A/N: Hey everyone. I know I may disappoint some with this. This is the last chapter of 'sins of my youth.' I hope you understand the choice I'm making. I love Evie and Billy with all my heart despite anon problems, dying reception, and negativity with the fandom.
As many of you knew, I did have an entire last arc planned and built but I know I'm just not in a place to be writing it. That's not to say I never will. A possible sequel story might come about if a new season lights me up again. I'd love to explore more summer, Hargrove house, more of Evie's backstory, her friends, and her future in music! Billy as well ofc!!
Evie and Billy deserve their ending and so do I and so do my lovely readers. Please stick around to chat if you can and I'd love to hear for you wonderful people. xx I also can post a church confessional smutty one-shot I wrote if you all want that as a bonus chapter!
Thanks! Comments, votes , and kudos would really mean so much if anyone is out there.
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Epilogue. Summer.
Sprinklers cast. Spraying a glittery sheen of water under bejeweled god rays. Rainbows shone through. Emerald grass gleaming all up and down Cherry Lane. Brought the entire street to life with neighbors about. Hawkins seemed to have a heart beating under it.
Evangeline Fenny sat upon her porch flicking through a magazine. Clad in high-rise denim shorts with a pink bathing suit top. Her curls big and full. Vaguely damp from the nearby sprinklers raining diamonds over her. Billy's jean jacket loosened over her shoulders.
Wheels rumbled over the sidewalk. Max Mayfield rode up. Flashed a tired smile that was genuine. Her new normal. Red hair wild and free under a backward baseball cap.
"Stole us some candy from mom's tin. She's had this craving for strawberry suckers," Max offered a stick before unwrapping her own. The younger teen plopped down. "So...Lucas and I are going to the arcade later."
"I think that'll be a nice time."
"Billy scrounged up a few quarters for me," Max scrunched, "I hate when Lucas tries to pay for everything even if he's so nice about it."
"Boys," Evie's eyes flicked to one waiting for her. Billy in her Everlast shirt that he cut into a summer crop. Red shorts from lifeguarding at the pool earlier. Bent over the hood of his car fumbling with something. A smile glittered her entire expression when he caught her watching him. Wiggled a suggestive eyebrow. Thrilled to be the object of her affection.
"I'm off, girls," Mona clicked down the porch between them. Weeks passed. They healed. Tried to. Sometimes that was all you could do. Keep on living. And, frankly, Evie considered it to be the greatest adventure above all. Peter Pan had nothing on her.
Mona kissed her daughter's head.
"We still doing the movie tomorrow? Something scary?" She endured it because she knew Evie loved them.
"Yes, popcorn with extra butter," Evie paused, "love you."
"I love you too, baby. Max, you should come with us. Girl's night. Carol and Heather are also going," Mona extended the invite. Max peered at Evie for a nod and received one before she beamed.
"I'd like that, I'll ask my mom real quick and let Evie know," Max jumped up. Left mother and daughter for a moment as Evie finished up her sucker. Turned her tongue and lips a candied red.
"Mr. Clarke asked about you again, mama," Evie hesitated. "Ran into him in town with Billy when we stopped by for ice cream after he got off. That new mall is pretty great. I..." She fished into Billy's jacket. "I grabbed his number. For you. Maybe you can tell him yourself. I've retired from passing love notes. Officially."
Mona blushed about three shades away from Barbie pink.
"Well...I suppose that couldn't hurt. Are you...Are you sure, sweetie?"
"I'm sure. I might have told him what time you start work today so he might beat you to the punch," Evie received another kiss. "Have a good day at work. You were right about the new location."
"Moving up in the world. Don't look at that flyer all day, we have a lot to talk about," Mona lifted one finger before she was flitting off. Out into the full sun like a gossamer veil of pure gold. They had each other and that was still enough.
At that same time, Max was pushing into her house. Saw Neil at the window like a watchdog. Stubbly and almost greying. No bottle at the moment.
"Didn't realize the Fenny girl was a bit of a tramp," he stared at Evie's outfit. Max ignored him because the vigilance meant he was on edge for an impending job interview. She followed the path to the kitchen where the sink was running. Susan dabbed her lips on a napkin. Slightly sweaty in her hairline.
"Sick again, mom?"
"Just smelled something funny, I'm fine. It's nothing," Susan stared at the window. Paled. Nervous hands scrubbing dishes until they scratched. Max lingered and came forward. Dried one to be nice and helpful.
"Can...I go to the movies with Evie and Mona tomorrow? Her mom invited me," Max set one dish aside and reached for the next one her mother offered.
"Sure. No cursing and be back at a good hour," Susan heard the garage door slap open and shut. Neil liked to disappear down there and work on his own truck. "Looks like Evie's playing that guitar again." They watched the girl strum on her porch through the window. Lost in the flow of music swelling. Truly happy in the light of day. "I play a few instruments...did you know that? Was good at them too."
