Contempt

“Hey, look, there’s a mall. We could goof off around there for a while,” Ian spoke, looking around for something to do once they had reached Columbia. “What do you think, Belle?”

“Do whatever you want, Ian. I’m only along for the ride.” She smiled lightly, her eyes out the window. He signaled, turning into the entrance.

“Hey, idiots, wake up!” Ian’s voice boomed in the small van, everyone else mumbled in response. “Come on guys, we’re at the mall.”

“What are we, 14?” Ryan asked bitterly, rubbing at his eyes.

“It’s something to do. I see a couple of other vans and even two buses here. We’re not the only ones who need something to do.” He laughed lightly, pulling into a spot beside the other vans.

Ian went to wrap his arm around Evelyn’s shoulders as they started towards the entrance.

“Mine!” Jamie yelled childishly, his arm pulling her out of Ian’s reach.

“Oh, now you’re friends with her,” Ian said sarcastically.

“I’ve been friends with her since we were like five, man. Just cause you recently realized my best friend is more than a pretty face doesn’t move you too far up the list.” Jamie stuck his tongue out at Ian. “So, where do you want to go, Evelyn?”

Her heel caught in a crack in the concrete of the parking lot, she stumbled, falling on her side as she tried to roll midair. “Owwies.”

“Are you okay?” Ian, Ryan, and Jamie were all on their knees, reaching out to look over her ripped shawl. She slid the sleeve down.

“Just a little scratch,” Evelyn carefully shrugged out of her jacket, looking at the lightly bleeding marks. “I’m not going to be able to fix this though,” she frowned.

They quickly helped her up. “You sure your arm’s okay?”

“Yes, Ian, I’m sure. As if I needed a third brother,” she muttered the last part under her breath.

He bit his tongue from saying something more.

“Let’s just get inside.” Nash started towards the mall. ‘If she’s really feeling fine, we can just have a medic clean her up when we get to camp.”

She was the first one to start after him.

“Come on, Evelyn, we’ll find one of your stories,” Jamie linked arms with her and they set off to a map.

They were standing in Charlotte Russe, going through racks. “Seriously, Jamie, you don’t have to come shopping with me.”

He just smiled at her. “We’ll go look for me stuff after, if it makes you feel better.”

“Good,” she nudged him with her shoulder.

“Evelyn, you shop here?” Dannie stood beside her, shuffling through the racks as well.

“Yeah, I’ve found some cute stuff at the outlet back home.”

“So, have you run into any other bands here yet? My idiot brother and his friends are probably in the process of getting kicked out as we speak.”

Evelyn shook her head, “Who’s here?”

“Well, Mayday,” she rolled her eyes, “Jersey says they’re on their way, Raylee’s with Josh, so The Cab’s here, and between that and Rachel being off with Brain, The Summer Set is here. A couple others too, judging by the vans outside.”

Evelyn groaned, already hoping she could avoid running into Stephen.