Zoe and Evan

We're A Million Worlds Apart

2 Years Later

Evan put all his stuff in the back of the car. He had a 2 hour drive before he would be home. He hadn't seen Zoe since January. Now it was June, so he was scared of how their first interaction would be like. After he had gotten to his house, Heidi greeted him at the door. "Hi, honey." She hugged him. "Hi," He smiled as he hugged back. "I missed you." She squeezed him tighter. "Mom, you saw me at Christmas." Evan laughed, pulling away. "That was five months ago." She argued. "Okay, well I missed you too." He surrendered. "Come inside." Heidi ushered him in.

"So are you still dating Zoe Murphy?" She asked. She had grown to actually like Zoe over the past 2 years. "Um... we broke up." Evan admitted. "What? When?" She gasped. "A couple weeks after after I got back from winter break." Evan told her. "Oh honey, I'm sorry. What happened?" She rubbed his back. "We just had a falling out I guess." Evan shrugged. "I'm so sorry." She frowned. "It's fine. To be honest, I expected it to happen sooner." Evan said. With that, he went to his room. He was about to pull out his laptop but jumped when his phone pinged.

Jenna: Hey, Ev!

Evan smiled. Jenna was his friend from college. They had journalism together. She was very sweet and funny. She didn't recognize him from the news which made Evan happy. He didn't want to tell his mom this, but Jenna was one of the reasons Zoe and him had broken up. It wasn't her fault but she was.

Evan: Hi, Jen!

Jenna: Did you make it back okay?

Evan: Yeah. Just got home

Jenna: Cool! I'm boarding my plain now

Evan: Okay. Talk to you when you land

Jenna: See ya tree boy!

Evan: Jen no! Not this again!

Jenna: I'll never stop!

Jenna: Okay, I really have to go

Evan: Bye!

Jenna: Bye!

Evan returned to his message list. The one under Jenna's was my mom's. But under that was Zoe. He scrolled through their last conversation. It was a few days before they broke up.

Zoe: Hey babe!

Evan: Sorry, I was studying with Jenna. Hey!

Zoe: With Jenna?

Evan: Yeah, we have a test coming up

Zoe: Oh. Well how would you feel if I came to see you?

Evan: That would be awesome!

Zoe: I'll make it happen

Evan: Great! I have to go, Jenna and I are meeting up after lunch

Zoe: Okay, see you in a few days!

Evan: Bye Zo!

Evan almost started tearing up. He was sad that the one girl who accepted him for who he was didn't want to talk to him. "Evan! You hungry?" Heidi called. "No! I ate before I got here!" He called back. He wiped his eyes before seeing a message from Cynthia.

Cynthia: Hello Evan, I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with us tomorrow night. I heard you were coming home.

Evan froze. He didn't know what to say. He didn't think he could sit across from Zoe and act like they were okay. What if they were mad at him? It's bad enough they lied to them, but now he broke their daughter's heart. He hestitated but typed out a response.

Evan: Sure, if you'll have me

Cynthia: Of course! I look forward to seeing you!

The following evening, Evan put on a nice shirt and pants. "Where are you going looking so handsome?" Heidi smiled. "I'm having dinner with the Murphys." Evan said. "Oh, alright. See you tonight." She smiled. Evan drove over to the Murphys, sitting in his car for a moment. After a few minutes, he worked up the nerve to get out and knock on the door. To his dismay, Zoe answered the door. "Hi." She smiled. "Hi." He smiled back. "Come in." She moved so Evan could walk past her. Larry sat on the couch. "Evan!" He sat down his wine glass. "Hi, Mr Murphy." He said. Cynthia came from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready." She said. She then saw Evan. "Hello, Evan." She smiled at him. Evan went into the dining room with them. He saw Connor's seat was where he was sitting. "It's okay, Evan." Cynthia assured him. He nodded and sat down. Cynthia put a plate in front of each of them and sat down herself.

