Escape | Updated Weekly

20

The next day, I decided to forget about Mac Phillips. It was the last day of our first year of university. We had a big publisher's event, Tom had his big show, and I could not let any man get in the way.

Chloe had come to check on me in the morning, I told her the same thing. I was still going to hold my head up high. I was still going to watch Tom perform. Even if the story I had written for my portfolio was about Mac. Even if all of Mac's songs were about some other girl, it didn't matter.

I left the house with Chloe early. I wanted to avoid Mac, and I think she just didn't want to go alone to the event.

"I'm so nervous, '' she said as we arrived at the English block. "Don't be! We're here to meet with the publishers. There's nothing guaranteed for anyone". We walked into the hall, and most of the students were already there.

"Okay, guys," our professor was at the front. "They are coming any minute."

We quickly found where our pieces were being displayed. I told Chloe that we should celebrate the fact that we even got them finished regardless of what the publisher thinks of them. She seemed to relax more, and the less I panicked, the less I panicked. I just had to stay calm. I didn't dare tell her I was just as much of a wreck as she was.

The publishers arrived about 10 minutes later. Most of them would have already read some of the portfolios. Some had never even laid eyes on them. Chloe and I stood by our pieces, engaging in conversations with whoever approached us and answering their questions.

I saw a familiar face in the crowd. Tom had arrived with the others, but Mac wasn't with them. Tom pulled us both in for a hug. "I am so proud of both of you," he said and finally let us go. Dani and Brandon also gave us hugs. We were both surprised they even came. Reading and literature wasn't quite their style.

I scanned the crowd, trying to see if Mac had come with them. I knew I shouldn't have been thinking about him, but I couldn't help but wonder where else he would have gone.

That's when I spotted him at the back of the hall, Alice was with him and they were chatting.

 Why was Alice here?

She began walking over to me. Mac tried to pull her back, but he failed. I held my breath. She was the last person I thought I would have to speak to today.

"Eve! How good to see you!" I glanced at Mac, who looked very apologetic. I know I probably shouldn't have come, but I was just so interested in your work. I used to run these events," she beamed at me and picked up my book.

Oh no.

Oh no no, no no

It all happened in slow motion. I couldn't let her read that book, and yet I was also frozen in my spot. Unable to stop her.

What if she figured out if it was about Mac? What if she already knew it was about him, and that's why she's here?

But that would be ridiculous. Only Chloe knew who I had written about, and there's no way Alice would have found out.

"There's some good work in this Eve"

I had zoned out so long I hadn't even realized she was already reading it.

Oh fuck. Oh no.

She closed the book after just skimming a few pages.

Thank God.

"Listen, Eve, there's a project I want your help on." I looked around me. Chloe was busy with another publisher, and the boys had gone off looking around. Mac just stayed behind Alice. There was no one around to help me.