Evelynn - The School For Good and Evil

4 - Memories

EVELYNN didn't waste time leaving Callis's home.

She didn't want any locals to spot her and tell her mum where she was. If she were to find out, she'd be even more upset about her 'changed' daughter.

Luckily, it was still quiet in Gavaldon. There were a few people walking around, but they didn't take much notice of Evelynn.

As she returned to her house and reached to open the door, it flew open before she could touch the handle.

"Where have you been?"

Avery's eyebrows were elevated, her eyes wide and panicked.

Evelynn hesitated, fiddling with the fabric of her skirt. "I couldn't sleep. I went for a walk."

Avery stepped to the side, granting access to her daughter with a frown. "And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I didn't want to wake you up."

Avery sighed, rubbing her forehead with her fingers. "Next time, don't go for a walk at the crack of dawn without telling anyone. I know you're back home now, but Gavaldon isn't as safe as it used to be, there are witches around. Haven't you seen the posters?"

Evelynn thought back to the pictures of Sophie and Agatha, she could have laughed at the stupidity of it all. They were miles away, out of her life forever, and people were scared of them? Agatha wouldn't hurt a fly. They ought to be more scared of Evelynn herself, who roamed free around the village with an unpredictable rage that she couldn't control.

"Yes. I've seen the posters. I also know the 'witches' on them, if you hadn't realised I was at school with them for two years."

Avery stared at her blankly. "Oh yes, I should've known. They came back, I just never associated you with those girls." She suddenly looked worried. "You weren't friends with them? Were you?"

Evelynn spared her mother the panic. "No."

Avery nodded, looking at her daughter as if she was a stranger standing in the kitchen. "Lynn." She said, after a pause. "You've changed."

Evelynn wanted to appear upset, to try and show her mum that she could still feel things, if she tried hard enough. But she was still too scared to unlock her emotional side, she feared the Violet Witch remained, haunting her and waiting for the right moment to break free. "I know I've changed. I'm sorry. But this is who I am now."

Avery crossed her arms, shaking her head and looking away. "What happened to my sensitive little girl? The little girl who cared about things?"

Evelynn was fed up with everyone claiming they missed her old self: her brother, her mum, Tedros, Agatha, even Sophie. "She grew up."

Avery was beginning to pace at this point, she just seemed so confused. "You don't even have the energy to argue with me, Evelynn! You stare at me with no emotion in your eyes, tell me what I need to hear, then move on. I'm your mother. Don't you think I can tell how busy your mind is? I know that your thoughts are constantly buzzing, you're always thinking - god knows what about - and I just want you to tell me what's going on! You can't shut me out like this."

Evelynn hesitated, rolling her jaw, wringing her hands. In that moment opening up about all of her trauma seemed worse than actually experiencing it. "I'm sorry, okay? You just can't understand. Maybe I'll tell you all about it one day. But today is not that day."

Avery continued to watch her, her expression softening. "You're so beautiful, my Lynn."

This caught Evelynn off guard, she physically tensed, her expression contorting into one of confusion. "What?"