Contempt

“Evelyn, just take the damn jacket,” Ian wrapped his leather jacket around her shoulders despite her protests.

She slid her arms through the sleeves, leaning against Ian a bit. His arm wrapped around her waist as they headed into Friday’s. There was a wait, Ryan ran to gave his name to the hostess before returning to the group.

“Oh, hey, you guys are here?” John was the one who greeted them, Stephen stood half hidden behind his brother, his eyes on Ian’s arm around Evelyn’s waist. “Dude, how long is the wait?”

“About twenty minutes.” Jamie blew on his bangs as they fell into his face.

“You guys can just join us, if you want.” Nash wasn’t protested, everyone just kind of shrugged. Evelyn couldn’t argue with John joining them, and in this case, he came as a package deal with Stephen.

“Let me just go change the number for our group,” Ryan was back just a few moments later. The room was too loud for any real conversation to happen.

“You tired, Belle?” Instead of being said in a condescending tone, his nickname for her was now said as a pet name.

She rested her head against his shoulder, “I’m just tired from being in the van all day.” Their conversation could only be overheard if someone was listening for it, as Stephen was.

Ian turned his head to kiss the top of her head. To anyone else, they would look like a happy couple. The lines blurred, but they were okay with it. Much more okay with it then the dark eyed boy brooding in the corner.

The hostess led them to a table, everyone sitting down. Evelyn ended up sitting between Jamie and Ian, across from John. Stephen sat beside his brother, trying to keep his glances from being too obvious.

“So when do you guys get off the tour?” Stephen offered the question, desperate to be part of a conversation, breaking up the little ones happening around the group.

“Kansas on the second is our last date.”

“We’re only on for a two week stint,” Nash added to the singer’s words, organizing the sugar packets by color.

The waitress came, disrupting the light talk for drink orders. As they looked over menus, John spoke, “Hey, Eve, you sew, right? With Ian’s pants the other day?”

“Yeah, that doesn’t mean I’m your seamstress,” she laughed lightly, a soft noise that tore Stephen apart. “What do you need, honey?”

“Actually, I was wondering if you knew much about cutting up shirts?”

“I can disassemble two and make a bathing suit, I can cut up a few and make a dress-”

He shook his head, “No, I just want to cut off the sides without fucking it up. I‘ve trashed a few already.”

She smiled, viridian eyes looking up from the menu to his face, “If you can show me a picture, I’m sure I can help you.”

They placed their orders and Evelyn felt a nudge against her foot under the table. She brushed it off, there were seven pairs of feet under the table, including her own, it was a tight squeeze when one wanted a little room. “So where are Brian, Jess, and Josh?”

Though her question was towards John, Stephen took his chance to speak to her. “They wanted something else.” He brushed his foot against hers again, knowing he had met his mark by the look of surprise on her face. He flashed her the most genuine smile he could, not the smirk or half smile most people saw.

“Oh,” she fiddled with the zipper of the jacket around her, pulling it up to lock in her body heat.

“Cold?” Stephen and Ian said simultaneously. The two boys exchanged looks, Ian’s eyebrows raised.

“A little,” she said to Ian, “but you know me, trained that as a lady, I must always be cold.”

“Well, Belle, you already have my jacket, I don’t know how else to help.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder, allowing him to wrap his arm around her. Stephen felt a flame lick at his stomach, burning his insides as the wave of fire starting its way up his throat. He silenced the heat, knowing jealousy was not going to help his case. He was struck with an idea, a way to help without saying a word.

The meal was nice, a pleasant change from the constant fast food meals. Evelyn felt a smile pull at her lips the whole time, spending the night with people she loved, for the most part, and having a dinner that took more than a minute to make.

They boys were all asleep in the van, three of them had to be forced there, while she was at the medics, getting her shoulder wrapped up. When she found her way back to the van, she found a jacket lined with fur, or some synthetic replacement, tucked underneath the rack on the roof. A note was pinned to it.

I dug this up in the back of our van a few days ago, I got it for our very first winter tour. It seems you could use it.
Hope you sleep well,
J.

She was too tired to really think more than that was the first letter of John’s name, and the sweatshirt looked comfortable enough. Having already changed into her pajamas, happy to be in one place this night, she pulled the jacket on, cuddling into it against a window to fall asleep.