♕ Eve ♕
"Hello?"
"Not Evelyn! You're awake!"
I smiled, the still-half-asleep-smile that made your whole morning fuzzy and bright. The enticing voice of Drake had the power to change my mood in a second.
"I am awake, why are you up so early?" Drake only woke up early when the house was noisy, and that was to go yell at everyone making sounds. This morning was dead quiet.
"Come outside your room and you'll see," he replied coyly, and I could practically taste his excitement, despite him trying his best to sound nonchalant.
"Okay..." I hushed, and the line clicked as he hung up. I dragged my feet to the edge of the bed and slowly stood up, my body chilling as my feet touched the cool floor. I yawned, stretching my arms high above my head as the soft sound of Christmas music tickled my ears. A light gust of cold air hit my bare legs from my air conditioner, and I quickly put on a pair of Drake's sweats.
Just forget. And enjoy Christmas.
Taking a deep breath, I quickly stepped out of my bedroom, and closed the door behind me.
"Merry Christmas!"
I spun, startled, as all my friends, my family greeted me with a chorus of cheers.
Laying my eyes on the dorm, I couldn't stop the gasp from leaving my lips. Eyes wide, I scoured every inch of the room, too much to look at to decide what to settle on.
The walls and the ceiling were covered with red and green streamers, topped off with fairly lights. A massive tree sat in the corner, decorated head-to-toe in ornaments and lights. Everyone standing in front of me wore a different Christmas sweater, clearly courtesy of Kate because she was the only one not looking annoyed to be wearing it. I did notice there was one person not in the room: Drake.
"What's all this about?" I laughed, a gleeful expression on my face.
"We just wanted to make today special for you," Kate answered softly.
"She's being modest," Matthew started. "This was all her idea."
My eyes watered at the sentiment, and I quickly wrapped my arms around Kate, my face pushed into her shoulder. "You are truly amazing."
Her arms squeezed tighter around me, and giggled into my hair. "You deserve nothing less."
"Alright alright that's enough PDA!" Matthew interjected, "I want to start eating!"
Kate laughed as she let go of our hug, and I smiled while blinking back my watery eyes. After these last five months, I still couldn't believe I'd found such incredible people to call my friends.
Everyone began walking towards the kitchen, but Kate pulled me aside before I could follow. "There's someone that wants to talk to you outside," she hinted with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows, before pushing me in the direction of the door.
"Okay okay I'm going!" I laughed, then was shoved out of the dorm, the door smacking closed behind me.
The air was chilled, but still warmer than winter in New York. The number of students walking around campus had dwindled over the past week, and today the grounds were completely clear of people. A slight breeze went by, and I was momentarily glad that I had put on pants this morning.
"My sweats look much, much better on you."
I spun to my side and saw Drake, sitting on a bench with his back to the wall. Today he wore black jeans and a black sweater, and as always his hair was a disheveled mess. He must have worked some type of magic to get out of wearing the Christmas sweater from Kate.
"How do you roll out of bed at 11am and still look so hot? Like, fuck, I can't even focus. I might have to close my eyes," Drake joked as I moved to sit beside him.
"Now you know how I feel when I look at you."
He smiled at me. A bright, beautiful smile, one of his that completely immersed me in the moment, and let me feel normal.
"There's something I wanted to say to you," he blurted, his eyes turning serious. My heart dropped. Please don't say you're leaving me.
"I— well I— it's about— fuck. I knew I was going to fuck this up," he cursed. A giggle escaped my lips at his nervousness, and I placed a hand on his knee to calm him down. So far this sounded like a good something.
"Okay," he breathed. "You— you have completely changed my life. I went from an angry, self absorbed asshole, to an entirely different person, basically overnight. From the moment I first saw you, I knew there was something about you. I told you that you were going to fuck up my life. And you did. You made me open up, you made me feel like myself again, you made me smile more.
"I still don't and will probably never understand why someone as incredible as you chose someone like me. But I will never take it for granted. And there's something that I've been meaning to tell you for awhile now, but I finally have gotten the courage. I guess the point of this speech is that I lo—"
"Drake!"
