by Rachel Hera
“Why, it’s only just begun,” he answered before I could. “But I’m enjoying myself.”
“Oh, good,” Kristy’s laughter filled the room. I glanced around, unsurprised to see it was a little slow. It was around dinner time –the ice cream parlour had a lull like this often. “So what are the plans for tonight?”
“We’re going to walk. Maybe we’ll think about a movie,” I told her. “But Shayne and I wanted a smoothie, so here we are.”
“Well, what can I get you?” she asked.
“Suave Strawberry –”
“What else is new?” she cut me off, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing. “Do you need a moment, Shayne?”
“No, I’ll get the same,” he said, looking down at me.
“Coming right up.” Kristy gave Shayne a final once over before moving on to make our smoothies. I shook my head. I hoped Maddie didn’t find out about this. She’d have my neck, if not my entire head. Hopefully Kristy could keep it on the down low –
“Excuse me while I use the men’s room,” Shayne broke my train of thought, touching my arm gently.
“Of course,” I watched as he walked down the short hallway, following the signs that led the way. I heard the door close.
“So, Shayne’s cute,” Kristy said as she loaded the blender with an assortment of fruits.
“He’s really sweet. Also, Maddie still –”
“Yeah, I know. I won’t say anything. But, I’ll tell you one thing. I really do like Shayne’s personality over Blake’s.”
Before I could say anything, she turned on the blender. Again with this entire Blake versus Shayne thing –I may not have held Blake with high expectations in the gentleman’s department, but at least I didn’t compare him to Shayne. If I did, I might have pointed out that, although shorter, he had broader shoulders and a deeper voice. Or, perhaps, I’d call attention to the fact that Blake sent shivers down my spine while Shayne just…didn’t.
But I wasn’t comparing them.
Chapter 14: Evelyn
“Are you sure you want to see this movie?” Shayne asked as we stood in line at the theatre.
“Hell yeah I do,” I told him. “I love scary movies. But feel free to jump in my lap if you get scared.”
He just chuckled, looking up at the exterior of the building while we waited outside. It wasn’t anything too fancy; brick, like most of the buildings around here, so it was uninteresting to me. But while he looked up and down the street, I looked at him, taking in, once more, the fact that he was dressed more formally than casually like we’d agreed. But, damn, did he look good.
“By the way,” I spoke slowly.
“Yes?” he asked, his eyes still admiring the old architecture.
“I thought we agreed on casual,” I finished, adding a teasing tone to my voice.
“Should I undo the buttons?” he asked, looking down at his apparel.
“No, but a cruel part of me wants to throw a pair of horn-rimmed glasses on you and call you a hipster.”
“Buttons undone it is,” he chuckled, his fingers moving down the front of the vest. “Sorry. When your father has impossibly high expectations, you tend to lose sight on what ‘casual’ is.”
“I go to school with some complete and utter slobs. I’ve known a few people, girls and guys alike, that don’t shower for what seems like months. So, to be honest, I find it refreshing. Also, intimidating.”
“Intimidating?” he raised an eyebrow.
“You, admittedly, dress better than I do. I might have to ditch you as a romantic interest and hire you as my fashion adviser.”
“Romantic interest?”
“Are you going to repeat key words I’ve said in the form of questions all night?”
“Key words?” the words came alongside his laughter. “But, seriously, ‘romantic interest?’”
“I was trying to be politically correct,” I shrugged. “I don’t know what else you would call us. Aren’t we just… testing the waters?”
“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed, almost to my disappointment. Almost. A part of me was relieved.
“What would you call us?” I ventured.
“Two souls seeking a good time in hopes that this may end up as something more. Or something of the like,” he took out his wallet as we neared the ticket counter. We’d already agreed that I would buy our snacks and drinks.
“So… a romantic interest?”
“I suppose that would be bang on, hmm?” he laughed again.
I couldn’t help but smile. “Nice poetic touch, though.”
“I’m a poetic guy, what can I say?”
I giggled in response, but we settled into a small silence as we walked into the theatre. Directly in front of us was theatre number one. Down the hall to our left was both theatre number two and the concession.
“Can I ask you something?” Shayne asked as we looked at the menu. Well, Shayne looked at the menu. I got the same thing every time –Swedish Berries, a small popcorn and an ice tea. But I waited to order for the sole purpose of not rushing him.
“No, you can’t pay for this, too,” I responded. “We agreed I’d get to pay for something.”
“It’s not that,” he smiled.
“Then what’s on your mind?” I asked.
“Hey Evelyn,” the person behind the counter greeted me. I smiled and nodded, the boy’s name escaping me. He was one of Sophie’s classmates or something. “Are you ready to order? Can I interest you in one of our combos?”
“What are you getting?” Shayne asked. I was certain that wasn’t the question he wanted to ask me, so I assumed the conversation was on hold for now. When I told him, he looked up at the combo list. “Should we just get a number three then?”
“I guess,” I shrugged.
“Extra butter?” the kid asked.
“Yes please,” I replied.
“None on the other, thank you,” Shayne said.
“You were saying?” I took out my wallet, grabbing a twenty and a ten out to pay for the food.
