Madison took off after Greg, questioning him about what was going on. Greg only spat that she would be no help since she didn't like Eve in the first place and would probably tell Greg to not worry about her. But he was pulled to a stop again when Madison's nails dug into his bicep when she grabbed onto him.
Greg blinked, staring at Madison's brown eyes widen under her furrowed brows, asking what was going on with Eve that was causing such panic.
When she wasn't getting anything other than a curious look, Madison squeezed her eyes shut and shouted, "Greg! What. Happened?!"
She huffed, turning along with Greg when Bea ran in and held up her phone. She glanced at Madison and momentarily frowned before looking at her boyfriend and panicked that she got a hold of Eve but that Eve was crying.
Madison frowned, snatching the phone from Bea and held it to her ear. "Eve? It's Madison."
Bea frowned at her empty hand and looked up at her boyfriend who was squinting over at Madison trying to calm the other girl on the other line. They stood there listening to Eve's mortal enemy calmly nodding and telling Eve that she needed to stop crying in order to understand her better.
Madison stopped talking, frowning as she was listening to whatever was being said. She frowned more, shaking her head in disbelief as Greg and Bea could hear Eve's muffled blubbering.
"Okay! Okay, we're on our way!" Madison looked at the phone and ended the call, tossing it to Bea who leaned forward, stumbling to catch it.
Madison shook her head, insisting they all head over to Charlie's house right away. That Charlie and Eve got into a bad fight. She was already walking to the front door with the couple right on her heels, after Greg had snatched up a set of keys by the stand near the exit of the house.
Greg asked what Eve said happened, but Madison gave them the shortened version, pulling open the passenger seat.
"Turns out Charlie went home and saw Conrad talking to Eve. Charlie flipped out, going off on Eve about how two-faced Eve was for blowing off Conrad and now that Gabriel wanted nothing to do with Eve, Eve was chasing after Conrad."
Greg narrowed his eyes, flicking on the turn signal as he came to the end of the first block. "But why was she crying? That doesn't seem like something Eve would cry about, Maddie."
Madison nodded, "I know. But then Charlie made a comment about Eve chasing after guys who don't want her and it set Eve off. They got into a nasty fight in the backyard, hitting, punching, you name it."
The girl frowned, scoffing that Conrad separated the girls and had taken Eve upstairs after telling Charlie to walk it off. Madison felt nauseous when she told the couple that when Conrad took Eve up to her room to help her clean up, Conrad attacked her. The boy tackled her and grabbed a pair of scissors from Eve's desk and started chopping off Eve's hair.
The car swerved, almost crashing into a hydrant. Greg's sharp swerve spooked an elderly woman with her yipping dog. He looked behind him to see the old woman shaking her fist and shouting inaudibly. He face forward, glancing at Madison as his voice raised, "Did--- Did you just say Conrad cut off her hair?"
Madison raised a brow, her jaw tightening. "I did not stutter, McNeill. You heard correct."
From the back seat, Bea leaned forward gasping and asking why Conrad would do that to Eve.
The blonde in the front passenger seat shrugged, narrowing her eyes forward. Greg glanced at Madison and inquired why she suddenly had a change of heart about helping Eve. There was silence from the blonde's end, but glancing at her again, Greg could see a soft look on her face.
"I have been... sort of thinking... and after being talked to by Coach Marcie," Madison frowned, shaking her head. She rolled her shoulder back, tugging on the seat belt that seemed to be constricting her too much. "I've come to terms with my jealousy of Eve." she admitted.
Madison didn't look at either of the pair who both glanced at one another. She just sighed, flipping her blonde braid off her shoulder and explained that in all honesty, Madison was very intimidated by Eve. Eve was really good at everything she tried to do and Madison just wanted to spite Eve because how liked the girl was on the team. And even teachers spoke so highly of Eve.
"I was mean to Eve because I thought bullying her would knock her down a notch. I thought maybe Eve falling on her ass a couple times would give me the upper hand but Eve always seemed to get right back up and dust herself off."
Madison lowered a brow, complimenting what a 'tough bitch' Eve was. She looked at Greg and Bea, assuring them that was a compliment and not an insult. Greg looked skeptical but Bea raised a brow, nodding to the side. It was a compliment coming from Madison, at least.
"I'm sorry about how mean I've been to her," Madison looked over her shoulder at Bea. She frowned, shaking her head. "Charlie told me about the fight she had with Eve over Gabriel and what she told Eve. It was just as bad as when I spoke badly about Eve's mom to her face."
