In the Last Chapter: 573Please respect copyright.PENANAtLVVCUGFzI
In the middle of the night, I realized I still hadn't texted Callie back, nor did I feel the need to. We never really talked too much in the first place, anyway, so it made no sense for me to have a meaningless conversation with her. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAih104oI1gK
What I did do, though, was check up on Evvie. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAcrReetHDnF
Me:
Hey. Just checking up on you.573Please respect copyright.PENANA99vLcEPPPN
Shoot. I hope that didn’t sound too rude. All I wanted was to be a better friend than what I had been in the past. Maybe she won’t think of it as anything bad. I finished up the last bit of my homework when I got a message from both Evvie and Delcan at the same time. 573Please respect copyright.PENANA8qMhk6sAmw
Evvie:
I’m okay, Ezie. You don’t need to be so worried.573Please respect copyright.PENANA3IkqvWYIiT
Delcan:
Can we talk? 573Please respect copyright.PENANA5wK59bHwcO
Why do I have to be faced with a hard choice? Of course, I wanted to talk to Delcan. The entire day some part of my mind as begging to know what was wrong with him today. He seemed angry like there was something that had happened before school started. Whatever it was, I wanted to make sure he was okay. But at the same time, Evvie had just told me a huge secret, and she probably needed support from me. I also had a duty to fill - becoming a better friend for her.
Then again, Delcan…
Why does life have to be so hard?
I responded to Evvie first, hoping Delcan would be okay if I didn’t respond immediately. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAYh1YEwoLzd
Me:
I know. But we don’t have to talk about that, of course. There are other things, too.573Please respect copyright.PENANAIHGliBBRiI
Evvie:
Other things like..? 573Please respect copyright.PENANAnuO2g6XQsx
Oh, great. Leave me with something to find out. I spent around five minutes thinking of a topic before texting my best friend back. 573Please respect copyright.PENANALreg1KnWJf
Me:
The dance?573Please respect copyright.PENANAmdDk4pi7x8
Evvie:
Oh, no. Gosh. That’s going to be so annoying! Ugh.
Hey, are you taking anyone specific?573Please respect copyright.PENANAcjyBYK0cxF
Me:
No.
I don’t even think he’s into that stuff in the first place.573Please respect copyright.PENANAuhrWKlZ6A9
Evvie:
Yeah...but I wanna see him in a tux. You’re lying if you don’t wanna.
Oh! My mom said hi.573Please respect copyright.PENANAz7T5ZRzoqb
Me:
Tell her I said hi back.
Speaking of dancing, how are the dance squad and everything? I know Haven is the captain, but I’m sure it isn’t that bad.573Please respect copyright.PENANAf7ZYfh4SsZ
Evvie:
No, it honestly isn’t. Haven’s not so bad when you get to know her.573Please respect copyright.PENANA3mvr8XgvBG
Me:
I told you!573Please respect copyright.PENANAgSy7oHVU7A
Evvie:
Lol, you did.
Speaking of extracurricular activities, how have Adam and Thomas been? I’ve hardly been able to see them that much anymore. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAxSGTDjWXfk
Me:
I’d hate to admit that it’s kind of the same with me.
Adam has been pretty busy lately, and Thomas is acting pretty weird. He probably has a crush on someone.573Please respect copyright.PENANAdVF90XJ0Y8
Evvie:
Oh, great. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAPl22fuDbU9
She sent an emoji that was rolling her eyes, which I actually understood. Thomas was probably one of the only guys I knew who ignored everyone else when he had a crush on someone. He acts pretty paranoid, and also always tries to enter that person in a conversation. I haven’t been paying attention at lunch well enough to know who it could possibly be, though I’m sure it wasn’t too big of a surprise.
But on the contrary, Thomas always had more crushes than he did dates.573Please respect copyright.PENANA3oDSMu7j11
Me:
I guess I’ll find out later or something.
Are you gonna go dress shopping or something? 573Please respect copyright.PENANAmc8OJR2GuU
Evvie:
Ha, with who?573Please respect copyright.PENANAkEFkY3EDS6
Me:573Please respect copyright.PENANAaf3JNIkoOa
I think Evelyn is going with Callie. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind you coming with them. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAc1xay10Vxd
Evvie:
I think I’ll pass. Dress shopping can be so many hours. And trust me, Ez. When it’s a group, it could be an entire day. Going by myself would just be better.573Please respect copyright.PENANADvPj93oFa3
It wasn’t like I could even relate to her. I went out of her contact and texted Delcan quickly, hoping he’d respond.573Please respect copyright.PENANAMRRupF9ANO
Me:
Yeah, of course. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAjY9sREuMIq
He didn’t even read the message I sent him.
