Carry Me Home

Twelve

Evelyn

"Mum is going to love you, Evie. You like Italian food, right?" Hayden asked, slowing the car down as we had arrived at the destination. I had packed a small suitcase for the week as I was going to be living with the Carters and in Hayden's room apparently.

"I love it. Your mum really doesn't have to go through this you know," I said, stepping out of the car and setting my gaze upon the beautiful cream coloured house in front of me. The door step was adorned with flower bushes on either side and overall it made a friendly and inviting atmosphere.

"Oh, yes she does! Her son just came back from university after six hellish weeks. She must go through hours of cooking to make up for it."

"Hayden, you chose to go to university," I laughed, playfully flicking his shoulder.

"I don't like to focus on the minor details, Evie, and neither should you." I rolled my eyes and stood beside him as he knocked on the door. Our bags were in his hands as he wouldn't let me take them since I was guest and he wanted to be chivalrous. The door opened revealing a middle aged woman with brown hair embedded with strands of silver that resembled Hayden's. Her eyes weren't blue though but a stormy grey. Her face lit up with a smile when she realised who it was.

"You must be Evelyn! I've heard so much about you," Mrs Carter immediately proceeded to hug me, completely forgetting about the presence of her son right next to me which I found hilarious. Hayden, however, look unimpressed and coughed to notify his mother that he had arrived as well.

"I'm a guest too, Mum!" Hayden groaned at his mother. Mrs Carter chuckled and untangled her arms from my waist and went to hug her youngest son. Hayden's expression lightened up with the feel of his mother in his arms and I found that truly touching.

"You're not a guest, Denny. You've been living here for eighteen years. Only Evelyn is a guest. Silly me! I've left you outside in the cold without even knowing it. Please do enter, Evelyn."

Mrs Carter took the bags from Hayden's hands and took them upstairs, probably to his room.

"Denny?" I snickered as we moved into the living room. He gave me a mock of a smile before returning back to this classic unamused facial expression.

"Just warning you that my brother Cyrus will be arriving soon, if he hasn't already that is. He thinks he's hilarious and may say offensive things but that's just the way he is. Oh, and if he hits on you just slap him. Actually don't because then he'll think you're feisty and he likes that. Just call me and I'll punch him."

"I'll be fine, Denny." Knowing Hayden's nickname made me feel superior in a way as I now had the upper hand.

"I'm sure you will, Angel," he smirked. My eyes immediately widened causing him to scoff. "You think I wouldn't notice what Rowan calls you? It's hilarious how gullible you think I am." I carried on watching him out of surprise as he went to sit down.

Mrs Carter didn't let me out of her sight the entire evening and I mean the entire evening. I stood by her as she finished cooking, I stood by her whilst she introduced me to Cyrus and I sat beside her on the table for dinner.

"So, Evelyn, how is it that you and this muppet have become best friends?" Cyrus asked, taking a bite out of his garlic bread. Hayden's family was hilarious; they always picked on him and then asked for my opinion.

"Hayden is a very persistent guy so when I first met him he put his arm around my shoulders and we walked to Psychology. Right after the lecture he took me to an open field so that I could experience something fun. After that we just clicked and I've been hanging out with him for over a month now. He's a good person," I explained, sending a grateful smile over to Hayden who replied with a grin of his own.