Art class was so much more fun when she knew what she wanted to paint.
Evelyn had no clue what she wanted to paint.
She sat in front of the canvas dormant, the two blue eyes staring at her surrounded by the plain black background.
Luke's blue eyes were perfectly captured in that painting. The way they gleamed, sparkled in the sun perfectly exhibited that in the paints in front of her.
The stark contrast between the black surrounding and that blue was immense.
Yet, it was not a paradox. Nor did it feel complete.
"I am lost Ashton," She groaned, putting her paintbrush down in defeat, "I don't know what to add."
He gently geared her focus away from the painting, pointing towards a sketchbook instead.
"Just draw something here until your mind comes up with what to add."
With that, she was calm. Evelyn doodled with the paper in front of her until the shape of a face began to form.
Fuck. Am I drawing Luke again?
Hell yeah.
She smiled to herself, thinking about the boy. He was literally a work of art. His blond, curly hair framed his face in a way that made him divine. His firm eyebrows softened around her, the gaze in his eyes only with love.
His soft pink lips.
With that, the class quickly ended, and in front of her was a complete portrait of the boy. His stoic look was portrayed exactly as she imagined it, the light sketches of her pencil bringing together w firm jawline.
"That's so nice," Ashton hummed over her shoulder, "Let's get going though. We have to get to yours."
Right. Ashton, Luke, Kate, and Hailey were all coming to her house today.
Actually. Make this easier for all of us.
Calum is the only one not coming.
It's not that he was not invited or he was excluded; it is just that he was probably better off giving Michael some space.
And whether he knew it or not, he was safer staying away from Luke as well.
Evelyn's feet dragged against the floor, so exhausted she might have just slept right there and then.
As they turned the corner out of the class, Luke stood there, awaiting them. She felt herself began to stare, entranced in the view.
Luke stood in a white muscle shirt tucked into black jeans with a belt. His hair framed his face beautifully as he scrolled on his phone.
Not caring about the other people in the hall, Evelyn walked quickly to him and hugged him tightly, surprising the boy. He quickly reacted, wrapping an arm around the girl and reciprocating.
Regretfully, she had to pull away. Though she truly didn't want to, Michael could be somewhere near by.
Luke placed his hand for a moment on her cheek, the pad of his thumb swiping over her lip.
Quickly he leaned down and pressed a short kiss to her lips before letting her go and adjusting himself as to make sure they would not get caught.
It was in good reflex too, as Calum just turned the corner.
His eyes nervously shifted between Evelyn, Luke, and Ashton.
"Hey guys," He stepped towards them.
The other two boys did not answer, simply staring at him.
Evelyn peered over to them, seeing them both with different levels of annoyance feign through them.
Now, I don't like him back that way, but aren't they all being a little too harsh?
She broke the silence, reaching towards him to hug him lightly, "Hi Cal."
Ashton reached over after Evelyn pulled away, tapping his hand to Calum's, "Mate what's up?"
With that, a tension broke. Luke shook
his head.
I can't be mad at Calum for something he didn't know about.
"Hey Calum," Luke greeted boy, who replied to them with relief flooding his body.
Luke ultimately couldn't blame Calum for either thing: wanting to ask Evelyn out and liking her in the first place.
He loved that girl to death: it made sense why anyone would love her. Her kinda heart was too much, warming even that most unhappy around.
Luke tilted his head, admiring the small girl in front of him. She was bright, trying to engage in conversation but the words falling short.
The awkward tension amongst them dissipated as Ashton cleared his throat, "We should get going."
Calum nodded, looking down at the girl and then back up at the two boys. He waved a goodbye and walked the opposite direction.
They began to walk out the doors as Ashton reprimanded the other two, "You two have got to be more careful. He was a second away-"
"Oh shut up Ashton," Luke rolled his eyes. The cold air hit them, the chill signaling the winter.
