Finding Everett | ✔️

Chapter Fifteen

The voice coming from behind him completely blanked out the voices of his parents and brother. Upon hearing it, Everett swung his body around faster than he ever had before, completely forgetting his mother was mid-snapshot - only to feel a body slam into him and lock their arms around him. With a smile Everett returned the favor and squeezed the daylights out of Lizzie.

"You actually made it," he muttered, not actually believing it himself. He invited her so carelessly weeks ago, hoping that he didn't sound too excited for her to come. After he analyzed his tone, though, he realized that he could have persuaded her to stay away rather than attend.

The way he asked her didn't exactly scream, 'I want you there!'.

So to hear her voice chattering away, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of joy that she actually made an effort to be there for a what Everett considered to be a very special day.

Lizzie let go and playfully whacked his arm. "Well, duh, I made it. I was in the way back and my pictures are a little blurry but I came and I even have a gift for you."

Everett was in awe. He just couldn't help himself. He didn't realize how much it meant to have Lizzie, or anyone for that matter, in his life until she made that effort to befriend him.

It felt good.

It felt like home.

"I haven't seen you in what feels like way too long!" Lizzie gushed and Everett had to agree with her. Now that they were all graduated, with school behind them, it felt like an eternity since they last hung out together.

"It's been so long, in fact, that I didn't even get to tell you my big news!" Everett listened intently and nodded as a signal for her to continue. "My parents got me a car for graduation!" she exclaimed, hopping up and down.

Everett let out a little grin. It was about time that Lizzie got a car; she always rambled on about how she needed one to get around town and how sooner or later, Jesse would get sick of hauling her to different places.

"Hey, Mr. and Mrs. North? Can I drive Everett home?" she asked suddenly. Everett tried to face the same way her body seemed to go and knew his parents had to be there. And then he actually grasped what she said and the reply from his parents. Lizzie wanted to drive him home, something no one but family ever did.

In a way, it was weird that he'd be in the car of someone else. But on the other hand, he couldn't resist.

With both saying goodbye to the North crew, Lizzie happily tugged Everett away from his family. "So I want you to be the first to step inside my car! I couldn't believe my parents actually got me one. I literally flipped out," she babbled, opening the door and guiding Everett inside.

"What color is it?" he asked, feeling the seat below him. His fingers slid back and forth across the soft fabric and he smiled.

Soft things were nice. Who didn't like soft fabrics?

"Blue. Like, a really cool blue color. I honestly have no idea how to describe it. It's just ... so amazing. And the inside color is a cool grey," she replied, buckling herself in and turning the key in the ignition.

Similar to the car Jesse owned, the engine in this one rumbled as well. Everett couldn't help but smile a little; it felt like home.