Chapter 7
692 Words
“Yes,”
“No,”
“Yes,”
“No,”
“Yes, yes,”
“No, no,”
“No, no, no,”
“Yes, yes, yes,”
“Oh yeah, I won.” Evy fist-pumped the air triumphantly.
Now you might be wondering what exactly this argument was about.
The truth was simple. Owen had a huge crush on Hailey and was terrified of asking her out.
“This is not fair,” Owen said, folding his arms and pouting.
“Everything is fair in love and war.” She sang dramatically.
He frowned harder.
“Come on, Owen. Man up and ask her out.”
“Easier said than done,” he shot back, glaring at her.
“It’s really not that difficult,” Evy said, clearly frustrated with him.
“It is difficult. What if she rejects me?” He asked, genuinely worried.
“Owen, life is full of what-ifs,” She replied calmly. “What if she doesn’t reject you? What if she actually agrees to go out with you?”
He let out a long sigh.
“She won’t reject you,” Evy said firmly. “Trust me. You’re not even asking her out on a date. It’s just coffee. A friendly hangout. Nothing romantic. Baby steps.”
Yes, you heard her right. Owen wanted to go on a so-called friendly date with Hailey. He wanted to take things slow, one step at a time. Or rather, baby steps.
“Okay… okay,” he finally said. “I’ll ask her out.”
“Finally!” Evy sighed in relief.
Soon after, he left—most likely to find Hailey and ask her out for that friendly date.
Evy settled on one of the benches in the park outside the school building, earphones plugged in, music playing softly. She hoped Owen wouldn’t back out.
Eddy spotted Evy sitting alone on a bench.
She was still the same. Whenever she was alone, she listened to music. It was her way of killing time, of escaping.
He walked toward her.
She noticed him and was about to stand up and leave, but he caught her hand.
“Don’t go,” he whispered.
“Why?” She asked coldly.
“Because I want to talk to you,” Eddy said, trying to reason with her.
She stared straight into his eyes.
“Please,” he pleaded.
After a moment, she nodded.
He exhaled in relief. Well… it was a start.
“I am sorry, Evy,” he said quietly. “I know I messed up—big time. And I know you haven’t forgiven me. It’s been a week since you came back, and you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder ever since. I don’t deserve that.”
She let out a short, bitter laugh.
“It hurts, doesn’t it?” she said softly. “Getting the cold shoulder from your best friend. Oh—sorry. Ex-best friend. That’s exactly what you gave Hailey and me for an entire year.” Her voice hardened. “It’s only been a little over a week, and you can’t tolerate it. Now imagine how it felt for us, being treated like that for a whole freaking year.” She shook her head before continuing. “You’re right. You don’t deserve this. Heck—you deserve worse.”
Eddy flinched at her words. She turned to leave but stopped and looked back at him.
“Yes,” she whispered. “You’re right. I didn’t forgive you. And I don’t think I ever will.” She paused. “And one more thing. Next time you plan on saying sorry, don’t say it unless you actually mean it.”
With that, she walked away. Her words cut like a knife.
Never, not once, had he stopped to think about how Evy and Hailey must have felt when he treated them like that. So why did it hurt now?
Maybe because he missed them.
Evy had said she didn’t forgive him, and never would. But somehow… that didn’t feel like the end. It felt like she wanted to forgive him.
So what was holding her back?
- Writer
