I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agreed politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything
-Roar, Katy Pery
30| Evelyn
Mason hadn't picked up his phone. Mason hadn't called back. He hadn't come to pick her up from home. And when Evelyn texted him what's up, he didn't reply. Evelyn sat on her bed with the cold fear spreading across her spine.
Something had gone wrong.
As soon as the realization hit, Evelyn's stomach did a flip and her hands started shaking. She looked at the clock. There was ten minutes left for school and she couldn't wait more. She left for school without breakfast which earned a disapproving look from her father.
Evelyn was five minutes late for her first class. During the class, she kept biting on her nails, tapping her foot, tapping her fingers on the desk and she didn't follow the lecture at all. She almost thought she had grown a little bit out of anxiety, this last few days. But it was back now.
Evelyn made her way to her second class, Maths, where Mason should be. She entered the class with hopes of seeing him. He wasn't there but there was someone else on his seat. A few girls was seated around where Evelyn and Mason used to sit always. A new girl was sitting in Evelyn's seat. She had a smug look in her face. She looked like someone Evelyn had seen before.
Evelyn stopped short in front of their seats. The new girl had the chair moved, with her legs up on another chair, sitting smugly. The others were blocking the path as well.
"Can you step aside?" Evelyn said to one of the girls standing in the island.
The new girl looked at Evelyn. She looked at one girl on her side. That girl nodded.
"She looks average." Said the new girl glancing up an down at Evelyn from head to toe.
"Ugh, well his choice." Said one from behind.
"Yeah, really, he's a bit of idiot. He never realized his status. Is she a damsel in distress?" asked the new girl looking straight at Evelyn.
They were talking like Evelyn wasn't standing there. She was dumbstruck to even response to that. And first of all, who is she?
"Kind of, I guess." One girl replied. The others laughed. Evelyn scrutinized at the girls' faces. They all used to sit in the back benches. Evelyn couldn't remember all of them being together like this. All of them looked like they had woke up at least an hour before school to put on that absolutely perfect makeup, whether Evelyn had just showered and put on a tee and jeans.
"So.." The new girl sat up flipping her blonde hair, "You are dating my brother?"
Evelyn scrutinized her eyes, "Excuse me? Who are you?" Evelyn asked.
"You're quite slow in the brain. But I don't think we have been properly introduced." The girl said sitting the same way.
"I am Mallory Stewart." She said. "And you are lucky. I already know who you are."
Evelyn blinked a few times. Mallory Stewart. Evelyn had seen her photo, that was why she looked familiar. But she looked so different now. With her blonde hair straightened and with bangs, her face looked thinner, her cheek bones were sharper. She looked like someone who held themselves higher than anyone else. There was a pride in her eyes and she was looking at Evelyn like she was an insect she can squish whenever she liked.
Evelyn didn't like her look. She wouldn't even bother her at all. She had many better things to do.
But then, she was Mallory Stewart, Mason's sister, who had been away for almost two years from here because she was caught taking drugs.
Speaking of Mason, where is he?
As Evelyn's seat was already taken,with her head held high, she stepped out of the row and found a seat beside the window, without even acknowledging Mallory any further. People like Mallory loved attention, Evelyn won't even bother giving her any.
Mr. Pete entered the class after a few minutes. The class started right away. Mallory groaned loudly. Mr. Pete gave her a look. But she acted like she didn't bother.
"Can I come in, Sir?" Evelyn turned to the door right away. Mason looked startled. His eyes were red, his hair was dishevelled, he didn't look he had even shaved. He looked stressed. Evelyn sneaked a peek at Mallory. Mallory was talking with a girl sitting beside her.
"You are late, Mr. Stewart." Mr.Pete said. Mason apologized and he was in.
Mason spotted Evelyn right away. Thankfully there was a seat empty beside hers.
