"T!" Evelyn desperately called out to the person sharing her home, doing her best to calm the crying baby thrashing and screaming in her arms. "Where are you? I can't do this by myself!"

"Oh, calm down! Have you never met a crying baby before?" Evelyn sighed at the words.

"No! I've never even met a happy baby before!"

"Wow, Ev. almost twenty-two years old and you've never met a baby," Tara made a fake judgmental face as she grabbed the baby, Zoey, out of her roommates grasp.

"I've lived a very sheltered life. And that's the last time I'm ever babysitting your niece without your help," Evelyn rolled her eyes at her friend and walked over to the couch to watch whatever crazy reality show she could find. The end of her senior year at college has finally come, and the stress of her upcoming finals has faltered completely. For the rest of the summer, all she planned to do absolutely nothing.

Evelyn went to change the channel when a certain news broadcast caught her eye. "This just in, another case of a vicious cannibal attack has just been reported in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This has been the sixth reported case just this week. The strange disease seems to be spreading like wildfire. Though scientists are still trying to determine the cause of this unknown sickness, they assure that there is nothing to worry about," the lady reporting the news spoke in her reporter voice.

"Are you seeing this?" Evelyn titled her head, addressing Tara, who was still trying to calm her niece.

"Yeah," she shuddered as she plopped down beside Evelyn. The baby finally quieted down, bringing a comforting feeling of peace back to the two girls. "There was just a case of this back home in Dallas. One of my uncles actually saw the guy walking around after killing someone, still bloody and all."

"God, that's so scary," Evelyn shook her head. She always overthought about situations like this. Her mind would immediately go to the worst. she figured it was because her parents were the way that they were, "survivalists" as they'd always called it. Of course, they weren't blood related, but some of their quirks and beliefs inevitably rubbed off on Evelyn. She was still their daughter. "I don't know what I'd do in that situation."

     "Who's ready for Palm Springs?!" a loud voice interrupted the two girls' anxious conversation.

     "Me!" Evelyn immediately perked up in her spot.

     "I regret ever giving you a key," Tara rolled her eyes at the boy who barged into the apartment without any regard for the ones living there. Evelyn never minded though. Her best friend would always be welcomed no matter what.

     "Don't be mad that you aren't coming, we invited you but you said no," Ethan made his way over to the couch after opening the fridge and taking whatever he wanted, as he always did.

     Over the past three years, Evelyn and Ethan had become even closer, pretty much inseparable. They spent every Christmas, Halloween, New Year, and every other holiday with each other. They refused to go back to the ranch. If their families wanted to see them, they'd have to come up to Los Angeles because the two simply never wanted to ever go back. Their upcoming best friend's trip to Palm Springs would be the closest they've been to the ranch since they left for college, and it wasn't even two hours away.

    "I'm not mad!" Tara shot back at the smug boy. "I'd so much rather be here babysitting Zoey than vacationing with you losers. You know, they say you don't really know someone until you vacation with them— and I never want to know either of you freaks!"

     "Sure, T," Evelyn leaned over to place her head on Tara's shoulder. She'd never been more happy with her life... well, except maybe for that one time she gave her all to a boy who wanted nothing but to hurt her, but she didn't like to think or talk about that. that life was behind her. Now she had new friends, she was working towards getting her bachelor's degree, and she could finally live her life the way she wanted to without the constant fear of her very own neighbors hurting her.

     "Then it's good I know everything there is to know about our sweet Evelyn. Her and I go way back, you know. Best friends since preschool!" Ethan spewed nothing but little white lies out of his mouth, and it made Evelyn laugh. Ethan was such an interesting boy.

     Evelyn was quick to clarify when Tara skeptically raised an eyebrow. "I wish you would stop telling people that, Ethan. We only met like, five years ago."

     "Whatever, I guess," he playfully brushed it off. "I don't care if I've known her since yesterday or since we were Zoey's age. Nobody is ruining this trip for me."

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you find out Evelyn Clifford is a spoiled, annoying, little brat!" Tara shrugged.

     Evelyn stuck her tongue out at the girl. "Quit being jealous. If I was such a brat, you wouldn't still be living with me," Tara rolled her eyes again, not being able to hide the smile on her face. Evelyn had the best friends ever, and she would forever be grateful.

warning: more topics of racism and bigotry will be mentioned in this book.

wc: 913
07.02.22 / 07.29.22