Silence Is She

five - I'm not okay

He walked slowly towards her and plopped down on the ground next to her. He didn't say a word; he only sat still and watched the starry sky on this chilly night, listening to Evelyn's quiet sob.

It took approximately two minutes for her to finally stop crying and when she tried to stand up to return to the library, that was when she noticed someone sitting beside her. She let out a surprised shriek and tumbled backwards, landing on her bottoms.

"W-who are you?" She managed to say.

When he turned around to look at her, she almost gaped aloud. He was gorgeous. Even at night, she could clearly make out all his features—strong jaw, chiseled face and beautiful blue eyes. She wondered how could she possibly not notice someone this strikingly handsome and this close to her all this time. She must've been too caught up in her own drama.

He smiled the sweetest smile she's ever seen. It was so pure that she felt envious of him as she could never be able to smile that way.

"I'm just a nobody who's somehow very concerned about you," he replied, still looking at her.

Maybe it was the deep voice of his or the fact that he sounded so genuine that rendered her speechless. Someone actually cared about her?

There's no way that is true when her own mother doesn't even acknowledge her as a daughter. He's only trying to lure her in with his innocent words so he can take advantage of her and backstab her when she's most vulnerable. Yes, that must be it.

"But why?" She asked, curious to know how he's going to respond.

He looked taken aback by that as if the question caught him way off guard. He turned to stare back at the sky when he felt too overwhelmed with her questioning brown eyes. "I don't know...," he trailed off as if he wasn't sure of it himself.

Evelyn furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. What is with that vague answer? He makes no sense at all. Maybe I should just get going, she thought. Before she made a move however, she contemplated whether she should say goodbye to him or not. She then decided not to as it seems more of a better choice considering he was just a stranger. And so, she got up and walked back to the library.

"Wait!"

That same deep voice called out, causing her to stop in her tracks when she was about to take a third step. She swiveled around to find him right in front of her and almost stumbled back by his sudden appearance.

Only when he was standing up was she able to fully comprehend his frame and how he could easily overpower her right now. He was very tall and...huge, with muscles bulging through his white t-shirt, but not too bulky. She barely reached his shoulders and he even had to bend his neck down to talk to her.

"I know this isn't my place to say anything, but are you alright?" He asked, worry filling his eyes.

She nodded.

"Are you sure?" He asked again, not fully convinced and satisfied with her lack of words.

Tell him you're not, she heard a voice in her head say.

But I don't know him, she replied back.

It doesn't matter.

I don't trust him.

That's the problem with you, Evelyn. How can you trust anyone if you don't even try to let them into your life?

Her head seems to have a mind on its own as if it's a person itself—the other Evelyn. They always have a fighting battle against each other and usually ends with almost a tie with Evelyn winning. But this time, the other Evelyn won. She was right.

She looked up at him and only innocent blue orbs stared back—no hatred, no disappointment, no judgement, only sincerity. She casted her eyes down and this time, shook her head.

"No, I'm not okay," she said quietly.

His eyes softened as if he was happy that she was being honest with him and not try to make him believe that she's fine when clearly, she isn't.

"May I ask you what's wrong?" He asked, carefully using words that won't offend her in any way.

"I'm stuck trying to do a writing assignment," she replied. He must be thinking of her as a weak person—crying over something so trivial. He's not wrong though; she never considered herself to be a mentally stable and strong person.

But he smiled that same charming smile of him and said, "I can help you with—"

"No, no!" Evelyn interrupted, shaking her head continuously. She didn't want to burden him with her own problems at all. But he gave out a confused look, with hurt visible in his eyes because of her quick rejection.

Oh no, I didn't mean to do that, she thought.

Before he could utter another word, she tried to change the situation around. "I mean, you'd do that?"

She looked up at him, eyes begging him to say no, begging him to just tell her the truth, tell her that he only said that out of politeness, tell her that he doesn't have any intention to help her at all and tell her that he hates every moment he spends talking to her and wishes to be gone right now.

But he smiled again—one so huge he got crinkles around his eyes.

"Of course I would."

This feels wrong, Evelyn thought. I really don't wanna bother him. I'm pretty sure he'd rather spend Friday night out with his friends than to help some loner do her English assignment.

"It's okay actually. I think I can manage it on my own," she said quietly, hoping she doesn't sound offensive.

"Oh, so you think I'm too dumb?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

Her eyes grew wide and she shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant!"

He chuckled lightly. "I actually got an A in English, believe it or not. So don't you worry about that."

"But—"

"No buts. Now let's get going," he cut her off and pulled her hand back into the library.

Just what has she gotten herself into?