"So Evan, how's college?" Larry asked. "Good. I'm planning on majoring in Journalism." He told him. "That makes sense. You always were an incredible writer." Cynthia smiled. Zoe looked at him, then back at her food. Larry noticed it but ignored it. "So Zoe," Evan got out. "Do you know what you're planning on majoring in?" Zoe looked up. "Um... music." She said. "I figured." He smiled. She was a great guitar player and singer. Even though he didn't mean it that way, Zoe took it as an insult. So she pushed him. "How's your new gilrfriend?" She asked. "What?" Larry looked at Evan. "Who are you talking about?" Evan asked. "You know. Jenna? That 'hot' blonde you're always with?" She spat. "She's not my girlfriend, she's just my study partner and friend." Evan argues. "Oh please." Zoe scoffed. "Zoe, you got upset over nothing. Sure she's a girl and I guess she's pretty, but we're only friends." Evan tried to reason with her. "That's bull!" Zoe jumped out of her seat. "You may have been good at lying about my brother, but you can't lie to me about this!" She yelled. "Zoe Christine Murphy!" Cynthia scorned. "Whatever." Zoe rolled her eyes and went to her room. A few seconds of silence lasted, then her door slammed, then more silence. Evan sat there, remembering the night they had broken up.

"Okay, what is a beat?" Evan read off his study guide. Jenna thought for a second before picking up both of their pencils and drumming them on the floor. Evan laughed. "Funny, but really. What is it?" He smiled. "A beat is a reporters area of responsibility." Jenna answered. "Correct." Evan said. Jenna takes the sheet from him, "Evan," Jenna looks him the eyes. "Yes?" He smiled. "What is... a jumpline?" She asked. "That is a..." He thought. "Oh! It's line telling the reader what page the rest of the story is on." Evan said proudly. "Congrats nerd!" Jenna threw the paper back at him. "Hey!" He laughed. They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Evan got up and opened it. Zoe stood there, a wide smile on her face. "Zoe!" He hugged her. "Hi." She said. "Oh my God, I can't believe you're here." He smiled widely. Jenna stood. "Oh, you remember Jenna, right Zoe?" Evan asked. "Of course. Hey." Zoe nodded. "Hi," Jenna said back. "Hey, I should probably go. I have class soon. We'll meet up later?" Jenna touched his arm. Zoe clearly saw it but said nothing. "Yeah, bye." Jenna waved and walked out. "So, what were you two doing?" Zoe asked. "We were studying. The test is tomorrow." Evan told her. "You two have been spending a lot of time together." Zoe walked over to his bed and sat down. "Yeah, we're a pretty good match when it comes to studying." Evan smiled. "Really?" Zoe said. "Yeah, I keep her focused and she makes sure I don't get too serious." He explained. "You? Serious? Never!" She joked. "Ha ha." Evan threw a pillow at her.

After Jenna had come back, Zoe sat in the corner and watched them study. Evan was quizzing Jenna on more terms. "That's the line that says who wrote the article." Jenna answers. "Yep!" Evan said. "Woo!" Jenna raised her hand up. Evan grabbed it and shook it around. "Evan? Can I talk to you? Alone." Zoe asked suddenly. Jenna went in to the hallway. "Are you doing this because I'm here?" She asked. "Doing what?" Evan asked, clueless. "Flirting with her!" She said. "I was not! That's what we do. I have a girlfriend, why would I flirt with Jenna?" Evan argued. "Every time I try to talk to you, you're with her or you're too anxious to talk." Zoe pointed out. "Because she's my study partner. And since when is my anxiety a problem?" Evan raised his voice a little. "I don't know, since it's been causing you to avoid me. When Christmas came around you acted like you didn't want to talk to me!" Zoe said. "I can't help my anxiety. But you can help your obvious jealously!" Evan yelled. "Oh, that's how you're gonna be? I drive 2 hours to see you and this is how you treat me!" Zoe crosses her arms. "You're the one who started this! Jenna and I were casually studying and you act like I just kissed her in front of you!" Evan said. "If this is how it's gonna be every time I visit, maybe we should break up!" Zoe yelled. "Fine with me!" Evan yelled back, regretting it the second he said it. "Fine!" Zoe stormed out. Evan fell on the floor out of pure shock of what had just happened. "Are you okay? I heard you guys." Jenna asked from the door. "You did?" Evan pulled his knees to his chest. "You guys were pretty loud, I'm pretty sure I would've heard it from my dorm." Jenna sat beside me. "You wanna talk about it?" She asked. Evan didn't answer, but instead hugged her. He knew Jenna was shocked but she let him.

Evan sighed. He thought this summer could reconnect them, but it might have made it worse. They used to be so close, but now it feels like they're a million worlds apart.