"Mal, are you alright?" Jay inquired, breaking the silence that had settled in the car. He kept his gaze on the road but noticed that Mal showed no indication of reaction. She kept looking out the window of the front passenger seat.

"You haven't said a word since you got back in the car. What happened? Did you talk to Evie?" Jay tried pushing further but was met with Mal's silence again. Instead, he looked in the rear-view mirror just enough to notice Carlos and Umas' worried expressions. "Should I drop you at your apartment building, Uma?"

"That depends if Mal wants some company or-"

"I want to be alone." the blond rasped out. Everyone was too stunned to hear her speak that the silence afterward was cutting through their ears like a scream.

Mal couldn't stop fidgeting with her fingers, occasionally biting the nail on her thumb. The conversation kept replaying in her head. The woman's cutting voice still echoed in her ears. When she closed her eyes, she could still see her like she was imprinted on the back of her eyelids. Mal knew her words would haunt her for a long time. She leaned her head on the window and closed her eyes.

—

"So you are saying that you both knew that Evie was practically engaged and still encouraged her to go after Mal?" Uma asked from the backseat.

"In my defense, I was against it," Jay said. "But to sum things up, yes, yes we knew."

"I wish this was all some twisted joke, but I'm afraid it's not." Carlos sighed. "Evie has been engaged for.. a while now. I guess she tried to tell you but eventually decided against it. I can come up with a few reasons why she couldn't," the white-haired boy smiled softly.

"Look, there was this deal with her mother," Jay picked up after, fumbling with the steering wheel. "They were never seeing eye to eye so they agreed on this. Evie could have her freedom to do what she wanted, but when she turned 27 she would marry whoever her mother wanted."

"That's fucked up," Uma pitched in.

"Tell me about it, we are all coming from messed-up backgrounds," Jay agreed.

"When was this deal made?" Mal asked, glancing at Carlos.

"When she was seventeen, I think. Listen, Mal, I can see that this is killing you, but I want you to know - this is not your fault. It's not Evie's fault too-"

"Well, partly it is her fault," Uma cut in. Carlos glared at her.

"It's not Evie's fault wanting to be free in the first place. Stop trying to blame her," Carlos deflected Uma's words. "This thing, it's too far gone now, Mal."

"You need to let go and move on, " Jay hummed.

"Seriously, man. Not helping!" Carlos looked at his fiance with a death glare.

"What? You sugar-coated this for too long, C. You even encouraged Evie on doing this, whatever that was with Mal. Look at them now. I told you this could have been avoided." Jay bit back.

"Guys, please calm down," Uma raised her voice to silence them.

"Why didn't she tell me? It would have been so much easier than now," Mal asked after a few minutes, breaking the silence.

"Mal, you and I both know that it wouldn't have made a difference at all," Carlos returned.

"So, is this it? We arrived?" Uma asked shifting in the backseat.

"It's the next house over there, behind the tree," Jay pointed to the building a few houses down the street.

"You mean the big ass mansion looking like a small castle over there?" Uma pitched in.

"That's the one,"

"Good luck, Mal,"

"Good luck? Honestly, what more can go wrong at this point," Mal said bitterly.

As Mal exited the car before she could change her mind and bolt instead. The imposing house towered above her with every step she made, steadily approaching her. The soft wind touched her face as the sun started disappearing from the sky, bringing the rough coldness of the night.

And maybe all this was a mistake, but she needed this. She needed to face Evie, to see her face, to watch the words flow from her mouth as if this would bring Mal some closure. Or maybe she wanted the pain.

When Mal reached the front door she rang the bell, she could hear it echoing in the house, she could hear her heartbeat picking its pace in her ears. Waiting felt like an eternity, but finally, a red-haired woman around her thirties opened the door.

"Good evening," she said, taking a surprised look at Mal. "How may I help you?"

"I'm looking for Evie, is she here?" Mal's voice sounded raspy like she hasn't spoken in days. Before the woman in front of her could answer, another shadow stepped in from behind her, holding a few books in her hand, interested in Mal's question.

"My daughter is not here at the moment. May I know who you are?" she said, her dark hair reaching her waist and her snotty stare burned holes in Mal's body. She recognized this face after she could take a better look. This woman, clearly Evie's mother, was in Evie's apartment that one time. She remembered how she stared at her in the little mirror as Evie begged her to go.

"My name is Mal and I am looking for Evie. Do you know where I can find her?"

"Gledna, go finish your work," the dark-haired woman said, Glenda flew off without any protest. "And who are you to my daughter, a friend of hers, perhaps?" The woman walked out and closed the door behind her.

