"So," Calum shrugged his bag while walking next to the short girl, smiling at her, "We heading over to yours?"
"Actually," Evelyn started, "My dad is having some lawyers come around for the divorce."
Her dad was meeting with his lawyer and her mom's lawyer as to sign off on certain things. She made no wish for custody over the kids, nor visitation rights. She didn't care, at all. Which, sad as it may be, made the process a little easier in terms of legality.
"It's okay," Hailey jumped in, "Let's come to mine! I got the basement empty for the boys to practice. I think Ashton's practice drum is still there and Calum left his guitar the other day".
"That'll work for a day, I have the portable mic set in the car," Luke nodded as they shifted their way to make up for the slight change of plans.
For boys with no jobs, they had a lot of instruments and expensive equipment.
Evelyn got into Calum's car as Luke got in his own, Hailey and Ashton decided to go with Luke as well. Michael decided to join Calum and his sister.
A little while passed with some 70's music playing on the radio, the car peaceful and quiet.
It was about ten minutes into the drive that Evelyn decided to break the calm silence.
"How was school Mike?" Evelyn turned to ask the boy just to find him fast asleep. For someone always complaining, he was a very still sleeper, barely making a sound with his breathing. She laughed quietly before turning back to Calum.
"What about you Calum?"
He smiled, "Soccer was the only I enjoyed today. Everything else was a hassle. The assistant principal was on me after I jumped in to save Hailey, again. She has got to stop breaking the dress code with her makeup."
He looked over at the girl before turning his turning signal on, "What about you?"
She began to explain the events of her day, recounting her interactions with her teachers and with Kate. He was surprised to hear that they were doing surprisingly well.
Finally, they reached Hailey's house, the fence standing out against the rest of the houses. They got out and made their way into her home, Luke's car already parked and empty.
——
"I don't get this," Hailey whined, laying in bed on her stomach with her feet up in the air, moving back and forth.
Evelyn turned to look at her best friend, getting off the desk chair to reach over and help the girl with the math question at hand.
"No see, you need the log rules to do this problem," Evelyn explained, jotting down on the paper the rule in question. As soon as she did, it clicked in Hailey's head.
Hailey thanked her tremendously as Evelyn hummed a response before turning back to the work on her desk.
She opened the book in front of her, pulling out a small notebook to jot down her thoughts on the novel.
She began to write: The character appears to-
Just then, she heard a loud sound from beneath her. The basement.
She groaned and tried to ignore it, continuing to work on the homework at hand.
The character appears to be caught in a-
Thump.
Thump Thump Thump. The loud sounds from underneath her only got more frequent, followed by laughter and some stuff being thrown around.
Finally, they began actually singing a song, so loud that the speakers began to vibrate the ground beneath her. They were so loud. The boys were lucky Hailey's parents both work and don't come back until late evening.
She threw her pencil down, giving up on the sentence she was trying to write. Anyways, she has forgotten the point she was trying to make.
"I swear I'm going to kill those boys," she muttered before getting out and walking down the hall to the stairs, going down to the basement.
Her feet made a quiet pitter patter as she made her way down the narrow hall, pictures of Hailey and her family littered all over the walls. She was an only child.
Lucky for her.
The music began to get louder as she hears them singing some sort of song, something about American apparel underwear. And a lipstick stain.
So strange.
She knocked on the door, but had no response. They were mid rehearsal of that song it appears, meaning they either didn't hear her or didn't want to stop mid way. She turned the door knob, ready to yell when they were done singing.
Sure she was mad, but she was polite.
She walked in to find Luke in front of the rest of the boys, his eyes screwed shut while holding the mic in his hands while singing, "And I know now."
He opened his blue eyes as his connected with hers, the next words falling out of his mouth, "That I'm so down".
She looked at him, her mouth running dry as he closed his eyes once again, Calum jumping in to sing the next few lyrics. It was as if she heard no one's voice but Luke's.
She was just completely entranced, watching the way he sang. His grip was tight over the mic as he opened his eyes once again to look at her.
It was mesmerizing, the sweat dripping down his neck and his body moving in passion. Finally the song drifted off as the others in the room began to realize her entrance in the room.
"Hey Eve, what's up?" Michael smiled, moving his hair out of his face. He was sweating profusely as well.
She almost didn't hear him, Evelyn still focusing on the way Luke's chest moved with deep breaths, trying to catch up with the oxygen intake he needed.
He played with his lip ring with his tongue, almost exactly knowing what she was thinking in that moment. Well, not exactly, but he had the vaguest idea.
She snapped out of it finally, turning to the rest of the boys, "Can you guys keep it down please."
Luke rolled his eyes, "We are done anyways."
She was slightly irritated at his body language, though his tone held no ounce of annoyance or anger.
She thanked them, listening to their loud conversations. They were discussing something about the notes and the music sheets in front of them.
Then, Calum turned to address her, "Do you think you could get us some drinks please?"
Evelyn nodded, knowing they were exhausted and went into the kitchen. She walked in the kitchen, her eyes immediately finding the large fridge and pantry.
