Evol

chapter twenty-three

Saturday 15th June, 2019

Pulling down the bandage on my leg, I sighed and put it back.

I'd been cleaning and changing the bandage over the scratches everyday; they were more or less scabbed over, and I was sick of wearing jeans.

Not that I'd go out with the bandage bare - I was thinking of tights, without the bandage. That should work, right?

It was a momentary distraction from the thing that had been constantly on my mind since Thursday afternoon: what's wrong with Julian?

He'd never screamed at me like that. Thinking back, I wish I'd stopped him and said something, but I'd been rooted to the spot. He frightened me.

I'd been prepared yesterday at school, to confront him. To tell him to stop being such a dick and just tell me what the hell his problem was. I was sick of his stupid immaturity, his tricks and sly comments.

But he didn't turn up for school. None of them did.

I'd called him twice, and sent one text before I felt overbearing. Now, worry was eating me alive.

Lying awake last night, the realisation came to me. It didn't matter that he was, to be honest, stupidly good-looking and so unachievable to me it was comical. It didn't matter that he smoked. It didn't matter that he could be a real asshole at times.

It didn't even matter that he detested me so much that he couldn't bear to even be friends.

My heart was an idiot. And it wanted him.

Pinching my eyes shut, I got up from the bed now, and told myself the feelings would go away soon.

I ripped the bandage off and shoved tights on, wincing as he brushed the scabs. Julian would disapprove of me taking the bandages off so soon, but I felt better. Defiant.

I put more make-up on than usual, with a thin line of eyeliner and pink lipstick. Tucking my pink jumper into a black denim skirt, I didn't even bother looking in the mirror.

Downstairs, Mum looked up at the sound of my footsteps.

"Going out?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Yep. We're going to see a movie."

"We?" Dad turned, both of their eyes watching me from behind the couch.

"Some friends," I shrugged. "I won't be in late."

"Text us when you get in." Dad said, and turned back around.

"What?"

Mum smiled. "We're going out with some friends of our own."

"We met at Church." Dad mumbled, flicking through channels.

"If you're not in before us," Mum warned, "there'll be consequences."

"Okay." I said, and bolted for the door.

It was suffocating in there. Could she be any more patronizing? Pushing my hair behind my ears, I walked to my car, opening the door.

Just then, a silver car pulled up outside my house.

I squinted, and the window rolled down. Brendan's blond head popped out.

"Brooke!" He called.

"Brendan?" I smiled, closing my door. "What are you doing here?"

"Picking you up!"

How could I refuse now? Rolling my eyes, I walked to his door. This car was big, and tall. He was much higher than me now. "How do you know where I live?"