Evolve Series Box Set

by Hall, S. E.

  “And how would my number get changed in your phone, Evan?” Her head whips towards me, nostrils flared and eyes glowing.

  I’ve never seen her so mad.

  “I already know the answer, but I want to hear what you’ve come up with. Just tell me—cause trust me, your shocker is not even close to as big as mine.” She starts shaking, crying again.

  “Laney, there’s only one person at school with me who knows you and would know your birthday to crack my passcode.” Kaitlyn better steer clear of me.

  “Say it—say her name—say out loud who did this to us!” she screams.

  “Kaitlyn. It had to be, Laney, nothing else makes sense.” I hate to say it, Kaitlyn’s her best friend; it’s got to hurt like hell. What the fuck was that bitch up to? Sending a picture, appearing in my room, hacking my phone…why?

  “It hurt so bad, Evan, to think you just took the breakup pass and ran, didn’t care to even talk to me anymore.” Poor angel’s whole body lets out a quiver. “She couldn’t have taken anything more valuable from me than you. She hit where it would hurt the worse. And then, she took more, she just had to twist the knife. I’m surprised she didn’t just kill my dad, that’d have wiped me out completely.” She slams her hands on my dashboard, the most gut-wrenching wail I’ve ever heard coming for her.

  “You’re scaring me, sweetie, what else are you talking about? I fixed the phones, and she’ll never touch mine again…so what aren’t you saying?” Please don’t let her say the picture. Or maybe please let her, it might be better to just get it out in the open, cause Lord knows I’m pussing out on fessing up.

  “Well, you know, I thought it was odd when my good friend and I hadn’t talked in weeks, even weirder when she barely acknowledged me at clinic.” Her head is snapping back and forth now, anger frothing from her. She’s all kinds of worked up and I’d rather throw myself from this moving truck than hear whatever big conclusion she’s leading to.

  “I also found it strange when I went up to her to give her a big hug and venom dripped off her voice when she said my name and the girls around her laughed. But I gotta say…the highlight was when the freaking coach of the college of my freaking dreams, The University of Georgia, told me how sorry he was when he received my declination of his offer.”

  Darting my eyes from the road to her quickly, she’s now slamming one fist into her other flat palm faking a huge grin in sarcasm. “He said he sure had been looking forward to having my big stick in his lineup this year!”

  She’s gone back to crying so hard now I find a safe spot to pull over; I have to hold her. “Come here baby, come here.” I undo her seatbelt and pull her into my lap and hold her. I will all the love and peace I can into her; running my hands up and down her shaking arms, kissing the top of her head, whispering that it will all be okay.

  “She did this, Evan, my best friend, Kaitlyn, who stood by me when my mother didn’t, who helped me pick out my prom dress, who taught me how to put on makeup…she did this to me. I had the scholarship to UGA, Evan! THEY WANTED ME! I WAS GOOD ENOUGH, DAMNIT!”

  I hold her as tight as I can and I literally cannot contain her thrashing.

  “I could have been there with you this whole time! All this heartache, all this damage, all the misery…it was her. No one else would intercept my letter and decline for me. The only people with that kind of access to my life are you, my dad, and her. And the minute he said it, I knew what had happened with the phones, too. She screwed us, Evan, she cost us so much.” Her head and body go limp against mine, exhausted.

  Goddamn that bitch! How could she? WHY would she? Kaitlyn and Laney were so close; she had no reason to want to hurt Laney. It’s not like Laney’s spot would have cost her hers, that was on lock. And why send a picture that will only crush her best friend’s feelings? Laney would never hurt Kaitlyn, so WHY? I could have had Laney at school with me this whole time; holding her, loving her, not being miserable, her not being miserable. How do I solve this? Can I solve this?

  When Laney settles down a bit, I place her back in her seat gently and buckle her up. She’s a bit like a zombie right now. We again set off down the road. “Laney, what do we do? Can you still come to UGA?”

  “No, all the scholarships have been given out, Evan. School’s started; the girls who accepted are there. It’s too late. I could have been there with you!” Too tired to cry this time, she drops her chin against her chest, wrapping her arms around herself. “Tell me this isn’t happening; tell me I’m having a nightmare! Why would she do this to me, to us? I guess me coming down here finally cracked her, she knew the coach would say something.”

