The Element: A Shift in the Water (Completed)

Chapter 24- Monsters

Everly

My knees go weak when Zeke stares at me.

Holy moly.

The man leaves me breathless.

I make my way over to the girls and tie my cape around my neck. I've never worn anything so beautiful. When I saw the dress on the mannequin at the store, my mind couldn't compute the fact that I was going to wear it tonight. Luckily, our dresses have corset backings, so the fit is perfect.

I've spent the day practicing walking in the heels with a goal to not look like a newborn deer taking steps for the first time. I feel confident and sexy; two feelings that are as foreign to me as they are exciting.

"Okay, ladies!" Thea sings, "Time to go."

I walk towards the door but Danny stops me, "Listen, Evie," his tone serious, "stay with the girls tonight. Downtown can get hectic on Halloween. Don't leave your drink unattended and don't eat or drink anything that a stranger gives you."

Smirking at his authoritative stance, I smartly add, "And remember 'stranger danger'."

Danny grumbles, "I'm serious, Everly."

I reach up to adjust the goggles hanging from his neck, "I know you are. Please remember that I am a grown woman. Yes, I've been somewhat removed from common social interactions, but I'm smart and I will be alert."

Smiling, Danny replies, "Promise?"

"Cross my heart," I respond.

The girls and I pile into Caylin's SUV and head for downtown. With the radio blasting through the speakers, we sing along and laugh as we travel behind Jack and Bev.

Caylin reaches forward and turns down the volume. "Okay, Everly Anderson! Spill," she demands.

Meeting her eyes in the review mirror, I ask, "Spill what?"

"Don't play coy with us, Evie," Thea says.

I smile at her use of my nickname, "I'm not playing anything!" I laugh.

"Zeke and Evie sitting in a tree..." Bel teasingly sings. The girls, all but Serenity, join in the chorus. My cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Bel looks at me and says, "Seriously, Evie, You could cut the sexual tension with a freaking knife."

Dropping my head in my hands, I let out a groan, "Was it that obvious? Please tell me it's not that obvious," I beg.

The response is a resounding, "Yes!"

Thea takes in my discomfort, "Don't worry. Bel is more in tune with these type of things. She pointed it out to us. But don't be upset, Evie. The two of you are really cute."

"Cute?" I ask through my hands.

"He's flippin' hot!" Bel announces.

"Bel," Thea scolds.

"What?" Bel replies. "He is! I call em like I see em and Zeke James is a muscle mass of eye candy. Plus, he's a genuinely good guy and lest we forget the next alph-"

"Bel!" Caylin interrupts. "Less talk about Zeke and more discussion about Mason. I saw you staring at him tonight."

"I was not," Bel retorts.

"Were too," Serenity chimes in from the backseat. I look back in disbelief. All this time and she's never spoken a word.

"Oh, shut it, Seri!" Bel demands. "For your information, I was staring at him because he's wearing eyeliner."