“I was wondering if there were others,” he took both bags of popcorn, letting me carry the drinks.
“Other what?” I asked as we headed back towards theatre number one.
“Romantic interests,” he said.
Blake popped into my head, but could I really call him a romantic interest? Or was that just the girls, Maddie in particular, always talking as if it were even a possibility. It wasn’t. It couldn’t be.
“You mean, like the millions of suitors I supposedly have that follow me around at school?” I joked.
He laughed. “I still don’t believe that you have no one.”
“I’ve come to accept the fact that boys don’t usually like headstrong girls like me.”
“From what I know of you, your good qualities outweigh the bad,” he stopped as we headed down the aisles. “I know on our last date we sat at the back, but it’s quite full. Where would you like to sit today?”
“Anywhere but the front. Oh –there’s a few seats,” I gestured with my head, trying to make sure that I wouldn’t spill the drinks. It wouldn’t have been the first time if I had spilt them.
He followed my lead, and we scooted past a few already-seated people to get to the ones I’d spotted. As I sat down, I realized we could have even sat another row back, but in the long run it didn’t make a difference. I let out a sigh as I settled down, setting both of our drinks in the cup holders and accepting the popcorn as he handed it to me.
“Thanks,” I told him, shifting to get comfortable.
“You’re welcome,” he said.
When he didn’t go on to say anything, I searched my mind for a topic. Anything –the first thing that jumped to mind would do. “So, uh, how’s your brother liking school?”
“He has a girl he likes, so I would assume that he likes it quite well,” Shayne chuckled.
“It usually makes the transition easier. He didn’t have a girl he liked back home?”
“Poor guy,” was all I could say in response. I grabbed the popcorn one-by-one, preparing myself for the usual mental battle to keep myself from seizing fistfuls and shoving it into my mouth like I would have at home.
“That’s the thing about society today. You just never know anymore, do you?”
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing, though. I like that the world’s becoming more accepting, and less tolerant to those that refuse to do so. People need to stop worrying about what other people are doing with their lives and figure out what they’re trying to do with their own lives first. And we need to abolish technology.”
“Well, that was left field,” he commented. “Technology, huh?”
“I hate technology. I hate where it’s going, what it’s doing in the present. I’d like to be sent back just fifteen years in time, before cell phones were a thing. And I kind of believe all those theories that society’s using our computers and phones to track us and what we’re doing.”
“One of those people,” he joked.
“Hey, try to deny it when instead of phones we communicate through brain waves. Then tell me they’re not tracking our thoughts.”
“Think we’ll actually get there?” he asked. “To that point with our technology?”
“You don’t?”
“From what I know of the world’s history, once there’s a peak in anything, it tumbles rapidly.”
“Are we reaching that peak?” I found myself asking.
“Technology has advanced tremendously in the last sixty years. Just look at the telephone,” he took his out of his pocket. “In the hands of millions of people we have more technology than they know what to do with. More than what we sent people to the moon with. Tell me that’s not just begging for everything we know to implode.”
“Fair enough,” I nodded.
The theatre grew dark as the previews came on. I continued to eat my popcorn slowly, though I had moved from one piece at a time to three. I was hopeless.
Shayne went on in a hushed tone about technology and I listened intently. But no matter how much I focused on Shayne, I couldn’t help but pick up on a familiar voice.
“Let’s sit there.”
The hair on the back of my arms rose and I glanced over to see Cole and Philip beginning the short trek to the seats behind Shayne and I. Philip’s gaze met mine even in the darkness of the theatre, and he stopped for a moment. But Cole pushed him along, and it didn’t take long for him to notice me either.
I saw it coming moments before it actually happened, although I could have done nothing to prevent it –Cole bumped into Philip’s arm, causing his drink to slip from his hand. The cup hit the back of my chair, sending the lid flying and his pop to splash against my back. I gasped in surprise as I was instantly soaked to the bone.
“Oh my god. I am so sorry, Evelyn,” Philip turned white, his apologies genuine. I knew it hadn’t been his fault –it’d been Cole’s. Everything was always Cole’s fault.
Meanwhile, I was momentarily frozen in shock. But Shayne grabbed my arm, sticky with the carbonated soda, and helped me to my feet. I glanced down, not surprised to see a puddle on the ground as the seat flipped back up into its unoccupied position.
“Let’s go get you cleaned up,” Shayne said quietly.
“I’m so sorry,” Philip pushed Cole down into the seat and followed beside Shayne and I as we headed out towards the aisle. I could hear Cole’s snickering behind me, while the rest of the movie’s audience had grown silent. Many had turned around to watch my exit, curious as to what had happened.
“Are you okay?” Philip kept at it as I headed towards the washrooms.
“I’m fine. Just a little wet,” I managed to grind out, stopping just outside of the women’s washroom. “Just go watch the movie, Philip. I’m sure Cole will want to have a good laugh about this.”
“It wasn’t on purpose,” Philip said.
“It doesn’t matter. Just please, leave me be,” I threw open the door and went inside.