  I have no idea what to say to her. I can’t believe it myself. I can hardly drive; my hands are throbbing because I’m gripping the steering wheel so tightly. Laney and I were robbed of our happiness, our chance. She had her shot at playing D1 ball stolen by her best friend. Talk about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.

  Laney’s eyes are closed; her head leaning against the window. I’m sure she’s exhausted from all this and my heart aches for her. All this time she thought she wasn’t good enough, that UGA didn’t think she was good enough; but she was and now there’s nothing she can do about it. She’s been all alone at Southern, and I can’t imagine how hard that is for her, especially when she didn’t have to be there at all.

  Kaitlyn will pay for this; I don’t know how yet, but she will pay.

  Hours later, I pull up to Laney’s campus. I’m not quite sure where I’m going so I’m forced to wake her up. “Laney, baby, where’s your building?”

  She sleepily gets her bearings and guides me to her dorm. When we get there, neither of us move to get out of my truck. We just kinda stare blankly at one another, not sure what to do or say. The ride back was supposed to have been spent talking about why we hadn’t talked, making up…but we’d never been fighting, we’d been brutally tricked. So what do we do now?

  “Laney, I hate to leave you, God, especially like this, but I gotta get headed back. If I miss, I don’t dress out. At least we can talk again now, right?” I try to get a small smile from her, hoping this will make her feel better, but I know it doesn’t; it doesn’t make me feel much better, either.

  “Yeah, I guess it’s good we figured that out. I’ve missed you, Evan. I thought I’d lost you, lost my best friend. I think a new part of me died every single day.” A tear falls down her cheek as she says it.

  I reach over and gently wipe it away, then pull her to me. God, she feels so good in my arms. I love her so much and my heart broke when I thought she was ignoring me. I don’t ever want to let her go. Is this all worth it? College, ball, all this…all that should matter is being with Laney.

  “Laney, we’re going to get through this. I’ll walk you to your door, sweetpea, and then you go up and get some sleep. We’ll talk after I do the same and our heads are clear.”

  “K, promise me you’re okay to drive?”

  “I promise, baby girl.” I lean over, cupping her face in my hands. I take in every nuance of her beauty, burning it into my brain, the image that will get me through until I see her again. I don’t deserve their grace, but, as established, I’m a selfish asshat, so I kiss her lips. She tastes like my Laney, my life, my love. She deepens the kiss, sighing into my mouth, and I can actually absorb her heartache. I’m more confused now than ever, but one thing never wavers, one thing I never doubt…I am and will always be in complete and forever love with Laney.

  CHAPTER 27

  Kissable

  ***Laney***

  I don’t wake up until almost one in the afternoon, classes be damned today. For a brief moment, I think maybe it was all been a bad dream, that yesterday didn’t happen, but too soon I realize it did. What do I do now? Nothing—there’s nothing I can do.

  I have no idea what would motivate Kaitlyn to do such things and I don’t think I can stand talking to her to even ask why. Okay, so playing devil’s advocate, maybe she thought the picture would be f
unny. But robbing someone of their college scholarship? That’s huge! And crazy! And the phone thing? Why would Kaitlyn not want me talking to Evan? Was she trying to break my resolve or trying to block communication so I wouldn’t figure out her plan?

  Well duh, Laney, how blind are you? Kaitlyn wants Evan. Holy shit, that’s it!

  ALL. GOOD. STUFF. Really? FML.

  There’s only one thing I can even fathom to do at this point. I call my Dad.

  “Daddy,” I sob, breaking down the minute I hear his voice.

  “Slugger? What’s wrong?” he asks, worry heavy in his voice. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  “N-no, I’m not hurt.” I wipe my nose with my shirt sleeve, taking a deep breath.

  “Laney Jo, you’re scaring me. What the hell’s the matter?” he barks.

  He keeps asking me to stop, slow down, start over; I’m crying so hard he can’t understand a word I’m saying. I finally get it out, the scholarship and Kaitlyn saga, and he’s just as shocked as I am. Maybe shocked isn’t the word for it, ‘killing mad and close to an aneurysm’ is more accurate.

