The Stages of Loving You

04.

Jacob looks around briefly. At the guys at the back of the cue, waiting to head inside, but cuts his visions back to Evie before whispering. "What? Cupcake?"

"You said I could call you anything last time we met. Cupcake, remember?"

Jacob's eyes light up, like he's recalling the memory. "Oh yeah, I did. Didn't think you take it on though, Ma'am"

Evie feels her heart leap, like it's been drenched in gasoline and set on fire. Stop it with the Ma'am. He doesn't . He continues with his soft voice until there's nothing else Evie can do but stand in her own frustration. But whichever fusion of frustration it was, she hadn't figured it out yet? She just knew the redhead boy Jacob Faith was playing with her, buttering her up, teasing, and whatever it was, she likes it.

Fodly,Evie steps towards him and she can't help but notice his eyes drift to her bare legs and the summer dress floating slightly in the breeze. He looks away, bashful at the ground. For a second, she sees the redhead boy bite the inside of his cheek, clasping a hold of the movie tickets he has in his hand, unable to break the tension between them.

Cora clears her throat. "Well, as much as I'd like to join you guys, I told my Pap, I'd be helping him with the bakery all day today, so you have the movies to yourself,"

Evie's eyes grow wide. Jacob rubs the back of his neck watching as Evie grabs her best friend's arm, and pulls her to the side, saying between gritted teeth. "Cor, what are you—"

Cora's eyes glow. Mischievously, she uncurls Evie's fingers from her arm and heads around to the driver's side of the car. Before she hops in, she grins, her curly hair flying behind her back. "Have fun, and if you really hit it off, be safe kids!"

Evie feels eyes burn into the back of her head. And she was positive Cora will be in that moment, because Evie was doing the same to her as she turns on her car and drove off into the peachy evening leaving Evie with choice on her hands.

To go inside the movies with Jacob Faith alone.

Or–

"It's okay, if you don't want to go without, Cor," Jacob says from beside her. Evie didn't realise he was standing so close to her, a look of complete shock, hope and heartbreak on his face. "I get it. You hardly know me. I mean, I could be a—"

Evie turns to the boy, and he stops mumbling the thoughts out loud, star-stuck when she looks him right in the eyes. Hers are every shade of hazel, and up close, he sees specks of gold flying across her irises. He thinks she's the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Will ever see, it was hard for him to stay calm when she was around him. Hard for the boy not to want everything to go as planned. Hard not to be broken apart by cute face that was laced with—

"Cupcake?" she says.

He rolls his eyes, fearing the worst.

"Yeah?"

"You already bought the tickets didn't you?" After everything. After all the summers he'd seen Evie in college, or heard her voice in the classes they shared, or seen her talk to Cora at her bakery in town, he'd never got over her voice. Soft like hay, soft like butter, soft like the sun on the back of his neck.

"Yes, I did Ma'am,"

Evie peers down at his enclosed hand and sees the tickets. Three, and then tears one of them up until it only leaves two. "I guess it's only going to be two, now?"

The boy nods trying not to smile.

He fails.

"Yes, Ma'am," He holds out the ticket for Evie but she lets him take the lead, and they head inside the movie. But before she goes in, she finds herself beginning to smile too.