Evelyn Taylor woke up in the morning to her mother, calling her name. It was her first day at her new school in La Mirada, California. Transferring from Washington the summer before her senior year. She dreaded leaving all her friends behind, mostly missing out on all the end-of-the-year events with her close friends. She came to terms with just riding the final year out, not worried about making new friends with people who had already established friend groups.
She rose out of bed, brushing her long, blue-dyed hair out of her face, stretching her skinny fair arms out of her tank top, yawning, looking at her boxes still full in the corner. Evelyn had no care to unpack after the move during the summer. She started for the restroom door to get ready for her first day.
Eve was an only child to her mother and father. They had moved to California to be closer to family, especially since they could afford it after her father's technical company took off. Her mother was an aspiring actress till she had gotten pregnant with Evelyn. Looking herself in her blue eyes, "Okay, Eve, two hundred days, and you're free." Sighing under her breath and splashing water on her pale-skinned face.
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David had already been awake, storming into his brother’s room, delivering a slap across his face, "Wake up, Gabe!" He laughed, running off. Gabriel just endured the slap starring at the roof.
"God, why are you like this?" He asked throwing the blankets off himself. Gabe had brown hair on the top of his head. A fresh undercut had the sides shaved; the bed head brought the tips down to his light blue eyes. Skin close to being pale across his face, with freckles that ran across his nose and cheeks. An angled jaw lined the bottom of his face down to his thin neck. His body was smaller than the average person, however, he was actively fit and taller.
David was struggling to put on his blue jeans, "Because this means we actually get to be kids and relax for a while." Finally putting on his jeans, he started putting his shirt on. "Plus, this is my last year before I have to commit my life to service." He mocked. David had fair skin from being outside often, his hair was messy, long past his ears on the sides, and parted at the center in the front. His eyes were a light brown with a slightly green shade to them. His jaw was thicker than his younger brother's, along with a more average body size and height. David's muscles were more defined, however.
"Lucky you," Gabriel smiled getting out of bed and started preparing for school. Their father walked into the hallway between them, "Morning dad."
"Good morning my boys!" Placing his hand on David's shoulder, "My boy is a senior now!" He exclaimed embracing David. David hugged back awkwardly with one hand, while he held one shoe in the other hand.
"It'll fly by dad, before you know it, I'll be fully committed to-"
"No talk of that right now, just focus on the present and worry about the future when that day comes, you are still my boys." Their father said releasing him.
"Of course, dad," David said while Gabriel smiled.
David and Gabriel Locklear were born a year apart and grew up in a not so comfortable life, bouncing from house to house until the death of their mother. The two were raised in unstable conditions unlike their friends around them. It was not until David's freshman year that their father, James, landed a stable job with just enough to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. David and Gabriel were able to find work during the summer and weekends which relieved the pressure of their father. The three musketeers they called themselves.
"Don't forget this." Gabriel passed David his bag as they were heading out the door and for the truck. "Everything alright?" he asked David who had started off into the distance after starting the vehicle.
"Yeah, I just have a weird feeling," David said as he pulled out of the driveway.
"Weird as in bad?"
David chuckled, "Not sure just a feeling."
"Well, whatever it is leave it alone because I'm trying to enjoy my first day." Gabriel smiled as he connected the aux to his phone.
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Eve sat in the car looking out the window as her mom pulled up to the school. "Y'know we're sorry that we had to pull you away from Washington right, sweetheart?" Her mother said looking over at her. Eve stayed silent with a headphone in her ear. "Please, just please try to make some friends, for us." She begged.
"Yeah, mom." That was all she said. She did not want to make any friends; Eve did not want anything holding her back from leaving once she was old enough. She felt she belonged in Washington. Where the sun stayed hidden on most days, not out like it is in California.
"And keep your little accidents to yourself please, we don't want to have incidents as we did a year ago. Please." Her mother continued to beg. Eve had shut down and opened the door of the new Mercedes. She was wearing a white And Justice for All t-shirt, Black jeans, and a pair of blue vans. Her bag slung over her shoulder started down the crowded hallways, some people turned their heads wondering who she was. She pulled out her welcome packet to find her first classroom early.
Students were loud seeing their friends after what seemed to be a long summer, happy that it was finally their senior year. Eve could not help to think how her friends back home are enjoying their first day. She pulled out her phone to see if she received any messages from anyone back home. Nothing.