My eyes fell as the sound of the door opening and Matthew's voice interrupted Drake. Drake's jaw clenched as he looked over towards Matty, trying to stay levelheaded. "Yes, Matthew?"
"You need to come in right now! It's an emergency!"
I knew from experience that his "emergencies" were never actual emergencies, but Matthew was like a child that constantly needed his every crisis to be validated. "Go on," I urged Drake, seeing his reluctance. "I'll just wait out here."
And then I was sitting by myself.
I took the time to breath the fresh air, something that I hadn't gotten the chance to do much of lately. My heart raced thinking about what Drake was about to say to me.
I lo—.
Oh well, he was going to be back any minute. I closed my eyes, peacefully listening to the sounds of birds' chirping, when I was interrupted by footsteps.
Goosebumps appeared on my arms, and my eyes shot open to identify the person.
No.
"Turns out my bail was pretty cheap, baby."
I jumped to my feet and subconsciously stepped back a few feet, my eyes wide as saucers and my lip trembling. Chad grinned at my obvious fear. "You— you can't be here. You have to leave," I said frantically. Images raced across my mind, but I didn't dare close my eyes. My entire body was suddenly doused in a layer of cold sweat, and my heart beat far too fast in my chest.
Chad laughed coldly. "I can be wherever I want to be. I own you," he sneered, taking another step towards me.
I took another two steps back, wanting so badly to run or scream but not wanting anyone to come outside. I'd already seen what happened when Chad got near anyone I cared about; Drake had the scars to prove it.
"You do not own me," I tried to argue, but heard my voice crack. Chad cackled.
"I don't care what you say anymore. I only came here to tell you one thing."
He closed the gap between us, pushing me back until I was touching the wall behind me, Chad caging me in. My legs felt like jelly, my breathing ragged, my heart pounding in my ears.
"You're going to tell those cops that I never laid a hand on you. Or did you forget what I could do your precious sister? Jenny is a bit young for my taste, but she's still got such a sexy body, just like you baby."
He put his lips right next to my face, and I held in a gag as I smelled his repulsive breath. "Enjoy your time with your little boyfriend, you're just on loan to him."
Chad turned to leave, but all I could focus on were the stars swimming in my vision. My body trembled as he began walking back the way he came, my legs shaking more with every step he took, but I forced myself to continue standing until he was well out of sight.
Once I knew he wouldn't turn back towards me, my body dropped to the ground. The scars on my wrist burned from the close proximity with Chad, and I swallowed, reminding myself how to breathe.
I'd tried so hard to reinvent myself— be the badass person that didn't take shit from anyone. But Chad terrified me. He had so much power over me. He owned me.
My eyes flooded with red-hot tears, and I couldn't control the shaking of my body. My ears began ringing, and the sound quickly overwhelmed my senses. I tried to breathe but my chest burned with each inhale, and soon, I could barely breathe at all as the sobs overtook my body.
Time seemed to leave me. But when I heard the front door click open, I wasn't sure whether to feel as though I was safe, or the person coming out was in danger.
"Eve you won't believe what just happe— Eve? Eve!"
Kate rushed towards me and knelt beside me, frantically trying to discern what happened.
"Eve what's going on? What happened?"
I could hear the concern, the fear in her voice. But I couldn't stop crying. Couldn't stop seeing Chad's face burned into the back of my eyelids. Couldn't stop reliving what he had done to me, on the worst night of my life.
"He's—" I sobbed. "He was here."
I buried my face in my hands as the tears poured from my eyes. I could hear Kate jumping to her feet, hear her frantic voice on the phone, hear her pacing back and forth. She yelled for Drake to come outside. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that I didn't want him to see me like this, but I couldn't move. I couldn't stop and look normal for him.
"What the hell is happening— Eve? Eve, what's going on?"
His arms wrapped around me, tight, and I felt the warmth and the safety that came with Drake. My chest heaved with each sob, but Drake just held me tighter.
