Our Kiddo

I don't think I'm strong enough to fight

The next day, Evie was meeting up with Jamie, Jemma and Ella. Jemma's family lived in London and as they were visiting, they were going to pop and say hello.

The first thing that Jamie did when he saw his little sister took her by surprise. He walked up and engulfed her in a big hug.

"You alright?" Evie asked, completely taken a back.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't realise that turning up unannounced would affect you so badly," Jamie said, still holding on tightly.

"It wasn't your fault. I had to face it all at some point."

They broke apart and began walking. Ella was determined to do it herself so they went along extremely slowly. She gripped tightly on to Evie's hand, happy to babble and totter along.

All of them chatted and caught up. It was nice to be like that. A normal family, going on a normal walk, talking about normal things.

Eventually, Ella began getting grumpy and they decide to head to the nearest café. Sadly it was the one Freya worked at. It wasn't worth explaining as Ella was having a full-blown tantrum and they just needed to find a place where she could eat.

Evie was praying that Freya wasn't working and was disappointed to see her standing behind the counter.

They found a table and Ella instantly cheered up as Jemma handed her a packet of little rice cakes.

As they waited for someone to come and take their order, Evie was hoping that anyone but Freya came to take their order. Her hopes were ignored as she came their way, clearly just as reluctant.

"What can I get you?" Freya asked, looking at Jamie and Jemma and completely blanking her ex.

"An americano please," Jamie said.

"Please can I have a latte?" Jemma said. Freya nodded and jotted it down before finally turning in Evie's direction. She didn't make direct eye contact and the tension was clear to everybody.

"Can I have an americano as well?"

Freya nodded curtly and disappeared back behind the counter.

"Do you know her?" Jemma asked, aware that there was some kind of history. Evie didn't know whether to explain the connection. She knew that her parents were never accepting of her and had no clue how Jamie would be.

"Getting in a fight! Ridiculous!" her dad spat.

"You're making us look shit in front of your teachers," her mum said. She was sat on the sofa, upset and angry. Her brother had just left and the tensions were even more raised than usual.

"Why would you fight?"

Evie stayed silent before a sharp smack across her face left her cradling her cheek.

"You're going to answer me and you're going to do it now!"

"She said stuff," she replied vaguely.

"What stuff?" her mum enquired, knowing it was deeper than she was putting it on.

"She called me a faggot."

Both her parents laughed.

"You're not are you?" her dad asked, still laughing.

"What if I was?" Evie asked, offended. Dead silence.

"You're not," her mum said.

"I am."

Two words that left for the harshest beating she'd ever had. She lay, crumpled and distraught. Pain was exploding through her. She couldn't go on like this.