Evelyn was so tempted to ask him what was happening but Mr. Pete's eyes were everywhere. Evelyn could feel the tension in the whole classroom. Mason and Mallory in the same classroom had made the class more silent than Mr. Pete could ever wished for. It felt like everyone was holding there breathe and waiting for something to happen.
The class passed away. None of the siblings acknowledged other. As soon as Mr.Pete was out, Mason marched down the classroom, Evelyn had to run behind him.
"What happened?" Evelyn asked and Mason didn't answer. Evelyn stepped in front of him, dragged him by his wrist to an empty classroom.
Mason was covering his face with his palm, his eyebrows were drawn together, his jaw was set and a deep frown were etched across his face.
There was so many questions bubbling inside Evelyn, she didn't know which one to ask first. Looking at Mason, she decided to push it all down for now. He didn't need to be inquired about it. He was already too stressed.
"Sorry I couldn't come to pick you up for school." Mason said wiping his eyes. "I kinda fell asleep."
"You don't look like you have slept at all," Evelyn commented.
Mason didn't reply. "Couldn't trust my own sister. I guess you have already seen her."
Evelyn nodded affirmatively. She waited for Mason to say something.
Mason's face was turning red. Evelyn had seen the look on his face when he beat Alex. It wasn't good. Mason was losing control.
"She comes home after two years and the first thing she does is sneak out in the middle of the night to meet with her drug dealer boyfriend." Mason's hand was tight in a fist.
"Mason," Evelyn said, "Did you..?"
"Did I do anything? No, I didn't. I came back home and thought what the heck should I do for the rest of the night." Mason said. He pulled his hair and paced around the room.
"This was not supposed to happen. She was not supposed to come back. But of course, Landon would give her everything she needs. Of course he would." Mason said. "If I only knew, if I only knew."
As much as Evelyn trusted Mason, she didn't trust him out like this. He was frustrated and stressed out and anybody would take a chance of it. What if Alex just came up with something? Mason would get expelled.
"Hey, I think you should skip school and go home," Evelyn said.
Mason stopped short in his tracks. "What do you mean?"
"Look at you. You need sleep Mason." Evelyn asked. Mason gave her a look.
"Are you crazy? I can do a day without sleep. Do you have any idea what my sister can do? She is trying to make a statement to me and she started last night by sneaking out. God knows what else she would do here in school. I can't just skip school and go home." Mason said.
"So what are you planning? You want to follow her around wherever she goes? Is that gonna solve anything?" Evelyn said.
Mason came towards her, "Then what are you telling me to do? Leave her alone so she could get herself another dose of-" Mason looked away and sighed.
"You won't be leaving her all alone, you know." Evelyn said quietly.
Mason gave an involuntary yawn. He blinked a few times, "Yes, she won't be alone. Of course."
"I think you didn't get what I mean." Evelyn crossed her arms.
"Yeah?" Mason asked.
"Even your brain is asleep. Mason, go home." Evelyn ordered.
"You know the drill-" Mason tried to say but Evelyn interrupted.
"Do you trust me?" Evelyn asked.
Mason gave her a look. "Where did that come from?"
"Just answer the damn question. " Evelyn tapped her foot on the floor.
"More than anyone right now, to be honest." Mason replied.
"Good then. Your sister is in the right hands." Evelyn said. "Have some skills up my sleeves other than just crying, you know."
Mason narrowed his eyes at her. He thought for a moment.
"I will just get myself a strong cup of coffee, problem solved." Mason replied.
Evelyn placed her hand on both of his shoulder,"You are going home right this second. I am staying at school and keeping an eye on your sister. If anything happens, I will let you know right away. Now, go home."
Evelyn didn't give him any chance to reply. She kept her grip firm on his shoulder and steered him out of the class.
"There is really no need-" Mason protested.
"If you say one more word, I swear Mason," Evelyn threatened.
Mason sighed. "Fine, but remember, if anything, anything happens- "
"I will set you on fire. Got it." Evelyn replied.
