Undying love

3.

Evangeline Annesley was at the attention of the entire school.

The word had spread and students flocked her table at lunch time, begging her to show them her magic. Charlie felt guilty for misleading Evangeline to think that she was able to do incredible things like hover objects, defying gravity's laws.

But when he saw her plump lips curl into a smile so wide that her perfect white teeth showed, he couldn't resist. She wanted only to please those around her, to make them think she was capable of something that made them care about her.

But Charlie knew they didn't truly care for Evangeline. He often wondered why people only cared about something when it was new and exciting, but the moment it wasn't, they couldn't care less. Evangeline felt loved by the attention but Charlie knew that the moment he stopped holding the forks above the table and flinging the pencil's across the room, the crowds would fade along with Evangeline's smile and everything would return to the way it was before.

Evangeline didn't know it, but Charlie would still remain by her side. He had been there all along and no matter if she could conduct magic or not, he would never abandon her.

"Do you think one of your parents can do it to? Like maybe it's a gene thing." A girl unknown to Charlie leans across the lunch table to grab Evangeline's attention.

Evangeline shrugs, unable to answer the girl before another question is fired at her. She just smiles as people scramble for her words, desperate for answers to something they know nothing about.

Charlie sighs and crouches down beside Evangeline's chair. He places a hand softly on hers and silently tells her he is sorry. He tells her he is sorry for tricking her and making her believe she can do things which in reality she cannot. He tells her he is happy that she is happy, but that he cannot continue to lie to her as he is.

"Take my apple from my hand using your powers. Go on Evangeline, take it." The same girl leaning across the table says, holding out the shiny green fruit.

Evangeline pulls herself into character and concentrates with all of her might. Charlie can feel his icy cold insides breaking as the group sit quietly and wait for the miracle to happen before their eyes. Evangeline stares at the fruit, begging it to move. Charlie tucks his hands under his arms to stop himself from moving to interfere.

"It is for her own good" he tells himself.

"Why isn't it working?" Evangeline begins to panic.

"Try harder, it'll work." they push her.

She focuses so hard her face flushes red and her muscles tense up. Charlie is verging on giving in when suddenly Evangeline lets out a breath and relaxes, admitting defeat.

"Maybe I've used it too much and it needs time to come back?" She tries to reason.

People begin to leave, bored and moving on to more exciting things. Sophie and Annalise remained seated at her table but began to have a separate discussion of their own. They too were no longer interested.

"I'm so sorry" Charlie whispered to Evangeline as her expression drooped.

He put his head on her shoulder and choked up at the pain he felt for her not being happy anymore. He had taken her joy as easily as he'd given it, and for this he felt immense guilt.

She played with her hands in her lap and didn't move until the bell went and she had a class to go to.

Charlie followed her a few paces behind for the rest of the day, absorbing her sadness as it was his own. Charlie often wondered how someone else being unhappy could make him feel unhappy too.

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