Jigsaw (NaNoWriMo13)

Eleven

Whew, another chapter written! This one's over 5,000 words! As always, if you liked it please fan, vote, comment, share! It would mean the world to me. I love you all!

Tanya is acting weird.

It's odd how nice she's being. There have been no cruel comments, no attempts at blackmail and no sabotaging of my work. It's as if she's suddenly gotten bored of tormenting me. But there is that niggling doubt in the back of my mind that's telling me that she's just biding her time. She will wait until my guard is down and then pounce, taking me unawares. I shake my head to dispel the thoughts. I am being really paranoid.

Evan comes from downstairs, grinning like a maniac. He has a tinsel garland wrapped around his head and a pair of reindeer antlers sticking out from his head. Despite the small amount of excitement present on his face, I can still see the underlying sadness in his glassy eyes.

“Erm, Evan. You have a little something,” I reach up and finger the tinsel wreath that sits jauntily on top of his head.

He rolls his eyes and pushes me gently. I giggle and push him back. I feel Tanya's eyes on my back, but when I turn around, she has her nose pressed against the frosted glass, peering out at the gloomy December weather. I turn back to him, and I can't help the soppy grin that falls so easily down on me.

“Very funny, Lily,” he snorts. “Real amusing. Anyway don't think you're getting off lightly, you've got to wear one too!”

I eye the wreath that Evan is now handing me with the slightest slither of disdain. He can't seriously expect me to wear that thing, can he?

“Yes, I do expect you to wear it!” Evan says firmly, as if he'd been reading my thoughts. “Now come on, put it on!”

I reluctantly pull the tinsel over my head, trying and failing to glare at Evan. But it's almost impossible when he is grinning widely, his eyes shining like an excited child's.

It's actually adorable.

Woah! Where the hell did that come from? I should not be having thoughts like these! Evan and I are just friends.

Then why do I find my eyes drawn to him?

I inwardly roll my eyes at myself and turn to serve a customer, a mean looking, obese man in his late twenties who looks like he could eat me if I get his order wrong. I whisper this to Evan while he is surveying the selection of cakes and he snorts in amusement. He grunts out his order and I quickly ring him up, handing him his cappuccino and chocolate brownie. He sits down in the booth opposite Tanya and gives her the leery eye. Evan looks at her out of the corner of his eye and I fight the sigh that tries to escape my lips.

It's so sweet that despite what Tanya has done and put me through, he will still look out for her. I have to turn away from him as an army of butterflies wreak havoc in my stomach. The man gives off an earth shattering belch, winks at Tanya and squeezes his fat belly out of the booth. I bend my head to hide my laughter as Tanya squeals in disgust and covers her mouth as if she is going to vomit.

Evan winks at me and I feel as if I am going to faint. I seriously need to stop getting feelings like that whenever Evan looks or smiles at me, or strays within five feet of me. I also need to stop feeling those damn butterflies every time he touches me, or brushes past me. But looking at him, with his wavy dark brown hair that falls into chocolatey pools of pure Heaven, and those lips, soft and plump, constantly puckered in a cute little pout.

I almost reel back at the sudden realisation. Oh God, I like Evan! And a lot! Though I shouldn't really feel surprised. These feelings have been brewing for months, from the moment I stepped into the café all those months ago. I really should have clicked as soon as his touch sent sparks shooting up and down me.