Last time on He's Back...
Evelyn pulled out her phone to show Jagger something she found about a shelter nearby that was hiring. She lifted her head to look at him again, after a while of looking at her phone and when she did her gaze fell...on Aiden and Lindsay?
Evelyn's POV
Jagger took the lead before I could say anything, my mind not wanting to process who was standing in front of me. "Hey guys! Decided to join us, I see! How come?" he asked them as they came closer to us and I got up to take a seat next to Jagger, not wanting to be put in the position to sit next to Aiden or worse, Lindsay.
"We got hungry and saw it as an opportunity to spend time with our friends. Why? Are we bothering you? Did you not want us here?" Aiden responded, irritation evident in his voice as he spoke to Jagger and I caught something else in him... is that.. jealousy? I thought I was the only one that caught on to it, but judging by Jagger's expression, he realized it as well. Maybe not the jealousy, but the change in his tone.
"No man, I was making small talk", he frowned and Lindsay chimed in as well "Jagger's right, baby, what has gotten into you?" she rested a hand on his shoulder and frowned, but he just shook his head "I'm sorry I guess I just have a lot going on" he replied, making me frown. What does that mean?
The two joined us at the table, and I had the joy to have Aiden sit across from me. Still better than Lindsay. Things got worse when Aiden initiated small talk "So... how come you two decided to come here? You know, together". Under different circumstances, I would've been bursting with joy, seeing Aiden jealous but the raven haired girl sitting next to him forced me to contain myself.
"We got hungry and decided we had more to say, so we came here. What, we can't hang out?" I replied first, leaving Aiden dumbfounded with my answer. Tension grew between us in a matter of seconds, and the pair sitting next to us were noticing. "You can do whatever you want, at the end of the day you're friends, that's what friends do" he replied, our eyes locking.
Gladly, the waitress arrived, making us snap out of it. "Are you guys ready to order?" she asked and I could feel Lindsay's scoff from where she was sitting, clearly eyeing the poor girl up and down while playing with her hair. I felt so uncomfortable in her presence that I almost felt guilty ordering what I would have before she came. Therefore, I went with the only option she wouldn't judge me for.
"I'll have the salad" I spoke, but I wasn't the only one. Turning my head, I locked eyes with her. "Two salads then, anything else?" the waitress went on and Jagger placed his order, Aiden simply saying he wasn't hungry. I could sense Lindsay's eyes on me, and she had the word 'disapproval' written on her forehead. Clenching my fists under her table, I tried to remain calm, but the petty part of me took over. I was not letting her step over me.
"Cutting down on the calories, I see" I turned to Lindsay, smirking. For a second I caught Aiden's smirk and Linsday's frowned eyebrows, before she contained herself once more, the usual smirk being plastered on her face once more. "This body isn't going to maintain itself. Not that it needs any help... such shame not everyone can say that" she smiled cheekily.
Aiden was the first to react before I had the chance to, shaking his head and running a hand through his face. "That was so uncalled for, did you really need to say it?" he told her. That's my boy- wait, no no, he's not my boy... "Baby you know I didn't mean Evelyn... if she took it personally then that's on her, I didn't specify" she batted her eyelashes at him and he opened his mouth to protest but Jagger cut him short, stopping the lovely conversation.
"Is anyone else getting cold, or is it just me? The weather changed so quickly" he said and zipped up his jacket. I didn't know if he said it because he wanted to change the subject or if he was genuinely cold, but I knew I was. "I mean the weather has gotten a bit chilly lately" I agreed but Aiden just shrugged "I don't feel it" he simply commented, Lindsay joining him. "You're used to our weather baby, I mean it's much colder in Brooklyn around this time" she rubbed his shoulder. Lindsay is from New York? "Do you even remember waking up in our apartment? That was too cold" she spoke and both me and Aiden froze.
I'm not surprised they met in New York, but living together, now that's too far. I couldn't understand their relationship one bit, on one hand Aiden seemed to not be enjoying it the slightest, leading me on and acting like she was the biggest burden in his life and on the other, they seem to be really serious about this. Their apartment? What else do I not know?
"You guys lived together?" I found myself asking, before I could stop it. I could only wish I didn't sound as disappointed and desperate as I felt. That made Lindsay turn to me, a victorious smiled plastered on her face "He didn't tell you that, did he know?" she paused, turning to him. "But why Aidie? She's your friend it's not right. Well, thank Gosh I'm here to inform her! Isn't that right Evelyn?"
Stupid bitch- I smiled and took a bite of my very tasteful salad, not pushing the subject further.
But miss petty had other plans, and after a moment of silence she took the lead, talking to Jagger this time. "Jagger can I have your opinion on something?" she said, putting her fork down. Jagger froze but nodded anyway. "Don't you think that when two people are so close, and have been best friends for a while, they would want to tell each other things like, I don't know, a relationship maybe?" she paused and Jagger started speaking. "Well-" "-because I think that when that doesn't happen, one of the two should get the hint and back the fuck off because if that doesn't show something then I don't know what will" she spoke about it as if it was nothing, all with a sweet, sweet smile on her face.
I wasn't amused the slightest bit and neither was Aiden, but before either of us got the chance to continue, she turned to me "What do you think, Evelyn?" she asked, and rested her chin on her hands, pretending to really be interested in my answer. "Lindsay sto-" "-No, let me answer." Aiden started, but I cut him off. I wasn't a damsel in distress, If she wanted to play dirty, I could play dirty too.