Luke regretted wearing a muscle shirt but, luckily, he had stuffed a jacket in his bag somewhere. He shifted the bag on his front, walking across the street and maintaining his speed while pulling out the jacket.
Evelyn scrunched her nose at the bite of the air, subconsciously moving closer towards Luke. Ashton covered it up by putting an arm around her, the closeness between her and Luke now meaning little to nothing with his hand there.
What a great friend.
Michael sat in Evelyn's car, awaiting them. Kate was also parked right next to him.
"I guess we can go with Kate, and you and Hailey can go with Michael," Evelyn tried to say casually, "I haven't talked to Kate in a while anyways."
Ashton nodded, hugging them quickly before opening and sitting in Michael's car, next to Hailey.
Evelyn opened the door of the car, sitting in the back so that Luke could sit in the front. Kate looked over to him, waving before turning his to the backseat.
"Bitch I have not seen you in forever," Kate flopped dramatically.
Evelyn rolled her eyes, though feeling slightly guilty. She didn't mean to, but between training for her fencing competition, getting her art pieces ready for the art show, and dating Luke, she just didn't have much time.
"I'm sorry," She playfully spoke, though her words had true meaning below them.
"So," Kate backed the car out of the parking spot, shifting the gear and pressing the gas to get out of the area, "What's new, what's the deets. Update me."
Luke turned back to look at his beautiful girl. She shyly made eye contact.
"Well," She started. Her voice was soft, almost weak, "We're... we're dating."
All at once, Evelyn's hit the back of Luke's seat. Kate had pressed the breaks hard, and had she not been wearing a seatbelt, perhaps she would have flew out completely.
"Since WHEN?!" He shouted, so loud that her ears began to hurt.
Evelyn flinched, "Well officially, a couple weeks ago but maybe for a few months."
"A few months?! Why didn't you tell me?!!"
Luke pressed his hand to the compartment in front of him, trying to balance himself with Kate's reckless driving.
"Mate if you don't slow down we won't be able to tell you anything."
With that, Kate slowed his driving pace down.
He rambled the entire way home, sputtering some nonsense about being a bad friend. She almost wished never have told him. Kate was obviously overreacting, though it wasn't exactly his fault.
It was only a matter of time before the view of the house came into their vision.
Luke got out of the car and turned over, opening the car door for the girl.
He never let her open her own door.
"How romantic," Kate fake-signed, resting a hand over his heart in fake awe.
Luke gritted between his teeth, "Shut up before you expose us."
Evelyn laughed, her eyes leaving Luke and moving over to her front door.
Her curiosity was spiked to see the door open, Michael and Ashton's backs turned to her. There was clearly some commotion, their voices slightly raised.
Hailey stood a little ways away, her face eminent with worry. When she caught view of Evelyn and the rest, her face scrunched up even further.
Well that is alarming.
Raised voices full of confusion and anger grew louder as the three got closer. Fear dropped through her body, concerned about what could possibly be the issue.
Evelyn picked up her speed slightly, Luke following close behind. His stride, though longer than hers, did not hold that same, personal urgency.
"Hey! Hey," She pushed Ashton over. Michael stepped into her view, trying to block her from seeing, "What's going on?"
Her brother extended his arms out, trying to make her body bigger. From behind his shoulder, she peeked under.
There stood an old woman with grey hair, a blue blouse framing her body. Her kind eyes made contact with Evelyn's. Yet, those eyes were far from kind.
She froze. God might as well have just ripped her heart out and shoved it on a platter.
"Mom."
Her mother extended her slightly wrinkled hands out, taking one step forward towards the girl.
It was like she was reaching for a hug, yet, it was felt like more of an attack. Like a lion getting ready to pounce. Her fingernails looked like claws, ready to sink into her daughter and never let Evelyn from her grasp.
Evelyn backed up, her back hitting someone's chest. The strong muscles that hit the back of her chest tensed quickly.
She turned to see it was Luke. Ignoring the fact that Michael was right there, he put a hand on her arm.
