Evelyn

Evelyn - Chapter Four

"Ere' ya go." Jonah said offering me a lighter. I switch the side of it and a small orange flame erupted from the top. I lit the end of the small white stick and place it between my teeth. The smoke intoxicated my throat and suffocated my lungs. I started to cough and Evelyn sniggered.

"The first few times are always the worst. you'll get used to it." She sympathized.

"Well, well, well. Hello whiskey princess!" Someone called from outside. I tapped Josh in alarm. We had been caught.

"Don't worry it's only Mitch." He reassured.

"Mitch!!" Evelyn greeted as he entered the den. "Come sit!!"

"Any going spare?" He asked, referring to the cigarette in her hand. "I brought refreshments!!"

She squealed. "Yes M, here!" She handed him one and a lighter. "I've been trying to go out all week and stock up on drinks, but Puma Steve won't let me since I stayed out after curfew last time."

"Who's 'Puma Steve'?" I asked.

Mitch looked up, cigarette hanging from his lips. "He watches over everyone, makes sure that no body drinks, smokes, gets into bother basically."

"Kinda like, a guard?"

"Exactly like a guard." Evelyn chipped in. "He's like a Rott Wieler when he's in a bad mood!"

Evelyn took the bottle of Whisky that Mitch had brought and opened it, she took a swig and passed it to Jonah. He took a small sip and cringed at the sour taste travelling down his throat.

"Oh come on, is that the best you can do?" She asked, grabbing the bottle and taking another big gulp. Her facial expression like stone.

"Ma mouth is on fire!" He screamed, fanning his mouth with his hands.

I hastily took the bottle and drank a bit. It wasn't bad, bearable, not how Jonah described it.

"We need a plan!!" Evelyn announced.

"Continue." Mitch ordered her.

She took a large drag of her cigarette and tapped it on the wall. "Well someone from the 'Monday Maths' club broke into my room last night and snapped my limited edition The Smiths record. Into Quarters. They don't even sell it anymore, and it's not for sale anywhere on the internet! So we need revenge."

"Revenge is a dish, best served cold." I perked up.

"Exactly Charles! So, pitch me your ideas!"

"Cling film on their toilet seats?" Mitch said.

"Lame."

"Cut off the sleeves off their t-shirts?" Jonah piped up.

"Even more lame."

"How about we exchanged their shampoo for hair dye?" I noted.

She paused for a little while, considering my idea. "Fantastic!! I guess we could do the others just to annoy them even more."

We all nodded in agreement.

"Then next week we put the big plan into action." She continued. "And because I already know your gonna asked, I'll explain it to you all. This Friday, the Maths club have their annual Maths comps. They all travel to Manchester in Heidi Greens BMW. So, were gonna puncture their tires, and smash their engine, and we can't forget to pour white high shining gloss all over the windows."

"So, were doing all this, because they broke one of your records?" I asked.

"Oh no, not just that. This is war. A cold, hard war!!" She seethed.

I nodded in understanding, my mouth forming a small 'o' shape.

"And what if Puma Steve catches us?" Mitch said, throwing his tab end to the floor and squashing it.

"That's where Jonah and Charlie come in. They're going to be our little distraction. They're going to knock on Puma Steve's door and then jump in Jonah's Clio, drive outta campus with Steve hot on their tail. They will drive around for a while until we call them to signal that we've finished and get them to come back!!"

"Wow, you've really thought this through haven't you?" Mitch stated.

She grinned widely before digging a small hole with her bare hands and putting the half empty bottle of Whisky inside and covering it up with dirt. We all put out our cigarettes out and headed back out into the woods and up to the student dorms. Mitch and Jonah walked ahead in front, with me and Evelyn behind.

"So, you still need to answer my question." She pressed.

"You seem like a nice girl." I complimented, still avoiding her.

"I'm not a nice girl Charlie." She said looking straight on. "You're cute, but, you reek of romance and good intentions."

I scoffed, knowing what she was saying was true. She skipped forward catching up with the other two while I watched my new group of friends walk back to campus, laughing like nothing else mattered. I knew that something had changed. I was no longer quiet, naive Charlie who had no friends, who sat on the toilet at lunch because I had nobody to go to. I could slowly see myself changing, and I quite liked it. Although this new representation of myself came with strings attached, I didn't care. Because for once in my life I was happy, and I was no longer hiding behind a blank screen. I was me, and I felt invincible.