invisible string - simon elroy

five

— — —

"Simon I need you to explain what the fuck is going on right now!" Evangeline stared Simon down as he finally turned to look at her.

"Okay, okay. Just, calm down." Simon took a deep breath and then motioned for her to sit with him on the bench. "This is gonna sound crazy but I just need you to bear with me, okay?"

"Okay.. Simon what's going on?" Evangeline sat next to him on the bench.

"Maddie is gone. Like gone for good. She's a ghost." Simon sighed as he made eye contact with her. "She's a ghost and she's standing right in front of us."

"What the fuck?" Evangeline glanced to the front of them. "Is this some sort of joke?"

"No! It's not a fucking joke Evangeline!" He exclaimed. "I don't know what's going on but, I can see her and hear her. She's right there but she's not really there."

"Simon, I know her death is messing with you but this is just.." Evangeline stood from the bench. "Just.. just take me home."

The girl walked over to his car and Simon glanced to the side of him.

"Pink converse." Simon called out after her and she stopped in her tracks. "When you were younger your grandma got you pink converse and hand embroidered your name into them with stars. They were too big for you so you never wore them. But you wore them to her funeral with 3 pairs of socks because it was the last thing she gave you."

Evangeline felt tears build up on her waterline. She slowly turned to face Simon.

"You kept them sitting on your dresser and don't wear them because you don't want to ruin them." Simon stared at her as she stared at the ground. "I know it's crazy, but she's here. Maddie is here."

"I believe you, Simon." Evangeline said as the tears started to fall. "I just wish it wasn't true."

Simon quickly made his way to be in front of her and wrapped his arms around her. She melted into his touch and cried into his shoulder.

"They finally fit me now, Maddie." Evangeline said as Simon smiled.

"Come on, i'll take you home. We can talk more about this tomorrow."

Evangeline got in the passenger seat as Simon got in the drivers side. He quickly pulled off making sure to get her home safely.

— — —

Evangeline sat in her car in the student parking lot listening to music. She looked up at the sound of knocking on her window.

"Vangie?" Inez called as the girl unlocked her car and she quickly climbed in.

"Hey! Sorry, I just didn't wanna go to first period." Evangeline said as she turned the radio down in her car.

"It's fine, I was just coming to check on you." Inez picked up Evangeline's phone and scrolled through her spotify. "So, what's up with you and Simon Elroy?"

"What? What are you talking about?" She stared at her.

"I don't know. I always see you two together now." Inez put on a new song and set her friend's phone down. "Mostly see him holding your hand while you follow him blindly like a lost puppy dog."

"Nothings going on.." She glanced down at her lap fidgeting with her thumbs.

"You're such a bad liar!" Inez tilted her head holding a big smile on her face. "Spill! Now!"

"Nothing! Nothing to spill.." Evangeline looked at her friend. "There's nothing going on between us."

"But you like him?" Inez asked.