Rise

- Chapter 13: Truth -

- Chapter 13 –

 Truth

       “I hope you’re happy,” Evira said to him, clutching a small teddy bear in her hand. “That was an entire fifteen dollars spent on that stupid machine.”

       Lex grinned, raising his hands in surrender. “I only said ten dollars. You were the one who wanted to—“

       “I don’t want this,” she cut him off, thrusting the bear at him. “You can have it.”

       “You spent fifteen dollars on that thing,” he told her, still smiling broadly. “It’s yours.” Evira stubbornly held it out to him. His cheeks turning slightly pink, Lex took it. “Are you sure? It’s so cute!”

       She grinned. “You’re easily pleased.” Evira crossed her arms. “I’m done, then? No more debts from the last time either.”

       Lex stared at her. “Debts? What debts?”

       “You paid for Starbucks last time,” she pointed out. “And the ice-cream thing.”

       “We paid for the ice-cream with the money we got from the gig,” he said firmly. “And Starbucks... well, that was on me.”

       She rolled her eyes. “Well, I paid off my debts.”

       He feigned hurt. “You make me sound like a loan shark! What—you aren’t going to hang about with me anymore? Since you aren’t in debt anymore?”

       Lex had said it carelessly, meaning it to be playful. Evira blinked, looking to be processing his words. When she spoke, it was in careful, measured tones.

       “You want me to... hang out with you still?”

       Lex scratched his head. “What do you mean? Of course! That’s a stupid thing to ask.” He quickly went on, “Well, uh, I didn’t mean—“ He stopped, feeling pretty stupid himself.

       Evira laughed. “It’s just... I’m not used to people... lingering,” she explained slowly.

       He frowned, kicking a stray rock out of the way. “What do you mean?”

       Evira shrugged. “I just didn’t have a lot of friends growing up. I guess that’s my fault. Since I pushed a lot of people away after I changed schools.”

       “Didn’t you make friends at your new school?”

       “No.”

       Something in her voice made him stop pursuing the topic. “You know? I think I want to go to this Springfield place of yours someday. See your loft and everything. Los Angeles is nice and all, but Springfield sounds cool, too.”

       “Yeah...” Evira said dreamily. “Springfield is beautiful. I miss my loft. And writing songs...”

       He smiled wryly. “With Evan, no doubt. Do you miss him?”

       “Yup,” she said. “But I keep in contact with him. He sends me letters. Of sorts.”

       Lex felt a twinge of envy in the pit of his stomach. It was lucky Evira had such a close friend like Evan; their bond was one that seemed so close-knit, impenetrable. As if by simply talking about him, Lex was shutting himself out from her and Evan’s bond. He felt like a stranger.

       He stretched and yawned, peeking at her with one opened eye. “Well, you seem like a pretty cool person to me.” He paused, gauging her reaction.