Great.
I went back into Evvie’s contact and began texting her again, sending a laughing emoji before changing the subject.573Please respect copyright.PENANA5Uudr2EMqZ
Me:
Yeah, that would be pretty crazy.
Have you finished your homework?573Please respect copyright.PENANAcPGQZ01OHz
Evvie:573Please respect copyright.PENANA3cHglsgNU4
Holy crap. You’re so annoying!
Of course, I haven’t! I’m guessing you have…573Please respect copyright.PENANA7MVr3oZZdY
Me:
Well...yeah.
But while I was doing my homework, my mom said something.573Please respect copyright.PENANAn7Q9v650i6
Evvie:
Spill it.573Please respect copyright.PENANASLaqi1V7kF
Me:
She said, and I quote “If there’s anything you feel like you can’t say, I wouldn’t judge you. Nobody’s perfect, Ezra, and I don’t expect you to be either. Regardless, sweetheart, I’m still going to love you the same.”573Please respect copyright.PENANAgIyycRTmmY
Evvie:
….
THAT’S SO SWEET OMFG.
EZ THAT PROBABLY MEANS SHE DOESN’T CARE HOLY CRAP DID YOU TELL HER?!! 573Please respect copyright.PENANALdtvkDPlJ6
I read both of her texts like she was shouting, which she probably was right now, or at least she would be smiling or jumping up and down. Evvie never let something like what my mom had just told me to go down. To be honest, though, it made me feel good to know she thought that was good.573Please respect copyright.PENANA5kl1hrtMkN
Me:
No, I didn’t.
Instead, I used the “I’m not a virgin” card on her.573Please respect copyright.PENANAfkeV6DGG1E
Evvie sent three emojis with a heart that was cracked.
Evvie:
Aww. Well, you tell her when you wanna.
I still think that’s ADORABLE.
And that card? Really, dude? I’m sure she already knows.573Please respect copyright.PENANAGYUWY9M6wl
Me:
She knows because Dad made a huge announcement about it and then bought me a watch.573Please respect copyright.PENANAuKPGLWyl3Q
Evvie:
Lemme guess...Rolex.573Please respect copyright.PENANAImETCStJFN
Me:
Now guess the watch.573Please respect copyright.PENANAEZDNc1iam4
Evvie:
Oh! The Oyster Perpetual?? I heard that the watch cost a lotta money.
I wasn’t ungrateful for the things my dad bought me, but I didn’t like the way he did it. For instance, there was this one time I got rewarded with a 2,000 dollar jacket after making a comment on a woman who was kissing an African American guy in public. I was really thankful, and fortunate that I was able to have such nice things - but it came at a price that made me feel like a horrible person. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAW4WOiFtb0G
Me:
Correct.573Please respect copyright.PENANAMnactiGE9u
Evvie:
Wow. That’s crazy.
Besides that, though...did she believe you?573Please respect copyright.PENANAFZBbKK2sVH
Me:573Please respect copyright.PENANAOvUhgC0QEh
I couldn’t tell, really. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAnSJkZkDp8U
While I was texting the second text, Delcan responded. It had been seven minutes I had sent the message, which was exactly how long it took me to text him back. Actually, I wasn’t too mad about it.573Please respect copyright.PENANATwMF4PIT3K
Delcan:
I’m not apologizing for what happened at school today, but I do wanna talk.
Plus, I’m bored.
He wasn’t going to explain whatever the issue was this morning, which I was actually okay with. That didn’t bother me too much, but I was confused about him being bored and wanting to talk to me.
Typically, bored for Delcan meant posting a shirtless picture online with him doing something wildly inappropriate for his age. The last time he was “bored,” he posted a picture of him wearing black jeans and white underwear, which were pulled down to the point where you could almost see some type of mark he had on him. I looked at it for 30 minutes straight before giving up and going to sleep, never bothering to ask what it was.573Please respect copyright.PENANAxUrgmqPjeW
Me:
Okay.
