I knew that avoiding hanging out with everyone more than one time was going to raise suspicion everywhere. My dad was concerned I was spending to much time with just Evan and Joey, and Vix kept blowing up my phone about me being absent.
Among that, the longer I avoided them, the more distant Joey seemed to be acting, until it was just texts between us. I hated that I felt relieved when he stopped coming over all the time, and that I didn't have to kiss him, but I was worried about his behavior. That concern was what led me to finally answering Vix's calls and her demanding what the hell was going on.
"You know what I'm coming over." Vix decided. She ended the phone call before I could protest. Moments later, I heard my dad answer the door with surprise, and her footsteps stomping up the stairs to my room.
"Hi." I said meekly, hiding beneath my blankets. Vix slammed the door shut and glared at me.
"Did you break up with him?" I sat up immediately.
"What? No, I haven't. Why?"
"Because he's acting strange and hardly even talks about you anymore." I frowned. That was odd.
"Well, I can't really say anything different Vix. He hardly replies to my texts."
"Well then catch him off guard and ask him to the town Flos festival."
"What?"
"The Flos festival. It's like some butchered version of the pagan solstice holiday."
"Like Christmas?"
"Yeah but in the summer, and there's no gifts."
"Sounds grand. But I don't think he'll go."
"Why not? He loves you." Vix sat down on the edge of my bed and waited for me to give her an explanation.
"Well the last time we had a date he stood me up."
"What?"
I told her the conversation we'd had at Will's party about going out the next evening. Instead of the picnic, we ended up hanging out with Evan and my dad. But determined to go out just the two of us, we kept rain checking the date until I was waiting in the living room all dressed up.
"That's so weird."
"Yeah. Look, I'll ask him but don't count on him being there."
"Okay." I walked Vix back downstairs to the door. When she left, Evan popped out and tackled me.
"Yes I've mastered ninja mode!" I laughed.
"Yeah you have." Evan grinned at me from above.
"Hey Nikky?"
"Yeah bud?"
"Dad says you're taking me for lunch. Can we go to that diner you always hang around?"
"Huh? Oh sure. Go get changed and I'll take you." Evan leapt off me and dashed upstairs. I took in a deep breath then followed him to my own room. As I got changed, I tried calling Joey, but I kept getting his voicemail.
Once Evan and I were ready, we walked to the diner. I saw Will and Cooper in the usual booth, so I steered Evan to one across the room. I could feel Will looking at me as he talked with Cooper about a multitude of things I didn't understand.
"Hi what can I get for you...today?" Joey finished lamely when he looked up from his notepad and directly at me. I smiled at him.
"Yes, can I get two grilled cheese, one chocolate milk, one water, and a side of my boyfriends explanation on why he's avoiding me?"
"Coming right up." Joey squeaked. His ears turned red and he scuttled away. A moment later he came back with a chocolate milk and my water. I made room for him to sit and waited for his explanation.
"Well?"
"Alright look. Yeah I was avoiding you, but it wasn't on purpose. I've been pulling extra shifts at the diner cause this new cook, Raphael, is teaching me some skills. I should have called but I guess I got really wrapped up in it." Joey said. I noticed the way he kept staring at Will when saying he was being taught new skills.
"I believe you." Joey blinked at me in surprise.
"What?"
"I believe you."
"I thought you'd yell at me or something." I shrugged.
"Actually I just want to know if you'll be my date to that weird festival the town's putting on."
"Oh that. I'll try to make it, but I can't promise you anything."
"Okay." Joey kissed my cheek and went back to work.
"As nice as he is, you could do better." Evan said as soon as Joey was out of earshot.
"Excuse me?" I asked the ten year old. Evan shrugged and sipped his chocolate milk.
"I don't know anything, I'm just a kid."
"Right."
Evan dragged me to all the shops we could go to along the square once we had finished our meal. I enjoyed the day out with him, since he would be leaving soon. I wished my mother hadn't done what she did, so Evan could live here with us. Evan held my hand as we passed by a small dress shop on the way back to the house. I felt him stop and yank on my hand.
"What?" I asked him. He pointed at the shop.
"Didn't you ask Joey to the festival?"
"I did yeah. What about it?" Evan sighed.
"I've seen your wardrobe Nikky. It's what mom would call atrocious." I snorted at the way Evan said 'atrocious' and contemplated what he was getting at.
"Alright then rascal. You think you have better taste than me?"
"Well duh." We walked into the shop and the lady working at the counter smiled at us.
"Can I help you find anything?"
"Oh we're just looking around." I said, smiling back at her.
"Looking for something for the festival?" I nodded.
"Evan why don't you take seat on the bench. You can play a game on my phone." I handed him my phone and he skipped over to a bench in front of the fitting room.
"Lets see here. Why don't you try these." I watched as the lady grabbed a few dresses from the racks that she thought were my size.
"Thanks." I said, accepting the bundle and stepping into the fitting room.
The first dress wasn't something I could have never seen myself wearing. It was white with lace around the cuffs and hem of the dress. It reminded me of a nightgown a medieval woman would wear. Not to mention it was itchy wherever the material touched my skin, which was almost everywhere. I stepped out of it and hung it on a separate hook to start a 'no' pile. The second dress I tried was n't my favorite either. It was peach and floor length. It actually looked more like a prom dress rather than a dress you'd wear to a festival based on a pagan holiday. The material was comfortable, but I wasn't keen on the way the shoulders slipped down my arms. I added it to the 'no' pile and tried on the last dress I was given. The final dress was probably one of my favorite dresses ever. It was a tulle sage green dress with lavender stitching, and bundles of the lavender flowers embroidered around the hem. Underneath it was a layer of cream colored silky material so it wouldn't scratch my body, and the length of it fell to my knees. The sleeves were loose but came together at the wrists, making them look slightly puffy. The dress had a keyhole that was adorned by a silver button.
"Did you find one yet?" Evan asked in a bored voice.
"I think so, but I need a professionals opinion. Care to help me out?" I asked, stepping out to show him.
"Hmm. Definitely a step up from what you usually wear." I bowed in thanks and went back into the fitting room to change back into my regular clothes. Even if Joey decided not to show up, I was going to enjoy myself for one night.
Once Evan and I paid for the dress, we headed straight home. Evan was eager to get back to his racetrack he'd built in the recreational room, and I was eager to have time to myself. Well almost. Mel and Ollie finally had time for a group call and I was going to flaunt my new dress to them, as I could always count on them to hype me up. I just hoped they weren't going to press me on the situation that is my love life.