In Another Life (1993-1996)

Chasing The Sun

"Ding dong the witch is dead..."  

"Ben! I'm going to kill you and I guarantee it won't be pretty."  

"Ding dong, i forget the words, but ill sing the tune, lalalala..." I trumped down the stairs holding my towel on my head as it slipped. Ben ran a bit in front of me and jumped over the banister at the bottom. He cackled like a witch as I grabbed, and missed, at him. He patted my head and I aimed a kick at the back of his legs. Again he dodged again and drew a line from the top of my head to wear it came on his body, which was the bottom of his neck. Laughing, he said, 

"Yeah, I guess your right. You're not the witch. How about, Oompa Loompa Doopity Doo!" He began to bop up and down to the beat of his singing. 

"Ben! You're so mean!" I hung my head and moped away. And then I was being hung upside down over his back. I pummelled his back, giving up the attempt to catch the towel. Wet hair fell over my face. Shouting a select choice of swear words, I was carried into the living room, only to be dumped onto the sofa as Ben sat down. He picked up a book and began reading.  

"Ben?" He looked over. "Can I go get ready now?" He burst out laughing. 

"Sure." I huffed and got up. As I walked past, I pulled his book down and looked him in the face. 

"You're an arsehole, you know? And now I'm going to take ages to get ready." I let go of his book as he smirked back at me, a naughty twinkle in his grey eyes that wasn't normally there. The green face mask he had been making fun of flaked a little and I knew I wasn't my best. It itched at my eyebrows and I scratched at it. Ben took my hand and moved it away from my face, still looking into my eye cheekily. Then he grabbed my other wrist in the same hand and held it there. With his free hand, he wiped the green goo from my brow. He looked at it for a second before dabbing it quickly on my nose. I tried to get free, giggling, as he piled the mask from all over my face onto my nose, until it was the only thing covered.  

"Hey mum, isn't Evelyn going to look beautiful at prom?" Wanda poked in her head from the next room. 

"Let me see, dear." I turned to face her, Ben's hands still grabbing my wrists. It was time to get my own back. I sat hard on Ben's knee, knowing that it would really uncomfortable for him as I was renowned for my boney bum. Wanda laughed, both at my nose and at Ben's discomfort. "You pair are mad as hatters." Then she disappeared back into the hall. Ben let go but I still didn't get up, instead I turned on his knee and wiped my face along his chest, getting the goo all across his t-shirt. He looked down at it, then at his watch and must've decided there was no time for payback as he stood up, with me falling on the floor.  

"Do you really want me to tell you how long you've got left or are you going to get the hint?" I looked up at him. 

"I think the hint is fine, but Im guessing 2 hours and 37 minutes till prom?" He looked shocked. 

"How did you know?" I stood up, aided by the sofa, before I answered. 

"There's a clock behind your head, dumbass." Amazed at this revelation about his own home, he turned to look. I heard him mutter, 'oh yeah, well look at that!' as I headed up the two flights of stairs to my room.  

The space at the top of the house had finally been decorated to my style and I had 'officially' unpacked the final box 3 days ago. The walls were painted a pale green. A white iron bedstead stood in the middle of the back wall, covered with a patchwork bedspread made with fabrics and patterned that made me think of spring and summer. Butterflies on a pale blue and lilies on a light yellow were a few examples. The stitching matched the walls, tying the colours together perfectly. A large drift wood wardrobe stood on the wall opposite the window, a miraculous find I had purchased at Camden. I had to get Lizzie to give me a lift back with it and Tim and Ben helped me get it up there. Hanging off the top was my dress. I got out of my slobbing clothes and slipped it on. It fitted perfectly. My hair was still damp and I wrapped it up in curlers, making me look like an old lady, but hopefully the end result would be the classic 90s perm. Even though the dress was a girly white and pink affair, I still went with my classic black eyeliner and light layer of lip-gloss, but on top of my eyes I added a thick layer of black liquid eyeliner, making me look like Amy Whinehouse, even though no one would think this but me for another 10 years.  

The pale pink killer heels Wanda had lent me were sitting next to the bed. I slipped them on over my tan tights. After covering it in holding spray, I decided it was time to take out the curlers. The curls were perfect, not old lady style but still noticeable. My fringe fell across my forehead and curled outwards at the end. Around my head I placed a small daisy chain that sat just before the curls bounced. I put on the mask and checked my reflection in the mirror. It was exactly the look I was going for. Girly, but dangerous. Pretty, but odd. Modern, but old. Lost. Like me.  

I walked down the first flight of stairs, wobbling a little on the heels, and then I saw Ben. And I was knocked off my feet. He was standing there, his auburn hair flicking across his hair into his eye a tiny bit. It curled and twisted around his face, framing it perfectly. Getting longer, he swept it casually across his forehead, making him look incredibly hot. A fact emphasised by his tailored black suit with red tie. He held his red mask in his hand, and smiled as his mum took a photo of him.  

"Oh damn, has the photo party started with out me?" He turned and smiled at me.  

"Nope, just getting my photos in before you break the camera." I slapped him playfully. "only joking, you look wonderful!" I did a twirl. Wanda clapped. 

"Okay, picture time!" We posed for at least 60 pictures. They ranged from serious ones of us to standing next to each other, to individual ones to silly ones. We stick out our tongues, bared our teeth and mimicked ballroom dancing as Wanda clicked away with the camera. 

"Eve, your so photogenic! Ill send these off to the developers with Tim tomorrow." Wanda smiled. Tim stepped forward.  

"Now for the serious bit. Evelyn, sorry whats your middle name?" Tim asked me.  

"Gosh, Mr Carlton, not marring us off already?" 

"Yeah, dad, that is never going to happen" I looked at Ben and laughed as he turned red. 

"Its Rose, Tim." Smiling, Tim continued. 

"Evelyn Rose Night, will you promise to not get in too much trouble and don't go running off and getting hurt, I don't do hospitals you see?" I nodded. 

"Yes, sir!" I clicked my heels and mimicked a solider. Ben laughed, but stopped when his father turned to him.  

"Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch," 

"WHAT!?" I looked at Ben, Benedict, in shock. This boy didn't just look like the actor and heart throb, it really was him!! I was going to prom with a man I had admired for years! What next Johnny Depp is my bloody milkman? 

"I know, its such an embarrassing name." Ben shook his head and faced his dad. I pretended that I had been shocked by his name, not his identity. This night was certainly going to be more than I had anticipated.

The picture is off Eves hair, only she had a light brown, not blonde.