Finding Everett | ✔️

Chapter Four

I know I literally JUST updated, but the time where my stockpile of chapters completely disappears is fast approaching, so I want to throw another one out here. :) I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! It's kind of intense.

Don't hate Everett. :P

"Guess who?"

Everett cringed as he heard Lizzie's voice sing-song into the living room. It was stupid, really, the games she played. Guess who? Well, what in the world was she expecting him to say? "Oh, hey, Whoopi Goldberg. Nice to see you again!"?

This had been her routine for the past several days.

Each day, she would come in, cheerfully chat with Everett and then after many failed attempts, she would retreat to his brothers room to collaborate on their project. After they had their time to think and mull and bounce ideas off of each other and came down for a break, she would practically beeline to him. She always brought him a can of soda. He thought it was interesting that she never asked what his favorite was. Usually people who were trying to butter up another asked what their favorites things were. It normally helped a transition. But, as Everett had quickly learned, this girl didn't do things the normal way.

Everett felt her sit down beside him on the bench; he frowned a bit. He thought he had made sure there was little to no room on the bench today. He stacked about a dozen CDs on one side, so he could tell her that he was using them for inspiration; she wouldn't make him move if that was where he wanted them. Although, come to think of it, he probably needed a CD player for that; which he was currently lacking. Yeah, he didn't exactly think that one through.

"So, how many new tunes have you written today? The concert you've been giving us so far is amazing. I was hoping that we could draw some inspiration off of it, but we're still drawing a blank on our project."

Lizzie spoke to him casually, sipping her soda as she kept her position. Everett was still unsure how he felt about the close proximity and her obvious determination to be close to him.

On one hand, it was slightly amusing. Lizzie acted as if she had known him their whole lives; she talked to him normally, without any pretense. She acknowledged he couldn't see, but she was constantly telling him it could be worse. It was different that what he was used to.

Normally, everyone tip-toed around him. "Don't say this around Everett." or "Be careful with what you speak about around Everett.".

They wanted to spare him, as if he wasn't already painfully aware that he couldn't see, people acted as if ignoring the problem would make it all better. Lizzie wasn't like that. As perfectly illustrated by the topic she had just brought up, nothing was off limits in their communication, as one sided as it was.

Now, it also irked him that she was around all the time. It still grated on his nerves the fact that she was an artist; prancing around with her paint and crayons and pencils and ... paint. She had no hope of ever befriending him or truly ever getting close to him. He would make certain of that.

"Wow, have I ever told you how fascinating your life is?" he asked sarcastically. He ignored the overwhelming to play another tune that was begging for release in the back of his mind, instead switching to a classic.

"Gymnopedie. Sweet."

Everett stopped, certain that he didn't hear that right. Did she actually know what song that was? He could practically hear the crap eating grin on her face when he failed to reply right away and instead seemed to just open and close his mouth repeatedly.

"Go on. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that you aren't spurting off one of the greatest composers in history like it's something you came up with in the shower."