The Chance

28 || Queen of Indirect Answers

Man, she has a beautiful smile.

Her voice pulls me back to the present moment, "I think I should go, but nice storytelling Matt. 10/10 on the exaggeration."

I take in a long breath, exhaustion settling in my bones as I turn my phone around to see the time. It was a quarter past one in the morning and we were all looking ready to hit the sheets.

She says her goodbyes, but my eyes stay on Aiden's hands as he goes to hug her. His hands press against her lower back so nonchalantly before he slides his hands around the front of her waist, pulling back.

It shouldn't irk me the way it does. It's a meaningless hug for Christ's sake.

But his hands are where mine were moments ago, settling against the material of her dress, though mine were there for a much better reason than just a hug.

They have a muffled conversation before Jordan blocks my line of sight. He hasn't said all that much since they've gotten here. Until now, "Picking skin and hair out of her nails, huh?"

His voice is low, but there's a taunting note in his voice as he continues.

"I won't say anything, but there's still a little lipstick on your jaw." At this, I eye him as he briefly laughs before walking away.

I guess all that time he spent being quiet, he was putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

Dammit Jordan. Always noticing everything.

Wiping my jaw I don't worry about the extent of his knowledge too much, knowing if anything, he's good on his word. He'll keep quiet.

Closing the door behind me as we leave them, I walk her out to my car and get in. Her hand reaches for the bag of mints I keep in the car, just for her at this point, as I back out of the driveway.

If there's something I'm not doing as I drive her over to Reese's dorm, it's putting a heavy foot on the gas. Part of me doesn't want her to go so soon.

"You were quick to lie your way out of that one." I tell her.

I hear the mint roll around her mouth as she responds. "Would you rather me tell them a more truthful answer?"

I glance in her direction as I roll to a stop. "Probably not."

She settles back into the seat, exhaustedly resting her arm on the center console. Eyes on mine before I turn onto another street.

Though wanting this to last as long as possible, it's not long until the inevitable comes and I soon pull over to the curb across from the dorm building.

Cold air greets me with her exit out of my car, but as she walks around the front I lower my driver's side window. "Evie,"

I lean my arm on the windowsill as she walks back up to the window, leaning down so I can see her face. "Alex."

"What are you doing tomorrow?" I ask.

"I have work," she responds.

Her arms lean onto the windowsill the same as mine. "After work?" I follow up.

Evie stays silent for a moment before a smirk pulls across her lips. "Busy."