I walked into Evelyn's apartment and sighed. Another year of school passed. But this time it was different. School was done. Officially over. At least for me. I graduated a few weeks ago. Only Evelyn showed up. But it was fine, I didn't want a lot of people there for me.
After that, I had filled my free time by participating in more fight clubs, mainly because after that one night in the hotel, Sina left to live her happily ever after. I don't blame her for leaving, after all, she was happy and who am I to interrupt her happiness? But, she did send me her new address a few weeks after that.
I made good money at the fight clubs and won - a lot. I didn't trust that the money I had made was safe at home, so I hid it under Evelyn's couch. She barely cleaned under there and I thought it was a safe spot. I hid it there for over a year. Apparently, she decided to clean under her couch today.
"Rachel?" Evelyn called out to me.
"Yeah?"
Evelyn walked into the main room with a wad of cash in her hand. "What's this?"
I froze. It was the money I earned by fighting. Evelyn didn't know about my now favorite pastime. "Money, clearly."
"I know that." Evelyn said, exasperated. "It's not mine though."
"Maybe the money fairies decided to give you a giant wad of cash."
Evelyn ignored my snarky comeback. "Is it yours?"
"Maybe..." I sat down on a chair and leaned back.
"Where'd you get it?"
I sighed. I was not about to tell her where I got it. "Somewhere."
"Mhmm." Evelyn folded her arms.
I looked up at her. She just stood there, silently, menacingly, waiting for me to crack. I wasn't about to let that happen.
"What?" I asked, innocently.
"Did you steal it?"
"No! Of course not!"
"Then where did it come from?"
"Somewhere!"
Evelyn huffed, clearly this conversation wasn't getting anywhere. "Just be more careful with storing your money next time."
"Yeah, thanks." I stood up and reached my hand out to collect my money. Evelyn slapped them into my hand. She then went over to the kitchen and grabbed out cooking supplies. I almost forgot that Evelyn offered to make me dinner tonight, and I actually said yes this time.
I carefully put the money into my pocket. I'd have to find a new hiding place for it. Oh well, I figured that I would eventually find a new hiding place inside Evelyn's apartment, or I might just have to hide the money at my house.
"You know, I care, Rachel." Evelyn looked up at me. Her hazel eyes bored into my head. She was beating a few eggs in a glass bowl.
"I know that." My tone was still sour from our one-sided conversation earlier.
She stopped beating the eggs and narrowed her eyes at me. "I worry too."
I folded my arms. Of course she cares and of course she worries. I already knew that. But I didn't need her to care. I didn't need her to worry. What I really needed was someone who let me do my own thing and didn't ask any questions. I needed someone who understood me.
Evelyn sighed. It was a sign of her giving up. She continued to make dinner and eventually, we ate together. An uncomfortable silence filled the room as we ate.
Evelyn broke the silence. "I know, Rachel."
I glanced up at her, confused. What is she even talking about? There were a lot of things that Evelyn could be talking about.
"Where you got the money."
I sucked in a breath. How could she even know where I got it? I leaned back in my chair.
"And how you got it." Evelyn said. Her tone was accusatory, but still, there were many different ways I could've gotten the money.
I stayed silent and took another bite of food. I wasn't about to crack now.
After a few moments, Evelyn sighed. "Oh come on Rachel! You're seriously going to make me say it? We both know what I'm talking about!"
"What are we talking about?" I glared at her.
"You and the fight club! You seriously didn't think I'd find out? I constantly go out to those rings to catch criminals, Rach."
Shit.
"So? Who cares?"
"I care. I don't want you to end up hurt, let alone dead."
"I'm a big girl now." I smirked. "I know how to take care of myself. Besides, I turned 18, I'm on my own. Why not get a good paying job now?" My cockiness shone through. I tried to deflect Evelyn's statement.
"Rach..." Evelyn said. She looked defeated, as if my words were the last straw.
"Right." I stood and cleared my plate. I was done with this. I was done with Evelyn caring too much. She always cared about what I did. Why couldn't she be more relaxed? More understanding?
I walked over to the door and stopped once I heard the hurried scraping of Evelyn's chair on the floor.
"Where do you think you're going now?" Evelyn asked. I tilted my head to face her.
"Out."
"Where?"
"Out."
"I swear to God-"
"Don't worry, I'll beat up a bad guy for you."
"Rachel!"
I opened the door. Evelyn slammed it shut with her hand. I've never seen her move so fast.
"What the hell!?" I turned to face her. My fists were clenched. The angry ball of electricity in my stomach ignited again.I stepped closer to her. I was taller than her by a few inches, but that didn't stop Evelyn from glaring up at me.
"Don't go."
"Too bad." I reached for the door again. Her resistance only made me want to leave the apartment even more.
Evelyn moved in front of me and held her hand on the doorknob. "Come on, Rachel."
I gritted my teeth. Years and years of Evelyn stopping me from doing something that I wanted just because she cared piled up inside me. I usually listened to her, sometimes I didn't, but she'd hardly tried to physically stop me like this. "No." I firmly said.
"I care, Rach." Evelyn reached out a hand.
I took an angry step back. "Then stop caring!"
Evelyn opened her mouth to protest but I cut her off.
"Just... stop! You're not my mother and you never will be!" I glared at her. Half of me was surprised why I even said that. I guess it was because I always saw kids around me with their mothers and if the kid fell, their mother would scoop them up and take care of them.
Tears brimmed in Evelyn's eyes. She stood there, her mouth open. A moment of silence passed. I glared at her, breathing hard, trying to keep the ever-threatening lightning from breaching its cage.
Evelyn took a step back away from the door. "You're right... I'm not your mother..." She trailed off as she looked at the ground.
I took the opportunity to quickly leave. I slammed the door shut right as Evelyn was about to say something. The knot of electricity churned violently inside me. My head snapped to the nearest light fixture. I had nowhere to go. I was 18 and on my own. I was at Evelyn's place purely because I wanted out of my old house. I couldn't go back to Evelyn. There was only one option left. Just run.
I made my way over to the light fixture and made myself pure electricity. I learned that trick when I was younger. It allowed me to teleport over short distances.
Once my insides were settled after I had landed on the streets of New York, I started to walk. I had no actual destination in mind.
After I had walked about two blocks, an idea came to my mind. Sina. She was on her own now. She even sent me her address. Maybe I could crash there for a few days once I figured things out?
This whole situation seemed a little brash, especially after a stupid argument like that, but I lived on impulsive decisions. I got it into my head that I was never going back to Evelyn's apartment, at least for a year.
I padded down my pockets until I produced a phone. I quickly got into my messages app and pulled up Sina's address. My eyes widened once I read the address again. Russia? She's in Russia!? I shook my head and smirked. Of course she would be there. Usually when people run away, others look far away for the person and don't suspect them hiding just around the corner.
I sucked in a breath. It was time for me to go visit my sister.