A WEEK AFTER Arthur's video had been uploaded, Evelyn was only just getting used to the repetitive comments and messages on her socials. People would spam her dms with questions about herself and how beautiful she looked, and while most of these were lovely, she never responded to any of them, due to her friend's suggestions.
George, Arthur and Alex had all spoke to her about the messages they frequently got, Alex's being the worst. As stated before, most of the messages Evelyn received were heartwarming and made her smile, but some of them, just a slither, were entirely disturbing.
The messages ranged from let me take you out on a date to drunk admissions of I would do stuff to you for free and even to the extreme - what Evelyn hoped was only a joke - statements of I know where you live. Evelyn didn't tell anyone she was getting those sorts of messages, not even Arthur or Leona, only that she was constantly getting spammed by her loving and caring fans. They all believed her, Arthur more hesitant with the mere fact that he sort of knew what is was like to be in her position, but forgot about it anyway. He didn't think it was a big deal, nor did she. She'd take it back in a heartbeat.
It was nearing the end of September, meaning the leaves on the trees would quickly morph from their bright green colour into a dark, mysterious orange and burnt brown. The clock had just ticked over nine o'clock, calling the end of Evelyn's shift. However, there was still a short line down the centre of the bakery, and with her coworker only just pushing her way through the front door and out of the cold wind, she waved one of the customers forward.
"Hi, how are you today?" The blonde asked politely as a man with neatly cut hair stepped closer to the counter. Evelyn noticed that he had an unused cigarette tucked behind his left ear and he'd left his collar upturned. Inwardly, she rolled her eyes. Not that she depended on stereotypes, but the statistics she'd kept within her brain told her that the man wouldn't be her favourite.
"Hello, ma'am," he said with a mixture of a smirk and a grin, leaning his arm coated in his denim jacket on the glass display between the two. Evelyn shuddered inside, she'd just cleaned that. "Or should I say . . . Evelyn?"
Having taken her off guard, the girl looked up with wide eyes as she nervously studied the man before letting out a subtle breath.
"I've seen your posts," he continued as he licked his lips, letting out a humourless chuckle. Evelyn only nodded with straightened lips. "Just wanted to see if you were just as beautiful in real life."
"Oh, thank you," she laughed falsely as she tilted her head down, quickly looking to the floor. Typically, she actually enjoyed people coming in to catch a photo with her or just try out her food because it was her that baked it, but that man, the man in front of her, put her off for some reason. Whether it be the cigarette behind the ear, the terrible flirting technique, or just his aura in general, she wanted him to leave as soon as possible.
"I must say, you are extremely good looking, even with that dirty apron on," he smirked, as his eyes looked her figure up and down. She bit the inside of her cheek, air being sucked in between the small gap between her pink lips. She wanted to run around the counter and kick him out of the store himself, or even just run out the back and hide in a cupboard. Either option would have made her happier than she felt then, standing within the creepy man's sight.
Not liking where the conversation was going, Evelyn quickly looked away. "Was there something you wanted?"
"Yes, actually, a croissant," he mumbled, pressing his finger into the cabinet above the food. "That one in the middle."
Evelyn bent down to grab the tongs that were hanging by the cabinet's side, rolling her eyes once her face was out of his sight. With a quiet sigh, she quickly grabbed the croissant he was pointing as and placed it carefully in a brown bag before ringing it up at the counter.
"Do I get this for free, or?"
Evelyn furrowed her brows. "Excuse me?"
"No, I just though, you know, because- nevermind," he closed off in a mutter. Clearly, he was a short-tempered man, because instead of gently resting his card against the beeping device like every other customer did, he pressed it directly onto the screen irritably. Evelyn bit the inner side of her cheek once more.
"Have a nice day," she said, her face a façade of kindness when in reality she wanted to push him forcefully out of her bakery's glass door. She pushed the bag towards him, but just as she retracted her hand, already half turning around due to her eagerness to leave the man's sight, he grabbed her hand by the tips of her middle three fingers.
She whipped back around, brows drawn in and emotions displayed on her face in a flurry of anxiety. "You have soft-"
"Please don't touch me," she said quickly, immediately snatching her hand away from the man's grasp. He looked taken aback at her quick movements, but nevertheless replaced his surprise with the collectiveness he had on display.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Look, I wanted to ask when you finished today? I was wondering-"
"No, I don't do that," she mumbled with a swift shake of her head. Her blonde bun almost came loose. "There's your food. Please, don't come back unless you're after the food."
"Just listen. My name's Louis-"
"I don't care. I'm busy."
