Destined

Twenty Three

Tonight, the night of the benefit the Harris family would make an effort to attend had the home in a ruckus. Jolene was in a rush since she came home from work (even though she left early so she'd have time to get ready), making sure the men in the house were ready on time for once. Somehow, she didn't know how but, some magical entity always leaves Alex and Andrew taking the longest to get ready even when they don't have much to do. It was nothing new to Jolene because of growing up with the two, who never truly took any event too seriously, especially when together.
"The two of you better be on your best behaviors tonight. If not, I will not hesitate to end the night for all of us." The mothering figure exclaims while going back and forth between the men, fixing their looks.
"Come on Jo, we're adults now. You don't have to give us the lecture." Alex says, chuckling to his best friend who smiled in return.
"Don't you smile at that." Jolene smacks Andrew's arm lightly. "I mean it now, both of you have never been good at events together so please just act your age." She requests of them. After a few more minutes of waiting, she calls up to Evelyn who's been hiding away in her room preparing herself for the night ahead of her.
"Love," Andrew calls his wife. She turns to face him with questioning eyebrows. "You're a vision." Her fingers touch her hair, afraid to mess it up if she does anything more. The smile on her face is evident, as is the blush on her cheeks. She places a light kiss on his cheek, making sure there was no residue of her lipstick. The blush champagne color of her deep v lined, corset dress suits her skin tone perfectly. Its length and curve-hugging did wonders for her shape, while also showing her to be even taller. Jolene, when purchasing the dress was quite similar to her daughter. Thrilled to have found a dress that she loved and was almost too excited to wear it in its near future.
When Evelyn appeared at the top of the steps, she made sure to grab the bottom portion of her dress so she wouldn't trip on her way down. Her movements caught Alex's eye, leaving him breathless. He was taken aback by her beauty, he always was but always tried his hardest to hide it. But when seeing her at the top of those steps, something took over his mind and his expression was clear; mouth cracked open, shoulders fallen from their stiff place, eyebrows making a slight crease on his forehead from lifting, and eyes full of as much wonder and purity as a child. He was in awe at the young lady he's still fighting to get to know, even if it's taking longer than anticipated with the recent bumps.
Once standing at the bottom of the steps beside her mother she was given a compliment while her father gazed at the girl, sniffing and wiping at his eyes. She took that as the best compliment, giving him a big-hearted hug that she felt he deserved thousands of.
"Couper le souffle," Alex breathes. Evelyn looked his way, wondering what the words meant. She's noticed since he first showed up how he's said the sentence in rare times but specific times. It's something that's gotten to her because even though it's in French, her favorite language she's learned to date, she has no idea what it means. Mrs. Austen has never taught it but after Evelyn heard him say it just now, she makes a mental note to ask her teacher to translate for her.
The group was crowded by Andrew's colleagues when they had finally shown up accidentally a half hour late but was looked over just by the fact they were there. The four had made it through everyone who had eventually dispersed after a simple hello and a look of unimportance given by Alex.
"Darling, dance with me," Jolene asks too sweetly to her husband when she saw others doing the same. Andrew couldn't say no, he loved her too much to say no unless he felt he needed to. He would give her the world if it came down to it, all she'd have to do is ask and it'd be hers. So he held her hand and brought her to the dance floor, leaving the enemies alone.
"Evelyn," Alex starts.
"Please don't right now. Go and mingle or something." She tells him, walking off to do just that and not allowing him to finish what he was going to say.
He refused to mingle with these people that meant nothing to him. So until someone came back, he stood around people watching with his drink in hand. There were two women who had flirted with him but he shut it down faster than a hot knife through butter. 'Why,' he had wondered. It didn't matter to him if he was in a relationship, which was unofficial since he had never asked or been asked to be labeled as boyfriend and girlfriend. Not since Hailey had he ever cared about another woman enough to make it official and the sad part was that he didn't think he ever would care like that again. Alex felt like maybe he was the type of man to have flings and one night stands but never something that would last. Definitely, nothing that would mean something to him. It was all fun and games to him, that's all Maria is to him and he's waiting to get bored with her - as Evelyn told her - before he breaks it off. He sure is tired of her comments about Evelyn and the arguments she has with the young blonde. Alex had kept his eyes forward, watching his friends sway together. Andrew would whisper something to Jolene and she would laugh and when she would say whatever came to mind to her husband, he would smile to her. This happened too many times for Alex to count before the couple made their way back to him.