I turned to her and she nodded, urging me to continue "In such a case, I think when something as important as a relationship gets... how do I say this... skipped? Ignored? Pushed to the side as if it means nothing... it really shows something about the importance of the relationship and maybe, just maybe the partner should be the one to really evaluate their part in the relationship, because it doesn't seem like it's that important" I explained and leaned back on my chair, satisfied with my answer, a smile on my face as I waited for her reply.
The table was silent as Jagger continued his food, minding his own business, his leg going up and down in a crazy rhythm, Aiden's initial frown turning into a smirk as he watched me. Lindsay though, she was on the verge of a crisis, slamming her hands on the table and turning to me "That's it. I've had it with you butting in my relationship! Don't you have other things to worry about such as, I don't know the fact that you're into someone who has no fucking interest in you? Don't you see how fucking pathetic you look?" Lindsay was now yelling, making people from other tables turn to us, listening to our argument, but I didn't care one bit.
"I'm the pathetic one here? Look at you! You've lived with him and he didn't mention you, he preferred to come back for me" I spat back. I knew how it sounded, and it wasn't pretty, but like I said, I'm not letting her win.
She scoffed "Really? You think you're all that don't you? Well guess what, he's mine, and I'm the one he's sleeping with him not you" she inched closer to me to emphasize on what she was saying, but I wasn't phased a bit.
"Oh, yeah? But are you sure that you're the one he thinks about it when he's sleeping with you? Are you sure he's yours and yours only? Because I doubt it." I casually commented. Bring it on. That's all that was needed for her to lose control and lunge towards me, Aiden getting up as well to stop her "Hey, hey that's enough" he told her and grabbed her before she could get me.
"Wasn't one beating enough for you? Do you want another one, cause I'd be happy to help!" she was now screaming, I myself had gotten up "Cause that's exactly how low you are! That's the only thing you're good at!" I was now screaming as well, the waitress coming to check on us "Is everything-"
"- Mind your business!" we both screamed at her and she quickly left, I was hoping it wasn't to go call security on us. Back to us two, things didn't really seem to be calming down any time soon, with Jagger the only one sitting, his head snapping back and forth as we fought "You are just so jealous aren't you? You're so pressed that it isn't you that's in my shoes, that you keep butting in my relationship and trying to get with my boyfriend"
"Is that insecurity I hear in your voice? You keep bringing up that he's your boyfriend so much, I think you're scared It might actually happen!"
Lindsay snapped, grabbing Jagger's empty glass of water -which he had chugged while we were arguing- and raising it, throwing it at me before Aiden got the chance to rip it from her hand. I ducked just in time, so the glass flew somewhere behind me, smashing to pieces near one of the tables, and I prayed that no one got hurt because of our shenanigans.
Aiden seemed to be at the end of his rope, grabbing Lindsay more forcefully this time "That's it, we're leaving. Now." he declared to her but she protested "No, no we're not going anywhere, Aiden, are you seriously going to let her speak to me like this?" she argued. "I'm the one at fault now? All you've done since we came here was try to start trouble with her and I've had it."
"I'm not starting trouble, the trouble is already there and she's sitting right over here" Lindsay fired back and pointed at me"All this little slut has been doing is trying to make me look like the bad guy here and I'm not having it"
"Oh, so now I'm a slut too? And don't try to act like the damn victim here you and I both know you're not" I fired back, crossing my arms over my chest and frowning as I waited for her response. "Is that it? Or are you used to being the damsel in distress so now you can't handle the heat and need someone else to protect you?"
"Do I look like I need someone else to protect me? Look at you. You came to 'threaten' me at school and the only thing you kept saying was 'Do you know who I am?' 'Do you know who I am?'? Guess what, I don't care, you're just a stuck up little bitch who thinks she owns the world!"
"Said the sister of a fucking criminal!" I was too absorbed in the argument we were having to really process what she had said before that, but that made me regain focus. Said the sister of a fucking criminal.
The waitress interrupted us before I could say something back, this time looking angrier than ever "Okay that's enough. The four of you, out before I call the police" she spoke and I was the first to do so, leaving some money on the table before storming out, wanting to be gone before the others found me.
For my luck though, Jagger found me, running behind me and calling for me so loudly I had to stop. "Hey, I know what she said wasn't... pretty, but you don't have to leave. If you want to, I completely understand but let me at least give you a ride?" he offered and I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "You're the best, but I would rather walk right now. I'm sorry about what happened, we'll talk, I guess?"
"Sure thing" he smiled at me reassuringly, and after we said our goodbye's I was gone.
Way to fucking go, Lindsay.
~~~
Henlo hoomans, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it hehe
On a more serious note, I quickly wanted to adress something, regarding the content of this chapter, and Evelyn's mention of Lindsay's food pick. It's never, ever right to comment on how many calories someone is eating, and it can be extremely triggering for someone who used to deal/is dealing with an eating disorder. Even now in Lindsay's case, I don't think it's right for such a comment. As for why I'm keeping it in the book; this isn't a perfect fairytale and the characters could be real people, therefore not perfect themselves.
Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter please leave a Vote and Comment:)
Hope you're all well.