She told the couple that she didn't want to be mean to Eve anymore. That Madison had been wanting to be more like her since Eve showed up to the dance with a complete nobody, and was perfectly happy.
Madison grinned to herself, shaking her head. "It's really admirable to see someone still be themselves even with the way I've treated her."
Bea smiled, reaching over to touch Madison's shoulder. The blonde in the front glanced at Bea's hand before looking up at her. Bea's blue eyes twinkled as she grinned, "I think Eve would be relieved to know that she only has to worry about Marina and her blueberry heel now."
Madison blushed, smiling with her shoulders raised. It was really nice to see the difference between Bea and Charlie.
"Thanks, Bea."
Greg glanced at the girls, shaking his head. "I hate to break up this sappy moment but we're here."
The car wasn't even completely parked when the girls were already jumping out. They were running towards the backyard and both stopped seeing Charlie waving at them from upstairs where Eve's bedroom door was open.
They raced up the stairs, following Charlie into the room where Eve was curled in a ball on the floor. She was sobbing hysterically and Charlie kneeled down, trying to tell Eve that Bea was there. Charlie wept, pleading with Eve to forgive her. That Charlie was so sorry for everything that happened.
Charlie moved out of the way when Bea ran over. The blonde looked over Eve, her blue eyes already welling up with tears. Eve looked up, seeing Bea and she sat up, throwing her arms around her best friend. Bea's eyes widened, brows furrowed as she lifted her hand to the back of Eve's head and clumps of hair fell when Bea slowly pulled her hand backward.
Charlie shook her head, staring at the brown spirals on the floor. She sniffled, wiping her eyes and lifted them to Bea who was motioning for her to come closer. Without hesitation, she crawled over, wrapping her arms around to sandwich Eve.
The three girls cried together; crying for their friend who was savagely attacked.
When time had passed and it was only Eve still crying, Charlie sat back as did Bea. Madison and Greg had already sat on the edge of Eve's bed. They could only helplessly watch as the sobbing girl hid her face in her hands. Charlie had already told them that she called her parents and Eve's. That they were on their way home.
Bea quietly asked Eve what happened, her blue eyes tearing up at the sight of the jaggedly chopped curls on the floor. She lifted up a strand, staring at it as Eve tried to speak in between sobs.
Eve's breath was ragged and she was shaking uncontrollably. She told them about how after she fought with Charlie, Eve thought Conrad was helping her. He had even walked her all the way up to her room.
Eve held a hand to her mouth, shaking her head while her other hand held her stomach. She leaned forward, gasping that Conrad tackled her, pinning Eve to the floor and even though Eve shrieked for Conrad to get off her, he wouldn't.
"That's---That's when he---he---" Eve paused to gasp in a breath, breaking into tears again. "He grabbed---grabbed my scissors and told me not to move! I was so scared! I screamed for help and I couldn't speak after because Con---Conrad told me to shut up."
The girl's face dropped into her hands again, shaking her head. She looked at the others, her bottom lip quivering as she was trying to get the rest of the story out. Eve cried that it happened so fast that he'd ran out, shoving Charlie out of the way when Charlie ran in to help Eve.
Eve squeezed her eyes shut, her arms wrapped around her middle before leaning over. She was trembling and gasped hoarsely, "He told me that we were even!"
The others glanced at one another, frowning at not knowing what that meant.
Charlie leaned forward, pushing what was left of Eve's hair from her face. She lowered her head and brow, shaking her head. "What did he mean, Eve?"
She waited for Eve to lift her head slowly and sniffled, "Do you remember... those years ago... when—when that boy made fun of you for eyebrows?"
Charlie looked at Bea and both girls nodded. She quickly retold the story for Madison and Greg about Eve cutting the hair of the boy who had teased Charlie to divert some bullying. Charlie's face fell, realization hitting her as she looked back to Eve.
"Conrad was the boy who teased me," Charlie spoke quietly.
Eve sobbed into her hands, nodding as she leaned forward again. "And now look at me! Look at my hair!" She shook her head, staring at them all and sobbed that this was all her fault. "If I wasn't so determined to be friends with him, Conrad would have never done this!"
Eve wept again, screaming that she hated him. That she hated everything, everything that's happened to her this year! She pushed herself up and grabbed at her cut off hair and threw the thick strands in frustration while she screamed out in frustration. She kept her back turned, holding herself and shook her head, sobbing once more.
The others didn't know what to do.
