Library after class?

I typed out a quick message to Will and waited for a reply. Since Claire said she's taking April out, I had some extra time which I definitely didn't want to spend working, because I know Jake's shift starts an hour after mine.

"Who are you texting?" Sasha asked, searching for my notes. "Don't say it's my brother."

"No, it's not." I smiled.

"Oh my sister in law, please tell me you're not cheating on him." She said, faking a gasp and placing her arm on my shoulder.

I sighed, brushing it off. Sister in law is what she calls me now when she's extremely happy. I remember the first time she shouted that and how Zack awkwardly turned away, hiding his blush.

I thought it might scare him, distance him but it didn't. He blushed, and that made way for more teasing from his sister.

And that gave him more points in Sophie's score card. According to her, a man who isn't afraid of future commitments are keepers.

"Okay see, I've got a group project with Grace and I'll be here after class. What about you?" She asked.

"I've to go to the office, got something to clear and I'm meeting Will at the library. I don't know how much time it'll take, but definitely not more than two hours. I'll text you if I need a ride."

"Sounds good. Meet ya after class sister-"

"Shut up and go," I said before she could call it out loud and chuckled when she was out of sight.

I'm starting to think everyone except Maria in my life are insane.

Sophie : Cole asked me out again!

Sophie's text thrived my attention and I finally gave in, dragging my eyes off the chemical equations.

Cole?

Apparently, I forgot Cole was the name of the guy, who asked Sasha out that day and for that, received a glaring emoji from her. And I ended up spending most of the class texting her.

Finally, when the bell rang and we were free to leave, I grabbed my bag, heading to the office. After about twenty minutes of waiting, my work was done.

My phone started ringing when I was only a few feet away from the library and I stared at the screen.

Sophie? Now what? We've been texting for hours.

"Hello?" I asked into my phone, answering her call but couldn't hear anything as I felt someone push me into the nearest room, janitor's closet, to be exact.

"Tyler?" I shouldn't be surprised. It's always him who pulls me into an empty room.

But I was, since I thought he was still in Texas.

"Earth to Evelyn!" Sophie's voice chimed and suddenly my phone was snatched from my hand.

"Give me the phone." I said, trying to reach out, but he held it higher, behind him.

"I told you many times, think about what I said, about us. I guess this is the best time for you to think. I'll leave you alone." He smirked before stepping closer, but when I stepped back, he shook his head with a sigh and stepped out. "Think."

Think alone? Oh shit!

By the time my mind processed his words, he was out and locked the door. I started pounding on it.

Someone would hear, definitely. It's not that late, only half an hour.

But I was disappointed at myself and annoyed at Tyler as no one came to open the door for the next twenty minutes or so.
 
That jerk took my phone! Thank god it has a passcode.

After giving a couple of heavy kicks and punches to the door again, I turned back, leaning on it.

Think about us! I hate his stupid ego.

Why does he do that?

And then suddenly, I was falling backwards. But didn't hit the ground as a pair of hands helped me.

"Cassy!" I sighed in relief, hugging her and she smiled.

"If it matters, it was me who heard the sound." Will said, behind her, leaning onto the wall.

"It was stupid-"

"Tyler, yeah. I know. Who else would do baby stuff like this?" He shook his head and gave me a book. "Figured I'd take one for you."

"Thanks," I put it in my bag and smiled.

"Want a ride?"

"Oh, yea-" then I stopped, looking at both of them. "Oh, no. It's okay."

Maybe they were going on a date.

"I see that." Will smiled, standing straight. "We're heading home, come on."

"It's not a date." Cassy mouthed, smiling and I happily accepted their kind invitation.

.
.
.

"You're in luck." Marissa said, once we drifted into work. "Big guy came today."

Oh, yeah. They're back in town, now I know.

"Did he ask where I am?"

"Nope, he was busy pointing out mistakes." Jake sighed, relaxing.

Luck, it is.

We three talked a lot, like always, but in between work since Tyler's dad was back and could barge in any time.

"How's love life?" Jake smirked, throwing a candy at me.

"Shut up."

"Oh, come on. It's my duty to ask." He chuckled, nudging Marissa.

"That's true, I must say." She smiled and I groaned.

A blessing in form of Jake's phone helped me out of it.

"Hey," he said, smiling. "Oh, I thought you were calling me." He sighed, giving me his phone.

Who's calling me on his phone? Why not call me?

Oh right, I don't have my phone with me.

"Sophie." He said, smacking my head.

"Oh my dear, Evelyn. How many bloody times did I call you? What the hell are you doing?" She yelled and I sighed before spilling out the full story to her.

"That asshole! You should have kicked him in his face." She mumbled.

"Yeah, I can't believe, he was so good and now I feel like I ruined him."

"Hey, Miss overthinking, he was an asshole and he went back to his real prick behaviour. That's what it is. You're pathetic to think you ruined it for him." She scolded me and nodded, silently like a little kid.

I did sound pathetic.

"I hate him." I mumbled, thinking about what if Cassy and Will didn't appear.

"I hate him more."

That made me chuckle, though.

"More than me?" I asked and she replied immediately.

"More than you. You don't hate people, you can only dislike them. Who knows you better than me?"

"What? I do hate Tyler." I argued and she chuckled.

"You won't hate anybody, Ivy. You're so peace-loving and naive. You won't hate to the fullest, like, if you saw Tyler stranded alone in a desert, dying, you won't walk away ignoring him."

"That's a pretty harsh example." I said, frowning. Why bring death to it?

"See! After all this bullying you still say that. You have a soft corner for everyone. No matter how evil that person is." She sighed, making her point and I shook my head.

"It's time to leave, let me go."

"Listen what I wanna say, enough of Tyler." She said.

"Okay, what is it?"

"Oh shit, why did I call you?" She asked me and I chuckled.

"You're asking me?"

"Oh gosh, it was something important!" She whined, probably pouting.

"Then say."

I heard her groan and then she said,
"Urgh! I forgot. Don't mind, I'll call you when it comes to me." She said hanging up and I didn't bother to remind her that my phone wasn't with me.

"That was a long talk." Jake said when I gave him his phone and we hopped in his car.

We first went to drop Marissa and then he dropped me.

"Thanks. And oh, I forgot. Theo asked to say hi to Jakey. Noel too."

"Tell the puppets I said I love them." He called out as he drove off.

With a smile, I went and knocked on the door. A couple of minutes later, Theo opened the door.

My smile turned into a frown as I saw a tiny bump on his forehead and I knelt down, groaning.

"I've told you both, stop fightin-" I stopped my words as I saw Noel behind him.

One look. One look at his face and my eyes widened. My vision turned blurry as I saw his red cheeks.

And it sure wasn't a blush.

***********

Thanks for reading, my people 🥰🥰