  He says he’s going to make some calls and see what he can do, but I tell him not to do anything definite; making him swear he won’t call her parents. We’re adults now and that’s how I want to deal with it. Not until he offers to try and fix it does it dawn on me…maybe I don’t want to change it now. I like my coach here. I like the girls on my team alright. I like the friends I’ve made here, I love Bennett, I like my classes, and I don’t want to see Kaitlyn every day and pretend we’re on the same “team.”

  Even if he could fix it, which is doubtful, maybe I don’t want it fixed. So he’ll make some calls, but nothing for sure. Yeah, that’ll work for now.

  Then I tell him about Evan, in general, non-gory details. No sense in getting Evan killed to top off my problems. Dad loves Evan, and of course he’d love nothing more than the two of us to be together, so neither do I even mention Dane’s name; just the confusion of my feelings about being apart from Evan, the loneliness…poor Dad, he has absolutely no idea how to talk shop with me and I didn’t give him a lot of practice. It still feels good to vent it, though, and he tries his best to keep up.

  “Thanks, Daddy, I feel better, I guess. I love you.”

  “I love you, Slugger. You’re my little girl, always. If you need my help, you have it; you know that, right?”

  “I know,” I say, taking a calming breath. “I can handle it, Dad. I’m bound and determined to be an adult that makes you proud.”

  His forced chuckle is helpful. “You couldn’t make me anything but, honey. Don’t worry so much, ok? Just do what feels right, Laney. That’s all you can do.”

  “10-4, Daddy. I’ll be home soon, okay?”

  “Sounds good, kiddo. I’m always happy to see you.”

  My dad rocks, there’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I adore that man and no matter what else happens, ever, I got damn lucky there.

  Next I call Evan, but it goes to voicemail. “Just want to make sure you made it back safe.” Pausing, I force down the frustration in my voice. I’m so sick of getting his voicemail. “I guess we have a lot to talk about; call me when you can.” Hitting “end call” carries a weight I can’t shrug off. I lay in my bed looking at the ceiling for long moments, fighting off the melancholy trying to consume me.

  I could call Kaitlyn and ask her why the fuck she did this to me. I could call Zach to hang. I could call Bennett but I’m thinking she must be at rehearsal. So I do exactly what I knew I was going to 10 minutes ago. I text Dane.

  Laney: Hey, what r u up 2?

  Dane: Nothing important. You?

  Laney: Just woke up lol. Had quite a day yesterday, trying to recover.

  Dane: Oh yeah, good or bad?

  Laney: Bad. Very. But I don’t want 2 talk about that… Do you play the piano?

  Dane: Um yes…random?

  Laney: Random is good sometimes, right?

  Dane: It is. You okay?

  Laney: Not really, at all. Wanna do random with me today?

  Dane: I’ll be there soon.

  I jump out of bed and run to the shower. I take extra care straightening my hair, applying light makeup and selecting my outfit. I choose jeans and a black sleeveless top with black ankle boots that I dug out of Bennett’s closet. Basically, I dress unlike myself for Random Day: Laney with a dash of Bennett. I can’t help that my heart flutters when I hear the knock on the door.

  When I open it, all moisture leaves my mouth and heads elsewhere. Dane stands before me in dark washed jeans, a tight white t-shirt, black boots and disheveled hair. He smells delicious, the light scent of cologne and freshness graces my senses from where he stands, and that half-cocked smile he wears as he peruses me is almost more than I can take. Full frontal awareness hits me—I’ve gone from never having a boyfriend to a full-on love triangle, head first.

  “Well hello, Disney. You look like walking sin,” he says, sensuality dripping from every word. Make that a love hexapolyoctagon. I’m screwed.

  “Why thank you,” I say with my chin held high. “Trying something random. You ready?”

  “I’m ready for anything. What do you have in mind?” he asks as I close and lock my door. I really hope Bennett remembered her key.

  “Well, I’m thinking I can’t skip classes, so we don’t have time to jet away to Fiji. So how about…we play right left and see where we end up?”

