"Come on, Evie! We need to pick something for you to wear before they get here!"
Evelyn turned away from her closet and held up a shirt in front of her chest, silently asking Finley if it would work. She studied it for a moment before she shook her head once again and Evelyn sighed and hung the shirt back up in her closet. She looked at her friend desperately, hoping Finley would pick something out that would be something they could both agree on. Finley had already chosen her outfit, a dark blue, long-sleeved crop top and a pair of mom jeans, all the while the two were still trying to find Evelyn an outfit. She honestly would have been completely fine wearing a hoodie and jeans but Finley had easily convinced her to dress up a little by reminding her that her hot boxer boyfriend would be there-- Finley's words, not her own.
Evelyn pulled down a black sweater from the rod, showing Finley, letting out a sigh of relief once Finley finally gave her an approving nod. She then walked over to her dresser and pulled a drawer open to find a pair of pants she thought would complete the outfit. Evelyn found the black pants she had in mind quickly before pulling them out and tossing them on her bed. Both she and Finely started getting dressed in their chosen clothes, Evelyn turning to her friend once while she pulled her hair out from underneath the sweater.
"Hey Fin?" She asked.
"Mhm?" She hummed as she struggled to shimmy her legs into her pants. "Can you show me how to do my makeup?"
Evelyn gasped as Finley quickly whipped around and almost hit her head off of Evelyn's.
The girl was staring at her with wide, surprised eyes, "You, Evelyn Flores, want me to teach you how to do makeup?" Evelyn scoffed lightheartedly and nodded, "I mean... Yeah," she shrugged, "I just want to know how to do it for when I want to wear some."
"I never thought the day would come," Finley sniffled and wiped a fake tear from her eye. She smiled excitedly at Evelyn as she led her over to the vanity and sat her down in the chair facing the mirror, "Let's teach you how to perfect this shit."
She watched intently as Finley explained what she was doing as she put the makeup on Evelyn's face while making as many mental notes as she could to remember what she was being taught.
"And..." she drawled out as she applied the shimmery gloss on her lips, "Perfect! Knock 'em dead girl." Evelyn winked and blew her an over exaggerated kiss, a knock on the door interrupting the girls fooling around. Finley ran to the door yelling "they're here!" as she slid on the wooden floors around the corner and rushed to open the door.
Evelyn quickly followed behind and stopped next to the open door. She looked up at Finley and noticed her pouting before she shifted to look up at Luke standing in the doorway. She smiled happily at him and waved, greeting him and offering him to come in.
Luke was stunned into a short moment of silence as he looked down at the girl in front of him as she shut the door behind himself. "You look beautiful," he admitted, hands automatically landing on her waist. Evelyn blushed and ducked her head before quietly thanking him and wrapped her around around his torso in a tight hug.
The two pulled away when they heard an over dramatic sigh behind them. "And they say romance is dead," Finley laughed at the immediate glare she got from the blonde. "Easy tiger, I'm just messing around. Do you know where Calum is?"
Luke shrugged his shoulder half heartedly and shook his head. Finley sighed and threw herself down on one of the couches in the living room. Evelyn pulled back from the embrace and grabbed his hand to quietly lead him over to the other couch and sit down, the three watching the show playing as they waited for Calum to arrive.
Not long after there was a knock on the door, all of them making their way over to the door. Finley opened the door first and sighed, "Thank fuck, I was about to fall asleep."
Calum laughed, doubtful, "Mhm, I'm sure." He reached out and took Finley's hand as they walked down the porch and into Calum's car. "We'll meet you guys there!" Finley yelled back to Evelyn as she locked the door behind the two, waving as they pulled into the street and left.
Evelyn had climbed into Luke's car and shivered slightly as the heat suddenly blasted through the car. "Cold?" Luke asked with a knowing smirk.
"You know it," she replied, wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to warm up in the heat. Luke pulled out of the small driveway and placed his hand on Evelyn's thigh, a different type of shiver making its way up her spine as the area warmed from his touch.
After a long thirty minutes stuck in traffic, they made it to the parking garage behind the cinema they were headed to. Luke parked in the closest space he could find and turned off the car, both getting out. Evelyn pulled her phone from her pocket when she felt it buzz and read the text from Finley. "They already bought the tickets," she said as she walked up beside Luke. He grumbled in annoyance and said, "I told him not to buy our tickets." Evelyn scoffed a laugh, Luke grabbed her hand wrapped by her sweater. She stretched her fingers out from under the fabric and slotted her fingers between his, enjoying the warmth of his hand.
The parking garage was behind the front of the building where the theater was located so the two walked down the pathway which was an alley between two large buildings. The alley was surprisingly long and the few yellow lights along the sides of the buildings were the only illumination since the sun had set a while prior to when they arrived.
The dingey brick path planted a small feeling of unease in the pit of Evelyn's stomach though she just held Luke's hand tighter and wrapped her other arm around his. She thought the walk was eerily quiet for the busy part of New York they were in. Though she spoke too soon as a few moments later she could hear someone walking behind them but thought nothing of it though she noticed Luke glance back at whoever it was.
