Too Young To Fall In Love

Don't Be Scared

Nikki

I wall through the empty Bass house, they really need to lock the door. I reach the back door look through the window. Evie sits in a pair of shorts and a Van Halen shirt with her glasses in her hair, swinging on the swing that hangs from the oak tree, looking down at her lap.

I walk through the door and head down to her. Evie looks up and smiles, sliding down the swing so I can sit with her. I look down at the sketchbook in her lap, I didn't realize she could draw.

I look at the picture she drew. Two hands fill the page, holding onto each other. Sun glasses hang off the bigger hand. The words 'don't be scared' are in fancy writing above the intertwined hands. It's from that time at the amusement park, the hands are mine and Evie's. I smile at her.

"I had no idea you could draw." I state and she smiles.

"Yeah, I love it." Evie sighs.

"You're really good." I tell her as she brings a beer bottle up to her lips.

"You're a sweetheart." She smiles. "Thanks."

It goes quite for a minute then I remember something. Evie hasn't quite been herself lately.

"Evie?" I ask and she looks over.

"Hmm?" She asks.

"What's been eating you lately? You haven't been you vibrant self." I explain and she shrugs.

"Guess I'm kinda scared." Evie picks at the label of her beer bottle.

"The great Evie Bass, scared? I don't believe it." I say and she smiles.

"What if I'm not good enough? I mean it's Sanford University after all." She looks at me.

"Evie, Evie." I sigh. "Sweetheart, you're the best I've ever seen. They reached out to you for a reason."

"Nikki, what if I'm not as good as I was before the surgery?" Evie looks at the ground.

"Then you'll be a million times better." I smile. "What's that saying again? Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game."

"Babe Ruth." She smiles.

"Are you gonna strike out?" I wonder and she nudges my shoulder.

"Hell no." Evie laughs. "I don't wanna leave though."

"Why?" I wonder. Leaving home was the best thing I ever did.

"I've always shared a room with Ava and I don't want to leave you idiots." She smiles. "I'll miss you lot too much. I'm scared of everything changing."

"Tell you what." I say as I unlatch the sliver necklace around my neck. "Hold on to this for now, I'll come back for it." I put it around her neck. "Because I'm not going anywhere, I'll be here when you get back."

Evie smiles at me and kisses my cheek.

I'm gonna miss her like crazy.

Evie

"Mom I'm only gonna be a few hours away." I tell her for the thousandth time this morning.

I leave for Stanford today, Ava leaves for UCLA, and Amanda leaves for Brown. I stand in the driveway win my family and the band close by. My mom and dad hug me and my sister and Tommy leans against my dad's truck, trying not to cry. Big fucking baby.

I stand in front of my big baby of an older brother. I cross my arms and smirk up at him. He stands nearly a foot taller than me.

"You gonna miss me or something?" I smile and he laughs.

"Believe it or not, I am. You're a pain Eva Grace but I wouldn't have it any other way." Tommy hugs me. "Be good."

"I am good." I can't even keep a straight face while saying it.

"Yeah and I'm Keith Moon." Tommy laughs. "No more injuries."

"No more injuries." I repeat and he kisses me forehead.

"Show them how to play." Tommy tells me.

I hug Mick next and smile.

"Don't let them kill each other." I say and he laughs. Vince, Nikki, and Tommy mock hurt and I smile.

I hug Vince next. The blondie hugs me tightly and spins me around.

"Be good, Princess." Vince puts me on my feet. "No college boys, you have me and Nikki for anything you want." He winks.

"Vince." I complain and he laughs.

"You're gonna rock it." Vince tells me and I turn to Nikki.

I wrap my arms under his and up to his shoulders. Nikki's chin goes into my skull and I sigh.

"I'm gonna miss you loser." I mumble and he laughs.

"I'm gonna miss you to, sweetheart." Nikki says.

"Nik, I'm scared." I mutter.

"Don't be." He mumbles. "You'll do great."

He kisses my forehead like all the boys have before and I turn to my sister. I've never left her before. It's always weird when I hug my sister but I hug her tightly.

"You gonna cry like a little bitch?" I joke and she laughs.

"Only if you do." Ava smiles.

I pull back from my twin and smile at her.

"UCLA is lucky to have you." I smile.

"As with Stanford." Ava tells me. "Kick ass would you?"

"Oh I'll try." I smirk.

I hug everyone goodbye one more time before loading into my charger. I drive to the end of the street and stop. I pull Nikki's necklace out of my shirt and wrap my hand around the silver cross.

Everything is going to be okay. I hope. I'm gonna miss everyone like crazy.

How many days until Thanksgiving?