Dropping off Autumn at the bus stop was upsetting. More upsetting than I thought it would be.
"I wish I could just stay here with you." Autumn sighed, "I really don't want to go back home."
"It won't be your home for long." I said to Autumn, "You're going to wind up at a good college after you graduate in a couple of months. Remember that."
Ezra nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, Eve. And Ezra. I had so much fun with you both. Maybe I'll even take another bus down before your semester ends." Autumn said, with a sad smile.
My heart really went out to her. She spent a weekend here- and now had to go back to our hometown. I knew I would be feeling the same if I was in her position.
Ezra and I waited in the the car until her bus came a few minutes later- and Ezra waved to her until she disappeared onto the bus.
"I'll start driving in a minute." Ezra said.
I looked at her, and she was staring ahead, hands on the wheel. She was blinking continuously- and I knew she was blinking back tears.
"She's going to be okay." I said to Ezra, "In a few months time, she'll be going to college and getting the fuck away from Seneca Hills."
"I know." Ezra nodded, "I just...well, I guess I wasn't expecting to be this upset to see her go. That's all."
Ezra turned to me and she had tears in her eyes. Before I could say anything, she wiped at her eyes and said, "I need to stop being a pussy. Sorry."
"Don't apologize." I said, "And you're not being a pussy."
"I kind of hope she goes to college here. That would be pretty cool." Ezra said, and she started the car.
I wasn't looking forward to work that night, as I knew that I would be working with Sammie. As I got ready for work, Ezra sat in my room with me.
"So...I technically won our bet, right?" she said, somewhat jokingly, "Sammie asked you out within two months."
"Seriously, Ezra?" I chuckled.
"Hey, a bet is a bet!" Ezra laughed, "You have to do something that I want."
"And what would that be?" I asked Ezra as I put on some lipgloss.
"Here, I'll keep it simple for you. Especially considering the circumstances around Sammie now. Walk to 7-11 with me after your shift and we can get candy together. That's all I ask."
"Hey, that's simple enough." I said, "You've got a deal."
Even though I hadn't seen Honey since the party at Jack's over a week before, we had still been texting on and off. And she had told me she was working that day. I decided to stop into Starbucks before work to grab a drink and say hello to her.
When I walked into Starbucks and saw her, I immediately noticed that it looked like she got her hair done. It looked like it had been blown out, and the color looked extremely vibrant and pretty.
Her face lit up when she saw me walk in.
"Your hair looks beautiful." I said to her before I ordered, "Did you get it done?"
"I did." Honey smiled, "Thank you. I'm thinking of doing something different with my color the next time, but I couldn't quite let it go this time. You like it, though?"
"I love it!" I said, "It looks amazing."
"Thanks, Eve. That means a lot."
"Of course." I said, "I'm glad I was able to see you today, even if it is while you're at work and I'm on the way to mine.
"I like seeing you, even if it's only for a few minutes." Honey said, and then she lowered her voice, "I don't feel like being here at all today."
"I don't want to go to work at all either, so I understand."
"Any particular reason?" Honey asked me.
"I don't want to see my co-worker. She was really rude to me this weekend."
Honey's eyes widened, "How so?"
"Well, if I am being honest, she asked me out. And I very kindly rejected her. She did not take it well, at all. And I was surprised, because it seemed so unlike her. She's always been really sweet, it was like it came out of nowhere."
"That's awful." Honey said, "Just because you rejected her, that gives her no right to be rude to you. Wow."
Honey shook her head and then said, "Tell me how it goes with her at work today, okay? I'll be thinking about you."
"Thanks, Honey." I said, "I really appreciate that."
"I'm here for you if you need to talk."
I genuinely appreciated what Honey was saying to me- and who knows, maybe I would take her up on it?
If we never become more than just friends, I could actually see her being a really good friend.
Right when I walked into work, Miranda said to me, "Sammie said she needed to talk to you, and that it was urgent."
I almost rolled my eyes, but I held back. I didn't need everyone at work knowing about my drama.
"Thanks." I said, "I'll go find her later."
"She seemed pretty upset. Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine." I said, giving Miranda a reassuring smile, "I'll tell you after I talk to Sammie, okay?"
"You better." Miranda said.
About a half hour into my shift, I saw Sammie start to walk up to the host stand, where Miranda, Devon, and I were standing.
"Hey, Eve. Mind if I steal you for a minute?" Sammie asked, with a sheepish look on her face.
I stared at her for a second and then said, "Sure. Let's go outside."
"Okay." Sammie nodded, and I followed her to the door. She opened the door for me, and then a moment later we were outside, facing each other.