As soon as the bell rang for people to go to class, Eve entered inside her English class, finding a seat in the front so she knew she could focus without distractions. She stared at the board which had nothing is written but the date. Looking at the teacher trading an awkward smile with the middle-aged woman.
David entered the classroom with a group of people, starting with one of the chairs at the back of the classroom. "Oh no, Mr. Locklear, I know of you from Mr. Wilson." The teacher stood up and pointed at him and brought her finger to the desk in front of her desk, which only had one other person, Eve.
"But M-" David was cut off.
"No buts, except your butt in this seat." She commanded.
"Yes, ma'am." David had sighed as his friends laughed. He grabbed the backpack he had thrown on the desk and started for the desk next to Eve. He sat down and placed his backpack next to the table. Making what sounded like a steel rod hitting the wood. "What did he even say about me?"
"You like to just get by the minimum when you have potential. And you’re troublesome, disappearing class whenever you felt like it." Mrs. Jacobs said before getting back to her computer. David just rolled his eyes and looked over at Eve who was next to him staring at her notebook.
"I don't recognize you, are you new here?" David asked her.
"Yeah." She replied without interest.
"You transfer from Whittier?" He asked pulling out a notebook.
"No." She continued with her one-worded reply with every question he
asked.
"Alright, you don't want to talk, that's okay." David pulled off from her as the bell rang.
Mrs. Jacobs began her introduction to the class, passing out a rubric and their first assignment. "Our first day together is going to be easy. What I want from you ladies
and gentlemen, is a five-sentence paragraph on your partner, who they are, where they're from, etc." She said before heading back to her desk. "Don't worry about being too detailed, just something for you to get to know your partner for the rest of the year. Begin."
David and Eve sat silently while the rest of the class began talking to one
another. David looked at her awkwardly as she stayed looking at the rubric and assignment. Deciding to break the silence David cleared his throat, "Alright, you're going to have to talk to me, eventually if we're to be partners."
"Evelyn, my name is Evelyn." She said her voice still agitated, "My friends call me Eve."
"Alright Eve, you know my name-"
"I said only my friends." She sneered.
"Okay, I apologize." David still unsure how to read her, "Where are you from?"
"Seattle, and yourself?"
"Everywhere but let’s just say California," David said writing down her information.
"Are you taking notes on me?" Eve asked a little suspicious.
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"Yeah, this is important, I have an essay to write." David continued. Able
to get a smile out of her. "So, what do your parents do?"
"My dad runs a computer company, and my mom is just stay-at-home."
"What about your parents?"
"My Father owns his own shop on Imperial, He's a mechanic," David said
as he continued to write.
"And your mother?"
"Knowing her she's probably enjoying her time in Heaven or whatever
you want to call it." David said laughing awkwardly.
Eve sat silently, she felt as if she offended him. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
David just looked up at her and smiled, "Don't be, I didn't expect you to
know." David continued to write.
"What else could you possibly be writing."
"Well, I got quite a bit written."
"This isn't due till tomorrow you know right?"
"I have work after school." David laughed, "If I can finish as soon as I can, that'd be great."
"You juggle school and work? What do you do?" Eve asked to open the
first page of her notebook. David stayed silent for a minute, "If you don't want to
say you don't have to."
"Oh no, I apologize, I work with my dad."
"Oh, so you're a mechanic too?"
"No, I'm just a janitor pretty much."
"Do you wear those gray coveralls with your own name tag?" Eve smiled at him.
David laughed, "Nah, my name tag actually just says Jim." Eve found herself getting comfortable with him and started to pull herself back after noticing. "You, okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Your entire vibe just changed. You sure?" He asked.
"How could you tell that?" She asked and David just shrugged looking at her, "Anyways, I'm just trying not to make any friends."
"That's strange who doesn't want friends?"
"Me." She said as she started writing. David just looked at her, completely thrown off his entire thoughts about her. They both went back to writing out their assignments on their papers. "One thing, What’s your birthday?"
"December 4th" David said.
"Ha-ha, very funny. Seriously." Eve was not having it with his reply.
"Why would I joke or lie about my birthday?" David snarled.
"Because that's my birthday."
