Crossing the Bridge

Chapter 4

[The scene opens in Evie's bedroom, where she's fitting Chad for a cape and lining it with fur of some kind]

"What about peacock feathers?" Chad suggested as Evie adjusted the cape. "Yeah, I bet you nobody's gonna have those at Cotillion."

"Because about a quarter of the girls are allergic to feathers, including your sister," Lucy told him, rolling her eyes as she pointed to herself.

"Right, because the guy lining his cape with fake fur would have real peacock feathers," Chad shot back. "Lucy, they would have been fake. I'm not an idiot."

"Jury's still out on that one," Kitty muttered under her breath.

"Chad," Evie said, clasping her hands together; a grain of annoyance audible in her voice. Gaining Chad's attention, Evie continued, "when I look at you, all I can think of is..."king."

"Really?" Emir asked, raising an eyebrow. "Of what kingdom?"

"His imagination, probably," Akiho chuckled.

"Hey morons, he is in line for his throne," Aziz reminded them.

"And thank you for that disturbing thought, bro," Emir sighed.

Chad gasped, as if he had never had that realization before.

"And fake fur....uh-huh. Fake fur says it all," Evie finished, petting the fur on the edge of the cape.

"It says something but I don't think it says king," Rose muttered under her breath.

"Starts with a d and ends in bag," Rowyn muttered right back to Rose, having heard her sister's comment.

"Loud and clear," Doug agreed, turning around from the computer.

"Don't encourage him!" Kitty groaned.

"Amphitheater in five!" Jay said, leaning into the room from the doorway as he passed by in the hall.

"Why did the coach make him captain instead of me?" Chad asked after Jay had left. "I'm obviously better."

"Yes, that's why Coach made Jay captain instead," Akiho rolled his eyes. "Dude, how big is your ego?

"'King Chad', though. I do rather like that. You know who else would like that?"

"Who?"

"Audrey." Chad said instantly.

Audrey flushed as she didn't expect she would be mentioned at all. After all, it had been months since their break up—she would have thought Chad would have moved on.

"She would," Evie agreed as Chad began to tear up.

Is he...crying? Audrey thought, looking over at her ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, Kitty sighed in annoyance but didn't say anything due to her mother looking at her.

"Chad, let's go," Jay called from the doorway, annoyed and bored at the same time.

"Oh thank you Jay!" Alexandria sighed in relief. "There's only so much of Chad moping about his breakup one can take."

"You're not even at the school," Lucy said, looking at her little sister.

"Kitty calls like every day," Alexandria told her. "I hear stories. Also, you could call more."

"I'm coming. Yeah. Oh."

"Come on," Jay said as Chad wiped at his eyes. As the two left, Evie and Doug shared a chuckle.