Contempt

The boys had come back home at the end of their tour, Ian dropping them off at her house. Evelyn hadn’t spoken to him since tour, and they had been home a few days.

“Yeah, Jamie, I know I’m twenty one, it’s not my fault my parents say they can still ground me. I mean, I do still live in their house.”

“Come on, we have a show tonight, Evie.” His nickname tugged at her heartstrings.

“They may be on vacation, but they’ve set the maids to check on me every ten minutes.”

“It’s a ten minute head start, I’ve seen you sneak out before, Evie. You can do it.”

A knock caused her to jump out of her chair. “Miss Evelyn?” She turned to see Noni, her ‘lady in waiting’ from the time she was a baby. “There’s a boy here to see you.”

“Jamie, did Ry come try to kidnap me?”

“Not that I know of. Maybe it’s Ian?”

“Miss Evelyn, I’ve never seen this boy before.”

“Okay, I have to go figure this one out, Jamie. I’ll call you later.”

“Come to the show!” was his goodbye.

“Is he in the formal living room then?” She walked side by side with Noni, how her parents would cringe if they saw her now.

“I’m coming with you, Miss, just in case.”

“If you must,” though she put on the whine, she was really grateful the woman cared so much about her.

“Stephen?” Evelyn stopped dead in her tracks.

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, “I have to say, I expected a bit more excited greeting after the little airport incident.”

“But…how are you here? You’re supposed to be on tour still…”

“I needed to talk to you, Evelyn.”

Now she was convinced he was here. Evelyn ran up to Stephen, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

“This is serious, Evelyn.” She pulled away, looking at him confused. “I came because I honestly have not stopped thinking about you since I watched you walk away. No girl has ever made me feel like this…it’s like when I’m around you, I’m forced to catch my breath…” he ruffled his hair. “My heart stops for a second when I see you. I forget time is still passing, but now it’s slipping through my fingers. Now I’m losing minutes rather than living through hours.” He ran his thumb across the worry line in her forehead. “When you leave it’s like I have to learn how to breathe all over again. Yet, for some crazy reason, I’m okay with all of that.”

“Stephen, what are you talking about…we kissed once…it was all heat of the moment. I was mad at everyone and so confused and lost, and you were there to comfort me, I think we were both a bit out of it.”

“No, Evelyn, it’s not like that. I fought it for so long, I was such an idiot. I thought I could avoid it. I was afraid of what you said about your parents, of how proud you are, of how giving you control over me in any way would make you able to crush me under your finger the way you seemed to be able to do with everyone around you. If you can’t tell by me being here, that didn’t work.” He let out a bitter chuckle. “No, I love you, Evelyn Spencer, and I was stupid to think I could avoid you or my feelings.”

She shook her head, “Stephen, love doesn’t work like that. There has to be time, you have to actually know me. All you know is the show I put on, so please, just…can we forget this happened?”

“No, Evelyn, it will continue to happen. I will do whatever it takes, please, just give me a chance.”