"You haven't moved," Andrew observes disappointedly.
"I see no reason to," Alex responds.
"Dance, mingle, have some fun that doesn't include drinking."
"Hey," Alex says sternly, "this is the only drink I've had the entire time we've been here."
"Come on, show you're at least a little happy to be out of the house and surrounded by people." Jolene requests.
"Is that the same speech you give your daughter?" He counters back bitterly. The look he receives from Jolene hurts his insides but he won't show it.
"Speaking of my daughter, have you noticed no one is dancing with her?" Mr. Harris questions his beloved friend. Alex didn't want to admit he's noticed but it only has him finding her sitting alone in the crowd of people taking a look at everyone dancing to the music.
"Certainly have."
"I want you to dance with her, make her feel better. God knows she needs it, especially after last night."
"Yes because dancing with me, of all people, will make her feel better. Why don't you, she is your kid after all."
"I've danced with her many times, it'll be a new scenery."
"Andrew, please tell me you do recall she and I don't particularly get along. She simply won't allow it."
"I'm not giving you the option. You're going to go over there and dance with her until she feels better."
He knew he wasn't winning and that it'd be so much better to just do as his friend tells him to. Alex sighs when making his way through the crowd of people to get to Evelyn. She watches him for a moment with a puzzled look on her face until he reaches his hand out waiting for her to take it. At first, she resists him, explaining how she was not going to take his hand to do anything, but as he informs her of her father's wishes she reluctantly gives in. He holds her hand loosely but tight enough so it won't slip from his before they can get to the dance floor. His empty hand met her waist and hers fell to his shoulder. "I would never do this voluntarily." The ravishing blonde told him as the music began.
"Well I wouldn't either but you don't see me complaining about it." He retorts.
"You don't need to be rude about it. I was only saying." He tsked, cooing at her words.
"And ruin our argumentative relationship? I don't think so, princess."
"And here for a moment, I thought you were actually showing some sense of restored humanity. Guess I was wrong." Alexander swayed her, spinning her out and pulling her back into his chest. Her obvious shock was enough to get him to smirk, pressing his fingertips into her back. They caught each other's eyes and continue moving with the rhythm.
"I, my darling, am as humane as you'll ever know."
"Oh, I really don't think you should use words you don't understand, Alexander."
"You really don't know me."
"I really don't want to." His hand held hers to his chest, keeping it there while he unknowingly tries to pull her closer.
"You might like me once you get to know me."
"Highly unlikely but nice try."
"You know, I don't know why I'm pestering you about this."
"Or anything, since that's seemingly what you love to do."
"Look, I get you must have stuff going on but I think-"
"I did not come dance with you just so you could try to spring this bullshit act on me. Whatever's going on with me is mine and my parent's business, not yours."
"Really, is that why they aren't aware of the school incident but I am?"
"Oh, you asshole."
"I'm telling the truth, you just don't like it."
"No, I don't like you."
"Well, we both know that's not true." He says, regaining the smirk from earlier.
"Oh, shut your mouth. And you know what says you, Mr. Oh Look There's A Wall I Have To Push Her Against It. Grabbing my face and touching me like you own me."
"You wish I touched you like you were mine."
"I don't have to you already do, so there's no point in wishing it."
"We both know what you wish I'd do to you." She huffs at him. He spins her and pulls her back again, this time much messier in accordance with her being stunned by his words.
"I beg your pardon and what would that be?" He leans in, burning his eyes into hers as if the sun was colliding with the Earth, then moving his lips to her ear. He laughs softly, she hears him lick his lips causing her to take in a short breath when he says his words.
"You want me to kiss you." He lingers his head, then moving back to look at her again. "I do wonder for how long you've wished it."
"Oh please, you want to kiss me so don't push the blame on me."
"I heard you take in a breath, you can't hide it. I put the blame where blame is due and I'm not hiding my manly needs for satisfaction but for your information, you're wrong. You're a teenager and the daughter of two of my best friends, I could never want to kiss you. I don't see where this idea of me wanting you in any way, shape, or form came into play in your head but you might want to erase it because I don't feel that way and I never could. Especially not in this environment."
