Feeling somehow guilty and very confused about Evie's abrupt exit, I pondered over her as I walked through the front door to a storm of angry questions from my mum.
"I gave you a strict curfew young man," Mum scolded. "What makes you think you can disregard it just like that?"
"I just...I'm sorry, what?" I finished confused.
"Don't you go about pretending you don't know what I'm talking about!" She went on. "Granny came to dinner tonight. We had a nice family dinner...or we would have if you had been here! Now go apologise to her."
Gran was a very happy person. She was one of my favourite relatives, with an everlasting smile and the best brownies anyone could make. Walking into the living room, I was greeted by a smile and "It's alright honey, one dinner isn't the end of the world. There will be more, you'll see."
"Thanks! I promise I'll try not to miss the next one," I answered, and went to my room a little happier that Mum's idea of a punishment was a simple apology, but still confused that I didn't remember anything about a dinner.
That feeling quickly faded away however, as I thought again of what had happened. I couldn't stop thinking about it, about her. I lay down on my bed and stared up at the ceiling, tracing imaginary lines around all the eyes in the wood. What to do, what to do...
Suddenly, my phone beeped as it received a text from Ethan: "Hey, call me when you get this."
Confused as to why he hadn't called me first, I quickly rang him and patiently waited as it rang.
"Hello?"
"Yeah it's me, why'd you text me instead of calling?"
"Oh didn't you have dinner with your auntie or something?"
"I actually missed that," I replied with a little smile, remembering how worked up Mum had been only for it all to culminate in a little apology.
"Alright well I've got some stuff to tell you, Becky slipped me her number," said Ethan. I could almost hear him blush when talking about Becky.
"Okay tell me?"
"She wants to talk to you. Becky, I mean."
"Why?" I asked, confused as to why she hadn't told Ethan what she wanted to tell me.
"I don't know, she didn't say." He finished by reciting her number twice to make sure I got it, then hung up. The swirling thoughts in my mind became even more jumbled up as Becky entered into the mix. What was the info meant for my ears and not Ethan's? Again, what was with Evie's abrupt exit? I decided to give Becky a ring before my mind became too full of questions.
"Becky? It's Tristan, Ethan said you had things to tell me," I said,
"Oh hey. Ethan's right, but don't worry it's nothing too dramatic. It's about Evie. She...um she likes you," came the reply.
"Oh. Okay..." I answered back. It felt like a huge burden had been lifted off my back, as cliché as that sounded. "Why did she leave so quickly though? And without even a proper 'Bye'?"
"Well honestly I don't really know either. She told me later that it was because she had some appointment for something, but I don't believe her. I think it's you. Nervousness at being so close to you, or something like that."
"Wow. Okay," I didn't really know what to think about that. She likes me, but she's scared of me, how did that happen? I felt myself becoming nervous again as I thought of how someone could be scared of someone who was, well, me.
"Yeah. She's a girl, I'm a girl, we've both had crushes before, and I can see the signs there!" Becky said happily.
I felt lightheaded, and my heart did this weird thing where it would almost burst out my chest anytime I thought of her. It was a strange feeling, but it was...nice.
"Talking about crushes, I think someone's got a little something for you too," I added with a little smile.
"Really?" asked Becky excitedly, "Who is it?"
"Well...you were talking to him in the coffee shop, remember?"
"Hmm..there was only you and Ethan, I didn't talk to anyone else really...wait a minute. Ethan?"
"Yeah, he told me as we were walking home."
"Really? Ethan likes me? Wow I never would have thought - Ethan - wow! I'm sorry you have to listen to me fan girling but wow Ethan likes me...oh man..."
"Do you like him too?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Well yeah," she replied with a little giggle. "He's only been my crush for like, EVER? I mean have you heard that voice?"
"I have actually," I replied matter-of-factly, smiling as I did so.
"Oh you know what I mean...anyway. Enough fan-girling for now. This is quite lucky don't you think? Me and Ethan, you and Evie. We could go on double dates and things! This will be so fun!!"
"Hey calm yourself," I said with a chuckle, "We've literally talked like once. How do I know it's an actual crush?"
"Hmmm..I know! We'll set you up. We could do the same thing, but at like at an amusement park or -"
"Amusement park? In winter?" I interrupted. "Shouldn't we do something more...sheltered?"
"Oh yes, true. We'll think of something. Anyway, it's been such fun talking to you, but I have to go now. Sorry," Becky finished.
"Ah that's okay, talk later! Bye," I said, hanging up and smiling. Ethan. Becky. Aww. The thought of two best friends falling for two other best friends was just a little too perfect to handle. Meanwhile, the thought of me and Evie gave me butterflies in my stomach, that wouldn't stop fluttering about.
A moment later, a thought popped into my head which made me stop everything and slap my forehead in realisation (just like in the movies). I should have asked for Evie's number from Becky! Missed opportunity to surprise her with some cheesy pick up line or something idiotic like that. I resolved to ask Becky for it tomorrow.
With all that drama behind me, I decided to go sleep. After all, I couldn't really do anything else except think about the newest chapter that had just opened in the book of my life.
