Our different worlds

Raw and Cruel

Evelyn's PoV:

Friday came faster than I'd hoped, and I still wasn't sure about going with Alex to his house. The past few days had been exhausting, with the relentless stares and hushed laughter wherever I went. The news from King's Gossip had spread like wildfire. Some people seemed satisfied with watching me squirm from afar, but others were bolder, muttering insults or worse. If it weren't for my friends, I'd be drowning. Whenever those smug glances or whispered taunts started, Alex would shoot a fierce look that sent people back to their plates, or Max would slam his fist on the table, silencing the whole cafeteria. Maeve even stood up on a bench once and told everyone off with a speech that I think people are still talking about. It was tiring and more intense than anything I'd experienced before, but their support made it easier to hold my head up.

Still, as I stepped into the sleek, black Mercedes waiting outside campus, nerves flooded back. Alex was by my side, greeting Albert, his family's chauffeur, who gave us both a kind, sad smile. I could sense that he understood more than he let on. Somehow, that smile was comforting, like he was rooting for us.

The drive was quiet, Alex's hand in mine as we drove through the countryside until we reached his estate. I thought I'd prepared myself for this, but the sight of his home-a sprawling mansion that looked more like a palace than a house-left me breathless. Manicured lawns stretched out for acres, with gardeners clipping hedges into neat shapes, sculpting the trees, and arranging flower beds with precision. I knew Alex came from wealth, but this? This was something out of a fairy tale, or maybe a documentary on royalty.

We stepped out of the car, and he wrapped his arm around me as we walked toward the grand doors, both of us quiet. Inside, we were met by Maria, the housemaid, who greeted Alex warmly with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then looked at me with an approving grin. "And is this your girlfriend, Alex?" she asked with a glint in her eye.

"Yes, this is Evelyn," Alex said, and Maria's face lit up as she pulled me into a quick hug as well.

"Lovely to meet you, my dear," she said warmly before taking my coat. She whispered to me as she did, "You must be very special to him."

Her warmth was contagious, calming my nerves as she led us further into the house. We had the place to ourselves for the moment, with Alex's parents due any minute. He led me to his room-a cavern of a space filled with everything that screamed Alex, a hidden world of his own. Photographs covered the walls, along with sketches and drawings, some of which I'd seen in passing before, but not like this. I could feel his nervous energy as he paced around, clearly debating how to approach the inevitable conversation with his parents.

I reached out, tugging him down beside me on the bed. "Take a breath," I whispered. "Show me what's really here, not just the polished stuff."

He paused, then went to a drawer and pulled out a portfolio, handing it to me. "These are my recent ones," he said, settling in beside me. As I opened the portfolio, I recognized a few photos from our time together-a sunset from the day we first met, a shot of me laughing, partly covering my face, a few candid ones from gatherings with friends. And then I saw a sketch from our Christmas break-a drawing of me curled up with a book, absorbed in studying.

"You were drawing me that whole time," I said, nudging him with a laugh. "You said you were just doodling."

"I was," he mumbled, a slight pout appearing, which only made me laugh more. He finally gave in, chuckling along. "Maybe I'm a little obsessed."

I raised an eyebrow, playfully mocking his serious expression. "Obsessed? Just a little?"

"Maybe more than a little," he admitted, leaning closer, his smile mischievous. And then, in that quiet, private space, he kissed me, soft and slow. The world outside faded, and it was just us.