Evelyn gasped as Luke suddenly pushed her behind him as he spun around to face whoever was walking there. Startled, she looked up at the side of Luke's face in concern before hastily looking ahead of them, somehow unsurprised though very uneased to see who was standing in front of them.
Luke gripped where he was holding Evelyn's waist tighter and pulled her closer to himself as the man slowly stalked closer to the two.
"Long time no see, Luke," Blade chuckled, amused by the boxer's defensive attitude. Evelyn subtly glanced from around Luke's arm, she couldn't see over his broad shoulder from how close he had pulled her.
"What the fuck do you want?" Luke asked. His unoccupied hand subconsciously clenched into a fist, prepared to beat the shit out of the piece of shit in front of him.
"The same thing I've always wanted," the other man sneered while reaching his hands into his jacket pockets. "You fucking six feet under."
Evelyn winced instinctually as the man lunged forward. The noise she made got caught in the back of her throat as Luke was pulled from her grasp and pushed against the brick walls beside them. Her hands flew up to her mouth as his head hit the bricks hard enough to make him gasp a wince. Her own gas was silenced behind her hands as she saw light reflect off something held against Luke's neck.
A fucking knife?, she frantically thought as tears started to dip down her cheeks. Luke looked over at her, the momentary fear he felt was overpowered by rage as he saw how terrified she looked. Rage at himself for dreagging her into this fucking mess. Rage at Blade who had this fucked up vendetta against him. "Let fucking go of me," he seethed and pushed agaisnt the hand away from his neck that held the knife.
Blade laughed though nothing about the situation was humorous. "Listen here you little bitch. You fucking ruined me and yo have the audacity to think you get to walk away just like that? Like you didn't ruin my goddamn life?"
Luke pushed him away with all the strength he could muster causing Blade to stumble slightly and Luke took the minor setback to put as much distance between them as possible.
"What the fuck are you taking about?" He panted slightly as the adrenaline ran through his body. That was the one thing for these past few years that had baffled him the most, he never even knew what he did.
"I barely even fucking knew your name."
He instinctively grabbed Evelyn's hand and took a protective stance in front of her again.
Blade's attention focused on Evelyn, briefly having forgotten she was there. A shiver of disgust racked her body as his eyes scanned over her body that wasn't concealed behind Luke. He stepped a little more in front of her.
Blade grinned sinisterly, "If you know what's good for you and your precious little girlfriend," he sneered the last part, "Then you'd watch your fucking back. You don't know what I'm capable of."
He gave one last arrogant, crazed grin to the two before he turned and walked back the way he came from.
Luke let out a deep breath as he flexed his fingers and tried to gain control of the erratic beating of his heart. Evelyn pulled herself together enough for a moment once Blade was out of sight to step in front of Luke and grab his hand.
He slowly opened his eyes once his brain registered that Evelyn stood in front of him, holding his hand. "Are you okay?" she all but whispered, unknowingly squeezing his hand in hers.
He shook his head and let out a deep breath and shut his eyes tight. Evelyn was able to realize at this point that he was mad at himself though she wasn't sure what for. "Just give me a second." She nodded though he couldn't see the action and carefully rubbed her thumbs on the back of his hands.
After a long few silent moments of the blonde still trying to calm himself down, Evelyn let go of his hands and gently, and instead hesitantly wrapped her arms around his torso under his jacket. Once she was sure she wouldn't make him uncomfortable (which if she had voiced her hesitations Luke would have told her that was a ridiculous thought) she fully wrapped her arms around him and held him as tight as she could. She rested her cheek on his chest and could hear, almost feel the fast beats of his heart against the side of her face. Her head moved with the rise and fall of his chest as he still tried to steady his breathing.
It would've been quite the sight to anyone who happened to walk by.
Evelyn shut her eyes as she felt the inevitable tears well up in her eyes, reluctant to let them fall. The reality of what just happened started to settle in on her chest as the adrenaline wore off. Not only had Luke been threatened twice by whoever the hell Blade was but had threatened her own life and she couldn't help the ice cold fear she felt in knowing her life could now be in danger as well.
The idea scared the ever living shit out of her but even just briefly entertaining the idea of pulling herself away from the man in her arms had sent a gross feeling through her heart. Her blooming infatuation with the blonde made her more scared to leave him than to put her life at risk with him. And she knew deep down that definitely wasn't healthy.
The tears she tried repressing soon escaped her eyes as she felt Luke slowly wrap his arms around her and place a kiss atop her head, resting his cheek against the same spot seconds later.
Luke allowed his eyes to close for a moment in bliss. He relished in the way Evelyn seemed to fit like a puzzle piece in his arms, her smaller frame curving perfectly with his own and her unique lilac scent that only seemed to calm him surrounded them. He tugged her closer as he felt himself soften as he knew the adoration he held for her grew.
