second book in the Evelyn Black series
• • mature - language, drugs, alcohol, themes of sex • •
NEXT BOOK: Back to Hope
• slow slow-burn (like years) friends to lovers •
• soft burn romance •
[ all books listed in prologue via chronological order ]
...
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"Happy birthday."
He said it quickly like it was in passing... like he'd never seen Fred in his life but somehow knew it was his birthday and figured it would be a nice social gesture.
But he isn't a stranger, he's George. It's his birthday too, of course, but he doesn't give Fred the room to say it back because he's out the door the moment he speaks.
Fred doesn't bother going down for breakfast. He asks Lee to bring him back some porridge and then gets into the shower. He sets the water so hot that he comes out with patches of red all over his alabaster skin.
He sighs at his tired reflection and pulls a pair of jeans up his legs. As he leaves the bathroom, he swings his towel around his shoulders to catch the excess drip from his damp hair.
He immediately notices the matching boxes in his and George's beds.
The wrapping on his is a pastel blue color, and George's is lavender purple. Both have a handmade white bow and a square of folded parchment with their names on it.
Fred is still alone in their dorm. He picks up the parchment with his name on it, flipping it open between his thumb and forefinger.
Happy birthday Freddie xo, Evelyn
He shakes his head and tosses the parchment aside before reaching to unravel the white ribbon— but he pauses quickly.
I'll wait for George...
So he waits. He dries his hair and pulls on a white button-up followed by a plum-colored jumper. Then he decides he looks like a tori and changes into a white turtleneck and a tan Beatles crewneck Evelyn gave him for Christmas.
Fred looks at the note again, just to see her handwriting. He can hear her melodic voice echoing through his head as he reads it... he lets it calm him, lets him forget that he hasn't spoken to her for about 12 days now— today will make 13— and he's starting to feel a little misplaced.
He's spent most of his time with Lee. He and George are on some very low-maintenance speaking terms, meaning they're not civilized to the point where they can hang around each other for long. Even so, Fred eats meals with George (and Laurel), and he doesn't isolate himself in his curtain-drawn bed in the evenings anymore.
The door opens after a long while, making Fred leap to his feet.
George sneaks in, a paper bag with blue tissue paper and purple ribbon in his hand. He stops short spotting his wide-eyed brother across the room. "Hey..." He greets slowly, closing the door behind him.
"Hi," Fred smiles. "Erm— happy birthday," he says.
George's lips pull up. "Thanks, mate. You wanna see what Laurel got me?" He asks, his tone completely allured.
