Content Warning: Implications of domestic abuse, death
~ ~ ~
Eva took a shaky breath, inhaling sharply as she held a bag of ice against the stinging bruise on her eye.
A curtain was pulled back and Eva lowered the ice, doing her best to focus on the police officer in front of her. His lips moved and as much as Eva tried to focus on what he was saying, it was all muffled by the ringing in her ears. She opened her mouth to apologize for not being able to hear him but his expression became that of concern before he left the curtained-off part of the emergency room.
Eva glanced around frantically. Seeing her face in the reflection of an unused monitor put her into further confusion. She slowly raised her hand to her mouth, fingers brushing against a busted lip.
Knuckles had hit that spot.
She shakily moved her hand towards the gash on her cheek, wincing.
Eva vaguely remembered being slammed into a wall.
She turned away from the reflection and tried to focus on the ceiling. If she focused on something else, it wouldn't hurt so much. Eva would just sit back and relax--
The curtain in front of her came flying forward as a boy crashed into her bed from outside. He looked up at Eva with wide eyes, gripping onto the foot of the bed.
"I am so sorry-- Woah. What happened to your face?"
Eva winced. "That's none of your business."
"Shit. Right. Sorry." The other teen stood. "Introductions. I'm Lewis. And you're gonna have some sick scars. What happened?"
"I...got into a fight." Eva mumbled.
"Gnarly. Did you win?" Lewis grinned and sat himself on the edge of her bed.
"Did you just say gnarly?" Eva gave him a strange look. "And no. I obviously didn't win."
Lewish nodded slowly. "That's disappointing. You look like you could snap a man in half. With those lady muscles-- I mean that in a totally non-creepy way."
"It's still creepy."
"I'm sorry."
Eva frowned. "Why are you still here?"
"I-- Well... Honestly? You look lonely." Lewis looked around. "Plus it's going to be embarrassing to walk out into the ER after that fall."
"Tripped over your own feet?" Eva raised an eyebrow.
Lewis grinned, dimples forming in his cheeks. "I obviously fell for you."
"I have a boyfriend." Eva shook her head.
She wondered why.
Lewis tilted his head. "And he's not here? Not to be rude, but if my girl was hurt, I'd be at her bedside."
Eva looked away. "It's complicated."
"...Oh." Lewis looked down at his hands and slowly stood up. "Right. Uh.. Well, I won't keep bothering you. You seem like...a nice girl, Miss..."
"Evangeline. My friends call me Eva." She looked at him.
"Can I call you Eva?" Lewis asked hopefully.
"You'll have to earn it." She managed a smile though it stung.
Lewis' face lit up and he backed out of the room. "You got it, Evangeline."
~~~
"Hey, hey..." A soft voice came from behind Eva where she was sitting on the floor of her livingroom.
She looked up, mascara running down her face and her eyes filled with tears. There was makeup stains on the white skirt of the dress she was wearing. A pair of white heels were thrown on top of a crumpled up veil near the couch.
"He didn't-- He didn't even show up--" Eva sobbed, grabbing Lewis' hand as he sat beside her on the floor.
"I know." He squeezed Eva's hand, letting her cry her heart out.
Eva wiped her face with her hand. "I thought Eric got better. I thought we could-- we could be happy. He left with some girl."
Lewis looked at Eva as she pulled her knees to her chest. "He didn't deserve you."
"I know." She whispered. "I just didn't want to be alone."
Lewis gently pulled her into his arms. "You're not going to be alone, Eva."
~~~
"Okay, open your eyes, Evie."
Eva could hear Lewis smiling before she even opened her eyes. When she did, she gasped and put a hand over her mouth. Her voice came out slightly muffled. "You didn't."
Lewis grinned and held up a set of key. "All ours, baby."
He motioned to the apartment door that he had led her to. Then he used a key to unlock it, leading Eva into a one-bedroom apartment.
"I know, I know. It's not much." He glanced at Eva to see her reaction and his chest tightened when he didn't see any expression on her face.
Eva looked around the tiny, fixer-upper apartment. It definitely didn't say forever home. Her face lit up and she started walking around. "We could put your desk over here--"
Lewis let out a relieved sigh, his hand fiddlimg with the small velvet box he held behind his back. "Do you like it?"
Eva nodded and looked at him. "I love you."
~~~
"I know. I know." Lewis paced back and forth, hands trembling. "It's a major question. I know we've talked about it. You said you'd love to, but there are those fears."
He pushed back his hair, taking a deep breath. "I'm scared too. I-- You've always been so good with words-- Well, this is all new to me. I know you're afraid of being abandoned, Evie, but..."
He stared straight ahead, shoulders relaxing. "I would never leave you. Why say vows then when I can say them now? I will do everything in my power to make sure you are never scared or hurt. What happened to you back then with Eric-- There will never be a repeat of that. I will not cheat, lie, or hurt you. I will not leave you at that altar. I love you with everything that I am, Evie. I'm not going anywhere."
Lewis sighed and gripped the sink in front of him, looking at his reflection. "You're my best friend. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So, will you marry me?"
He lowered his head. "God, you sound so stup--"
"Yes."
Lewis turned around, blinking several times when he saw Eva standing in the doorway with a briefcase. "You... What?"
"Yes. I'll marry you." Eva grinned and was pulled into a hug.
"Are you sure?"
"I've never been more sure." She put her head on Lewis' shoulder and joked. "You better not leave me alone on that altar."
"I'd rather die."
~~~
Bells chimed throughout the church. An organ began to play music. Eva smiled and held the bouquet of red roses close as the chapel doors opened. She held her chin up high and began to walk down the aisle.
Confused murmurs came from the guests when they saw Eva walking alone. She glanced at them and smiled before looking straight ahead at the altar where only the priest stood. Her walking slowed to a stop at the steps and she looked around.
"Where is he?" Eva mouthed to her maid of honor who shrugged, equally confused.
Eva felt nothing but immense dread.
~~~
Eva's glass eyes were locked on the petals of the red rose in her hand. A hand on her arm gently guided her forward in the small crows of people in black. The voice of a man speaking was muffled by the ringing in Eva's ears.
She carefully placed the rose onto the arrangement of flowers and stepped back. The ground started to move underneath her and her knees buckled. Eva fell forward, violent sobs wracking her body. A pair of men helped her up and a woman tried to console her as she watched Lewis' casket get lowered into the ground.
"I'm so sorry for your loss." A woman muttered in passing, gently rubbing Eva's back after she had finally calmed down.
Eva nodded slowly, staying silent. She was seated at the front of the row of chairs, eyes focused on the fresh grave. "You promised."
A familiar cold chill ran down Eva's spine and she glanced at the barely visible hand that was desperately trying to hold hers. She looked up at the young man in a slightly torn tuxedo. His pale green eyes widened when she made eye contact.
"I'm sorry." Lewis whispered.
"Just stay with me a little while." Eva looked back down at the grass, taking a shaky breath.
"I'm not going anywhere."