RED: Welcome To Fayetteville | Complete ✔️

Chapter 51: The Act

The bell rang and the teacher was still pumping out whatever English lesson they were learning that day. But when the bell rang, the bell rang. It didn't matter if the teacher was in the middle of the most important thing in the world... class was dismissed.

"Hey," Evelyn reached forward and grabbed Adam Stone's arm as he walked in front of the classroom. His felt jacket was soft on Evelyn's fingers. The jacket seemed like it cost more than a hundred dollars.

"What?" Adam turned around. He stopped in his tracks and was willing to look at Evelyn. Before class started, he wasn't really able to hold back his emotions and everything was being let out. Now, his eyes had gone back to looking normal, and his cheeks weren't flushed red anymore.

"I'd like to talk with you... if that's okay," Evelyn asked, still holding on to his arm.

"About what?" Adam didn't tug his arm away from her.

"I just want to make sure you're okay... I think we can relate," Evelyn let go of his arm. "It's important to talk about stuff."

"I guess so..." Adam looked around the room as the other last student walked passed them and out the door. "Where at?" he asked.

"We can go anywhere really. How does Ken's sound? I love their burgers," she smiled.

"I've never been to Ken's."

"Well, let's go!" Evelyn smiled.

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Derrick was walking into the grocery store across the road from the school. The blue welcome sign shined above his head as the automatic doors opened in front of him. Through the doors, he looked to his left at the shopping carts. To his right, Zach and Kathrine were walking—hand in hand—with a few white plastic bag around their wrists.

Derrick rose his hand to wave; a smile ran across his face. Zach and Kathrine didn't break eye contact... with each other. They giggled and looked only at each other as people passed them. They were walking straight for Derrick at the door, but they couldn't even look up at him.

As they got closer, Derrick dropped his hand back to his side and let his smile turn into something else. His eyes hit the floor and his shoulder sunk lower. As they made it to the door, Derrick looked up one last time to see if they would notice him...

Zach grabbed Kathrine's bag and turned his shoulders toward the door. They walked out, and Derrick nodded his head. He knew it was getting worse. He knew his friendship with Zach was crumbling... when he needed it most.

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Outside in the car, Zach opened Kathrine's door and let her take a seat. He tossed the plastic bags into the back seat where he would probably forget them. He got into the driver seat and started the engine. As he looked back and put the car in reverse, he remembered what he was forgetting to tell Kathrine.

"Oh yeah! I'd been meaning to tell you about last night," Zach said.

"What was last night?" Kathrine asked with her head deep into her phone.

"It's about Evelyn," Zach's tone changed. He was a little more serious.

Kathrine locked her phone and dropped it to her lap. "What is it?"

"I heard her last night in her room... She seemed to be doing really well about the shot and everything. She always appears to be in a good mood and seeing the best in things, right?"

"Yeah! I don't know how she does it," Kathrine put her elbow on the console between them and leaned her head on her hand.

"I think it's all an act... she was crying really hard in her room last night."

"Did you talk to her?"

"I tried... she wouldn't let me. I knocked on the door and asked to come in. She chirped up and shooed me away. She was trying to act like herself... but I know deep down, she's hurting."

"Try to talk to her again today..." Kathrine suggested.

"I will if I can," Zach said.

***Who is Adam Stone? How will Derrick being ditched and forgotten about by Zach change things? Will Zach really reach out to Evelyn? Or will he stay by Kathrine's side?

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