Evergreen

Chapter 32

Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life? - Landslide, Fleetwood Mac

*

Since Everett had fallen asleep to the calming sound of rain falling, he half-expected it to still be raining when he woke up. But instead, he was greeted with a vibrant rainbow and blinding sunshine.

Good weather meant one thing - the Earnshaws would be going to the beach.

Everett: let's go to the beach beach let's go get away

Amelia: you're not seriously quoting Nicki Minaj?

Everett: Indeed I am

Everett: Do you wanna go to the beach?

Amelia: Yeah, that'd be awesome!

Everett: Great! My parents will pick you up in half an hour

After the Earnshaws had found suncream, sunglasses and sunhats, they set off in their silver Citroen C1. It was a small car, but it had served them well for nearly six years. Everett spent the beginning of the car journey texting his girlfriend, much to the eye-rolling amusement of Dad.

"If y' spend too much time on your dog n' bone, your eyes'll go square!"

"No one calls it a 'dog n' bone', Dad."

Dad just laughed. "You should hear my London uni mates. They have Cockney rhyming for every word in the diction'ry."

Dad then proceeded to inform an uninterested Everett about the Cockney slang he knew, only silencing himself when Amelia hopped into the car. The young couple talked about films they'd watched and Netflix series they'd binged, all the while sneaking glances at each other with puppy eyes. Amelia brought her hand nearer to Everett's until their fingers were touching; her hand tingled with warmth which only increased as Everett interlaced his fingers with hers.

Their hands only let go when it was time to get out of the car. Mum and Dad announced their intention of going to the amusement arcade.

"You two have fun at the beach," said Dad. He placed a £10 note into his son's hand. "Here's some dosh for ice cream. See ya later!"

"Remember to meet at the car at 5pm," said Mum as Dad started steering her in the direction of the closest arcade.

Now by themselves, Everett and Amelia grinned at each other. They had the entire afternoon alone together!

"Wanna get some ice cream?" asked Everett. Amelia nodded. They lined up at an ice cream outlet (called 'I sea ice cream') and bought two ice creams: mint choc chip for Everett, and strawberry for Amelia.

"Let's walk on the beach," suggested Amelia. Everett took her hand, which made butterflies take off in her stomach, and they started to stroll along the sand hand in hand. The sun was scorching – they were glad of their ice creams – and the tide was slowly going out, ebbing and flowing softly on the shore. The sand that Everett and Amelia were walking on was pale and soft, changing shape with the faintest of footsteps. This made it more difficult to walk on than concrete.

"I feel like I'm sinking into the sand," said Amelia.

"Don't worry, it's not sinking sand! At least, I don't think it is..." Amelia laughed.

"You're so funny, Ev!"

Eventually, Everett and Amelia were tired of walking. Everett suggested they turn back, but Amelia lay down on the sand and refused to move, so Everett lay down next to her. They listened to the lapping of the waves, the shouts of delighted children, the calls of soaring seagulls – all while soaking in the sunshine.

"So, are you excited for sixth form?" asked Amelia.

Everett hesitated for a second. "Yeah, of course! I'll be studying subjects I like and spending time with my mates. It'll be great."

"Is Freddy going to your sixth form?"

Everett swallowed. "Yeah, he is. But he won't be doing the same subjects as me, thank goodness."

Amelia took a long sip from her water bottle. "What's the deal with you and Freddy? I know you dislike him... you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Normally, Everett would evade any questions that evoked unpleasant emotions. But since he'd been going to therapy, he'd opened himself up a bit more and felt lighter afterwards. Maybe he could share some of his struggles with his girlfriend too.

"He's bullied me since year 4," began Everett, closing his eyes against the blinding sun despite his sunglasses. "He got me into trouble in year 3 – I can't remember what for – and that made me dislike him. I don't remember how or why the bullying began – perhaps I should've tried to like him, or something..."

Everett trailed off, lost in thought.

Amelia said, "It's not your fault that he bullied you, if that's what you're thinking. Being disliked by someone isn't a valid reason to become a bully."

"That's true. Yeah, so Freddy would call me names and punch me in the playground – never too hard that it would leave a bruise, but it still hurt. I thought it would end when we went to secondary school, as there wasn't a playground there, but it only seemed to get worse. We had lessons where we were sat next to each other, and he'd poke me with his maths compass under the table and pass me mean notes. I tossed them in the bin, of course, but I still remember the words..."

Everett had to stop because he was getting embarrassingly emotional; tears stung at his eyes. Amelia took hold of his hand and squeezed it. A single tear fell on his cheek.

"... yeah, and by year 9 he had a group of followers who joined in with cruel verbal comments – that was the year I first got into a fight with him – and I got detention for it, and Freddy got off scot-free as he was 'defending himself'. It kinda continued like that in year 10 and 11, until I got into another fight with him in English. This time, the school recognised that I'd been bullied – Jade told them – and they made Freddy move classes. He's said a few things since then, but not as much as before."

Amelia was silent for a moment, making circles with her thumb in Everett's sweaty palm. "I wonder how the school didn't realise it earlier. And why no one told them earlier."

"I don't think Jade realised how much it was affecting me until I got diagnosed with anxiety. Or she was hopeful it would stop. I don't know."

"Why didn't you tell someone?"

Everett bit his lip. "I don't know. I guess I felt like I deserved to be bullied... I guess I sometimes believed what Freddy said about me..."

At this, Everett broke into shaky sobs, his eyes overflowing with the saddest tears. Amelia drew him close to her in a hug; Everett surrendered to his desire to be comforted, laying his head on Amelia's shoulder as he cried.

"God... I'm crying in front of my girlfriend," he mumbled in between sobs.

"Hey, it's okay, Ev. Well, what happened to you was not okay, but it's okay to cry about it."

When Everett had collected himself, he lingered in the hug awhile, liking the feel of Amelia's arms around him. It felt right, being held by her.

"You know I love you, right? And you are awesome, Ev. You deserve happiness and love – you didn't deserve to be bullied."

"I know that in my head," mumbled Everett, "believing it in my heart is the hard part."

"One day you will believe it. It takes time, that's all."