Evol

chapter forty-seven

Sunday 11th August, 2019

A week later.

I shoved a t-shirt into my backpack with gritted teeth.

Julian stared at me from the bed, an amused smirk on his face.

I was going on the damn hiking trip. Somehow, another form had miraculously been sent through my letterbox, and once my parents caught wind of it, I'd all but been forced to go. Julian had been the prime suspect, but every time I brought it up, he only winked and said "innocent until proven guilty, baby".

Displeased, I moved onto the next drawer, and suddenly Julian was next to me, holding up a purple lacy bra.

"Ah," he studied it carefully. "Definitely this one. Pack this one."

Rolling my eyes, I snatched it off him, blushing furiously. "As if you'd get to see it," I scoffed.

"Sometime soon." His eyes danced.

"Pervert."

"I think you mean 'perbert'."

"Ugh," I threw the purple bra into the backpack. "Seriously? I'm not in the mood to take that joke, Julian. You use it all the time!"

He stared at me. "Okay, fine. Are you nearly done? I'm tired."

"Nearly," I said, and shooed him away so I could finish packing. Julian moved to the bed, and stretched out on the left side, which had become his spot. I felt his eyes on me - I was wearing a matching set of pink pjs, nothing exciting, but he was watching me like it was something beautiful.

"I'm done," I sighed and zipped up the bag. "What time do the buses come tomorrow?"

He peeled the covers back for me - he was already in them - and I climbed in next to him. "Eight-thirty," he said.

"So early." I whined.

"That's normal time for school, baby."

"I mean, it's too early for a hiking trip. Yuck."

"Be quiet," he shushed, and wound his arms around me once my head hit the pillow. He tucked his hands underneath me, pulling me into his chest. Despite my simmering anger at having to go on that trip, I smiled. This was my favourite place; I could feel Julian's heartbeat on my back, the warmth of his body pressed on mine.

"Wake me up at seven," I told him.

"I'll wake you up at six."

I whacked his forearm, tight across my stomach. "Do that, and you're dead."

"Seven it is, then, baby." He whispered, and I felt him kiss my shoulder softly before I fell asleep.

+++

Monday 12th August, 2019

The next day, I stood beside Julian in the school car park, my backpack slung over one shoulder, staring blankly at the coach.

It was big; huge, actually. It hadn't occurred to me that I'd have to sit by someone, and by the way Jule was hovering close behind me, he expected it to be him. But I could already imagine the backlash as the rumours were confirmed, and I cringed.

"Getting on?" He asked.

Students weaved around us, climbing on; they were all too excited to notice us at all.

"I'm going," I murmured, and walked forward despite the lump in my throat.

Julian followed me onto the coach - I kept my hands in front of me so he wouldn't spot them shaking, and bent my head down.