Evelyn smiled. “What do you plan on doing, brother?”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xZ42fMaIB
I glared to her. “Not what you think,” I said. “I just need to talk to him about something.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxAOGM5MgV
Evelyn looked me up and down while Eric toyed with the keys in his hands. “You’ve got a phone for a reason, dude.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡReAxUoQbXt
“I’m grounded,” I reminded them.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Z1333jQe1
“How?” they both asked me at the same time. I shrugged, not wanting to get into anything. My mind was still spinning from breaking up with Haven, and I was unsure if there was really any chance for me at school tomorrow. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEy2sfPy16
⟴. I have homework.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSk5qfthrq
“Can you drive me or not?” I asked Eric. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvqMzuQSk4
My older brother shrugged before he put his keys back down on his bed. I didn’t really care what deal he wanted to make, as long as he’d let me take the keys at night. “Imma make a deal with you,” he said.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMJsPcHFLJ
“Go,” I challenged.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfC6k3mOkN
Eric smirked. “You let us come with you, and I won’t tell Mom and Dad about you sneaking around all the time.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6iFTR9KJt
I looked at him like he was crazy. “What? Wh-why would you even-no.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡODgy65KOLv
“He’s just worried about his emotions,” Evelyn said, rolling her eyes. “It isn’t the worst thing in the world, Ez. Plus, I wanna talk to Callie.”24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT22bejDgi
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It’s like I can never have a private conversation with somebody. “Then call her on the phone,” I said. If Evelyn wanted to be friends with Calliannah, that was her business, not mine. I could care less about whatever happens in their friendship, as long as she doesn’t ruin my time with Delcan. Sure, he doesn’t listen, and he can annoy me for hours at a time, but it’s better being around him than with Haven. Or Evvie, for that matter. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaE4PxWYhG
Eric shrugged. “Alright,” he said. “Then I guess you’re gonna have a fun talk with Dad.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6jIEqOpfz
Gym.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡUM6GWIM9HH
“Fine,” I said. “But I swear to God, Eric if you ask a single-"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rWBxhyX6Y
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“Oh, chill.” Eric rolled his eyes. “I don’t want any of those details, in the first place.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7guPVUEka
Evelyn shook her head with her eyes closed before she opened them again and looked at me. “You should probably text him.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡefWkVT3H3L
“What does grounded mean to you?”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLfg7NW0iB
Evelyn looked like she was about to flip me off, but I was surprised that she didn’t. “Do you know his number?"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9vTCbZbuP
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The only people’s numbers I know are my parents, and that’s because of when I was younger. I can’t even remember the first few digits of it, let alone the entire number. I didn’t even know the actual address of his house. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rWZMSTPzW
I want my phone back. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYHPeODbPV
“No,” I said. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0pvrm4Pfi
Eric pulled out his phone within a second. “I’ll text him,” he said. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiJtivlblV
I looked at him, raising my eyebrows. “When did you get his number?”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VTPL8Eojt
“You’re dating a guy who literally slept with people for money,” Eric said. I looked down at the ground. “And you’re asking me how I got his number?”24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXIuZUIjxZ
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“Was it from Ethan?” I asked.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhEILWd68z
Eric nodded with a straight face.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gvV5g4KFn
I got past whatever information Ethan could possibly share about Delcan (that would actually be lies) and tried to think of a way out of this. “Why do you even want to be around Delcan? He doesn’t like many people.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0uIK5EQMp
“I’m shocked,” Evelyn said sarcastically. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKHRtsOHzW
“He responded,” Eric said, looking up from his phone. Since they were already butting into my business, I might as well listen. I sat down next to Eric as he gave his phone to me.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBcLxi1B3H
Delcan Heslop:copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiIt0szFjl
Okay, stop. How the ⟴ did you get my number?copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4w6LozedgN
“Told you,” I said. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9womiVFkxI
Eric shrugged and took his phone out of my hands before he began responding to him. Delcan had told me once on one of our dates that he didn’t care much about my siblings or friends, and he wouldn’t let anything come between our relationship - if we were to have one. “He’s texting back,” Eric said.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1w1JZ1byHv
Evelyn finally got off the rolling chair from Eric’s desk and sat down next to me. “Ez, can you ask Delcan if he hates me?”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL11xpAMCR
I smiled. “He doesn’t hate you, Evelyn,” I said. “He just has unique ways of showing his emotions.”24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzqybYQJVX
“Like flipping me off,” she said. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMoX9GTO0q
Oh. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2WyLWAXvh
“Yeah,” I said, shrugging. It was really the most I could say because it was hard to explain how Delcan’s brain worked.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡsq3trBT2nw
I don’t even think he knows how his brain works. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWiiUsYNgZ
Delcan Heslop:copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO1anM7XKC
Whatever. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc2jGuUzwi
This better be something interesting, though. copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qeoI9QGX7
It was odd how quickly he’d agreed to it. He never really does that. Evelyn stood up and pulled her hair into a high ponytail. “I guess I should get ready,” she said.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbWGmjtthd
Both Eric and I looked over to her. “Why?” I asked her. “You look decent enough.”24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIB6dvIpuUT
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“I haven’t even washed my hair, Ezra,” Evelyn said, looking at me as if I’d just said the worst thing to ever say. “And my outfit needs to be changed.”copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Mzibhr2Yo
Eric shut his phone off, and set it down. He shrugged. “I will never understand women,” he muttered under his breath. Evelyn glared at him before she huffed and left the room, leaving Eric and I to ourselves.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEA6lWqOqH
“Eleven thirty,” I told him. He nodded without question, and I left his room. So we’re doing this. Once Mom and Dad are both asleep, we’ll be making our first move.copyright protection20ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wesF5zjQg
ns54.210.158.163da2
