As It Was (COMPLETED) (wattys2023)

What I Really Meant To Say

2 days before shooting

"I think something is wrong with Clark."

"Well, good morning to you too, babe." Miles' eyes shot from the driveway he'd been staring intently at to me a few feet away, the quizzical look he'd worn only second prior to my approach shifting into one of irritation. "I'm sorry to break it to you, baby, but everyone except you has come to that conclusion already."

Not in the mood of blatant deprecation of my brother, I glared at him. "I'm serious, Miles. He's been acting weird."

"Again, Ev, that's nothing new."

Seeing he'd irritated me, he closed the distance between us and cupped my cheek in his right hand, resting his lips on mine. He kept his forehead against my own as he responded, eyes all but melting me under his loving gaze. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know." I dropped my head, so it was resting against his chest. "I just. . .I have this weird feeling."

It'd been there all night, resulting my tossing and turning, and eventual pacing throughout the night. I couldn't verbalize exactly how it felt, but it kept the hairs on my arms and back of my neck standing and my skin crawling.

"Bad feeling?" this caught his attention, and he gently nudged me off his chest, hands still grasping my shoulders. "What do you mean? Did he threaten you, Evie?"

It was then, seeing the color drain from my boyfriend's face and feeling his entire body tense with a seething hatred for Clark, that I understood there was no use in trying to express my concern to him. In his eyes, if Clark did as I feared, it'd be a gift to the world. There had never been an ounce of compassion or sympathy for my brother in my boyfriend, they'd only ever just tolerated one another's presence, and if Clark's were to cease to exist, Miles may just throw a party in celebration.

"Come on. I have my Calc exam first period." a sneer resided on his perfect, full lips as he opened the passenger door to his truck. "You need a hand?"

I rested my palm flat inside Miles and allowed him to help me into his truck despite it not being lifted and having a step-side. As soon as I was seated, he pressed himself against my legs and kissed me again. This one wasn't apologetic, but heated and passionate, and probably would have lasted longer if the horn of my brother's Volvo hadn't blared through the quiet neighborhood and had me all but fall out of the car. Miles gritted his teeth but didn't say anything before he squeezed my knee and walked around the truck to climb into the driver's seat. I reached out for the handle to shut the door, but my fingers trembled around it when I met my brother's icy stare through his windshield. Retreating into the cab of the truck, I shut the creaky door hard to ensure it stuck and within seconds of my boyfriend pulling forward, the Volvo shot out of the driveway and was out of the neighborhood. Miles watched in the rearview, lips curling in disgust as he pulled a few more inches forward and turned the truck around. I stretched one of my hands across the console and rested it on his leg. He relaxed a little under my gentle touch, but the small smile soon faltered, and his words lingered long after.

"He's going to get someone killed driving like that."

**

I glanced over my shoulder, desperate to keep my entrance into Dean Cruz's office as discreet as possible. Seeing the cafeteria was vacant outside of a few band kids, I slipped in and waited for the click of the door behind me to continue my trek to her office. Her secretary, Ms. Henson, peered up from her desk, big black glasses slipping down her long, pointed nose with the quick movement.