2: In Your Shadow - Evan Peters

Wrath

Todd took me to McDonald's, parking his motorbike in the parking lot and cutting the engine. I watched as he took off his helmet, shaking out his blonde hair so it wasn't flat against his head.

"You can let go of me, you know?" he said with a small laugh. My face went red as I brought my arms down by my sides, before taking off my own helmet.

"That was absolutely insane," he says, laughing in disbelief at the crowd of people that swarmed us 10 minutes prior, asking the most invasive questions.

"I know, I'm not sure what I was expecting," I mumble, as we walked into the McDonalds and joined the queue. We ordered and sat at the back of the restaurant, Todd busy on his phone.

"What are you looking at?" I asked curiously, leaning over to have a look.

"Just a couple prints I made of some sketches I've done," he said, moving his phone away so I couldn't see.

"Hey! Show me," I encouraged, letting out a laugh at his sudden shyness since it was so contradictory to his usual nature.

"Okay but, don't laugh?" He said, turning his phone around so I could see his screen. My mouth fell open, as I retrieved the phone from his hand.

The most beautiful charcoal portrait of me.

"Todd... oh my god," I breathed out, not being able to take my eyes off his art.

"Isn't it weird?" He asked with an unsure chuckle, scratching the back of his head.

"No! Oh my god, I love it," I replied, truly meaning it. It was so intricate, everything looked like it had been drawn with raw emotion, a candid moment in time encapsulated in this one drawing.

"Really?"

Our order number was called cutting the moment short, and we left the table to retrieve our food. I followed him outside, snacking on a fry as we sat down on the curb outside.

"It's really nice to see yourself from someone else's eyes," I said softly, looking up at him with a small smile.

"Well, you're beautiful," he said, biting on his bottom lip nervously. I looked down at my hands again, blush rising on my cheeks.

His forefinger and thumb cupped my chin to look up at him, and before I knew it, his lips were on mine. I don't know if it was moment that made me kiss back, or the fact that my boyfriend was at an after party drunk after leaving me on my own.

But guilt began to eat away at me, so I pulled away.

"Shit, I'm so sorry," Todd said quickly, removing his fingers from my chin.

"It's fine, I'm sorry too, I think I should just get home," I stood up, putting the food in the storage under his seat and putting the helmet on.

Todd nodded briefly, before doing the same, and we were back on the road. As I held onto him, I felt this gut-wrenching feeling in my throat, and I tried to stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks.

"Hey, just forget it okay, it was a weird moment," Todd said to me as he dropped me outside Evan's apartment.

"I know I'm sorry, let's just forget it," I offered him a small smile and pulled him in for a hug, "thanks for being there for me."

"Of course, anytime, I'll see you on campus," he said, smiling back and sitting back on his bike. I watched as he rode away from the curb and disappeared around a corner.

Letting out a sigh, I trudged back up to Evan's apartment, the last place I was when everything in my life was semi-okay. I checked my phone to see if Evan had tried to call, and was met with empty notifications.

After the lonely ride up to his floor, I wandered down the hallway wondering if he was home yet. Upon opening the door, I dropped my heels in the entryway, and began trying to unzip my dress. Checking the bedroom first, and seeing nothing but tousled sheets, I made my way to the bathroom to clean my face. Sitting behind the vanity, I began to remove my make up.

The front door opened, startling me from my empty trance. I put down my facecloth, and moved out of the bathroom in only a tank top and panties. Coming into the living room I watched in silence as Evan was bent over, trying to untie his dress shoes. He hasn't noticed me yet, his eyes closed as he tried to loosen his bow tie from around his neck.

"Ev?" I called hesitantly, as he opened his eyes to look at me.

His face suddenly screwed in anger, and dropping his suit jacket on the couch, he paced towards me.

"You bitch!" He said, cornering me against the wall. My eyes widened in fear at his wrath towards me, I had never in the years I'd known him seen him like this.

"I saw you with your boyfriend Todd, couldn't just come to the after party? Had to embarrass me all over social media," he pointed an accusing finger at my chest, and I withered away from his touch.

"Evan I-"

"Get the fuck out of my apartment before I do something I regret, you lying slut," he pointed towards the door, and my fear turned into shock.

"What do you mean? I have nowhere to go!" I said hysterically, waving my hands around in emphasis.

"Can't go to Todd's?" He seethed, and before I knew it, his hand came up and wrapped around my throat. I choked, tears streaming down my face as he pinned me against the wall.

"Evan! Please I'm sorry, I didn't- know who else to call," I choked out, trying to claw at his hand to get it off from around my neck.

His grip only got tighter, and soon my legs gave way.

"Evan! Stop!" I screamed, and then his hand loosened from around my neck, and I slid down the wall to the floor.

Curling into a tight ball, I cried, not lifting my head to look at him, covering my hair with my hands. I heard nothing but heavy breathing, and then his footsteps retreating.

"Fuck!" He screamed, just I peeked through my arms as he pushed the dishes on the sink to the floor, shattering them all.

I didn't move from the floor, I felt momentarily safe curled into a ball, as his footsteps moved passed me and into the bedroom. He slammed the bedroom door shut, making me jump. I stayed where I was for the rest of the night, frozen in space, only moving to change positions so I could sleep. My heart rate did not slow. Every possibility of how he'd be in the morning circulated my mind, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to be here for it. Did he mean to hurt me or was he just drunk?

What was happening to us, more importantly, what was happening to him?