ROMEO

6

E.V.A.

I have to stop letting it show. People can see through me.

Or at least he can.

I'm hoping he doesn't remember my family from the news, because I can't relive that moment again.

I don't have the strength to tell the story.

I wander past them, heading to the area Alex told me about. A gorgeous girl smiles at me. I smile back, needing to get my mind off him.

The girl stands, a little shorter than me and thin. Her beautiful thick curls are pulled into a high ponytail and her thin body is wrapped in a skintight black dress.

She was dressed to impress.

I remember her from Math.

"Hi, I'm Hannah," She says, smiling.

"Evangeline," I say, sitting in the chair beside her.

"Ohhh, nice name!" She cheers. "A bit long, though."

I chuckle. Everyone seems to think that.

I turn around, weirdly searching for Romeo. He turns to me and I smile, waving at him. He smiles back, but somethings wrong. I raise a brow, wondering what's wrong.

Is it me? Is it too early to be waving? Are we even friends?

Why do I feel sick at the thought of us not being friends? We just met.

Hannah pulls me from my thoughts. "We're painting trees. I know, it's boring, but I've painted most everything. I'm a good painter so I don't like painting the small shit."

I smile. "I'm not a good painter, so this is fine."

She laughs and hands me the paint. "Get to work."

I go to smile at her but she's turned away from me, smiling at Romeo. He frowns back at her, his lip between his teeth.

What's going on there?

I tilt my head to the side, my lip pouting.

What's got you down, Romeo?

And how can I help?

***

"We made chocolate pancakes this morning, Eva!" Milo beams into the camera.

"No way!" I exclaim, feigning excitement.

"Yes way!"

My dad walks into the room and my heart swells with longing. I miss them so much.

"Milo, buddy, go into you room and give me the phone. I need to talk to Eva."

Milo pouts but obeys. "Bye, sissy."

"Bye, Milo. I'll talk to you soon."

He leaves the room and I can't help but feel uneasy. Usually, Dad talked to me in front of Milo. This had to be serious.

"Hey, Dad. What's Wrong?"

He yawns, stretching his arms above his head. He opens his eyes, same baby blue ones as mine, staring back at me. Freckles dot his nose and upper cheeks, reminding me of someone I need to let go.

But I can't right now.

"Hey, Eva."

He doesn't speak for a few seconds, but after a few more, he begins. "Emillie still hasn-"

"I don't want to know," I say cutting him off abruptly.

"Eva," He says, authority present in his voice.