✓ | 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍, j. hale [1]

I. Unexpected Beginnings

Evelyn had never wished to melt away more than she did in this particular moment.

Despite her supposedly "noise-cancelling" headphones, Evelyn could still hear the faint chatter of her fellow passengers, the idle beeping of the plane's interior, and the roar of the massive jet engine just outside the minuscule window. There was just so much noise. If she wasn't so anxious, the sounds of the people around her probably wouldn't have bothered her so much, however that was definitely not the case today. Evelyn shut her eyes, scrunching up her face.

Today was the day her life was starting over. An utterly unwanted reset on her entire existence.

She thought back to her life in suburban Chicago, before her it all had completely fallen apart. Her heart ached at the thought of coming home from school to her parents, Anthony and Christina Masen. Her beautiful parents, in their beautiful home, with their simple, beautiful, perfect life. At least, it was perfect to Evelyn. As each second passed, she could feel the miles between her and her old life piling up on her scarred heart, making the emotional burden of the past two months even more difficult to bear.

It was still strange to think of herself as an orphan. She remembered waking up that fateful morning two months ago, her only worry being about what she was wearing to her friend's birthday party that night. Stupid party, she thought for probably the billionth time. If she hadn't have gone, then maybe her parents would still be here. Or, and she didn't know if it was better or worse, she would be dead with them, having gotten trapped with her mother and father as their home burned around them. She clenched and unclenched her fists, shaking the thought away. She couldn't feel guilty for being alive anymore. She knew her parents wouldn't have wanted that for her.

Evelyn blinked, a single tear sliding down her rosy cheek. She quickly swiped it away with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, keenly award of the nosy old woman watching her out of the corner of her eye while she pretended to read a magazine. She was used to it, though. Being emotional in public was a no brainer when a girl loses her parents on the same night.

The girl let out the breath she had been holding, settled down in her chair, and stared aimlessly out the window, wishing simultaneously that she could make the plane turn around and that the plane would move faster so she could get this whole day over with.

***

"Evelyn! Evelyn! Oh, Ev, I'm so happy to see you!" Marie Masen squealed, running towards her now grown-up niece. Evelyn, with her bronze hair and piercing green eyes, was the spitting image of her father, Anthony. The last time Marie saw her niece, the girl was 10 years old and in love with the world around her. Now, even though she had a warm smile plastered on her face, Marie couldn't miss the loneliness in her eyes, even if she wanted to.

In moments Evelyn was pulled into a bone-crushing hug by her aunt. She was shocked at first. It had been a long time since someone had shown her physical affection, the feeling now foreign to her. However, it was not altogether unpleasant, so slowly, she wrapped her slender arms around Marie.

"It's good to see you too, Marie," said Evelyn, closing her eyes and breathing in the smell of evergreen and rain that lingered in her aunt's hair. "Thank you so much for letting me stay with you. I know it's not ideal, but–"

"Oh hush, Ev, you know it's no problem for me to take care of you. You're family, and I love you. Of course I'm happy to take you in." Marie talked as she grabbed one of Evelyn's bags from the airport floor, and began to lead the way to the Port Angeles Airport's parking lot. Evelyn adjusted her backpack, picked up her remaining bags, and followed close behind.