Bright Paradise

Chapter 2

Once I get home, I jump into bed, mentally exhausted from stressing about Connor. I pull my white comforter all the way to my chin and grab my phone to put on some music. As I'm going through my songs, my phone chimes and Connor's name pops up on my screen.

'Hey Evelyn, I can't make it today, something else came up. Sorry, see you on Monday', the text message read. Angry, I threw my phone down on the bed.

Why couldn't have he told me he wasn't going to be able to make it? What was so important that he couldn't come? Great, now I have a headache just thinking about all this. I throw off my comforter and go downstairs to the kitchen. I grab an oversized tea cup, milk and chocolate syrup. I pour the milk and chocolate syrup in the cup, stir it, and pop it in the microwave for 1 minute. In the mean time I grab an apple and start biting in to it. I love apples. And pancakes. I could eat them all day, everyday. Well, I kind of already do. Oh well.

Once my hot chocolate is done, I swiftly make my way over to the couch, trying not to spill the burning liquid on my self. After making myself comfortable, I grab the house phone and dial my best friend Kamila's number. After the second ring, she answers.

"Hello?" Kamila asks. Guess she didn't check Caller ID.

"Hey, it's me."

"Ugh, not you again." She jokes. Everyone always thinks that Kamila is a nice, sweet girl; if only they knew the truth.

"Ha ha, very funny, now can you please come over ASAP?" Pleeeaaassee don't let her be stuck babysitting her little brother. His name is Lucca and he is un pequeño diablo. Every time I see him he is always pulling pranks. Last time he was at my house he switched my face moisturizer with self bronzer, and it wasn't until a week later when my face was 5 shades darker than my body did I realize what happen.

"I will only come if you make me food. Lucca ate all of mine." Distantly through the phone I can hear sounds of protest. "Oh don't even lie, I know the dog didn't steal my entire sandwich."

"Sure, sure, whatever just come as soon as you can." I say and hang up to dial for pizza.

20 minutes later, I hear the doorbell ring. I grab the pizza box sitting on the table and hurry to the door. The first thing Kamila sees is the pizza box, which she grabs from my hand like a crazed animal. She goes to the couch, plops down, and starts eating from right out of the box. And I'm left standing by the front door with no food.

"Slow down there, champ, I haven't eaten any yet." I tease.

She mumbles some incoherent words and continues eating. I sit down next to her and grab a slice. "So, you remember how I was supposed to meet Connor today? Well, he didn't show. And two hours later, he texted me saying he wouldn't be able to make it."

She gasps dramatically. "What!? That jerk!" I nod. "And he didn't even tell you why he couldn't meet you?"

"Nope. He just said that something came up, and he would see me Monday." I say sadly. "But guess who was also at the park."

"Brad Pitt?" She jokes.

"Yes, and he left Angelina for me. No, Sebastian Caro. And he was really nice to me after he saw I was waiting for someone." I tell her.

"Huh. Maybe he liiiikkesss you." Kamila basically sang.

"So when I said he was nice to me, you automatically jump to the conclusion that he likes me." I shake my head. "Why am I friends with you, again?"

"Because of my sparkling personality." She grins as she finishes the crust of her third slice.

I laugh and go to give her a hug. "How could I have forgotten."

-

On Monday morning, I spend extra time getting ready and looking my best. Making sure my long, dark hair is shiny and tangle-free, I apply mascara and chapstick, and go downstairs to make breakfast. I grab the pancake mix out of the pantry and grab the money my dad placed the usual spot.

My dad left me 20 dollars on the counter before he left for work just like he does every Monday morning. My parents are divorced, and my mom lives in North Carolina with her boyfriend Craig. Everyone always feels sorry for me because my parents aren't together anymore, but it's actually not that bad. My parents are very civil people, and they never have any huge arguments, now or before. They just felt like they weren't right for each other, and separated when I was in 9th grade. Craig is a really nice lawyer (I know, I know, at first I didn't believe a lawyer could actually be nice, either), and my mom seems really happy. I visit her once every 2 or 3 months, and I get to see her dog, Lucky. Plus, with them being divorced, it means I have one less parent to worry about catching me sneak out.

Once I finish making and eating breakfast (which happens to be amazingly fast since I love pancakes), I go upstairs to pick out an outfit. I settle on a pair of black leggings, a grey tee shirt, and an army green jacket. I pull on my white Air Force 1's, grab my phone, and run downstairs to catch the bus. I wait at the bus stop for 10 minutes before it gets here. I swipe my MetroCard and get on the crowded New York City bus. After about 4 stops, I get off to switch buses. While I wait for the other one, I look at my phone for a text message from Connor. Nothing. Sigh. The bus finally gets here, and after 3 stops, I'm at prison. I mean, school.

I go inside and head for my locker, and get books for my next three classes. After I close my locker, I go down the hall to Connor's locker, where he's getting his books.

"Hey, Connor." I say to him.

"Oh, Evelyn, hi. Look, I'm sorry about this weekend. Matt called me and said they were a player short for football, and they were really desperate so I went." He gives me a smile.

He skipped out on me for football? Football!? I can't deal with him.

"You can't be serious." I tell him incredulously.

"You're mad, dammit, I knew you would be mad. Don't be angry with me, baby." He says while he wraps his arms around my waist.

"Don't you baby me, Connor. I waited for an hour and a half for you. It wouldn't have been so bad if you had at least texted me so I would have known." I pull out of his arms.

"I'll see you later." I say as I walk to my next class.

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So Chapter 2 is finished !!! The picture to the side is of Evelyn, and she is played by Sara Sampaio :)