"It's okay, it's okay. You're safe. You're gonna be okay," he whispered, his forehead pressed against my hair.
His words were calming, soothing. But he didn't realize what I was up against. If Chad could put Drake in the hospital, what could he do to Jenny?
♖ Drake ♖
They took her from me.
They fucking took her.
She was completely traumatized, clutching me, and they pulled her right from my arms and whisked her into a private room.
She didn't even want to come to the police station. Kate made her.
And then there was me. The one who had no idea what the fuck was going on.
I tried to respect her privacy, I wanted her to tell me in her own time. But clearly whatever messed her up was still here and affecting her.
I was going to take care of this.
I had just stood up to go find out what was happening, when Officer Haldis stormed out of the room Eve was in. His face was flushed, eyes burning with anger. He turned to Kate. "He got to her. She's taking everything back. Said nothing happened at all. And that means I can't do anything to help her."
I watched Kate's face fall as she realized what he was saying. I tried to decode what they were talking about, but it may as well have been a foreign language to me. When I'd just about given up on trying to understand, Kate turned to face me.
"It's up to you now. You're the only one that can help her."
My stomach dropped as I realized that this was all on me now, and I didn't even know what was going on. "How am I supposed to help when she hasn't told me what happened?" My voice was pleading, my eyes begging Kate to enlighten me. She shook her head, and my shoulders slumped.
"I— I can't tell you. I'm sorry. But she loves you. You're the only person she'll listen to."
I clenched my fists, fingernails digging into skin. She loves you, dumbass. Help her.
I relaxed my hands, and gave a firm nod. Officer Haldis gestured to the room, and my legs started moving. Then I was in front of her.
Eve's eyes widened as she saw me, but all I could see was how bloodshot they were, how stained her cheeks were from tears, how much her hands shook. And then I felt the anger at whoever was doing this to her. I took a deep breath.
I grabbed the only chair in the room, the one placed across the table from her, and instead moved it right next to Eve. That's where interrogators sat, I wouldn't be that to her.
I flashed a soft smile, "Hey love." Her hands weren't shaking as much now.
"Fancy meeting you here," she said softly.
I reached across the table, and took hold of her hands. They were so small compared to mine, and so cold. I moved my thumb across her skin to warm it up.
"Listen," I started. "I'm not stupid, or ignorant. I know that something has been going on with you. I've known since the first night I met you. But I didn't want to push. I didn't want to alienate you by asking when you weren't ready to tell me. But I'm tired of seeing, seeing everyday, how scared and sad you are. I love you. It's my job to protect you. And I can protect you. Please just let me."
By the end of my speech, my heart was hammering in my chest, beating so fast and hard I thought it'd break through my ribcage.
I hadn't even meant for the I love you to come out. I'd been planning to say it in some big romantic moment, where everything was perfect, but I guess I realized that it was better for her to know.
Eve bit on her lip, her eyes downcast, but I could still tell they were watering. My chest tightened to see her cry. Man, I really did love this woman.
"You have to promise that you can protect Jenny."
It was so quiet I almost didn't hear what she said. But I did. And now I understood, I understood the secrecy. I was the exact same as Eve, I would do anything to protect my little sister.
"I promise."
She took a long, shaky breath. There was an agonizing pause before she started to talk, but she did start.
"My—," her eyes closed. "My mom decided a couple years ago that she would rather drink than work. And that put bills and food on my shoulders. And it was hard. But I did it."
Eve took a shaky breath, and I clutched her hands tighter. "But I needed an outlet. Partying was my outlet. I had fun, but I never put myself in a bad situation."
Her eyes squeezed shut even more, and I realized when a tear slipped out that she was fighting the urge to cry. I tried to breathe slower to keep myself composed. She was getting to the bad part.
"I had a boyfriend. He was older. I should've— I should've known he was dangerous." Her voice dropped to barely a whisper, and it was so shaky I wondered if she'd be able to finish the story.