With that, she span on her heel and left the front half of the shop, not waiting to see where the man walked off to. As soon as she entered the back half, away from any prying eyes of the customers, she walked over to the far bench, let her hair out, and just breathed. Her hands gripped the sides of the shining countertop, eyes squeezed shut, as she sucked in breath after breath as the image of the smirking man imprinted itself in the front of her mind. Never had she experienced something that got her heart racing like that in her life, and never had she expected to. As opened her eyes, staring at her reflection in the mirror on the wall, she gulped. She didn't know how much her presence on the media would change things. It changed everything.
✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿
CHESS GUY <3
im leaving now
read 3:27pm
are you sure you don't want
a ride? if i leave now i'll be there
in ten
read 3:28pm
no, i promise its fine. i like
the walk anyway
read 3:29pm
well next time i'm walking with
you, and you don't get a choice
read 3:29pm
arthur frederick
read 3:29pm
evelyn bradshaw
do you not look at the news? even
walking alone at this time is dangerous
in london
read 3:30pm
okay fine
read 3:30pm
don't act like you don't want
me there anyway
read 3:30pm
🤷♀️
read 3:30pm
✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿
"I JUST DON'T think it's the best idea that I serve customers anymore," Evelyn explained to Leona over the phone as she walked towards Arthur's house. It was busy in East London that afternoon as she clutched her pillow close to her, a bag swinging behind her shoulder and her coffee swirling around in her spare hand.
"Wait, let me get this straight," Leona mumbled, swallowing the last of her lunch as the minutes left on her break quickly declined. "Someone came in today talking to you because you're you, but they asked you out? Girl, that's some serious shit."
"Yeah, I know," Evelyn mumbled as she discreetly eyed everyone she walked past. The interaction earlier that morning had left her on edge.
"Okay, please don't serve anymore, alright? If shit like that's gonna keep happening it's best you just do the hard stuff, I'll deal with the customers," Leona said gently, her usual tone of sarcasm and light-hearted jokes completely disappearing.
"Alright. Thanks, Leo," Evelyn said as a small smile slowly began appearing on her face once more.
"Don't thank me, babe. It's your bakery too," Leona laughed as she reached for another bite of her sandwich. "Where you off to, anyway?"
"Arthurs," Evelyn said quietly, already knowing the way Leona would freak out.
From the other side of the phone, the dark-haired girl let out a cough. "What?" She almost shouted as she pressed a hand against her chest in an attempt to smother the choking.
"What? He's my friend," Evelyn said gently. A sarcastic hum of disagreement passed through the speaker at the bottom of her phone.
"Oh yes, my favourite pair of friends, Evie and Arthur. Friends. You know, you could've fooled me!" Leona hummed with a teasing smirk as she dropped her sandwich container back in her bag.
"Please, Leo. Not now," Evelyn mumbled, although the humour-filled laugh still passed through her lips quietly.
"Fine," the girl whispered as she sat back in her seat. Her face grew more serious, her tone and thoughts settling down. "You gonna tell him?"
"About what?" Evelyn asked.
"The guy," Leona mumbled, subconsciously eyeing the front half of the shop as if he would still be there, hand holding tightly onto his bagged croissant.
"No, no, of course not," the blonde said quickly as she turned down the boy's street. "I don't want him to worry when there's nothing to even worry about."
"Evelyn," Leona said slowly. "You know it's something to worry about."
"Look, I love you, Leona, and I appreciate the concern, really. But, I'm telling you, I'm sure I won't see him again. This shit happens all the time to youtubers and models and stuff, it's just . . . I don't know, I signed up to it."
"What? Evelyn, you know that's not true," Leona said. Her voice was soft, gentle, almost as if she didn't want her words to dig too deep into her friend's skin.
Evelyn sighed, looking around one last time before stepping into Arthur's front yard. "I've got to go, but please don't tell him. If it happens again I will, I swear."
Leona debated on whether or not to agree, before finally, she sighed. It was Evelyn's decision, not hers, and even if she disagreed, she wouldn't stop it. "Okay. Love you most."
"Love you the mostest," Evelyn grinned before hanging up. Stuffing her phone into her pocket, she plastered on a smile she knew would instantly become real the minute that door opened and walked up the cobblestone path, shaking hand fidgeting with her hair.
Evelyn knocked on the door, but only a second later remembered the last time she'd been there. Nobody in this house knows how to answer doors, Shannon had said, so just walk in. Hesitantly, the blonde reached forward and slowly pushed the door open, taking a step inside and peaking around the frame.
"Hello? Arthur?" She called out from around the door. Almost instantly, the brown-haired man poked his head out from around the corner, his face quickly lighting up.
"Evelyn!" He cheered as he rounded the corner, the girl laughing as she walked the entire way in and pressed the door shut behind her. He wrapped his arms around her in greeting, a smile resting across both of their faces.
The man that'd left the girl worried since she left her work immediately fled her mind.