"That's not you feel when you look at me for a moment too long. That's not what you feel when you touch me. When you want to kiss me." Is all she said back to him although her mind was flooded with thoughts, lectures and everything else under the sun that had to do with love and relationships or even a simple little kiss. She felt that even though he had said what he had said, something was underlying his words; as if he was unsure of something in the back of his mind but maybe hadn't noticed. She knew one thing for sure and that was him thinking he knew everything about love, feelings of any sort, relationships, and himself when he was so clearly wrong. But then again, she was just an observer and had no intention of bringing that to life. Evelyn felt her shoulders fall subconsciously to his voice, she listened with the greatest thought of responding better but when it came to, she couldn't. She was slightly taken aback, to say the least, and she was reaching deep down inside herself to try to figure out why, however, it was nowhere to be found.
"And how would you know? I feel the same way when wanting to kiss everyone, you're not special."
"A girl can dream can't she?" Evelyn asks in a sarcastic tone that makes Alex squint at her. "I don't think you recall exactly how that night went down like you think you do."
"And how did it go down in your mind?"
"You started it, you left no space. You touched me first, you said what you said, you made that happen by forcing yourself in my room. Not me."
"You didn't stop me, you do remember that much of reality right? You told me what you wanted."
"That wasn't me."
"Then who was it, because I saw the way you were. You wanted that just as much-" she cuts him off.
"As you did."
"Evelyn, don't say that."
"Why? That's what you were going to say. You were going to say I wanted it just as much as you but that wasn't me." She repeats.
"Who was it?"
"My body took over, I wasn't thinking. Those words never processed through my mind."
"They never processed because that's what you really wanted."
"I can't keep having this conversation with you..."
"Why not?"
"Because it's never going to happen so there's no point in wasting breath on it."
"Do you want it to happen?"
"Alexander, that is enough. You need to stop."
When the night was over, all four met up where Alex stood earlier that night. On their way out, they (or more so Andrew) were stopped a couple of times but were able to get out and get home much faster than when they showed up. The drive home was fairly quiet for the night everyone's had. Jolene has her hand on Andrew's knee, his hand over hers. She watches him while he drives and he smiles every now and again to let her know he appreciates her. It is a truly beautiful marriage.
"You two danced the night away." Mr. Harris says enthusiastically once they've all entered the home. He's thrilled from seeing how once his friend and his daughter began dancing, they didn't stop until it was time to go. He assumed Evelyn was in a better mood when they walked up to him and his wife at the end of the night because she had a smile as big as a full moon.
"Not like you gave much of a choice daddy."
"I just wanted to see my little girl smile and it seems to have worked." Mr. Harris plants a kiss on the top of her head then grabs hold of his wife's hand for the billionth time that night and leaving the room.
"Probably just impressed by my dancing skills," Alexander says.
"More so surprised than impressed but you go and think whatever you want, even if it's untrue," Evelyn tells him.
"Why don't you go to your room and stop talking?"
"Alexander, you have no reason to be rude. All night I've had to endure your attitude and I'm tired of your mouth. So how about this, you watch your tongue before you end up offending more people."
"Oh I've offended you now, have I?" The large grin on his face shows how much he truly loves this game with her. He loves her telling him he's been or is being rude and goes on to act the same way to him. He loves that he can go from not talking to her to small words, a full-blown fight then some unintentional flirting and straight back to the arguing. If he had to choose a favorite pastime while being here, this is what he'd pick.
"You've offended everyone simply by being here."
"Yet you seem to be the only one with a problem. Why is that?" He asks, genuinely curious for the answer.
"Because you're irritating."
"Damn, I was hoping for something with a little more fire." He says, stepping closer to Evelyn, holding his hand in a fist to gesture fire.
"Saving it for another day."
"A rainy one?" He questions, tilting his head down with a small bend in his back and a raised eyebrow.
"A hurricane." Is her response when raising her chin, their faces inches apart.
"Which is something very similar to you and what you've got going on up there." He pokes her head. Evelyn pushes him away in defense.
"You have no idea what's going on with me!" She exclaims.
"That's because you won't tell me." He informs while she's running to her room. A loud slamming sound echoes throughout the house.