"So, we have the same birthday. Cool." She had just sat silently, and David finished writing. "Look, I don't know the issue or if it's something you have against me, but if we're going to be partners for the rest of the year, I do not understand being hostile. If you do not want friends that's on you." Eve sat silently and continued to write, biting her cheek. David just shook his head and went back to scribbling his pencil on his paper.
Eve began thinking to herself, her mind hardened on the idea of making
friends. Driving herself deeper into her shell. She found him pushy and annoying,
even more so every minute that had passed. David began to become lightheaded,
darkness started to ring around his vision. He grew nauseous. "I need to go!" He
yelled, jumping out of his seat, and darting for the door. Eve flinched in shock as
everyone just began to laugh at him as he left.
"What is his problem?" Eve mumbled under her breath.
"This is exactly what the others warned me about." The teacher said shaking her head in annoyance.
David rushed down the hallways into the bathroom, charging into the urinal, throwing up the cover to the toilet. Dropping to his knees he began to throw up the eggs and bacon he had eaten for breakfast. "Dammit," he said to himself. Gabe had walked up behind him looking. "Y'know man, you got to stop with that," David said wiping away his mouth of the debris.
"Sorry, can't help it sometimes." Gabe said, "There's a presence here, stronger than you."
"Can you pinpoint it?" David asked.
"Maybe, but it's going to take time," Gabe said calmly. "Kind of unfair that you never have to." He leaned up against the door with one foot behind him against the door support himself.
David stood up and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "That's your gift." David smiled. "Let’s get back to class before we get in trouble." Gabe just nodded and started outside. David followed soon after not to seem like they were together. Once he returned to class, everyone looked at him with mixed faces along with a few snarks and chuckles.
"Mr. Locklear, I hope you are fine." The teacher said to him with her arms crossed. David just smiled and shook his head in acknowledgment. "I hope you don't make this a habit."
"Yeah, neither do I." David laughed in embarrassment. He sat down, beginning to feel a lot of pressure in the back of his head. 'God not a headache too,' he thought to himself, realizing that it was not painful. He was in the presence of something else. He turned to look at Eve who was just typing away at her phone. The pressure grew warmer. "Interesting." He said softly.
Eve peered up from the screen of her phone finding David's eyes glued to her. Looking away awkwardly and back to his stare. "What?" She asked annoyed.
"Oh," David looked away quickly, "Nothing I just realized I forgot my lunch at home." He lied but she did not care enough to find out more.
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It was lunch, David dropped his tray of pizza and soggy fries on the table where Gabe was busy filling out his first day of homework. David sighed and put his head in his hands. Gabe was not paying attention to him, focused on writing. David picked his head and looked over at Gabe, sighing again. "You going to say what’s on your mind, or do you want to keep sighing?" Gabe asked still looking down. The sun was bright outside, all the students were busy laughing and having a good time. Eve started walking past them, not giving care to anything around herself, her headphones blasting in her ears. "Her," David said nodding his head towards her.
Gabe picked his head up and snapped his neck looking at her. "Your new crush? I hope not." Gabe joked and started to smile.
"No, she's the one," David said still peeking his eyes at her.
"She’s the one," Gabe said. "So, what do you want to do about it?"
"Hopefully, nothing." A deep voice appeared behind David; he was caught off guard. Turning around Virgil stood with his food and larger backpack. Dressed in a shirt with a car logo on it and blue jeans. His face was narrow, long hair down to the back of his neck, along with brown eyes that held a greenish tint. "I was wondering where you were at," David said as Virgil dropped his plate next to his friend. Virgil was a junior in high school with Gabe. David was the oldest of his friend group, most of them were juniors, however.
"You know it’s not our job to interfere with you know, others" Virgil took a bite of his stale pizza.
David looked back at Eve who caught him staring, she shook her head and started towards David. "Oh, here she comes," David said as he looked away from her.
"Now is your chance to ask her out or is that against your oath." Gabe laughed as Virgil looked away at Carlos and Ethan who was about to walk up but immediately stopped to watch from afar.
"Do you have a staring problem?" Eve asked David standing at some distance from him. David slowly turned his head to her glare.
"I just looked at you once, what're you talking about?" David asked her appearing confused.
"I can tell you're staring at me, don't lie to me," Eve said. David continued to look around at his friends who all turned away from the issue.
