Every Little Thing

30

|| Reed ||

That was not how our first kiss was supposed to happen.

I had imagined it perfectly—I would make the analogy between Evelyn and breathing, and then she would look over at me, and then I would kiss her and all would be right in the world. Instead, it seemed as if I'd made her angry. Like my constant comments about risk-taking just set her off and caused her to explode in my face before she kissed me like that.

And the kiss was incredible. It tasted dangerous, like power and fire and everything that isn't Evelyn. But that was the best part about it—I hadn't expected it. I had expected something soft and gentle, something fragile. Instead, she tore up every expectation I had and made my head spin so fast I'm afraid it might fall right off my neck.

I'm still sitting here on the rooftop, trying to figure out how things happened the way they did. Is she frustrated at me? Why did she leave?

Why am I still here instead of following her?

Maybe she's right. Maybe I've pushed her too hard, too far past her comfort zone. Maybe I've unintentionally set off some kind of trigger, something that forces her to go back and relive the moments that have made her the way she is.

And although my heart is still breaking after listening to what she had to say tonight, there is one part that she got totally wrong.

Evelyn said she isn't invincible.

The rest of the world, including me, knows she is.

And I have to tell her that.

So I get up from my chair, crossing the rooftop and taking the steps two by two until I'm on the main floor. My heart sinks as I realize the crowd has grown—there are about a hundred people crammed throughout this house, and only one Evelyn Moore.

I guess it's up to me to find her.