Lavender love | BxB Romance

ᴛʜɪʀᴛᴇᴇɴ - sᴛᴇᴘ ʙʏ sᴛᴇᴘ

October 13th

Charlie was discharged from the hospital a couple of days later. The swelling had gone down, and considering that there was no longer any threat to the patient's life, the doctor sent him home so that he wouldn't take up a bed in the ward. His friends couldn't be with Charlie on that day. Mr. and Mrs. Wright came for him in the morning while the guys were still at school. But it wasn't a big problem. While Charlie and Evan weren't together, they were texting each other and video chatting, getting to know each other even better.

Evan enjoyed this communication. The way Charlie confidently behaved in correspondence and at arm's length, but as soon as Evan got closer, all this bravado was swept away. Charlie blushed and stammered, turning into a small puppy. From time to time, he remembered that he was supposed to be a mean, impregnable dog. Evan tried to do everything to make him forget about it as fast as possible.

After their intimacy in the hospital room, the distance had noticeably decreased. They no longer pretended that it was all just flirty interest, but they were in no hurry either. At least until Charlie returned to the city. The topics in their nightly correspondence varied from harmless and light, from time to time switching to deep and philosophical topics. Vulgar jokes were wedged between them. Evan was probing Charlie's further readiness for such unusual relationships, which he had never had before.

Waiting at the school gates on this cloudy Thursday morning, Evan felt a little out of place. It was hard to admit, but three hours of sleep a day, studying, working, and trips to the hospital to see Charlie were much easier than what awaited them in the real world. Wright's return to school meant they would be spending more time together. At least six to seven hours. But all these hours they couldn't communicate freely. They couldn't touch each other without attacks from aggressive peers. This applied not only to school... it was like that on every street in Amber Hill.

The fresh bruises from his father was still hurt. This time he lost his temper after work. His son's good mood that evening was the last straw, and Billy hit him on the back with an empty whiskey bottle. Evan miraculously managed to dodge and not get hit in the head with the heavy bottom. He didn't tell Charlie about it: the guy was easily irritated and could very well do something stupid. But he couldn't hide this fact for long, the truth came out by accident. Yesterday, when Evan was changing into his work clothes, Raine noticed a huge bruise on his back and ribs. He didn't stay silent and didn't leave Evan alone until he told him everything. Evan practically begged him not to call the police and not to tell anyone else. Raine sighed heavily and took Evan's promise to move in with them in exchange for his promise to keep quiet.

This Tuesday was supposed to be a busy day.

"Hi, Evan," a voice sounded nearby. Evan turned around and, to his disappointment, saw Valerie. Her unnoticed appearance and always untimely arrival was like her anti superpower.

"Hi, Val," Holden replied, "Why aren't you in class?"

"I saw you standing at the gate alone," Valerie smiled friendly, "I decided to come over."

After the incident at the party, they talked when she came to the coffee shop on Saturday. It was hardly a coincidence, because all the girls knew which shift Evan Holden worked at 'Roast&Roll'. Evan apologized to her for himself and for Charlie, she apologized for her behavior, and in general was quite sweet. For a couple of hours, Evan believed that she had really stopped being a bitch and left him alone.

It would have been too good to be true. Since then at school she literally hasn't left him alone for a single lesson, constantly texting in the messenger and distracting him with all sorts of nonsense. Stupid questions and grotesque attempts to hit on him from a new unobvious side upset him more than angered. Valerie had no chance. But she stubbornly refused to accept this fact and imitated sincere 'friendly' interest.