Evelyn

Evelyn - Chapter Seventeen

The beach house was never up to much. There were never any other people my age, I only had Olivia. I decided that instead of spending all day doing nothing and just sleeping, I would have to study to catch up with the rest of my classes. Chloe and Jonah had already started catching up, yet I was still miles behind. I headed out of the 'house' and towards town, hopefully I'd find a library somewhere between the masses of shops. I weaves through the charity shops and supermarkets before finding a small library. On entering the building, a small sound of a bell rang throughout, causing many heads to turn my way. I went to the counter and asked if they had any books on creative writing and advanced architecture. The woman lead me to a small area surrounded by chairs and tables, books lining every inch of the walls. She referred me to a shelf that catered to my needs and a began picking some up. Before I started to return to the counter I spotted the small asian girl out of the corner of my eye, she was sat by herself reading a soppy romance book. Romance. I walked towards her table and sat opposite her. She looked up at me and put down her book.

"Hey you're that guy that knocked over my friend on the beach yesterday?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah, that's why I came over here, could you say sorry to her for me?" I replied, placing the books on the small rounded table and fiddling with my thumbs.

"She's actually just in the toilet, she'll be out in a minute."

I waited for her friend for five minutes while she went back to reading her book. Soon later she returned wearing jeans and the same Converse from the day before. As I stood up to apologise to the girl, my heart caught in my throat. She had Evelyn's face, but she definitely wasn't blonde.

"It's called hair dye Charles, don't try it, I like your hair." She stated calmly.

I stared at her blankly, not knowing what to say. Was she being serious?!

"You've got to be kidding me!" I seethed. "You disappear out of no where and leave a fake suicide note and this is how you greet me?! We have been worried sick!"

"A fake suicide note?" Her friend shrieked. We received many unpleasant looks from strangers, some even told us to quieten down. "What is this guy talking about Nina?"

"Nina?!" I questioned, whispering now. "You even told her a fake name?"

"Oh do you hear yourself Charlie? Stop pretending like I'm a little girl, who cares what I've done, I've created a new life for myself, I am happy!"

"You can't be happy, you are never happy!" I paused waiting for a reply, when she didn't acknowledge me I continued. "Why couldn't you have been happy with all of us? Even though you didn't want to be found, we tried anyway, because we love you!"

Evelyn's friend put down her book again and stood up. "I'll leave you guys to it for a bit, shall I?"

"No..." I ordered. "Sit down, we can go outside. This is a library after all!"

Evelyn followed me out of the library and down the street. She continuously asked me where we were going and I told her that I didn't know. She swiftly ran ahead of me and blocked my path. 

"Look Charlie, I know you're upset with me, but things are different now-"

"You're right, things are very different. Do you know how much has happened since you have been gone? Chloe is pregnant, with Mitch's child, whom I might add he was cheating on her with two other people."

"Who else?!" She asked, eyes widened, hands on hips.

"Jonah, you see, you didn't even know because he couldn't trust you!"

"Oh my God I'm such an idiot!" She rambled pulling on her newly brunette locks.

"Yes you are, because that's not all, my mum died Evelyn, that's the whole reason I'm here. Which kind of means that I lost my mum to find you, and I don't care if you don't believe in destiny Evelyn, because I do. And if my mother's death has brought me here to you, then I'm pretty sure that means something right. I lost my rock, my hero, and you didn't even call. So maybe if you could stop being such a heartless cow and think of other people for a change-"

She slapped me across the face, hard. Twice. "Think of other people?! That's all I have ever done, moving here and leaving is the first thing I have done for myself in years! So don't lecture me over things like that Charlie, because we all know you put anyone else before yourself, you care too much, you get attached. News flash Charlie, people don't care as much as you do, people leave. Which means you don't follow!"

"You are so conceited! You know that Mitch overdosed because of everything that happened with you, he loved you and you left, it's not always about you Evelyn! And yes, I put people before myself because I do care, and maybe if you cared at least a little bit for other people then you wouldn't be in this mess right now!"

We were both crying. She lent against a nearby wall and sobbed. "Charlie, if I don't care about myself, nobody else will..."

I joined her against the hard bricks and watched her. "I will, I do care, about you."

"I can't believe he's gone. I'm so sorry about your mum Charlie, how is everyone?"

"We are all managing, just. It's hard without you, you know? Nobody's there to reply to Jonah's stupid comments with sarcasm, and nobody visits the tree anymore, because if we get caught at least it'll give us something to do."

"Oh Charlie, I'm so sorry!" She whimpered moving towards me and wrapping her arms around my neck. It reminded me of the day I left home, when my mother was sobbing as Ev was.

"Come back, please. It's not the same-"

"Charles you know I can't, this is my life now."

"Please don't call me that." I insisted, running my fingers through her soft hair. "Please come back."

"I'm happy Charlie, for once in my life, I don't want to give that up. Plus I'm sure everybody back home thinks I'm dead." She replied pulling away. I looked to the floor and started to walk home. I needed to drive, to get away from Evelyn and think. She called my name again and again but I didn't turn back or stop. She tried catching up to me and she eventually did.

"Please don't do this Charlie, I need you-"

"No you don't! You just want your way again, you want everything your way. Well I'm going to tell you something little miss perfect, this world doesn't spin for you. And it's not going to stop so that you can live your happy little life here, I'm going home, and I don't mean the stupid old beach house my dad has brought us to, I mean back to Warmsmede, so don't wait up. Because even though you're not dead, you're dead to me!"

The started screaming at me. "Don't say that Charlie!!! You Don't mean that!"

So I returned the favour. "Yes I do, you've done nothing but cause me trouble. I've had so many sleepless nights because of you, and I'm sick of it. I never want to see you again!"

"Charlie I love you!" She screamed.

"Shut up, just shut up! You don't you just want me to stay. I bet you loved Mitch, and every other guy you've been on and off with. But that's not love Evelyn. Loving somebody is putting them before yourself-"

And then she kissed me.

It wasn't like the describe in the movies. I could smell the cigarette smoke on her clothes and her foundation on her skin. But it was soft and romantic, like she meant it.

"I never kissed anybody like that, because I never meant it before you." She confessed.