"she was the type of person who'd explain how she was going to stab you in the front before she actually shoved the knife in... and you'd let her.
she'd probably even pass the knife to you so you can shove it in your own chest...and you would."
tom...
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t h e l a s t week had been the worst week of Tom's life, excluding the one in which he had first met Evelyn. For Evelyn, having something against him was worse than her just existing.
He had effortlessly avoided any real conversation about the date with Calista, but Evelyn had been relentless in finding the flaw in his plan. She asked about everything and anything related to the other girl, so much so that by the morning of Saturday, Tom was sure seeing Calista in person again would make him go mad.
What would be worse is if he had to see Evelyn. She had made him so unexplainably angry by the end of the week that anytime even her name was brought up, he had begun snapping his quills, which was another topic for her to bring up. He hadn't been so upset about just the conversation of the date, but when he had asked to continue their lessons, Evelyn had been quick to chastise him about it. Her words had been so calm, so pointedly petty, that Tom had felt as if he had been caught doing something naughty by the Matron at the orphanage.
She had explained to him that it was unfit for them to be alone together anymore. That Calista, the poor thing, would feel some type of way about it, mainly because Evelyn and she had such a history. She had also pointed out just how enthralling she was, and she wouldn't want Tom to deal with that temptation, especially before the first date hadn't even happened.
His exasperation had only grown until he was like a cursed object, ready to explode. He was one second away from doing so, too if Calista was one more minute late.
He had been positioned at the exit of the Grand Hall for exactly twenty minutes now, but Calista had still not arrived. He already didn't want to go on this date, and now his time was being wasted. The only reason he had stayed this long was because this seemed to be the only thing that had gotten even slightly under Evelyn's skin.
But Tom knew deep down it hadn't really. He had seen the way she watched whenever Calista had tried to approach him during the week. There was that predatory gleam that never entirely left her eyes. Tom thought she might see it as another game, but with Calista now instead of him. Just how many innocent looks could she give Calista until her head exploded?
Calista, unfortunately, had taken up the challenge just as heartily. She had started showing up in whatever conversation Tom could achieve with Evelyn. It wouldn't be nearly as bad if Calista's voice didn't start raising in pitch the more unbothered Evelyn seemed. On Wednesday, Avery had actually covered his ears at an especially shrill laugh, and Tom hadn't even blamed him for it.
Tom looked down at his watch. One of the only muggle contraptions he openly wore. The piece had once belonged to a boy at the orphanage, something his dead parents had left for him. He had lost it within months of being there.
