?

C: Sure. When do you want me to pick you up?

E: Can you come now? I don't want to be here when Evan and my mom wake up.

C: On my way:)

She slipped out of bed as quietly as she could, getting dressed in the dark before climbing out her window. She jumped out of the tree and headed around to the front steps. A few minutes later, Connor's car pulled up and she climbed into the passenger seat.

"Hey," she greeted, kissing him.

"Hi," he replied against her lips.

He loved kissing his girlfriend. Her lips were soft and always tasted like vanilla and cherries. The one time he had asked about it, she told him it was the chap stick she used. Pulling back, he grinned at her.

"To the orchard?"

"Yes, please," she practically begged him.

Chuckling softly, he started driving the route to the orchard. They stopped briefly at A La Mode, the 24 hour ice cream parlor his family would go to when they went to the orchard when he was little. They didn't question why the couple was getting ice cream at 2:50 AM, just serving the pair before the two got back in the car and drove the rest of the way to the orchard.

"I got yelled at for being out last night," Evalynn told Connor.

"My parents got mad at me, too. Apparently they still assume that I'm off getting high somewhere or some shit despite the fact that I've been sober for nearly a month. They argued after I stormed into my room."

"Evan and my mom argued after I stormed off, too."

"Wow. It's like both our families are mad about the exact same thing."

"I know, right? What a novel concept!"

Connor chuckled at his girlfriend's use of sarcasm.

"I guess the only good thing that happened last night was Zoe coming into my room. It was the first conversation we've had in years that didn't end with me banging on her door threatening to kill her again."

"Well, at least one of us is making nice with our sibling. I mostly just yelled at Evan before storming into my room."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I'm used to it. I mean, he's the main reason for my attempt over the summer."

"Oh, Lynn."

"No, it's really fine. Our mom is just never home and any time Evan and I get into the same space for more than two minutes, we argue. It was just how I decided to deal."

"It shouldn't have come to that, though."

"Yeah, well, it did. I have the cast to show for it and no one can change that."

Evalynn was stopped from continuing by the sensation of Connor's mouth on hers. His tongue grazed her lower lip, asking for permission to enter and she allowed it. Opening her mouth, she felt Connor's tongue begin to explore as she tasted chocolate left over from his ice cream. After a moment, he pulled back to breathe, allowing her time to catch her breath as well.

"I love you, Evalynn Hansen," he murmured, his voice turned husky.

"I love you, too, Connor Murphy," she murmured back, smiling and laying back in the grass.

He smiled back before rolling on top of her and going in for another kiss. This time he didn't need to ask for permission before she granted his tongue full access.