Luke was only pulled from his daydream when he heard a small sniffle from below. He carefully unwrapped one arm from around her waist and placed his hand under her chin, "Evelyn?"
She reluctantly let his hand guide her face away from where she hid it in his chest and noticed the deep frown that instantly formed on his face when he noticed her red and shiny eyes.
"What's wrong, baby?" Luke asked gently, wiping a tear with his thumb as it rolled down her cheek. "Talk to me." The phrase sounded ironic coming from him considering his track record with expressing emotions.
Evelyn shut her eyes as a cold wind blew by, the feeling of her tears freezing with the breeze against her cheek chilled her. Luke noticed at the same time the wind cool dampened patch on his shirt from where her head rested. She sighed as she tried to gather what to say. Luke leaned in and placed a kiss to her nose, the action managed to calm her racing heart and cause the corner of her mouth to curve into the ghost of a smile. She finally peeled her eyes open and looked up into his, he continued rubbing his thumb along her cheek as he waited for her to speak.
Evelyn sighed again and glanced down as she whispered, anything louder felt inappropriate in the quiet and tense atmosphere, "I just— I'm scared Luke." She didn't elaborate further and Luke felt simultaneously his heart break and stomach churn as he assumed the reason why. He needed her to confirm his thoughts though, actually tell him what he knew she was implying, "Of what, Evie?"
The nickname flowed off of his tongue so easily she couldn't help but feel a small flutter in her stomach despite the situation. It warmed her.
"I'm—I'm scared of Blade and what he could and would do to you, to us," her voice cracked as she spoke. "He said he's gonna kill you Luke and I—"
"Hey, hey, hey. Evie, baby. You're okay. He won't do anything to you or me. I won't let him do anything, I promise."
Evelyn let out a tense breath and nodded. Luke smiled at her with what he hoped she could tell was sincere care and carefully brought her face closer to his before gently pressing their lips together. He felt her body reflex into his touch and move her lips slowly against his.
He pulled back, albeit reluctantly, and smiled lightly as she chased his lips and her eyes slowly fluttered open. He whispered as he spoke, feeling as if the girl in his arms was as delicate as glass.
"We should probably head inside before the movie starts... You're okay right? We can leave if you want to." He offered.
"No, no, I'm fine," she slowly pulled her arms from underneath Luke's jacket and carefully wiped under her eyes with the back of her hands trying to avoid her eye makeup, though she was sure it was probably already smudged.
She grabbed his hand after she had dried her cheeks and he led the two towards the theater. "Thank you," she sighed, overwhelmed with gratitude and warmth for him, "I—" love you.
Evelyn gasped and had never slapped her hand so hard over her mouth as she did in that moment.
Luke looked down at her with an amused brow, "What were you gonna say?"
She started up at him wide-eyed, mouth gaping like a fish and stuck in place. "N-nothing," she stuttered once she found her voice though it was shaky and she stuttered. "It was just something embarrassing I realized couldn't say out loud," she rushed out, desperate to shake the feeling of absolute terror at what she had almost just admitted. "You should've said it. I probably would've gotten a kick out of it." He teased, taking her shaky voice and hands as a result from the night's previous events.
If only, she thought cynically as she mentally kicked herself repeatedly. The sudden realization that she harboured deeper feelings than she even knew for the boy beside her by almost saying "I love you" out loud was definitely not how she thought this night would've gone.Nothing that had happened was anything she had expected.
A very eventful night, she thought as she willed her hands to stop their violent shaking and sweating and heart to stop pounding in her chest and ears. She felt like crawling in a hole, throwing up and crying all at the same time. She also felt a small shimmer of warmth burn in her chest.
And for some godforsaken reason, Evelyn was able to keep enough composure before she was ultimately dragged by Finley into the movie theater bathroom to fix her makeup and spill absolutely every detail of what had just happened outside in the cold October air. And even after Evelyn cried, laughed and almost shit herself in the bathroom by her conversations with her best friend, she was able to pull herself together enough to relax into Luke's side in the cushioned seats as the chosen movie played on the screen. If Luke had noticed when she fell asleep half an hour into the movie and woke with a start as the music boomed throughout the room at the end of the film, then he pretended not to notice and for that she was grateful.
♛ ♛ ♛
long time no see...
HOW IS EVERYONE?
it's been like 4 almost 5 months i'm kinda embarrassed. it's been quite a while since i have touched this story and written something i wanted to—that being said i am not the proudest of this chapter and there may be so mistakes but i'm excited to post something.
i was at a major MAJOR writer's block with this and i cant promise there will be another update ~soon~ but i definitely think i have found that motivation again to continue writing something that i enjoy!
so in my absence 5SOS ARE COMING BACK AND NO ONE IS READY. luke really broke the fandom with the mike ponser cover and i have still not recovered.
i'm not sure what else to say besides i hope you enjoy and thank you so much for the new and continued support on this story despite how inconsistent i am!! i truly appreciate it, so thank you for keeping with this story. i love all of you, thank you <33