Going Back

Chapter Ten - Love At First Sight.

When my eyes opened again, Evan was carrying me to the sofa.

"Alice?!" he called out.

"I'm okay." I replied, my voice a croak.

"I'm calling an ambulance." he exclaimed as he sat me down, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"No!" I shouted. "I'm fine."

I was fine after all, this was just an adverse reaction to the realization that everything I had avoided was going to suddenly be everything I was.

"You fainted." Evan exclaimed, his words filled with distress. He knelt down in front of me and lifted his hands my my face, checking me over to make sure I really was okay.

I tried to ignore the flutter of seemingly adolescent butterflies in my lower stomach and nodded.

"Yes, I just... I guess it was a little left over stage fright." I murmured. "I'm fine honestly."

Evan sort of fell backward onto the ground and let his hands rest on his knees. "I can't put you through this Ace."

"Will you stop?" I replied, my tone a little more brusque than I meant it to be. "I want to do this. I want to help save Booked Out. So what if I have to face a little stage fright. It's worth it if we win."

"Then we'd better win." Evan whispered.

"Do you have any ideas?" I asked softly. "I'm afraid I've never really tried to write my own stuff before."

Evan shrugged and looked up at me, he seemed afraid as he gazed at me. Slowly though that faded and he stood up.

"I wrote some stuff, when Jean and I... No one knows about it."

I could tell he was hesitant about telling me, he spoke slowly, but deliberately. He was pushing himself because I was pushing myself.

Singing the words he'd meant for someone he loved seemed wrong, but we were short on time.

"You write music?" I asked.

"Wrote." He murmured. "I haven't since... I guess I just haven't felt inspired. I'm not much of a singer. But the musical gene didn't completely miss me."

"Well then, you'd best show me."

Evan stood up and walked out of the room. I closed my eyes and let my head rest against the back of the couch. Jean had been Evan's muse, Despite what Ruby had said, Evan had real feelings for her. Feelings that probably still weren't resolved.

When Evan returned he held a black notebook in his hands, so tight that his knuckles were white. He walked to the sofa and sat down beside me.

"The music is all written down too." He muttered. "I could get my guitar."

I nodded and he stood up, placing the notebook on my lap as he quickly left the room again. I placed my hands on it, hesitant to open the pages and allow myself to see inside Evan's head.

I forced myself and as soon as I read the first line of the first song I knew he was good.

Evan returned as I was still reading the first song. It was a ballad. With some huge notes. I was humming it as he sat down.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"I think you're an amazing song writer." I replied honestly. "While I may not think much of the subject these are based on... you have a wonderful ability to capture and use the words you need to."