in too deep | ✓

38| E v e l y n

To shorten it, it was between the siblings. The others didn't bother at all.

Mason sat down by Evelyn giving her a small smile, that only covered half his lips, didn't even bring out his dimples. Evelyn could remember the want of poking his dimples with her fingers and pushing it down, it was the early days. But now, when she'd maybe do it, there was none.

Evelyn sighed and smiled back.

Evelyn had tried. She had tried to become the most cheerful and perky friend around him to make him feel better but she couldn't do it. She was not like that. She couldn't hide it from him. He had only given this small smiles at her attempts.

Finally Evelyn had given up and decided to just live with it, with a ache in her heart and the constant want to getting his old self back.

"You are not eating anything," Mason commented looking at her.

Evelyn had been sad before about it. But today it was overtaking her sense making her throat tight. She swallowed down the pain away.

"I thought you don't have stomach knots anymore," Mason said.

There had been a while since she had felt nausea around food. She ate like a normal person nowadays. But she didn't eat much anyway.

"No, I don't," Evelyn replied. Mason squeezed her fingers under the table.

"Everything good at home?" Mason asked. Evelyn nodded yes.

Evelyn knew he cared. But she hated the formality between them. There was a tranquility in his voice, he was warm. But Evelyn didn't want that. Evelyn wanted to see the storm that's brewing in him. Evelyn wanted to unleash his sadness so he could finally let go and become him. He was pushing it all down.

One drop of tear seemed made it way out Evelyn's eyes and Mason wiped it right away.

"You are crying," Mason said.

Evelyn could feel the vapor of tears tightening around her chest, pressuring down the veins. But it was still not enough. That one tear was all it got out. The rest of it stayed inside and it felt horrible.

The bell rang and Mason stood up. Evelyn followed him. She had to leave him for his class but they would meet after school. But what uses that would be?

After two periods of torture, Evelyn found Mason leaning against his jeep waiting for her. She felt the ache looking at him and her silent prayers, please come back. I miss you.

She somehow forced a smile and he smiled back. But Evelyn knew it was just a mask and both of them were pretending. He was hurting and Evelyn was too, because Evelyn couldn't take it away.

They reached home after their short drive. Evelyn was getting out of the jeep when Mason held her wrist.

"Wait," Mason said.

Evelyn sat back in her seat.

"Mady's restaurant is going to open tomorrow. There will be a ceremony. It will be formal and there will be many people. I am one of the few who would dine there first," Mason said with a smile. "And I had the privilege to take a guest with me."

"Good," Evelyn replied.

"So, I uhm, I was thinking," Mason ran a hand through his hair like he was nervous and his ears were red. "Will you like to come with me tomorrow night?"

Evelyn blinked and it hit her. He was asking her out. They had gone out for dinner but it was casual. But this time, it was an opening and it was formal and he just asked her out. Evelyn breathed deeply.