How were they supposed to comfort their friend? What were you supposed to say that would make everything begin to be okay?
Greg stood up, sighing heavily with his fingers running through his hair. "Charlie, why don't you go see if either your parents or Eve's are here yet?"
The girl nodded, running out of the room, stomping down the stairs. Charlie shouted for her parents as she was running. Greg walked over to Eve, kneeling in front of her. She was glaring at the ground with her arms still wrapped around herself; her eyes brimmed with tears.
Sighing again, Greg placed a hand on her shoulder. His blue eyes looked over Conrad's work. Chunks of Eve's hair had been cut and left completely uneven; the cut parts were pretty close to her scalp.
Eve lifted her gaze to his and she suddenly whispered, "Please don't tell Gabriel."
Greg had been planning on telling his brother about what happened but here was Eve, begging him not to. He didn't understand why. But Eve swallowed hard, putting her hand over his and begged him again to not say anything to Gabriel.
Eve sniffled, shaking her head and told Greg what his brother had told her the night of the dinner. Of how he wanted to stay away from her and she wanted to respect that. Eve mentioned that Gabriel had a lot going on right now and Eve would only pile on to it unnecessarily.
"He's still hurt, Greg... and I don't---don't want him to be more mad at me for having you tell him about what happened."
Eve bit her lip, swallowing down hard. She sighed, wiping away her tears. "Gabriel is perfectly fine without me hurting him anymore... and I want to keep it that way."
"You can't mean that—"
She frowned, snapping in a shout, "Yes, I do!"
Eve sighed, closing her eyes and quietly apologized for yelling. She looked up at her friend and shook her head that for six whole years Gabriel felt so strongly for her and put up with Eve being mean to him.
"I don't think I'll die, if I'm hurting a few days or months..." Eve swallowed, sniffling. "I barely am realizing I have just as strong feelings for your brother."
She took Greg's hand in hers, widening her tearing brown eyes. "Please, Greg? Please, don't tell him?"
It was difficult for Greg to agree. He didn't think Eve should keep this to herself.
Besides, how was Eve going to explain what happened to her to her parents?
But those soft brown eyes were pleading with Greg to keep this from his brother; who Greg knew would, without a doubt, go after Conrad.
"Fine, Evie," Greg sighed. "I won't tell Gabe."
The brown eyed girl nodded, sniffling before thanking him then turned to see Mrs. Barry and Caleb rushing into the room. Mrs. Barry's eyes widened, gasping as she rushed over to pull Eve into her arms.
"Eve! Oh, my god! Your hair!"
The woman swallowed hard, worriedly looking over the teen in front of her who was starting to cry again; burying her face into her hands.
"Who did this to you?!" Mrs. Barry demanded, hugging Eve to her. But the teenager shook her head and sobbed that she just wanted her parents.
"Okay... Okay, sweetheart," the mother nodded, "Come on..."
While Mrs. Barry had the girls follow her to help Eve outside, Caleb turned to Greg and frowned, "Who the hell did that to her?"
He stepped closer, narrowing his hazel eyes and grabbed at the younger boy's shirt when Greg tried to avoid his gaze.
"Greg.... I swear to fucking God if you don't start talking---"
"Conrad Kingsley! It was Conrad Kingsley!"
Greg figured Eve said not to tell Gabriel. She said nothing about Caleb.
Caleb's hazel eyes narrowed into slits and growled unintelligible things under his breath. Greg warned the older boy about Eve's plea to not say anything to his brother. "She doesn't want him to know, Cal," Greg frowned.
The look on Caleb's face was conflicted, sharing what Greg felt earlier. Greg understood that it was difficult for the Senior to agree, once Caleb finally did, and they walked out of the room and down the stairs.
Greg wondered out loud if Eve was really going to let Conrad get away with attacking her the way he did.
Caleb shook his head, leading the way into the house as Eve's parents' car drove into the driveway. He looked over where Eve laid her head on Charlie's lap with Bea sitting on the other side of Charlie, her head on Charlie's shoulder. Madison Watson was leaning her head on Eve's shoulder after holding her hand comfortingly.
With a sigh, Caleb shook his head, "I don't know what's going to happen with this, Greg. But I will say this..."
Greg turned his attention from the girls and Mrs. Barry talking frantically on the phone. He looked at Caleb lifting a brow and crossing his arms as he narrowed his eyes at a sobbing Eve.
"Kingsley's going to be swallowing those scissors if Gabe ever finds out about Eve."