Evermore - Troy Otto

twenty

"So, Evvie," Troy began as soon as they got situated on their knees in the dirt. Evelyn was glad she didn't decide to wear shorts. The dirt sticking to her skin would have just pissed her off, and considering she was with Troy, she figured she didn't need anything else making her angry. He continued, "tell me everything."

"What?" Evelyn stared at him cluelessly. This conversation could go many different ways.

"You know," Troy shrugged like she was supposed to know exactly what he was talking about, "everything that's happened since we broke up."

     Evelyn bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to contain her frustration. "We didn't break up," she gritted through clenched teeth. If there were two things Evelyn hated, they would be letting Troy see how his words got to her and Troy himself, but he was just so annoying. She couldn't help it.

     Troy's face lit up and a teasing smirk materialized across his lips. Evelyn knew she was about to hear something stupid and angering. "So does that mean we're still together? 'Cause I really wouldn't mind that," Troy teased. Evelyn felt like throwing a ball of dirt at his stupid, handsome face.

      "No, Troy," Evelyn looked back at him after having her gaze fixed on the ground below her, "we were never together in the first place."

     "Come on, don't say that!" Troy continued to grin and Evelyn felt the violence bubbling under her skin. "It might not have technically been real, but for nine months we spent practically everyday together. We had a relationship whether I liked it or not."

     The way Troy shrugged it off made Evelyn all the more annoyed. She took a deep breath and tried her absolute, very best to let his comment slide. "Yeah, if that's the way you want to see it, but the way I see it is you took advantage of a vulnerable teenage girl and wasted nine months of her life," Evelyn shrugged, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal. The same way Troy did.

     "Well, when you put it like that..."

     Evelyn's facade broke and she gave Troy an exasperated look. With the way his smirk stretched, Evelyn could tell he knew he won.

     In all honesty, Troy had to say he didn't hate every aspect of their so-called relationship, though he'd never admit it to anyone, not even himself. It felt nice having someone love him the way Evelyn did, even though he didn't entirely return the favor.

He'd resented her at first, annoyed that he'd stupidly taken up on the bet and knowing that his friends would make fun of him if he dared to pull out of the deal early. However, a little into their 'official' relationship, the dislike he had for Evelyn died down quite a bit. There came a time when he didn't mind being around her. He didn't have to try as hard to not roll his eyes when he heard her laugh. He didn't have to prepare himself as much before he kissed her, it came more naturally. He didn't mind having her in his arms while she slept. In fact, he had this revelation one night while she slept peacefully, clung to his side. Troy felt a little ashamed for taking a liking to her, but no one could blame him for appreciating the only person to treat him so nicely.

     Evelyn was the only person to have ever shown him unconditional love. He had Jake, but even he felt like his brother's care only ran to a certain level. After all the dumb things Troy did and said, she continued to dote on him as if nothing happened. She held him accountable, but never pushed him away, and Troy liked having such loyalty pointed in his direction.

     Even back then Troy knew she was going to be crushed when she found out it was all a game. She was quite literally a ploy to earn Troy a bit of cash and praise from his friends for putting up with her.