"I'm sorry, Eve." she said to me, "I am so sorry about last night. It was completely uncalled for."
"Uncalled for? You completely went off on me when I rejected you! What the fuck was that?" I said back to her.
"I know, I know. And I am really sorry. If I am being honest, I was pretty drunk- but I know that's not really an excuse. I don't know what came over me, I guess I was just really hoping you would say yes." Sammie said to me.
"I understand that. And being told 'no' really sucks. But your reaction was so...unlike how I thought you were."
"You're right, it was out of character for me." Sammie said, "And I am sorry for what I said about Ezra as well. Whether I think it's true or not, I shouldn't have said it."
Is she serious?
"Yeah, you shouldn't have said it- especially with Ezra standing right there."
"What, did she ask you about it?" Sammie asked me.
"Of course she did." I said, "I had to tell her that you were just making it all up."
"But that's not true, is it?" Sammie asked me.
Sammie and I looked at each other for a moment, and finally I said, "Let's just go inside. Look, it's water under the bridge. Let's not talk about it again."
"Thank you, Eve." Sammie said, "I am really sorry, once again. I'm glad that we can still at least be cordial with each other."
"It would be weird at work if we couldn't be." I said to Sammie, as this time I held open the door for her.
When I got back to the host stand, I saw I had two texts- one from Ezra, and one from Honey. Ezra was asking me if I talked to Sammie at all- and Honey saying that she hoped work was going okay for me. I texted Ezra back that I would tell her everything after work, and I texted Honey thanking her- and that Sammie had apologized to me at least.
I was relieved to be finished with work that day. Especially after my conversation with Sammie, I just wanted to go back home- and see Ezra.
When I got back, I changed into a hoodie and leggings, and Ezra and I walked to 7-11 for candy, as I agreed to do with her.
"I never thought you winning the bet would benefit me as well." I said to Ezra as we headed toward 7-11, walking side by side.
"I didn't want to make it anything crazy, considering the way that Sammie asked you out." Ezra said, "I'm glad that she at least apologized so things won't be weird as fuck at work."
I had told Ezra about Sammie's apology-leaving the part about her out though, of course.
"That's the last thing I need, having it be awkward at work." I said, "I told her it was water under the bridge."
"You're a better person than me, but that's obvious. I would be holding a grudge like crazy against Sammie."
"Who says I'm not?" I said back, looking at Ezra.
Ezra laughed and said, "That's what I thought."
We each got some candy and drinks at 7-11, and on our way back, Ezra said to me, "So...I wanted to talk to you about something."
I felt a chill go down my spine.
She never starts off conversations like that.
What could it be?
"What's up, is everything okay?" I asked, looking up at her.
"Yeah." Ezra said, "I'm just a bit worried that you're going to be upset with me after I tell you this."
"Just tell me, then." I said, my heart pounding.
"I think I'm going to give Taylor a chance."
What?
I paused walking for a moment and looked at Ezra. She turned to face me as well, her expression uneasy.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked her.
"Taylor texted me today, and asked me to hangout, now that she is single. At first I told her it was a bad idea...but then I gave in. And I told her that we could hangout. As a more than friends type of thing..."
Ezra's voice trailed off and she looked down.
Is she actually serious?
"What made you change your mind?" I asked Ezra.
"I mean, I do like her. We started everything off not in the best way. But I do find her to be cute, and we get along well. I think it could possibly go somewhere. I don't know." Ezra shrugged, "I feel like I may regret it if I don't give her a chance."
I stood there as Ezra spoke to me, feeling like my world was crashing down in front of me. I knew that part of me was being dramatic, but I couldn't' help it. Hearing Ezra say this about Taylor filled me with rage and jealousy.
Once again, why am I not enough?
"Eve...you're not saying anything." Ezra said back to me, "What do you think?"
I need to figure out how to handle this. Do I freak out, or stay calm?
I decided to stay calm. I couldn't freak out about this. I couldn't have Ezra suspecting anything, and I didn't want to start any kind of fight.
"Um, I don't know if it's the best idea." I said, "But I'm not going to stop you if that's what you want to do."
"I know it may not be the best idea. But I think I should just give it a go."
"Then you do that." I said.
Ezra looked at me, almost like she wanted me to say more to her.
But I couldn't.
"Okay." Ezra nodded, "I will."
As we walked back the rest of the way home, we didn't say much of anything. Things felt tense between us, like we had a lot of unspoken words. I needed to say them to Ezra- but I couldn't. Not tonight.
And this was the start of our downfall.