Evangiline

Chapter Fourteen- Roman Gods Aren't Gods After All

CHARLES' POV:

Pink, blue, green, orange, and white lights jumped across the room. I hated strobe lights with a passion. They always gave me a headache.

I hooked Evangiline's arm in mine and held on tightly. Places like that weren't safe for people like her.

She was so beautiful. Beyond beautiful. The way that blue dress showed off her body and the way that it made her skin glow even more than it already did was enough to make me keel over. Her maid had done some fancy Spanish stuff to her hair and makeup- which she did not even need. Evangiline's hair was in long curls that fell around her shoulders like a waterfall. Everything about her was absolutely amazing.

"Lets sit." I yelled into her ear.

Between the music and the yelling of random people, I could barely hear. The only thing louder was my heartbeat.

"Will you dance later, Evie?" That annoying girl, Stacy, asked Evangiline.

"Ummm yeah?" She twiddled her fingers. She was nervous.

"Cool beans. See y'all later." Stacy walked away with Amber.

Rhys and Jessie stayed with us. Jessie wore those skinny jeans that only the gay or really confident aѕѕholeѕ wear. If I had a voice like his, I'd hide in a dungeon for my whole life.

Rhys is the polar opposite of Jessie. Rhys was about my height, same size. His hair was dyed bleach blonde; I could tell by his roots showing a coppery red.

"I'll have gin and tonic on the rocks." I said to the bartender.

He nodded and looked to Evangiline. "And you miss?"

"Oh... I will have whatever he is having." She twiddled her fingers again.

"No. You might not want that." I held out my hands and touched her shoulder.

Her face twisted in confusion. "Why not?"

I hesistated asking if her mom would care but she is Evangiline. Beautiful, smart, strong Evangiline.

"Ill take two." She said to the air. The bartender had already gone to get two glasses.

I feel bad for her, even though she doesn't want me to. She is missing out on the best part of life. No bright headlights, no pretty sparklers on the fourth of July, no paintings of random bowls of fruit. Nothing.

I imagine that it is worse on her because she used to be able to see and then it was all taken away.

..........

Of course I had to be the responsible one and have a light drink. Evangiline did what she wanted and let loose. No one asked for her I.D., I guess because Stacy was the owner's cousin.

Evangiline stumbled away with Stacy to go to the bathroom. Both had a little too much to drink but Stacy was the most sober.

Five minutes after they had left, a short half-man sat down at the stool beside me. He was trying to grow out a beard and mustache, but all I saw was fluffy fuzz.

"Names Roman Greko. I own this shithole." He clanked down an empty beer glass.

I leaned back against my chair and sipped my ale. It became a habit of mine from seeing my father do it all those years. "I know."

He rubbed his chin and sighed. "I want to make you an offer. One you can not refuse."

..........

That little weasel, sorry-excuse for a man basically asked me if I wanted to sell his crack and promote his place. He told me "it's home brewed and all natural" and "he has certain connections". I highly doubt that he had much of anything.

So I did the most rational thing possible: I kicked his ass. Now, I won't get into details about how I heard his teeth crack or how his nose turns to the side now, but it was pretty bad. His security had drug me out by my collar- it took two of them. They would have called the police, but didn't because of my father.

Evangiline, Stacy, Amber, Rhys, Jessie, and I were officially banned from the Funkie Monkie as of that night. We had fun, made memories, and lived.

"Charles?" Evangiline asked as she came out. Stacy looked at me with a worried expression.

"I'm here." I said as I limped to her.

That Roman Greko guy had the nerve to kick my shin.

I could smell alcohol on her. "You okay? Rhys said he saw you-" she asked.

"I'm fine. It was nothing. Are you okay?"

She gave me a tipsy smile. "Of course. I had a little too much fun but I am sooo ready to go home now."

"You didn't do anything you will regret tomorrow right?" I gripped her shoulders and stared into her pitch black glasses. I had no idea what she did while I was fine-not that she could do much.

"Oh...just in nine months..."

"What?! Stacy was supposed to watch-" I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Calm down. I was just kidding. I only danced." She laughed but it didn't put me at ease. I knew she was kidding...

"That was definitely not funny. Lets just go home." I said and hugged her.

Evangiline became suddenly frantic. "What about them? They are under age and can't go home like that, their parents will freak! And they'll blame you, Charles."

"Ummm... won't they worry if they're gone all night?" I asked.

Stacy looked at me. "Nah. My mom has six other kids to worry about. Rhys and Jessie's parents are gone for a bachelor party. Amber is basically my sister and her mom doesn't give a rats ass, just as long as she's there to pay the bills."

I spoke to Amber, who was preoccupied with her six inch heels and a stain on her clothes. "You're dad doesn't care?"

"She uh doesn't really like to talk about it." Stacy answered for her.

I made Evangiline call Benny to pick us up. He was there in ten minutes.

"Were sleeping at my place." Evangiline said.

No one objected.