Though it was not her house, she knew exactly where things were. She found a couple of root beers and coca-cola cans, grabbing enough for the four boys.
Her eye caught some snacks she knew the boys would love: Cheezels, Tim Tams, and Vegemite.
Vegemite, she shuddered.
Ashton loved the disgusting food, despite her reservations.
She slowly began to make her way back to the basement, pausing outside behind the door when she heard the mention of her name. She froze in her spot as she listened to the rest of the conversation occur.
"A hundred percent mate. I don't know why she just doesn't break up with already?" Michael's voice was clear to her as her heart dropped.
Another voice spoke: Calum, " I bet you he's cheating on her."
She felt tears begin to prick her eyes at her friend's words.
"She's just blinded by love, she will realize eventually," Ashton said with a hint of kindness under the venomous words. Maybe he was trying to be nice, but it did not come across that way.
To her surprise, the next voice was Luke. She tensed up, ready to hear whatever he had to say. "Guys I don't think we should be talking about her behind her back."
She was stunned to hear Luke actually defend her, even against her own brother. Of all people. Luke.
"Oh why do you care?" Calum waved Luke
off, "Don't you hate her anyways."
Luke began to speak.
She didn't leave room for an answer before entering the room. She gently put the drinks and food down and walking up to the boys who were now sitting on the couches. They all quieted and pretended as if nothing happened.
She spoke in almost a whisper, "Luke, can you please take me home?"
All the boys in the room shot up in their seats, especially Luke. He looked up at the girl, who was standing there with her hands twisted in front of her.
Please. She said please. She was begging him to do something for her. He was thrilled, for some reason.
"Hey if you want to go I can take y-" Calum started. He was about to get out of his seat when Evelyn stuck out a small hand.
"I'm okay. He's the only one who has enough respect to not talk about my relationships when I'm not there."
Then, it was silence. The other three boys looked at her with guilt. She knew what they were saying before.
"Eve-"
"Michael, please. I just want to go home."
Luke sat up, collecting his things and putting them in his pockets, "My mom wants me anyways, I'll just take her and go home."
She thanked him endlessly in her mind as she turned towards the door and began to walk out. She yelled a goodbye to Hailey, telling her she'd explain later.
Luke opened the door for the girl, nudging her to walk out with a hand gently on her back. She moved slow, silently disappointed when he had to take his hand off to close the door behind him.
She nodded her head down, staring at the ground as she tried not to let her eyes tear up. He put a hand on the back of her shoulder, making contact with her once again in a way to comfort her.
Why am I doing this? Luke thought to himself, trying to convince himself to remove his hand. He couldn't, though. He just wanted to make sure she was okay.
For some reason.
He opened the door for her, gently guiding her in before shutting it behind her and walking to his side.
He put the key in and started the engine, beginning to drive.
It was quiet for a long way, Luke humming some tune.
Finally, Evelyn blurted, "They're right. I don't love Patrick."
Luke's hands visibly tensed around the wheel as he tried to carefully approached the situation. Before he could conjure a response, she continued, "I mean I think I still like him, but I just don't think it's enough anymore."
He nodded, murmuring in a low voice, "Love is never just enough, for anything".
She paused, thinking about what he said, deciding it would be a conversation for a different day.
"I just don't get why they were talking about it? Why couldn't they just," she paused to drag her hands on her lap, "Tell me to my face?"
"Well," he tried to come up with an excuse, "Maybe they just didn't want to hurt your feelings."
"Yeah but aren't we past that now? Real friendships mean we tell each other stuff, straight up and how it is. Even if it hurts."
He agreed, nodding at the wise words from the girl. The car was silent once again as Evelyn thought to herself what was going to happen when her brother came home.
As if knowing what she was thinking, Luke spoke up, "Everything works out, you know that?"
She looked up at him, watching his eyes focus on the road ahead. She never noticed how pretty his eyes were, until he turned to look at her. The crystal blue with specks of gold and ocean-like sparkles around the rim.
"Yeah, I guess so."
Finally, they reached her house. She got out of the car, slowly closing it shut behind her. She began to walk away.
Something inside her, however, controlled her, as she turned back and leaned on the window, "Do you... wanna come in?"
He looked at her hesitantly, "And do what?"
She was stumped; she didn't really think that far, "Eat Lucky Charms?"
He snorted, beginning to laugh as the girl did the same. He watched her contagious laugh grow even more, throwing her head back and covering her mouth.
She was so beautiful.
Ew, soft. Stop it.
He tried to return his face to normal before saying the next part, "My mom does actually need me home."
Evelyn turned red, embarrassed of her impulse decision. Of course he didn't want to come in. He hates her, and he's busy.
"Yup, got it. Thank you for the ride," she said quickly, turning to walk as fast as possible while looking normal.
"Of course, princess."
A hint of a smile appeared on her face as she walked back in the house, closing the door gently behind her.
Like sighed, shifting the car back out of park into drive. He drove from the house, beginning to his own. With a smile on his face as well.
//
WHAT DO WE THINK? DO WE LIKE. i like this pretty well. i think it's a well written chapter, well for me personally.
anyways.
mwah, luke forever.
-m <3