WHAT LIES BENEATH THE GRAVESTONE

chapter 19: Meeting Evelyn

As they stepped out of the Golden Hour Cafe, they were met with an unexpected trio: Bart, Roderick, and Jasper, their presence as unexpected as a storm cloud on a clear summer day. The air was thick with tension, heavy with unspoken words and unresolved conflicts, like a pressure cooker ready to explode.

Adela's eyes narrowed, her gaze slicing through the group like a knife, cutting through the facade of civility, as she crossed her arms, her voice laced with skepticism, like a prosecutor questioning a suspect. "Does Jasmine know you're out, Bart?" she asked, her tone dripping with disapproval, like a slow-moving river of disdain.

The words hung in the air like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down, as Adela's eyes locked onto Bart's, her expression a mask of disapproval, a stern teacher scolding a wayward student. Bart's frustration was palpable, his jaw clenched, his teeth grinding in irritation, like a machine straining under too much pressure.

"No, she doesn't," he spat, his voice low and even, but laced with a hint of defiance, like a rebellious teenager pushing boundaries. "And it's none of your business, Adela," he added, his words a sharp rebuke, a slap in the face. "You always think you know what's best for everyone, but you don't," he continued, his voice rising, like a tide swelling with emotion.

His eyes flashed with annoyance, his pupils constricting as he struggled to maintain his composure, like a dam straining to hold back a torrent of water. The air was electric with tension, like a live wire sparking with energy, as the two former friends faced off, their words hanging in the air like a challenge, waiting to be answered.

Adela pressed on, her tone unyielding, her words dripping with conviction, like a prosecutor driving home a point. "Jasmine's going to freak if she finds out you're hanging out with them," she said, her gaze flicking to Roderick and Jasper, her expression a mask of disapproval, like a parent scolding a wayward child.

Her voice was a warning, a cautionary tale, a gentle breeze carrying the whispers of impending doom, as she awaited Bart's response, her eyes locked onto his, searching for a glimmer of understanding.

Bart's irritation grew, his voice rising, his words tumbling out in a frustrated rush, like a dam bursting under too much pressure. "Well, she's not going to find out, and if you stayed out of my business, it wouldn't be a problem," he snapped, his eyes flashing with anger, like a spark igniting a flame.

His gaze fixed on Adela, his tone venomous, his words dripping with resentment, like a slow-moving poison spreading its roots. "You always have to stick your nose in where it doesn't belong," he added, his voice a low growl, a warning sign of a storm brewing.

The air was thick with tension, the silence that followed Bart's outburst hanging like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down, as the group awaited Adela's response, their eyes locked onto her, their expressions a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, like a held breath waiting to be released.

The moment hung suspended, like a delicate balance, as Adela's face remained impassive, her expression a mask of calm, like a still pond reflecting the sky above. The only sound was the soft hum of the city, a gentle reminder of the world beyond their little circle, as the group waited with bated breath for Adela's next move.

Grant chimed in, his curiosity piqued, his eyes sparkling with interest, like a detective stumbling upon a crucial clue. "Why are you guys here, anyway? You're not exactly the welcoming committee," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm, his gaze flicking between Roderick, Jasper, and Bart, like a metronome measuring the rhythm of their unease.

Roderick's displeasure was evident, his eyes flashing with annoyance, his jaw clenched in irritation, like a vice tightening around a fragile object. "None of your business, loser," he sneered at Grant, his voice dripping with disdain, like a toxic waste spilling onto the ground.