"Yes, I need to speak to her but she doesn't answer my texts or pick up my calls,"

"It looks like my dear Evelyn doesn't want to be bothered by someone like you," the woman spits out.

"But-"

"Best leave this one go, you are clearly foolish enough to bother my daughter, so leave."

"I have come all the way here to speak to your daughter, I know she is here. I just need a few minutes to talk to her about-"

"About what?" the woman raises her eyebrow. "Wait, I remember you. You are that blond girl that leaves next to my daughter, Emanuella-"

"As I just said, my name is Mal-"

"Let me be clear, I do not care who you are and what you want and why you are here. I want you gone from my property, and do not bother coming back here. Is that clear enough for your little head?"

"Wow," Mal was stunned by this woman's behavior, suddenly she started understanding what Carlos was talking about. "You really are a heartless woman, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?!"

"I get it now. You made her do this for your satisfaction. Do you actually care for your own daughter?"

"What are you implying here? You do not even know me. How dare you disrespect me in such a way?" the woman was furious, the books now lying on the ground next to their feet. She looked like she was going to jump on Mal if she wasn't too elegant for such a scene. Mal could almost see the fire in her green gaze.

"I know enough, everything is becoming clear now. Evie is doing this for you, for your approval, for your love. Because even after all this time, she still wants to see her mother proud of her, to feel like she is part of this family, like having a parent who gives a shit about you-"

"Who are you to lecture me like that? Just another deviant whore that I let my daughter have her dirty desires fulfilled! Who do you think you are to walk up to my house and speak to me in such a way?! A pathetic little girl looking for something she can't have!"

"That's not-"

"I don't care. I do not want you coming here again, do you hear me?! My Evelyn will do as I say now, she will have a decent life with a decent man!" Evie's mother yelled, invading Mal's personal space.

"This is the deal, right?" Mal said bittersweetly, walking slowly backward.

"You listen, girl," the woman walked towards Mal towering above her. "If I see you near my daughter ever again, I will ruin your life."

"I'm not scared of you,"

"You should be," the woman spat out. "You listen carefully, little blond slut, leave Evie the fuck alone and don't you dare come back."

Mal felt uneasy at these words because she could see that this woman was talking seriously. The rage in her eyes was visible to scare Mal's gaze away. Hearing Evie's mother talk to her that way blew out the last flame of hope in her. She wanted to say something back to her, but instead, the hurt crawled up on her and she decided against it. It was a waste of words anyways.

"Thought so, now get out of my sight before I call the police for trespassing," Evie's mother said coldly and walked towards her front door, picking up the fallen books.

—

"Mal," Carlos tapped on her shoulder, waking her up. "We are here,"

Mal opened her eyes and looked around trying to recognize where they were in the death of the night.

"We dropped Uma off her building and we are in front of your apartment complex," Jay explained seeing her confusion.

"Thank you guys," she managed to say, unbuckling her belt.

Before she could open the door, Jay stopped her. "Wait, you never said what happened?"

Mal thought a little and finally answered, "Evie wasn't there,"

"But, you were gone for quite some time.." Carlos mumbled.

"I.. talked to her mother,"

"What?!" the boys said at the same time.

"Yeah, uh... Basically, she is a big homophobe that threatened me to leave Evie alone."

"That bitch-"

"Jay!" Carlos yelled.

"What?! That woman is pure evil!" Jay defended himself.

"Guys, it's fine. I get it now," Mal mumbled, opening the passenger door.

"But, you can't give up now, Mal!" Carlos said from the backseat. "You have gotten this far."

"And for what, C? There is nothing left to fight for, Evie doesn't want me in her life, that is pretty much clear. She will do what her mother wants, she won't fight back for me."

"But-"

"C, please. Mal is right, it is best for her to move on." Jay jumped in.

Carlos was silent for a few minutes deep in thought before he offered, "Will you come to our engagement dinner? Evie will be there, and it is basically a free space for everyone so her mother won't be there. This will give you a chance to talk this out."

"I'm not sure it is a good idea, C, but how did we forget to send an invitation to Mal, damn it!" Jay whined.

"Thank you guys, really, but it's okay. I'm happy for you but I am in no mood for this right now, but you have fun alright?" Mal managed to say back.

"It's alright, Mal. Think it over," Carlos added with a small smile, "You are part of us now, you are always invited. Just, give it a thought. The dinner will be next Friday, I will text you the details later. There is still time for you, please do not give up."

"You hopeful little man," Jay commented with adoration.

"Thank you, but.. Evie and I, we were doomed from the start."