"Even if I were looking at you, which I was not, how would you know if you didn't look at me before just now?" David said smirking at the corner of his mouth, "I don't know why you have an issue with-" Eve cut him off.
"Dude, just leave me alone." She said turning away and walking down one of the halls. She felt herself boiling up inside, Eve had missed her friends. No one else helped in keeping her mind stable. Never understanding what was always going on around herself.
"Man, what the hell just happened?" Ethan asked sitting down with Carlos. Both were larger boys, with one being shorter. Carlos was short and husky with glasses, looking as if he never shaved. He was born in Mexico but moved to California before he started grade school. Carlos was one of the only Hispanics that had blue eyes, which always made people question.
Ethan was taller, one of the two senior friends. His dark skin covered his body but complimented his brown eyes which also held a green tint along with David and Virgil.
"I don't even know," Virgil said confused. David continued to watch her
walk away, trying to figure her out. He wishes he could talk to her to figure out what was going on, but he knew she would just react the same way.
"David," Carlos said, "Leave her alone, there's nothing you can do for her." He started to munch away at his food. David turned away, sighed, and went back to snacking at his soggy fries.
"Where's Richard and Chris?" David asked after realizing he was missing
two of his friends.
"They're both working right now," Gabe replied putting his homework away. David just nodded in silence. The boys decided to break up the silence by talking about each other’s days and the last weeks during their summer vacation.
"God, I can't wait to get out of school." David said, "I Just want to graduate and focus on what’s important."
"Enjoy your last year man, this may be the last time you ever have the freedom to live." Virgil told him.
"Virgil is right man, don't be so impatient, my dad worked almost all his life and is still working to this day," Carlos said face full of pizza.
"Nah, I'm with David on this one, wish they would just let us skip." Ethan said, "Isn’t nothing worse than being held back from your dreams."
"Chill out with that philosophical nonsense, you've been spending too much time listening to Eleazar." Gabe laughed.
Eve was sitting alone; she checked her phone every minute out of hopes to see a text message from one of her friends. Nothing. Eve had felt forgotten and taken aback, her mind was full of chaotic thoughts. she could not concentrate on reality. She wanted to scream and yell but could not out of fear of drawing attention to herself. Eve could not understand why she felt the way she did, she blamed her parents, but the hatred in her heart started to push to the thought of her friends, how could they forget her?
Gabe looked down at his plate and started rubbing his head. A migraine started to ensue on him. "No, keep it to yourself," David said looking down "So much hatred," Gabe whispered.
Eve looked up and around her, hearing a voice. "Huh?" Eve asked looking around her, revealing a cute boy with a smile across his face, hair that covered down to his chin. "I asked if I could sit here?" He smiled. Eve could not help to his reply. She acknowledged without hesitation. "You're new right?" The stranger asked.
"Who are you?" Eve asked him, she felt comfort in this random boy.
"My name? Liam." He said not breaking his smile, he whipped her tear away. She felt happy for once after he touched her. She could not understand why all her negative emotions suddenly disappeared after he said his name. Eve turned away in nervousness.
"Listen, Evelyn, I can help you," Liam said touching her hand.
"How do you know my name?" Eve asked him, but he refused to answer. The bell signaling the ending to lunch rang. He stood up and grabbed his backpack. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" She yelled.
"I know what you're going through, I understand. If you need friends or just to get away from your parents, meet me at the billiard house on Telegraph." He started to walk away, "I'll see you there tonight."
Eve felt as if she was in the presence of Christ himself. Her thoughts started to flood back in, all the chaos soon took back her mind. Not only did she feel as if she was suffering from her past problems, but she also now felt a desire to be around Liam. His presence was intoxicating, and she could not understand it. She started down the hallway to her next class.
"Well, I'll see you boys tonight?" David asked his friends.
"I'll see you." Virgil joked as he waved awkwardly and left the table.
"Yeah, don't be late." Carlos scolded, "I got homework." The others parted their ways to their next classes.
"I'll pick you up at three?" David asked Gabe who still had to go to the sixth period.
"Yup," Gabe said picking up his things. "Before then, get into contact with Liam." David checked his phone, having one notification. He just looked at Gabe and nodded. Liam was a friend of David's but always struggled with his morals which caused a divide between the two. They hadn’t talked in weeks. The group of friends departed; David started walking to his next class.