EVELYN

CHAPTER FOUR

Evelyn’s POV

The days seemed to blur together. After the argument at dinner, the heavy atmosphere of my home lingered in the back of my mind. It was hard to breathe when the silence felt so loud, but at least I had one thing that hadn’t changed—my walks.

It wasn’t about escaping anymore. It was about finding peace in the familiar paths that ran through the neighborhood, through the quiet spaces where no one expected anything of me.

This Saturday, I found myself walking along the park’s edge, the grass still dewy from the morning’s chill. The world was waking up around me, but I was frozen in the past. The conversation at dinner, my father’s cold indifference, Mr. Langston’s looming presence—it was all too much.

I had come to a sort of quiet understanding with myself, even if I didn’t know where it would take me. This walk was my only refuge.

As I rounded a corner, I almost bumped into someone—someone I hadn’t expected to see.

“Whoa, sorry!” The voice was unfamiliar, though the face was vaguely familiar. A guy, about my age, with tousled brown hair and a carefree smile. He wore a hoodie and sneakers, his expression sheepish.

“It’s fine,” I said, startled. My heart skipped a beat, but I couldn’t quite place why.

He grinned. “I wasn’t paying attention. Didn’t mean to nearly knock you over.”

I smiled awkwardly, feeling a slight heat rise to my cheeks. “It’s really no big deal.”

“I’m Luke,” he said, holding out his hand. “I’m new here—just moved in a few blocks away. You’re... Evelyn, right?”

I blinked. “Yeah, how did you—”

“Just a lucky guess,” he interrupted, his grin still in place. “I’ve seen you around. Thought I’d say hey.”

I shook his hand, still not sure how to respond. Luke seemed like the kind of guy who was always easygoing, the type who fit in anywhere. It made me uneasy, but I tried not to show it.

“I was actually just heading over to the café by the park. You should join me, if you have time,” he suggested, his tone casual but hopeful.

I hesitated, feeling a pull inside me to stay within the safety of my own world. But something about the invitation felt innocent, harmless.

“Sure, why not,” I said, before I could second-guess myself.

---
The café was warm, the scent of freshly ground coffee filling the air. We grabbed a table by the window, the afternoon sunlight casting long shadows across the floor.

We spoke about trivial things—his move to the area, how long I’d been living here, the usual small talk that seemed to fill the empty spaces between people. But as the minutes passed, I started to feel comfortable. Luke had that effect, his easygoing nature somehow making me feel less out of place.

“So, what do you do for fun around here?” Luke asked, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

“Fun?” I repeated, smiling faintly. I hadn’t thought about fun in a while. “I usually just... walk around. Get away from the house, you know?”

He raised an eyebrow, sensing something more. “Yeah, I get that. Your family’s pretty... well, intense, huh?”

I froze..

“I... don’t know what you mean,” I said, hoping my voice didn’t betray me.

Luke leaned back in his chair, studying me for a moment. “I’ve seen you around. You don’t seem like the type who likes to stick to the crowd. Not that it’s a bad thing. I’m the same way.”

I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I took a sip of my coffee, avoiding his gaze for a moment, as I processed his words. Could he tell? Had he been watching me all this time?

But then I pushed the thought aside. Maybe it wasn’t as serious as I was making it. Maybe it was just a coincidence.

“I don’t like crowds,” I said finally, smiling faintly. “They make me feel... small. Like everyone’s watching, waiting for me to be something.”

Luke’s smile softened, and I saw a flicker of understanding in his eyes. “I get it. But you shouldn’t let them make you feel that way. You’re... you. That’s enough.”
I smiled.. and a few more talks followed until I had to leave.

---
The walk back home felt longer than usual, but it wasn’t the physical distance that made it hard. It was the weight of what I had to face when I walked through the front door.
I entered quietly, greeted only by the muffled sound of the TV in the living room. No sign of Mr. Langston today, making me sigh in relief as I dashed up to my room to shower up.
I sat down at my desk, opening my laptop to browse through meaningless things, anything to keep my thoughts from circling back to the dark corners of my reality, until I heard a knock at my room door.