Whatever you wanna talk about is fine, I guess. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAxNuhAlrfWK
I sent the rest of the text to Evvie, deciding I really didn’t wanna stop texting to her and just focus on Delcan, who would probably ignore my message for a few minutes before he started talking again. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAxHCS7gvev5
Me:
It’s just weird, Eve. I don’t really know. 573Please respect copyright.PENANA5ca5vr0TAd
Evvie sent a heart emoji of the rainbow, then following with a laughing emoji. 573Please respect copyright.PENANArAWLruxLvF
Evvie:
I don’t know what’s wrong with me!
Seriously. Tonight, I might not get too much sleep.573Please respect copyright.PENANA1HMJVXNAYO
Delcan:
Could you please explain the homework to me? I know that I’m right, but the computer doesn’t say that. 573Please respect copyright.PENANA36ba3qqOm4
What does that even mean?
Delcan seemed to have a desire to be right, but if the online homework said that the answers were wrong, clearly, they were. I’m sure he was talking about the science class I had to take last year, which was highly consisting of online work that would take hours to finish - regardless of your knowledge.
I smiled while texting him back, feeling better that I was smarter. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAZCQhZGLS9F
Me:
Well...I don’t know. Maybe they’re wrong, Delcan.573Please respect copyright.PENANAvcBZxttQvW
Delcan:
No, they aren’t! I think the program is shutting down or something. It’s an old technology programing, anyways.
Me:
That’ll be a new excuse for Mr. Forkmart. He’ll believe you.573Please respect copyright.PENANArzUEdJjq9x
Delcan:
I’m not lying! The programing is seriously 34 years old. Our parents probably used this ↹.
But...my dad kinda wants me to get good grades, so...help me.573Please respect copyright.PENANAsslU7ARj9P
I wanted to ask how on Earth he knew how old the computer programing was, and also if that number was simply random or something - but it didn’t seem like a time to ask. On top of that, I was trying to decide if I was upset that he was asking for my help, or happy about it. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAb3032xxjnA
Me:
Why should I help you?573Please respect copyright.PENANAEEnN9zlD3j
Delcan:
Oh, don’t be petty about things, Ezra. I make out with you whenever you want and the second I want something, you’ve gotta be upset? 573Please respect copyright.PENANAmiTGmFrOYv
Me:
You kissed me, just for memory.573Please respect copyright.PENANAL2Vutmc4TS
Delcan:
I will screenshot this.
Come on. I need your help. 573Please respect copyright.PENANASGx4SnS2o1
Me:
What do I get out of helping you get an A?573Please respect copyright.PENANAzN3dU7jspr
Delcan:
I’m already taking guesses, but ask something, and I’ll see what I can do.573Please respect copyright.PENANAG5wCRL6GuQ
See what he can do? What does that even mean?
I had already decided that I was going to help him. It would suck if he was unable to get into a college, though it was also confusing. Considering how odd he was acting - it was reminding me of Haven. She would always change her mood before I even had time to catch up with the glare she had given me 20 seconds ago.
For two minutes, I had to find the homework from last year and sent the screenshots to Delcan. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAy9CchUcAc6
Delcan:
Thanks. I owe you.573Please respect copyright.PENANAlHKu2UFlfZ
Me:
Yeah, you do.
Is that seriously what you wanted to talk about? 573Please respect copyright.PENANA5QcNqjv29o
Delcan:
Pretty much.
And in return...
My sister has some type of casting for I don’t know what. My parents (stupidly) went with her. I say you have another 2 hours if you’re interested.573Please respect copyright.PENANAnfs9AnpfPB
I wanted to say yes and no at the same time.
On one side, I did like making out with Delcan. It was exciting, and it seriously got my blood pumping. But at the same time, I wasn’t sure if I was comfortable with just having a relationship that was only making out. If I ever told Adam or Thomas that, they’d probably slap me in the face.
I had a good..person I was dating. He looked much better than I did, and he was experienced enough to know how to make out with someone better than adults do. But, I didn’t want Delcan to think I wanted him for his body as others do. I did want to know him better since I was really getting confused about how desperate I have been feeling. 573Please respect copyright.PENANA3aZzI9Whub
Me:
We’re having a family dinner.573Please respect copyright.PENANAEsxYM9hKuY
Delcan:
I have some tips on how to get out of them. I’m very good at it.573Please respect copyright.PENANAWQBN1pW0xo
Me:
Do we have to make out?573Please respect copyright.PENANAHC7wzoW5Sq
Delcan:
If you’re suggesting what I think you are, the answer is no. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAMuhTIQcYxG
I scrunch my nose up, feeling my cheeks get red. The good thing is, he isn’t able to see it. I laid down on my bed, watching my hands shake as I texted back. That isn’t what I meant, I texted. You know, talking really helps relationships. He read the message but didn’t respond. Sighing, I texted Evvie back. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAd9FjnPBHtM
Me:
Stay out of relationships, Eve. 573Please respect copyright.PENANA8TX6iOU5xK
Evvie:
Lol, I’m not thinking about dating for a LONG time.