Mason blinked again. With one last dissatisfied look, he left the school compound.
Evelyn felt like she had diffused a time bomb. Now it was time to check out about the other one.
• • •
The Stewart time bomb also known as Mallory was sitting on Bryan Stellar's lap in the cafeteria. Around them, a crowd had gathered to listen to Mallory. Bryan himself was busy smooching her shoulder.
Evelyn was trying so hard not to puke.
She felt more and more relieved that she had sent Mason away, or God knew what he might have done.
"The British, for God's sake, their accent, they say water like wo-tah." Mallory said and the crowd around her burst in laughter. Some of them even tried imitating British accent.
Mallory was sharing her story of the visit and they were listening like kids.
"Why did you go away?" Asked a girl.
"I was so tired of staying here at home. I thought a vacation might be a good idea," Mallory said.
Evelyn snickered, vacation, yeah that was it exactly.
"A vacation that prolonged for two years?" Asked a guy.
"No, of course. First, I visited a few places around the states. Then I thought, I really do need a break from this town here. Maybe that would be great. I visited a few places and ended up in London." Mallory said. "Two years flew away in a blink. After the accident I just-" Mallory wiped her eyes although there weren't any tears.
"We missed you very much," Cooed a girl. Mallory flashed her a smile.
"Why come back then?" The same guy asked. Bryan looked up from her shoulder and gave him a look.
" I thought I can't hide back forever. One day or another, I had to come back here, where I belong," Mallory looked behind at Bryan, he smiled. "So I called my uncle and he sent me a private jet right away. Should've called earlier."
Evelyn sighed. How come Mallory was Mason's sister, she still didn't get it.
She looked at her table. Jack and Noah was talking in low voice. Abigail was looking at Mallory from here and Diana was typing away in her phone. Rita was nowhere to be found.
"Have you seen Rita?" Evelyn asked Abigail.
She nodded no still looking Mallory's way.
Evelyn decided to leave the cafeteria. There was no need to spy on Mallory here. She was giving her audience what they need. She won't be able to do anything here. It was pointless.
Evelyn made her way up to the library. It didn't take long to find Rita. She had her face buried behind a copy of an young adult.
"Hey," Evelyn said.
"It's really good book," Rita chanted, not even looking at Evelyn. "I am hooked."
As far as Evelyn knew, Mallory hadn't yet acknowledged Rita in any way. Rita used to be her best friend.
"Don't give me that look," Rita said putting down the book.
"What look?" Evelyn said.
"She's too famous to have a nerdy best friend right now." Rita complained. "It had been that way before she even left. I don't care. I don't give a fuck anymore."
Rita cussed very rarely. It meant she had made her mind.
"Fine. But you know, there are other people in world, who might need a best friend." Evelyn said. She hadn't really thought about it before. They were all a big group. But among them, Rita had been the closest to Evelyn. They might not have that much in common, but to choose from her friends, she would choose Rita to be her bestie.
Rita's face was unreadable for a few moments.
"Answer my question first, had my ship sailed yet?"
"What ship?" Evelyn said cocking her head to the side, being nonchalant.
"The Mavelyn one," Rita replied.
Evelyn groaned. Rita narrowed her eyes.
"Maybe I have given it a thought," Evelyn said.
Rita dropped her sulking face and squealed. 'Yes! I knew it!"
"Yeah, yeah," Evelyn blushed. "I gave him a little hint. But I don't think that matters anymore with everything that's going on."
"You're wrong." Rita said. "It matters the most right now. He needs you more than anything."
Evelyn blushed deeper. "Okay, whatever."
"Wanna hang out after school, now that you're my best friend?" Rita asked taking the book.
"Oh, sure." Evelyn smiled.
• • •
Author's note: I'm so glad they finally are best friends ah. Evelyn does need a best friend doesn't she?
Also I am very glad to say that you guys might expect a surprise soon!!
Can't tell you what is it, that's the thing with surprises ;)