His fingers grazed up and down her arm as Evelyn turned back to her mother. She outstretched forward another time, attempting to make contact with her daughter.
Evelyn flinched away.
"Don't touch me."
"Eve-"
Her tone was far more angry, "And don't call me that."
The woman scoffed, the kindness in her voice immediately shriveling up to a sneer, "I gave you that name. Remember? I'm your mother."
"You were never," Evelyn spat, "my mother."
Just then, her dad came into view. He flitted his eyes on his ex wife and his daughter. His eyes were contrasted from her mom's, the tiredness and defeat written all over his face.
He too made a move towards his daughter.
"Evelyn she just wants to see you-"
Though she didn't want to, Evelyn slightly raised her voice, "And I don't want to see her."
To her surprise and anger, Michael tried to soften his voice as well, "Maybe you should just-"
"Stop! Stop! Everyone!" Evelyn was about this close to punching her brother.
"Alright, alright!" Michael raised his hands in surrender. He turned around to the group of his friends, eyes dodging to connect with all of them.
Kate was about to speak up when Luke interrupted.
"I'll take her to mine," Luke leaned over and put a hand on Evelyn's back.
Ashton, Kate, and Hailey held their breath as Michael turned to face Luke. It was risky, way to risky to offer.
They all waited for his reaction. The boy looked over at Luke, narrowing his eyes at Luke just for a moment.
Michael sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Please do. Thank you."
With that, they all relaxed. Luke nodded wordlessly, gently pushing the girl out of the doorway. The cold air snipped at them, though neither of them cared.
Wordlessly, Luke led her to his car, away from the mess. The sounds quieted as she drowned them out, her body numb now.
The car drive was mind-numbing for her. Honestly, Evelyn was grateful that he did not try to ask her questions. Silence was often more therapeutic, leaving a person with their own thoughts.
She held herself up, quiet and strong until she made it to the door. When Luke turned the handle, however, something snapped.
All at once, she broke down.
Sobs racked her body, clutching the door handle as the only way to stay standing: her full weight leaned on the wood. Luke gripped her around her waist, holding her up easily as he opened his house door.
"I know baby," He brushed the hair out of her face as she cried, "I know."
Her eyes were so clouded with tears that she barely could see. Luke led her hand carefully down to his room.
She sat clumsily on his bed. The tears on her face broke down into a slithering stream, identical on both sides of her cheeks. Her frail hands shook, like the rest of her body.
Luke sat adjacent to her, his hand gently guiding her head to his chest. She clutched his shirt, the salty tears collecting onto the material.
Once those first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. She bent forward where she sat on the floor and pressing her palms to the carpet.
I'm going to throw up.
Luckily, she didn't.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Evelyn began to calm down. Her sobbing calmed to slight hiccups; she wiped the running mascara.
Luke pulled her away from his chest, wiping the tears away from her face.
"Come on baby," he pulled her into the bathroom with the shower, "Let's get you a shower."
Almost passed out, she struggled to take off her shirt. She felt almost drunk, losing complete control of her limbs.
Luckily, Luke helped. With gentle hands, he peeled her shirt off, following her pants. Then, she was naked.
He took off his shirt and pants thereafter, stripping until he was not wearing clothes.
It was not sexual in any way. It was comforting, exposing, vulnerable.
She was completely vulnerable, not physically but emotionally. He had seen her in so many ways at her worst- and yet, he loved her the same.
Luke turned on the shower, warming the water do that it was mid heat. He did not take his arms from around the girl, holding her under the water with careful hands.
Her bare chest pressed to his.
"I love you Luke," she choked.
He murmured into her wet hair, "I love you Eve. I love you so much."
And he truly, truly did.
//
okay so anyways. luke is the most beautiful person i've ever seen. literally ethereal. i love him
how do we feel about evelyn lashing out towards her mom?
mwah, luke forever.
-m <3