Trouble in paradise?
Me:
I think there always is.
Do you think it’s bad that he just wants to make out?573Please respect copyright.PENANAH3qs9n0HuW
Evvie:
…
You’re complaining about making out with Delcan Heslop? Why, bro? 573Please respect copyright.PENANAhT7npK96nL
Me:
I’m not complaining! I just want something more. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAWQDVcCzCNz
Evvie:
Then ask him! He’s done it before, Ezra. Just know that a height difference means...ya know. 573Please respect copyright.PENANA19oa2eTrF5
Me:
Evvie!
I meant just talking or something. Going out on a date.
(sorry for mentioning, but it needs to be relatable) I’m sure Rio took you out on dates a lot before things got more serious. We haven’t had a first date.573Please respect copyright.PENANAz24szNWqYs
Evvie:
Oh, okay.
What makes you think he doesn’t want a relationship, Ez?573Please respect copyright.PENANAb27prbZwZV
Any guy would kill to be dating you.573Please respect copyright.PENANA9dO8HCTJyi
Me:
No, sorry. I shouldn’t bring this stuff on you.
Do you still like edible cookie dough?573Please respect copyright.PENANAUOK6wrytOS
Evvie:
Duh!! Ez, who doesn’t like cookie dough? Edible or not. 573Please respect copyright.PENANA6JwcIrrFZR
Me:
I was thinking we could spend some time together. It’d be nice to forget about boys for a while and just go back to us in 7th grade.573Please respect copyright.PENANAkNutWzna0j
Evvie:
If that’s what you want, yeah. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAvLT9YOKfZc
She sent me a heart emoji just as Delcan responded to my message. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAT98UzN7iYs
Evvie:
Let me see what days my mom is working.
Me:
Cool.
I gotta go.573Please respect copyright.PENANAj0wQeCp0En
Evvie:
Okay. Bye, Ez!
Good luck with your relationship. Love ya. 573Please respect copyright.PENANA84YlNIU3T3
Me:
Love you too.573Please respect copyright.PENANA9umgIRKC45
If I didn’t keep my relationship with Delcan, at least Evvie and I were still friends. It made me feel better that neither one of us were hiding too many secrets from each other anymore.
Now to deal with Delcan.573Please respect copyright.PENANA2how4nD8Rz
Delcan:
You’re right. Family time seems pretty important. We could talk some other time. 573Please respect copyright.PENANAI9A1ldYVeX
Me:
Are you sure? I don’t mind staying up and talking afterward. 573Please respect copyright.PENANASSn9v8sgyF
Delcan:
Nope. I’m gonna finish this homework.
See you tomorrow. 573Please respect copyright.PENANACY3LPbycKJ
I didn’t respond, but I really wanted to tell him that I wouldn’t mind the two of us just talking with each other. But I knew that he probably wouldn’t listen - or care. I really hoped we weren’t fighting or something. With Haven, it was obvious to know when we're fighting (her friends would always glare at me in class before leaning into each other and talking about how horrible I was) before Haven finally told me she was angry. But with Delcan, there were hardly any hints. It was just there, and I had to try overcoming it.
Then again, I’m sure it’s not exactly great for the few hours I stay mad at him sometimes.
I stood up to put my phone on the charger, but then Delcan posted something online. He wasn’t exactly shirtless or showing his underwear lining, but there was a sense of teasing in the photo. He had taken the picture in the bathroom, his body turned so you could see how slim he was. The caption simply said “what to do…” with an emoji of a dead rose with it.
The picture isn’t what made my heart stop. Well, not exactly. It was the comment from Grayson Williams. What a beautiful burn you have, he commented, along with an emoji that was smirking and then one of those water ones. I straightened my back, feeling my breathing change.
When I looked back at the picture (which already had 2,030 views), I noticed the medium-sized burn he had on his left wrist.
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