"He— he— he roofied me." No. No, no. "It was bad. So bad. I— I— he—," and then she couldn't talk anymore. Her breathing quickened and the panic set in, and I quickly released her hands and wrapped my arms around her. Eve's fists were balled up against my chest, and her head tucked against my shoulder. Of all the bad things in this world, why did this one have to happen to her? Her eyes were wet, but her breathing was already beginning to slow down. My stomach churned at the thought of what Eve was telling me.
"Hey, shhh, it's okay. It's okay. I know what you're trying to say. I know. It's okay." I whispered against her hair. I wanted to comfort her, but I needed the name of who did this, the man who touched my girl. Fury began pulsing throughout my whole body, and I knew what I had to do.
Eve slowly pulled her head off my shoulder, and sat back in the chair. She looked different from how she usually looks, almost... peaceful. It was like the burden of this secret had been lifted off her shoulders. And placed on mine.
I gently put my hands against either side of her face. "Evelyn," I began. She scoffed at the name but still smiled at me. "I am in love with you." My heart no longer raced at the thought of telling her. It was a simple fact. Something I was more sure of than anything else. "And I am going to keep you safe."
She gazed at me through red eyes, and I wished for the millionth time that I could read her mind and know what was going on in her beautiful brain.
"I love you too, Drake." She grinned, and it was so refreshing to see her smile. Quickly, I pushed my lips against hers, and poured all of my love into our kiss. It was so real, so passionate, it felt like our very first kiss. Our first kiss with no secrets between us. Too soon, we pulled away. But I had a job to do.
"Will you be ok? I need to go talk to the officers."
She nodded. "I'll be ok."
I gave her a smile. "I'll be back before you know it."
And I left.
The second the door closed, I couldn't conceal my anger anymore. It radiated off of me, it controlled me.
"It was Chad, wasn't it?"
Officer Haldis turned upon hearing my question. His eyes widened, probably not having expected Eve to actually tell me anything.
"I'm not supposed to tell yo—"
I got so close to his face I briefly wondered if he would arrest me for it. But I didn't care.
"The man who touched my girlfriend. Who hurt her. Who tormented her for months. Was. It. Chad."
I could tell he didn't appreciate my attitude. But he understood. And he gave a small nod.
That was all I needed.
I turned on my heel and stormed out of the station, determined to make him pay.
♕ Eve ♕
Drake had been gone for too long.
Did I scare him off by telling him everything? Was it too much to know the truth, like I thought it would be?
No. Drake wasn't like that.
After Drake left, I fixed my statement with Officer Haldis. I could tell he was still upset that I revoked it, but he was mostly glad that I'd come to my senses.
It wasn't so much about 'coming to my senses' though, it was more about what would protect my sister. And Drake had promised that he would.
I crept out of the interrogation room when it had been awhile since anyone had come in. Kate and the Officer were standing in the corner, speaking in hushed voices, while Matthew sat in the waiting-room chairs. I barely had a second to wonder where Jenny was, before she smacked into me and hugged me hard enough to cut off circulation. Her tight squeeze crushed my arms to my side, and left me struggling to breathe.
"Jenny, honey, you're killing me," I groaned. In response, she hugged me even tighter.
"You shut up," she mumbled against my shoulder.
"Okay, okay," I conceded. I wrapped my arms around her, and buried my face into her hair. She smelled how she always did, like oranges. To me, it was the best scent in the world.
After what seemed like an eternity of her crushing my spine, Jenny finally pulled back. And then I wished I was still holding her. At least then I could protect her.
"Hey, have you heard from Drake?" She asked.
My eyebrows creased. "No... why?"
"He stormed out about an hour ago. James followed him. But nobody has heard from them since."
My fingers turned to ice.
"An hour?"
She nodded.
An hour ago I told him what happened. An hour ago he told me he would protect me and Jenny. An hour ago he found out the truth of what Chad did to me.
"We need to find him. Now."
Drake had no idea how much danger he was in. Or maybe he did, seeing as he'd already gone up against Chad once. Still though, Chad was a maniac, and this would undoubtedly leave Drake hurt.
∞