in too deep | ✓

18| E v e l y n

"Bad night, worse night. Have loads of nightmare." Evelyn grumbled and he chuckled in reply.

"Bye," Mason said and got inside his jeep.

He drove away and Evelyn still kept rooted in her spot. Looking back at the house, she sighed for the thousandth time. Dragging her feet out of her will she got inside.

"You were gone for the whole day. Don't you think you should have left a message?" Dad was standing there with his arms crossing over his chest, looking passive.

Evelyn felt too tired, not physically but mentally, to argue with him or to talk to him even. She didn't even feel agitated. She felt nothing, she felt empty. Ignoring him, she walked towards the stairs.

"I am talking to you about something, young lady."

Sucking in a deep breath, she replied, "I will leave a message the next time."

She had taken three steps when her dad said, "I am trying."

She stopped for a moment and thought if she had heard it right. Quietly she said, "I don't like the way you're trying dad."

She hurriedly passed the stairs and got inside her room and closed the door. Turning off the light, she let the darkness consume her, knowing full well another sleepless night awaited.

• • •

Tossing and turning in her bed, Evelyn finally decided to get out of it. It was just another shitty day to go through, no big deal at all.

Opening her closet, she looked for something to wear. Her eyes found the dresses Abigail gifted. Instantly, she felt bad for her. Poor Abigail was just trying to help her friend look pretty. So, Evelyn decided, she would wear a dress only for her sake.

She took out the white dress. It was made fully out of cotton with a half sleeve of lace and a layer of lace over the cotton in the chest area with a circular neckline. The dress was simple and the fabric was comfortable for the weather. Evelyn couldn't but admire Abigail's choice.

Stripping out of her pajamas, she put it on and looked at herself in the mirror. Instantly, she groaned. She hadn't shaved her legs in months and it was not looking good with the dress that came a few inches down her knees.

Why is a girl's life so hard?

Taking a look at the clock, she went for a shower, shaved her legs, shampooed and conditioned her hair. Blow drying her brunette hair, she combed and pulled them in a side plait, leaving some strands to frame her face.

She took her backpack and headed downstairs. Dad was already there, reading a newspaper. There was a sandwich sitting on a plate for her. She sat down and chewed on it.

"How is school?" he asked.

Evelyn swallowed the food and said, "Fine."

"Was there any test recently?" He inquired.

He is trying.

Evelyn sighed. "Yes, Maths."

He nodded, "I always hated Maths."

Evelyn gave him some credit for trying to spark up a conversation. But she hadn't forgotten what had happened last night and what had been happening for the last few years. His suddenly getting out of his own world and trying to talk to his daughter would not change anything overnight. They needed time and Evelyn didn't know how much she had left till she decided to leave her dad and start on her own.

"You are not even going to ask me how much marks did I get?" Evelyn asked with a blank expression.

"How much did you score?"