I turned on the taps at the sink, grabbing paper towels to wipe down my arms. I felt gross and sticky. My date was ruined and I just wanted to punch Cole in the face. God, I would love to punch Cole in the face.
Peeling my cardigan off, I tossed it in the sink, letting the water run over it. I rubbed the paper towels on my skin until it was red and raw. Maybe I was taking my anger out on myself, but I’d rather me than Shayne when I went back out there to face him.
After a few moments of deep breathing, I pulled my cardigan out of the sink and began wringing it out. When the water didn’t seem to come out any more, I hit the button on the hand dryer and held it underneath. It didn’t take me long to get bored –I ended up throwing the damp cardigan over my arm and exiting the washroom only slightly less frustrated than when I’d entered.
“Any better?” Shayne asked. Philip was still there.
“Can you just take me home?” I said, avoiding looking at Philip.
“Of course,” he nodded.
“I’m sorry, Evelyn,” Philip said again. “It really was an accident.”
“Bullshit,” I muttered as I let Shayne lead me away.
“Is that necessary?” Shayne asked as we pushed our way out into the late September air.
“What?”
“He was apologizing profusely,” he defended.
“Can we just… can you take me home?”
“Evelyn,” he said my name as though he was tired of arguing –but this was a fight that was just beginning.
“Shayne, I’m sorry, but you don’t know these guys like I do. I don’t feel like you understand where I’m coming from when I say that it wasn’t an accident –at least not on Cole’s part.”
“You could have handled it with a bit more tact, don’t you think? My understanding is that guy’s name was Philip,” Shayne said.
“See it as you will. But this date is over. I’m soaked, and I still feel sticky and gross and I just want to go home.”
“Let’s go to my car,” he said.
“I’m sorry Shayne. It’s a long drive home and I don’t want to spend it being upset at you. I’m going to call my mom.”
“I insist, Evelyn. I wasn’t raised to take a lady out on the town and then leave her there. Angry or not, I’m driving you home.”
“Fine,” I said, crossing my arms. Forcing me to ride home with him sort of just pissed me off more. I hated that he was still polite even when I was angry at him.
He let out a small sigh as we began heading back towards his car. I hated that I’d let him see me this way, but I couldn’t help it. Although I was chilly without my cardigan, I felt hot under the collar, and I couldn’t cool down.
The walk to the car and the drive home was awkward. He tried to make small talk, to turn the mood around, but it was in vain. By the time he was pulling up in front of my house, I was wondering if I’d just doomed this relationship. Surely he wouldn’t want to go out with a girl that acts the way I do.
But I couldn’t bring myself to apologize to him.
“I’ll see you around,” he said as I opened the passenger door.
“Thanks for the ride home, Shayne.”
“I’m sorry the evening didn’t go as planned.”
I met his gaze for the first time since we’d left the theatre. “Me, too.”
With that, I closed the door and headed to the gate, where Shadow eagerly waited. I unhitched it, stepped inside, and closed it behind me once more. Shayne sat in the driveway until I’d reached my door. The dog was enthusiastically trying to lick my arms, which didn’t feel much better than the state they were already in.
“Whoa, what happened to you?” Sophie said as she walked into the front hall.
I kicked off my shoes, heading for the stairs immediately. “None of your goddamn business.”
“Holy, I was just
asking. You don’t need to be a bitch about it,” she muttered.
I ignored her as I headed for the bathroom, with keen intentions on taking a shower. My second one within a four hour time span.
Stupid Cole.
Stupid Philip.
Stupid Shayne.
* * *
“Shayne’s an idiot,” Maddie reassured me on Monday as we walked along the football field towards Kristy, Maegan and Chantelle. “Of course Cole knocked Philip’s hand on purpose. Because he’s a dick. There’re no ifs, ands, or buts about it.”
“Thanks,” I told her, glad that if there was only one person to take my side, it was her. Though, on the other hand, Jason had been helpful this morning when he realized I’d been deliberately avoiding Philip.
“So you really think it’s over?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” I shrugged, watching a soccer ball roll across our paths. I glanced at Maddie, who made no move to get it, before fetching it myself. I kicked it back to the kids in the middle of the field, occupying their lunch by shooting between two pylons. I joined back up with Maddie, who’d waited patiently for me. “I liked Shayne. But I don’t think I could fall in love with him.”
“And you know this just because he wouldn’t take your side?” she looked at me questionably. “Besides, we’re young and we’re beautiful. We dream of the happily ever after, but we don’t believe we’ll find it on the first try. It’s not about falling in love; it’s pretending that that’s what we’re feeling.”
“Maddie –the philosopher,” I said, spanning my hands out in front of me. “You could make headlines. Or write books.”
“You’re the one that’s good at English.”
“I’m also good at music, but you don’t see me becoming part of an orchestra.”
“Well played,” she nodded, waving at the girls who, today, sat on the bleachers. She dropped her bag on the ground, grabbing a seat.
“How was your date?” Maegan asked.
I shrugged in response, almost ready to turn around and leave. I loved my friends, but there was a reason I’d kept it quiet. Maybe my relationships would always be jinxed after a few too many people caught on. It really never failed. Except Evan –though who’s to say it went well there, too.