Lost Time ▸ Jess Mariano

03. welcome home, everleigh morgan

    "So what?!" Everleigh laughs dryly, "The one time I was supposed to be not in the neighborhood you two decide to lip lock? Or was it accidental? That you fell or he fell or even both at the same time and your lips touched — oh-so accidentally."

    " I really am sorry. " Agnes apologizes, "I don't want to lose you, you are my best friend—"

    "Were." The girl interjects.

    "What?"

    "You were my best friend."

    "Eve—"

    "Just stop! Stop saying Eve, It's Everleigh now! Get it in your head. You can't call me Eve, not anymore," She throws her hands in the air, "I'm done."

    Agnes takes a step away from the girl and looks down, "I'm sorry."

    "It's fine, honestly," shaking her head she laughs as Agnes gives her a questioning look. She didn't blame her for once, she'd do the same if she was someone else. The girl felt as if she was no longer capable of controlling her own mind as the next words stung the air with a lie, "Forget what happened between you two. Blaze and I got back together,"

    Blaze and her were not back together.

    She didn't know why she said it in the first place but it was out there. The lie hanging in the air, haunting both teenagers.

    Faintly, her former best friend asks, "What?"

    "We're back together. " She continues to lie as her hands rest on her hips, "He made it clear you were just a mistake and wants nothing to do with you."

    "Oh. . .Okay."

    "I want you out." She says quietly but loud enough for her to hear.

   "Eve — Everleigh can we —"

    "No." Everleigh rejects, walking past the girl and opens the door to indicate for Agnes to leave. Her grip on the knob tight, "We've been friends as long as I can remember and Blaze has been my boyfriend for three years. Those are no news to anyone, especially because you introduced me to him in the first place. The least you can do is leave me alone."

    Agnes hesitates for the moment, standing still as she fidgets with her fingers. However, after seeing as Everleigh couldn't look at her she sighs heavily and decides to do what she was told. She makes her way out of her room but stops next to the Morgan girl, "I truly am sorry."

    And then she was out of her eyesight. All she could hear was her former best friend's footsteps making way down the stairs and out of the house. Hearing the front door shutting, she finally exhales sharply and slides down on the floor. Curing up, she brings the knees to her chest and hugs herself. Wanting to feel as small as possible.

    She wishes she never went to Italy. If she never went, things would still be the same with Agnes and Blaze. She still would have had her best friend and boyfriend by her side. Things would have been the same.

    She never asked for this. She never wanted to lose the two people that made her the happiest and now she was left utterly alone.

    "I just saw Agnes cryi—" Her dad's voice cuts her back to reality, standing in the doorway. His question stopped abruptly at the sight of his daughter. Worried, he changes the subject, "What happened?" Her lip trembles as she shakes her head, not being able to speak, "Eve?"

    His heart ached seeing his daughter so distraught and not being able to help. He sits down next to her and pulls her in for a hug. Without objecting, she accepts his side hug and after a moment of collecting herself but still embraced in her dad's hug, she finally begins, "I think Blaze and I broke up."