Evelyn

Chapter 10 - Forgotten Tea

He slammed the door shut, leaving me fuming.

I'm going to kill him. If I ever see him again, I'm going to kill him.

"Michael?" Evelyn groaned sleepily, sitting up from her position on the couch.

Shit. That asshole woke her up.

"Shhh, I'm here," I walked to the couch, touching my hand to her forehead. She's still burning up.

"Hold on a second, okay?" After getting a nod from Evelyn, I walked over to the kitchen and pulled out a thermometer to take her temperature.

Oh my God, it's 102 degrees.

Should she go to the hospital for that?

"Ev, how are you feeling?"

"I-" Evelyn started coughing again, "I feel awful."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," I said softly. "Can I get you anything?"

She smiled sloppily, staring up at me.

"What?" I asked.

"I like it when you call me sweetheart."

My heart skipped a beat. She does? Wait, no, she can't. She's delirious with a 102 degree fever. She can't mean it.

But if she does...

"What if I called you something too? Like darling or sweetheart?" Evelyn asked.

Then I think my heart would melt.

"You already call me sweetheart though," she continued. "So I think darling works."

"Call me darling when you feel better, okay?"

"I can do that."

We sat in silence, staring at the tv yet not really watching. She looked distracted, I don't know what it was, but something was on her mind.

"Michael?" She slurred.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I'm a burden?"

"What?" I say, breathlessly. "No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Because I'm annoying and a waste of space. It'd make sense that you'd think the same as they did."

"Ev, please don't ever talk about yourself like that again. You are kind and fun and best person I've ever met on this fucking planet. So, please, don't think of yourself as anything less."

"I think I'm going to nap again," Evelyn blurted out, changing the subject. "Can you lay with me?"

"Of course," I sighed. We'd definitely need to revisit this conversation when she feels better. "But you really would be more comfortable on the bed."

"I don't want to impose."

"Ev, I insist. You'd probably sleep better too. You'll get better quicker with a good nights sleep."

She nodded her head and started sitting up again. Slowly, we made our way over to my room. My bed wasn't big, but it was large enough to fit us both.

She climbed, or, more accurately, fell, on the bed and pushed the blankets over herself. I got in on the other side and she pushes herself closer to me, resting her head on my arm.

"Sleep well, Ev."

"Goodnight, darling."

She's going to be my ruin.

I've come to the conclusion that she will be my undoing. My mind, body, and soul; It's all hers.

Staring at her now, I can't imagine why she thinks that she's anything less than perfect. Who told her those things? Who belittled her so much that she sees herself as anything less than perfect?

I refuse to let her think that.

Even if it takes me until the day I die, I will make sure that Evelyn knows that she's the most beautiful person on this planet.

~~~

I was too worried to go to sleep. First, I looked up at what point someone should go to the hospital if they have a fever (the answer is one hundred and three degrees). The good news is that Evelyn doesn't need to go to the hospital because she feels like she's starting to cool down a bit. It also helps that she's taken enough cold medicine to eradicate sickness from her body for the rest of her life. And she could be a little bit high from all the medicine.

Knowing she was okay helped my sanity, but Derek's impromptu visit caused a gnawing anxiety begin to creep up on me. I haven't seen him in so long, I almost forgot that he always had this effect on me. That he makes me feel so lost.

No one ever warns you that you'll grow up to be the product of the actions of those around you when you're younger. Although, why would they? Kids don't understand that what they're going through will follow them for the rest of their lives. But they do understand when something feels right and when something feels wrong. When everything has felt wrong for so long, it feels like you're always waiting for the other shoe to drop when things start to feel right.

I want to tell Evelyn about everything that happened between him and I, I really do. I just don't know how. What we have right now is so good, I don't want to mess it up.

I have a feeling that it's make me feel better to talk to someone about what happened, but I can't bring myself to. I will never tell my mom about how shitty everything that went down between us, my dad, and Derek makes me feel because it'll break her heart. I don't want to tell Evelyn about what happened because she deserves better than to hear about my issues. I can't talk to Derek about it because he'll never accept that he is the problem.

Evelyn told me once that her fish is like her therapist. Maybe I'll take a page out of her book and get a fish. I can buy a cheap fish so I make the most out of my investment and I'll tell it about my problems. It's a fish, so it's not like it can talk back to me and judge me or anything. If anything, it's preferable. I'll get to have the most peaceful one-sided conversation of my life.

Holy shit. Maybe she was on to something.

~~~

HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
So there's some bad blood between Michael and Derek, but why? All will be revealed in time.
I hate Derek already though haha
I'm an independent person who can and will stand up for myself, but Michael being protective is kind of hot.
He can defend my honor any day
Now Michael knows how Evelyn feels about herself? How ever will that conversation go?
Next chapter we're back in Evelyn's POV. It's been fun with Michael, but I'm ready for Evelyn's funny inner thoughts again.
See you all soon!