One True Mate

One True Mate-Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Evie

I waited until I knew both twins were asleep, I grabbed my purse and slipped out the door. I felt a little uneasy about leaving the girls alone. I knew they had been before, Alan always left them alone before I got here. I made sure all the doors and windows were locked and took a walk around the house to double check everything then I walked down the street. I wanted to take the car, but I wasn’t sure if Alan show up tonight, and I knew if he didn’t see his car in the driveway he would know it was me that took it and off I would go my last chance at freedom slipping away.

The library wasn’t that far from Alan’s place. A couple blocks at most. As I walked the wind blew strong flinging my hair around I tightened my light sweater around me. Leaves blew around in the wind like ghosts. I pulled the front door to the library but it pulled back against my hand I looked over at the hours of operations sign—the library was closed. The wind picked up almost blowing me over I heard a howl of a wolf I spun around thinking of the black wolf who had saved me only two nights ago.

I ran around the side of the building it acted like a wind breaker I tried to fix my hair and pull it out of my face. I checked the time. 8:59. He had one minute. I kicked at the grass as I waited, every ten seconds felt like ten minutes. It was so errie around here at night. Nothing moved yet it felt like everything was alive.

9:00. He still wasn’t here I looked around, poking my head around the building. Nothing but darkness. 9:01, 9:02 still no one. This was a joke, a prank. Somewhere Julian and his friends were hiding giggling, wanting to see how long I would wait out here. I groaned I should have known not to trust that Julian would show up. I didn’t want to admit it to myself but I was hurt. I got texts all night reminding me, asking me if I was still coming tonight and then he doesn’t show up, I looked at the time again 9:10. f**k this. I took a deep shaking breath and headed back towards Alan’s house head hanging low and hands in my pockets.

“Evie! Wait!” I turned to see Julian running up to me out of breath. His hair was a mess, his clothes were crinkled and his shoe laces were untied.

“Sorry I’m late, things ran long” he apologized breathlessly.

“You look like shit.” I responded. And he did, not only did his clothes look like they had just come out of the washer without being dried, but he look really pale. He laughed . .  or tried it came out as a wheeze.

“Yeah uh . . . football practice. Like I said ran late” I shook my head.

“is there a reason we met in an empty parking lot of a close library?” he smiled

“Yeah follow me” he turned around and started towards the patch of trees.

“Uh where are we going?” I asked wrily “I don’t know if I want to go into a bunch of trees with you. For all I know you want to kill me and cut me up”

He laughed “If you thought I wanted to do that, you wouldn’t be here” he rolled his eyes “I don’t by the way” he added shaking his head. “Watch your step the tree roots are everywhere”

We walked in silence for about 30 seconds but I couldn’t take it anymore.

“So what is it with you two” he smiled

“Straight to the point . . . I like you Blondie”

“I told you not to call me that.” I warned he waved his hands in surrender

“Sorry” was all he said I waited for him to answer but he just kept walking.

“Well?” I asked turning to him as we walked into a clearing, I saw light in the corner of my eye I turn towards it to see a blanket set out with candles on each corner of it. In the middle sat a picnic basket.

“What’s this?” I asked hand going to my throat as I gasped in surprise.

Julian rubbed the back of his neck looking nervous “I know you said no to a date, so I thought this would be as close as I was gonna get. Don’t worry I will still answer all your questions like I promised, But you have to at least sit down with me” He added.

I didn’t know what to say I just stood there like an i***t. Julian took my hand and pulled me to the blanket. “That wasn’t part of the deal.” He ignored me and rolled his eyes.

“Come on sit down, I will pour us some drinks and then you can ask away.” He pulled a bottle of white wine out of the basket I raised an eyebrow as I sat down.

“Where did you get wine?” I asked as he handed me a glass. He shrugged

“I have my connections” he echoed from our text message. He sat down across from me and took a deep breath.

“Ok ask away.” He waved his arms out in front of him in a go ahead motion.

“Uh . . .” I actually hadn’t thought of any certain questions to ask him. Part of me didn’t think he would actually show up, let alone set up a moonlight picnic. He smiled at my stumble.

“Can I go first?” he asked before I could tell him that wasn’t the deal he asked “why Vancouver?”

“What do you mean?”

“ Why did a small town girl move to the big city.”

“ I was placed here.” I told him honestly

“What do you mean placed?” I took a deep breath what I was about to tell him I hid from everyone.

“ The guy I live with isn’t really my dad. . . I’m a foster kid, Allan is the newest in the long line of foster parents.”

“Oh” is all he said I don’t think he knew what too. I started to see the look in his eyes, the pity look

“Don’t give me that look. Its not a big deal.” I shook my head shrugging off his concern. Instead of answering me he ask another question.

“ How long have you been in foster care?” he asked

“My whole life . . .” and suddenly I was telling him everything my whole life story, the nuns, the millions of foster homes, my bad streak. To which he replied.

“Damn that’s hot”

The only thing I didn’t mention is what I did at 9 years old. I took a deep breath when I was finished.

“Wow” was his answer.

“Please don’t tell anyone, I don’t need the whole school thinking I’m a charity case” I begged realizing my mistake, what was I thinking?! Opening myself up like that! But then again I felt so safe around Julian, so open. And I didn’t know if I liked it.

“I promise I won’t say a word.” We were silent for the moment sipping our wine.

“So what about you?” I asked forgetting the whole reason I was here in the first place

“What do you want to know?” he asked

“What’s with Shay?” he smiled

“Jealous are you?” I punched his arm

“No but she is a real B-I-T-C-H” I mocked what he had said about Mrs. Watson

He rolled his eyes “She asked me to the school dance a couple months back, I said yes. It didn’t go well”

“What went wrong? You guy seem like you would be the perfect couple.” Something flashed in his eyes, pain? Grief? I couldn’t tell.

“I just don’t like her in that way. She took it hard, she still keeps trying though she doesn’t stop till she gets her way.”

“Sounds like you” I muttered sipping my wine. He shook his head, “So why not just date someone else, from what I’ve heard you could have any girl you wanted.”

“Just not interested in anyone else” he muttered eating a grape.

“oh” I muttered he wasn’t interested in anyone? Including me? But then why set up this picnic? I started to build up my wall again .

“At least not until you showed up.” He added. “Please don’t” he said

“Don’t what?”

“start building that wall up again. I just broke through it.” He took my empty wine glass from me and set it on the grass holding both my hands in his now.

“I know you feel something too. I can’t even describe how I feel about you. It’s like when your around I feel so alive, but when you’re gone I feel dead inside. I can feel you near before I see you, something comes over me every time I see you. It hurt more than I would like to admit when you turned me down—

“I didn’t mean to hurt you” I interrupted he gave a small smile, but kept going like I hadn’t said anything.

“ I need you in my life Evie, please stop running from me.” He scooted closer to me, our knees touching and put my hands to his chest.

“ Please Evie, be with me, be mine” he pleaded. I didn’t know what to say I stared at my hands on his chest, feeling his heartbeat under them. I looked up into his eyes, which I shouldn’t have done, because it made me melt. Words caught in my throat.

“ Say something” he whispered. I couldn’t I was star struck , instead I did something I told myself I never would do. I broke down the remainder of my wall, I leaned in and I kissed him.