The next two nights were rough, not just for Evelyn but for Alexander as well. In their own separate worlds, of course, Evelyn had been in her head and wasn't speaking much to anyone. She kept to herself when doing little things that she deemed necessary but other than that she stayed in her room or spent time under her favorite tree in the backyard. What she was thinking was a mystery even to herself however she didn't seem to mind the silence of her voice to let the thoughts flow freely for once. No one questioned her when they noticed a difference, she had been out of sorts for a week now and her behavior has changed, they all just sat and watched the past couple of days go by. Allowing Evelyn to do what she felt she needed to do before she could open her mouth and actually let the words fall out. Yet, while Alex may or may not have wished his next conversation with her would be a tad more light-hearted that's not what he got in the end. As he had been preparing himself for a light conversation with the blonde beauty, a certain brunette had been wreaking havoc in his life. Maria had been doing what he had hoped she wouldn't do so soon and that was bore him although it wasn't mostly being bored with her that had caught his attention, it was her constant complaining about the people in her life. It went from her high school friend saying ridiculous things, to her mother being "an annoying twat", to her father saying she needed to get her life together and the list just went on and on. It was getting sickening to him and this is when he realized that this isn't where he wanted to be. He shouldn't be sitting on her couch, scrolling through the channels and blocking her out when she was speaking. It was far too early, it had only been just over a month and it should've taken up to two months or even two and a half so this had him completely boggled. He had no idea if he was going to break it off with her or if he would drag it out a little while longer to see if it'll go away.
It almost seemed as if the moment Monday afternoon rolled around when the two were both in the living room watching the television screen that something had set Evelyn off. She was unsure to what exactly it was like she had been unsure for the past few days but somewhere in her mind, a switch had been flipped.
"You pompous asshole." The words caught him off guard and at first, he didn't even notice she was talking to him.
"You haven't spoken in days and that's the first thing you have to say to me?"
"You tell me I'm fake and that I am a brat and then out of nowhere you'll act so damn smug. You stroll into this house where I have spent all my life growing up and you take over. My parents and I no longer have the relationship we did before you showed up. I listen to you speak and watch you do what you do. The way you talk is so arrogant like you're so important and as if you know every little thing about the world and us. You're a pompous, arrogant, asshole who brings his whore of a girlfriend in this house where you have no right to do so. You think you know what's going on with me when you know nothing. I'll admit I think I know things because I spend every second my eyes are open observing the people around me that when someone walks in here in the type of suit you did, it shows how important you think you are. But you're not as important as you think you are and it scares you, and I know it does because I can see you fading."
"Evelyn, you shut your mouth right now or I will shut it for you," Alex says, his jaw clenched together.
"You can't tell me what to do, you're not my father." She tells him.
"I doubt your father would allow this vulgarity coming from your mouth."
"Funny thing about that is that he isn't here to hear it so it doesn't particularly matter."
"It matters to me." He states, finally looking her way to see her staring at him coldly.
"Like I care."
"You know what, you're a bitch. You are a bitch and I'm done with whatever this is. I'm tired of your attitude and no one telling you that it's wrong to act this way towards others. Do you not realize that if you continue to treat people this way then it's only going to come back to bite you in the ass?"
"I only treat you this way. Everyone else has earned my respect."
"You didn't give me the chance."
"I don't need more people in my life. You are completely irrelevant to me. I don't need you in my life and I don't want you in it. I have my parents and my friends."
"Really? Your friends? Your parents tell me you don't have many friends or any at that."
"Well, then they've lied to you because all of you have obviously met Lia."
"She's the only one and you're even pushing her away so don't tell me they're lying when they are so close to the truth."
"I'm not pushing her away."
"Tell me what that was the other night before that breakdown then. Huh? Is that why you take those pills because you don't have any friends?"
"Are you serious? That's the least of my worries."
"Then tell me."
"You want me to tell you - I'll tell you, you're an idiot. You don't take pills because of not having any friends."
"Why do you take your pills. They won't tell me but they told me there's something wrong with you. They told me that I'd have to hear it from you but it's so damn hard when all you do is bitch at me. Tell me, tell me and I will leave it alone!" Alex raises his voice. He stands abruptly, waiting for her to say something close to what he's needing so badly to hear. "Just please do this for me." He whispers his beg, eyebrows scrunching in hope.
Evelyn stares at him blankly for a minute deciding on whether or not it'd be a good idea to tell him. Would it get him off her back? "I'm severely depressed." She brings herself to her feet, shrugging with little follow through in the action so her shoulders don't visibly move. He said nothing, not comprehending that she actually told him after so much bombardment. His body felt limp but stood strong. "Are you happy now?" Evelyn remained in her spot for another minute without hearing a response from him. She saw no intention of speaking from his straight lined lips so the short young girl left the room. There was no rush in her steps, only sorrow. The sorrow that filled her soul.