No one's more surprised then Chase Stokes when his estranged step-sister shows up on his doorstep in South Carolina. They haven't talked in almost two years, but something has caused her to quit school, leave Maryland, and take up residence on his...
Evaline Smith stared at the door in front of her as she gripped the handle of her suitcase with one hand and the strap of her backpack with the other. She knew knocking on the door would eventually result in opening Pandora's box.
She knew her step-brother. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other in almost two years, and yet here she was showing up on his doorstep unannounced.
He'd want to know why.
She wasn't ready to talk about it.
Taking a deep breath she lifted her fist and knocked on the door.
Pulling her cardigan further around herself Evaline waited as she heard footsteps approaching the door. When the door swung open she slowly raised her head as she sighed, "Hey," she breathed out.
Furrowing his brow in confusion her step brother blinked, "What are you doing here?" he questioned, "How did you even find me?" he asked, harshly.
Biting her lip, Evaline glanced around the empty hall, "You think we could do this inside?" she asked, irritated.
Running his hand through his hair, he stepped back to let her in. Grabbing the handle of her suitcase she walked into his apartment, "Wait a second. Why do you have baggage?" he asked, noting her suitcase and backpack.
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Ignoring him she walked into the open living room and parked her suitcase by the couch as she dropped her backpack onto the floor, "I need a place to stay," she told him, looking everywhere but at him while she clutched her cardigan closer to her body.
"Um, I'm sorry, what?" he asked dumbly. Rolling her eyes Evaline glared at him, "Did you fucking go deaf in the last two years?"
"No I didn't go deaf, you rude brat, but did you go stupid? We don't talk, Evaline, we don't visit, we don't like each other, and we certainly don't show up out of the blue," he reminded her, angrily, "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be in college? What's the matter, daddy, cut you off? He get tired of you ditching classes to party at that sorority of yours?" he asked harshly.
Breath hitching at the mention of school, Evaline went on the immediate defense, "No I'm not stupid you jackass. I'm fully aware of how much I can't stand you so the fact that I'm standing on your fucking doorstep asking for a fucking place to stay should tell you how fucking desperate I am," she half yelled at him.
Taking a deep breath he rubbed his forehead, "What kind of trouble are you in?" he questioned.
"I'm not in trouble," she told him, "I left school and as you can imagine my father wasn't happy about it. He gave me the ultimatum of either going back or getting out of his house. I chose the second option and before I left your mom gave me money and told me where to find you," she revealed, taking a steadying breath.
"My mom? So that's why she called me like 500 times today?" he mumbled, pulling out his phone, "I was on set all day and didn't get a chance to call her back," he continued talking to himself before registering everything she'd told him.
