Dear Eve,
I will come back eventually, just not now. As much as I want you to come and see me, I'm afraid I can't. I do trust you, but I know how convincing our mothers can be to give them information. Good luck with Andy. From what I've heard, he's a nice guy. If he treats you poorly, I may have to come out of hiding and beat him up.
Your friend,
Dave
I do like Dave's letters, but I wish he was here. It's been a month since he left, and everyone wants to distract me and keep me happy.
The only person who genuinely makes me happy these days is Andy. But, I no matter what Teresa thinks, it is very clear that Andy doesn't like me in that way.
Jules said she would be coming over later. I think we're going to bake cookies.
***
"I'm so annoyed," says Jules, as she walks in the door.
"Why?" I ask.
"Summer's almost over, and I still haven't gotten my summer boyfriend yet!" She wails.
Jules is boy crazy, and I feel kind of awkward, because I have a fake boyfriend/boy friend, but she doesn't know that Andy and I are tricking everyone.
"Oh Jules, you're not still going on about that?" I ask her.
Last year, at some girl's party, Jules' boyfriend and Dave's girlfriend hooked up.
It was HORRIBLE.
Grace took Jules home and I took Dave home.
I'd never seen him so upset.
He'd been going steady with Gina for a few months now, and this is how she treated him?
It was the same way with Jules and Mark.
She first vowed to never love again, but Grace and I convinced her to not be so unrealistic.
So now she wants a guy she can hang out with in the summer, then drift away from once school starts up again.
"How's Andy?" She asks me.
"I wouldn't say we're a couple, just friends." I reply.
"Well, it's good to see you moving on from Dave," she says, smirking.
Jules is a very complicated friend. She can be really nice, than randomly attack you.
"Dave and I were never a thing, Jules. Why does everyone assume that?" I say, annoyed.
"Everyone thought you were," she shrugs.
"Really Jules?" I ask her. "You really believed that?"
"Well, you don't really tell me anything," she mumbles.
I laugh. "Okay, Jules. You can think that."
***
Needless to say, Jules left shortly after that. We went back and forth like that for a little while longer, then she left in a huff.
Our friendship is so bizarre.
I decide to write to Dave.
Dear Dave,
Jules and I just had a falling out. It was so stupid, but she gets on my nerves sometimes. I would love to come see you too, but I can't think up an excuse good enough to venture into London on my own without my parents or siblings noticing.
Your friend,
Eve
"Eve?" I hear my mom call from downstairs.
"Yes?" I call back, I'm sitting in my room, putting the letter to Dave in an envelope.
"Can you run to the drug store and get your father a pack of cigarettes? He'll be home from work soon and he's almost out." She asks me.
"Sure," I reply.
***
I like walking to the drug store, it's a quick walk into town, and I like to be able to think without being interrupted.
I walk into the drug store, and look around.
The store is practically empty, and Mr. Greene, the owner of the store, is sitting behind the counter.
"Hello Miss Reynolds," he greets me.
"Hi Mr. Greene," I respond.
I walk around the aisles aimlessly.
Along with the money Mom gave me, I brought some of my own money to buy myself something.
I'm looking at the candy selection when I see a person near my out of the corner of my eye.
I turn around and it's Andy!
"Hey there!" I say.
He turns to me and blushes. "H-hey, Eve," he says.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him.
"I'm buying some microwaveable popcorn. Martin and I are watching Jason and the Argonauts on some television channel, what about you?"
"I'm buying cigarettes for my dad and some candy for myself," I tell him. "I can't decide what I should get though,"
"I'd get Smarties, but that's just me," he says.
"Smarties here are so much better than Smarties in the US. They aren't chocolate there," I say, grabbing a tube.
"Really? What are they then?" He asks.
"It's basically flavored sugar." I reply. "Well, I better go, I don't want to be out too long. I don't want to worry my folks."
I'm starting to walk away when I hear him speak up.
"Eve - wait!" He exclaims.
I turn around. "Yes?" I say, confused.
"Can I tell you something?" He asks.
Oh no, there goes that phrase again.
"Yes, of course." I reply.
"Look, Eve, when we were first set up by Teresa and Martin, we agreed to fool them into thinking we were in love. I hope what I'm about to say doesn't effect our friendship. And if you don't feel the same way, that's fine, I can take it. Eve, after being with you these past few weeks, I have to tell you how I feel. Eve, I like you, a lot." He says, getting red again.
I stare at him for a second, then speak. "Andy, after spending time with you, I've noticed that I feel the same way. We don't have to fool Martin and Teresa anymore."
We look at each other, both shocked at each other's words.
Then, it happens.
It happens so fast and honestly I wasn't expecting it.
We kissed in the middle of Mr. Greene's Drug Store.
And boy, was he not happy about it.
"Mr. Fletcher and Miss Reynolds, I am very happy for the two of you that you are an, what do you kids call it these days, an 'item', but, there are other customers in the store, and I don't need your public displays of affection driving away my customers!" He scolds us.
We quickly separate.
I pay for the cigarettes and Smarties and leave.
I feel as if I'm walking on a cloud the whole way home.
Now I know how Teresa felt when she talked to Martin.
What's with members of my family meeting up in stores?
I float in the house when I arrive home, hand my mother the cigarettes, and float up the stairs.
Teresa is on her bed reading a magazine. She looks up at me and raises an eyebrow at my dreamy expression.
"What's with you?" She asks me.
"Oh, nothing," I say, sitting on my bed and opening the tube of Smarties.
"C'mon Eve, spill! And, can you give me some Smarties too?" She pleads.
"Fine. You won't believe me but I'll tell you." I say.
I tell her and she stares at me open mouthed.
"Oh. My. God." She says, shocked.
"What?" I ask, concerned by her reaction.
"I WAS RIGHT! I just KNEW you liked him and I KNEW he felt the same way!" She exclaims.
We both start to laugh.
"I gotta tell Martin-" She starts.
"NO! He's with Martin right now! Let Andy tell Martin!" I shout.
"Calm down, Eve. Your secret is safe with me," she promises me.
***
I can't believe it.
I'm now dating a future member of Depeche Mode?
This is crazy, absolutely crazy.
But, it's so much better than the life I had.