"Kinda," Max blinked.
"Cello was my favorite. Day and night. I played and played. I went to a nice school for it even. Your dad...he really encouraged it. He was the type. Encouraging dreams even if they slipped like clouds through your fingers. Even if they change because life changes and standards are... The world sometimes speaks louder than one sweet voice."
The sink sounded more like white noise as Susan sighed.
"Evie's gonna be a star," Max said. All the belief in the world in her thumping heart. Sometimes she dreamed of nothing but a push and a long fall. A crack. Dreamed she was saving everyone over and over again. But, there were people she would never be able to save. That weighed on her. Sand filling the bottom of a great hourglass. Susan seemed to be dreaming too. One wet hand that was raw from scrubbing touched her stomach.
"I was very, very happy when I was studying music. Even if I didn't know where it'd take me. I kept my cello in storage for a long time and...Neil sold it before the move. He sold a lot of me off," Susan confessed before she shut the sink off. "But, I get to watch girls like you and Evie shine. I always wondered what that might be like."
Max just watched her mother press this sober smile.
"When you both get there, you'll let me know, will you?" They moved at the same time. Tossed their arms around each other.
"We will, mom, I'll make sure Evie knows too," Max chuckled so she didn't choke. "I promise..." Outside, Evie strummed with some ferocity.
"And, whoa, oh, oh..." She sang, "you can have your Skirt Safari..."
"That one's angry. I like it," Billy took a seat on the step just under her. Relished that she leaned in close to steal a quick kiss. Tasted strawberry.
"Iris told me to write something with a little added fervor. It's my new single and it's gonna win me the ride of my life," she winked, palm flat to still the music. "I'm going to Vegas to win." One hand slapped the flyer open in his lap. "The band that won last year is already touring. Call themselves Low Shoulder. Bunch of punky, pretty boys. Winner gets to open for them and gets a shot at their own contract. And it's going to be me. Evangeline."
"Tannen's gonna piss when he hears that on the radio. Might sue you for royalties. Lose because you'll have a bunch of suits ready to kiss your skirts."
"You're getting me so hot when you talk like that," Evie pushed her guitar aside and kissed him hard into the post attached to the steps. A dust of growing stubble scratched as she obscenely opened her mouth against his. Gave the nosy neighbors a show. "Talk about how rich and popular I'm going to be again."
"Okay, Carol," he laughed at her as she drew back, stealing the flyer to smack his knee. "Watch the goods, Angel." Billy reclined on his elbows. Legs stretched out before he sighed. Coming alive with a flood of citrus summer air. His long lashes closed as he basked there. Made of pure heaven while she was made of shimmery stardust. Evie ran her fingers into his curls. Her pretty Eros glowing. "When you win, I'll get to flash magazines at everyone in this hellhole. That total babe is Evangeline... She's my girl."
Billy smiled as he watched the sprinklers dance. Looking too beautiful, it was utterly criminal. Evie just stared at him. Traced the scar barely peeking up from the shorts on her chubby stomach. Fingered Billy's ring hanging around her neck. He still wasn't looking so she felt safe enough to say it.
"Hey, so I love you," Evie burst the words all in one go. Billy's lashes fluttered again like butterflies in his stomach. Or luna moths.
"I knew that, Eves."
"I have for a while, too."
"Fuck," Billy said, turning to her. "I don't remember that Mr. Darcy line you made me say." He looked at her hand braced against the porch before stealing it. Pushed a lazy kiss into her wrist. "Love you back." He whispered into Evie's pulse. Vibrated the syllables up her veins the same way her guitar strings dance. "I was gonna say it first."
"Liar," Evie leaned down as he tilted his head back for a kiss. Thought he saw wings unfurl from her spine. Mighty and feathered with a pearlesque sheen. Cloaking them both.
"You got me," Billy murmured into her mouth, pushing up to taste more of her. Starved and never able to get enough. Evie's hand cupped his jaw. Lingered.
"I do," she picked up the flyer. Held it before them both with a broad smile. His fingers laced into her free hand.
Evangeline Fenny looked at Billy Hargrove and he looked at her. Two people who now had each other. Totally and completely. Unashamed of a love that ran deep and endless.
And they were beautiful.
"...And this is our next big adventure."
~~~
I've got these habits that I cannot break
And as I'm older there is more at stake
Go ahead and call me fake but these are the sins
The sins of my youth
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E/N: I hope this story was able to touch people in a positive way. I hope Evie's character did some good and helped others feel connected. She's the absolute light of my life and she has a place in this fandom no matter what anyone else thinks. You all are so beautiful and I'm sincerely so so thankful for the people who clicked in and reached out to support me. Share anything you wish please, personal stories and all, I would love to hear from readers and I love you all so much. Thanks again xoxo