The Real Evie Chase (Part 1, ON GALATEA)

5

"You're wearing that on your first day?"

Aunt Mil was at the counter making Addison's lunch, which consisted of an array of cookies and chips with a ham sandwich, when I entered the kitchen. After the great chicken fiasco a few days ago, we'd been living off of take out and deli meats. She refused to cook anything in the oven, and for some reason, the stove, until she deemed them safe to use again.

I looked down at my outfit, pulling at the fabric of my grey oversized sweater. "What's wrong with it? It's not like I'm going to a fashion show. I'm supposed to look like a basket-case."

She folded the top of the paper bag over. "You don't want to make a good impression?"

"Not really. The goal is to blend in. I don't want to make any type of impression." I grabbed a cookie off the table and bit into it on my way to the steaming coffee pot. I took a cup out of the dishwasher before filling it with the brew, a little coconut milk, and some sugar. "Plus, I couldn't care less about what those people think of me. They didn't want me while I was me, so they don't deserve me when I'm. . . not. . . me."

To be honest, I wasn't sure if what I was spewing out even made sense.

"Oh, don't be such a drama queen, Evelyn. That's Cassidy's job."

"Thanks for the encouraging words, Aunt Mil." I turned to her and brought the coffee to my lips. I lightly brushed them across the surface to see how hot it was. It was searing. I flinched. Now, of course, I had to spend the day with a burnt tongue.

"Well, what do you want me to say, Evie?" She leaned against the marble counter-top. "Something wise and inspiring? What doesn't kill you makes you stronger? Where there's a will, there's a way? Everything happens for a reason? Keep your friends close but your enemies closer?"

I knew perfectly well that she was being entirely sarcastic, but her last clichéd phrase really made me think. Here in Anadale, at Roosevelt, enemies—albeit old and minus Will and Valerie—were all I had. Get close to your enemies, then knock them down. It was something interesting to ponder.

We didn't speak much after that. I was going to be late if I stuck around any longer. I had to use Aunt Mil's old car, which she had insisted was named 'Enrique', to drive myself. I was thankful now more than ever that I'd made time to take my driver's test in L.A.

Addison bounced down the stairs right before I left. I had to do a double-take at first, because for a split second I forgot we were doing this whole disguise thing and thought some random person had entered the house.

I wished her 'good luck' and gave her a hug before heading out the front door.

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

As I got in the car, I chewed on my cookie and also on that stupid phrase.

Maybe that was exactly what I had to do.

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It hasn't changed at all was my first thought as I pulled into the Roosevelt parking lot and parked in one of the spots in the corner of the lot.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting. It's not like I was going to come back to find the lackluster bricks had turned to gummy bears. The building stretched far along the expansive field it had been set up on decades ago. Anadale may have been a small town, but Roosevelt held students both from here and Lauder, the next town over.

I bit the inside of my cheek. There was one major difference I could detect. When my mom used to drop me off, I would always see seniors I didn't know milling around. Now they were replaced with people I remembered. I'd always been the girl who no one knew but who knew everyone herself. . . well, until the incident and the whole famous sister, then famous singer thing. My eyes travelled across the throng of people, meticulously picking out each of the ways they'd grown up.