  He gives me a curious look as he opens my door and settles me in the passenger seat of…a black SUV? Well, of course he has more than one car. I mean, who doesn’t?

  “You’re gonna have to tell me what this is before I can agree,” he laughs. He hurries around to the driver’s side and hops in, handing me his phone. He’s going to let me pick the music, a small but very thoughtful gesture. I choose his Damien Rice playlist, skipping straight to “9 Crimes.” Maybe he’ll take the hint that I think of this song when I picture him at the piano. He looks over and winks at me as it starts, yep; he knows how to play it.

  “Every time we come to a stop, we just choose right or left. But, in a startling new twist, we’re gonna take turns saying something completely meaningless with each turn, until we end up somewhere good! Honestly, I could care less where we end up right now, I just wanna be.”

  “I’m game.” He gives me a smile. “But I kind of wish you’d talk to me about what happened.”

  I give him the very condensed version, interrupting every few minutes with a “right” or “left,” and so far our random facts at each tell me that he’s for morning breath kissing as long as both people have it and he can also play the violin. I share that I’m the ultimate Beatles fan, but only pre-mustache Beatles, and brush my teeth about 15 times a day (totally in reaction to his morning breath comment). He doesn’t ask about my time with Evan or any specifics, he just hits on the part about Kaitlyn.

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “I’m not going to do anything; what can I do? The chance is gone, at least for this year. The friendship’s gone, so why even ask her for an explanation? There isn’t one that will ever fix it. And… nothing, that’s it.”

  “Nice try, Disney, finish what you were gonna say.”

  “The dorm rooms here are really nice, like way better than other colleges’. How cool is it to have our own bathrooms? You can’t get that just anywhere.”

  “That’s not what you were gonna say, either.” He shoots me a one raised eyebrow look.

  “Pull over then, I want you to look at me when I tell you.”

  He pulls over so fast I slap him in the arm because my life just flashed before my eyes.

  “Do I have your undivided attention?” I ask him with a smirk.

  “Since the moment I saw you.” He turns in his seat to face me and waits for me to talk, his face full of question and anticipation.

  “I’m content with where I am. I don’t have to have it fixed. I actually really like it here. It gets better every day. Beside
s, I think Sawyer would really miss me and finally go completely insane.”

  He chuckles at my attempt to alleviate the seriousness.

  “I really like Bennett, and the girls on my team are so talented. We have a real shot at a banner year. Who cares if the games will never have a camera there, we’ll still be kicking ass and taking names.” I chance a peek up at him, hoping his eyes tell me what he’s thinking. They’re such a deep brown, almost black, and right now I can see my own reflection. His eyes mirror me in this moment. It gives me the strength to keep talking.

  “And part of me hates it, hates feeling like this, and all of me is scared shitless, but I suspect my resolve has something to do with the fact that you’re here, Dane. Never in my life have I instantly connected with someone, not even Evan. I made him work like a dog for my acceptance.” I chuckle softly at the memory. “But I find myself wondering what you’re doing all the time, and thinking about what we could do or talk about if we were together. Tell me the truth; you got anything like that going on at all?” I laugh nervously, praying that leaves some question, cause I can’t risk him knowing I’m completely serious right before he makes me feel like a fool.

  He takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly, reaching over to brush the back of his hand down my face. “I saw you last night, at the door with him. I saw you.” His hand still gentle on my face, he forces me to meet his gaze. “Are you two back together?”

  “No,” my voice cracks.

  “I won’t share you, Laney. Not your lips, not your thoughts, not your body, and especially not your heart. You don’t have to give it all to me just yet, but give me nothing if any of it belongs to him. Do you understand?”

  “Dane, it was a long night, we were both hurting.” I blink back the building tears. “He’ll never not be in my life. I just don’t know what that means right now.” I have to be honest, with not only him, but myself. And I can’t blatantly crush Evan; I won’t. “If he was here with me, things wouldn’t be like this. I can’t lie to you. I don’t know exactly what anything means right now; I’m trying to be as honest as I can. And I haven’t told Evan about you, not that I’ve had a chance.” I take a huge, cleansing breath. I feel better having put it all out there.