"So..." Evelyn started nervously. Her four family members all looked up at her with curious expressions. Evelyn didn't say many things at the dinner table, she usually just listened to her dad brag about his cooking skills and make horrible jokes. The sudden attention made her turn red and shyly look down at her plate.

     "Yes, Ev?" Michelle tilted her head and smiled. Evelyn's stomach twisted. She didn't know why she was so nervous. It was mostly Carson's possible reaction that scared her.

     "Um..." she picked at her food as she struggled to find the right words.

     "Come on, Ev. We don't have all night," Carson said sassily, making Evelyn roll her eyes. Michelle lightly smacked her son on the arm for his attitude.

     "How do we feel about... me dating... someone?" Evelyn placed her head in the palm of her right hand and turned away. She heard the sound of a metal fork hitting a glass plate. Assuming it was Carson, she winced.

     "Oh my gosh!" Katie excitedly exclaimed from beside her. Since the whole 'making things official' ordeal, Evelyn didn't have time to update Katie, so this was all news for the younger girl.

     "Dating who?" Evelyn peaked over to see carson with wide, angry eyes. He definitely had an idea who 'someone' was, all he needed was her confirmation so he could go off. Her parents, meanwhile, sat with amused expressions. They had an idea of who it was as well, but they didn't react nearly as bad as Carson did. Thankfully, they reacted reasonably.

     "Oh, you know!" Evelyn tried to laugh the question off. She thought that maybe stalling would get her brother to calm down a bit. "Just someone."

     "Is it Troy?" Michelle asked softly from across the table. There was no point in beating around the bush anymore. Evelyn nodded. "I knew this would happen!" Her mother grinned.

     Carson laughed in disbelief. "There's no way!" he shook his head. "After everything I told you," Evelyn heard him practically whisper. Scott and Michelle didn't catch on, but Katie and Evelyn did.

     "What's so wrong about that?" Scott asked Carson.

     Carson bit his lip. "Nothing," he grumbled, leaning back in his chair and giving Evelyn a look that terrified her.

    "So, you guys are like, a thing thing?" Katie turned to her sister, her hand tightly grasping Evelyn's shoulder. Evelyn nodded, not being able to hide her shy smile at the words. Her and Troy were a thing thing.

     "I think Troy's a good kid," Scott shrugged. "He's always helping me out with work, and all that. He's polite. I like him."

      "Me too," Michelle nodded. Evelyn sighed in relief. now all she had to deal with was Carson.

     "What is wrong with you?" Carson exclaimed as quietly as he could. The family had all finished their dinner, and Carson followed his sister up to her room.

     "What, Carson? What is your deal?" she yelled back exasperatedly. She fell down onto her bed. She was having such a good day, and now Carson was going to ruin it.

     "I warned you, Evelyn! Why would you do this?"

     "You're being so dramatic, Carson! Stop making this a bigger deal than it needs to be," the girl rolled her eyes.

     "Oh I'm being dramatic, making this a bigger deal than it needs to be. Are you serious, Evelyn?" Carson dramatically spoke with his hands. He'd always been super animated when he spoke, even more so when he was angry.

     "Of course I'm serious, Carson! Stop making assumptions on things you know nothing about!" Evelyn immediately regretted her statement when Carson's already deep scowl deepened.

     "I know nothing, Evelyn Clifford? You know nothing! You are so convinced Troy is some nice guy who's so in love with you, when really he's just playing you and you're desperate for the attention! You know nothing about him, Evelyn. You're only giving him power because you're dying for somebody to like you," Carson ranted. Evelyn couldn't lie, his words stung.

     "Until you know what it feels like to be in my position, I don't want to hear it," Evelyn gritted through her teeth with teary eyes. She couldn't believe her own brother would say such things to her, knowing her situation. "Now get out of my room, Carson."

     Carson laughed in the most patronizing way possible, again, and it only fueled all the anger and frustration Evelyn had bubbled up inside her. "Fine," he chuckled, "but when Troy hurts you, don't come crying to me!"

     Evelyn huffed. "As if I was going to! This is why Katie's my favorite sibling!" she shouted as carson slammed her door shut. As soon as the fact that she was alone in her room hit her, she broke down into tears. She couldn't help but think about what Carson meant. What did he know that she didn't? She really liked Troy, she really did, but why was Carson so angry about their relationship?

     It was about midnight now. Troy was bored, so he decided that it'd be a good time to visit a certain someone. He opened the door to see his girlfriend laying face down, crying into her pillow. His shoulders immediately dropped, and he felt obligated to comfort her. Apparently that's what boyfriends do.

     "Ev," the girl's sobs faltered. "What's going on?"

     Evelyn lifted her head from her wet pillow as Troy sat, allowing him to see her swollen, tear-stained face. "Too much," she replied.

     "What do you mean?" Troy experimentally placed a hand on her back.

     Evelyn sniffled, moving to lazily sit on her knees. "I told my family about us and Carson flipped out."

     Troy sighed. As much as he wished this situation wouldn't occur, he knew it would. It was inevitable. "What'd he say?" he questioned out of pure curiosity.

     Evelyn took a few deep breaths before answering. "He said I know nothing about you, and that you were gonna hurt me because I'm just desperate for attention and for people to like me," her head hung low in sadness.

     Troy didn't know what to say, so he reached out to evelyn to bring her closer to him. "Sorry," he said the only word that came to mind. Evelyn sighed. She was expecting a more intricate and reassuring response, but that was a bit much for Troy.

     "It's fine, I'm fine," she shook her head against his shoulder. She kind of wanted to just be left alone, but it was Troy, and comforting each other was apart of their relationship deal now. Evelyn would do it for him. She was sure she'd do anything for him.

     "Just go to bed, Evelyn, it's late," Troy made his best attempt at a solution.

     She shook her head again. "I've been crying for hours. This headache isn't gonna let me sleep."

     Troy sighed. "You wanna take a walk? To our spot?"

     Evelyn wiped her teary eyes and nodded.

a/n
hey guys so i don't have
much to say about this
chapter LMAO hope you
enjoyed!!
wc: 1176
04.06.22