Before the Ever Green (BTEG #1) ✔️

Chapter 13

I can't say I enjoyed the week that just passed, but it most definitely wasn't bad. I can say that. John and Sara pretty much left me alone, besides a few remarks about what I what I wore, or what I did. They didn't bother me much more that, the little comments, which slid right by me. Most of what they say does, being as they both have no brains.

The boy from the woods is sitting at the other end of the tea table on this Friday, and it is so quiet. He hasn't sat with me since Monday, so I don't know what to say. I don't know why he's here. He won't speak, and I don't know what to say. I do realize at the other end of the cafeteria people are yelling and laughing, but I don't seem to hear anything.

I am just watching his chest go up and down as he breathes. I am watching him watch me. I am looking at his hair, his eyes, and his grey shirt that hugs his body, and seems to fit so perfect. But, I'm not making a sound. I am not moving. I realize I am not breathing. I am touching the hem of my floral shirt, and I am attempting to make my lungs take in oxygen, so I don't collapse onto the bare ground below my feet. But it's so hard, and I can't look away. Breathe. Just breathe. You don't have to do anything else. I can't do anything else, I couldn't do anything if I tried. I feel like I physically can't move my arms, though I know I can.

"Hi," he finally says. I manage to register what he says, and respond with the same single word, before he begins to speak again, "Do you want to know my name?" he asks. I want to respond with 'Yes, I have been dying not knowing, and I think I might actually collapse onto the cold hard floor beneath me 2 feet covered in these stupid leather sandals if you don't tell me', but I just nod. He smiles, looks away and looks back, still smiling. "Okay," he says so quiet, "I'll tell you...if you say please,"

"Please," I whisper. He is still smiling. He doesn't say a word, and it's still so quiet through all the noise. I think I'm going to die. Is he not going to tell me? I can't be sure, but he just looks at me. Staring. He looks me down, again. He looks away and back. He blinks once, twice. I really do think he's not going to tell me, until he opens his two perfect lips to speak, "Everett."

"Just Everett?" I ask in a whisper, "No last name?"

"Everyone has a last name, but not everyone wants to share it," he says, "I am one of those people...maybe someday I'll share, but I doubt it."

I try the words on my lips, and it's so smooth, "Everett," I say so quiet. I'm not sure it even counts as a whisper.

"Yes?"

"Why?" I can't seem to finish that sentence. He looks so confused, and I try so hard to string a line of words together. To make a sentence. "Why are you so nice to me?" My voice is still a whisper.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Haven't you heard the sto-" I stop my self when I realize he doesn't know my name. He doesn't know who I am. He doesn't know who my mother is. And, I can't manage to speak. What if he has heard the stories? What is he knows of my mother, and thinks she's some kind of crazy? Maybe he'd think she's a monster, so I must be, too. But...then again, he could be different. What do I have if I don't take some risks in life? Maybe taking a risk on a beautiful pair of blue eyes won't be so bad. I have to take a risk. I won't learn if I don't try. "I don't know why you'd be unkind to me, now, but I do know you might not be so kind if you knew my name,"

"Well, I'm not one to fall for rumors. Most the time they lie. I'd rather judge for myself,"

I inhale. Exhale. Inhale, and speak, "Addilyn Ember."

He looks shocked, "I'm glad I don't believe in rumors, because you're nothing like I've heard. And, I've heard a lot of things. Working in a grocery store will do that to you."

"I'm glad you don't believe in rumors, but don't be so quick to give an answer, the world is filled with surprises. You might never know everything you needed to know."

"Maybe that's true. Maybe it's not." he says, "I like to believe in the impossible,"

"I can't say I do,"

"I'd hope not, you did just say 'don't be so quick to give an answer', I can say the impossible is a magical world where anything can happen. I'd love to take you sometime, you might just like to stay...I did,"