Chapter Four

E V E L Y N

I walk into house roaming my stare around. Last time I was home was five months back. Mum has indeed done it again.

Whenever she stumbles upon a new furniture, interior deco or anything that seems pleasing, she ends up changing everything in the house.

Mum had called me last night and ordered my presence, something I least expected.

I moved out of the house when I had clock twenty. I decided I could no longer survive my parents unruly behavior.

Mum was nonchalant about it, but Dad had second thoughts but later on let me, is not like they cared.

Unlike Alice and Mum's special bond, I was a different case study. My relationship with Mum is strictly professional. She cares less than I do.

It has always been that way. Alice this, Alice that never Evelyn. I grew up with both Mum and Dad's lack of apprehension. Anything I do is never enough.

"Evelyn, it's good that you finally decided to come. Take a seat" She spoke in on breath.

She looked on the edge, as though something was bothering her. What must have got her all worked up?

She walk to me getting a hold of my hands as she seat me down. My brows arched up as I anticipated what she has in mind.

"Your sister called of the wedding?" She blurts.

My breath hitched at her statement, struggling to digest the new heard information. She was kidding about this, isn't she?

But Mum is never the one to joke around so it must be true.

"What?" It slipped as a mumble still unbelievable to me.

What has gotten into Alice? It's three days to the wedding then all of a sudden she calls it off? Was she insane?

Her shoulder slumped brushing away a tear that threatened to spill. "Your sister is going through a lot right now, I hope you understand that" she reasons.

But what did I have to do with all this? Why will she call me here just to tell me this? She's definitely upto something.

"But Mum---"

She cuts me off. "It's not her fault. Try to put yourself in her shoe, Alice has a lot on her plate and getting married now is not convenient."

"So?"

She sighs rubbing circles on my hand. "You are going to fill in for her... You're going to stand in for her, till she's ready"

I bolt up, "What! No, no Mum... This is not happening."

She gets up getting a hold of me yet again but I take a step back.

My heart hammered at it's ribcage as though it'd pull out any second. Was mum insane or Alice?

Can she even hear herself.

"Don't be selfish Evelyn" She evince.

I laugh humorously, finding her words unbelievable.

"Selfish? Me? Come on Mum, listen to yourself" By now tears where treating to spill.

"Mind the way you speak to me Young lady, I'm your mother"

"Mother my foot!" I roar as the waterfalls dripped. "You call yourself a mother yet you don't act like one... It has always been Alice and not me. I've spent my twenty six years of life cleaning off Alice's print and I am sick and tired." I stop to take a breath.

"No Mum, I am---" I am silenced off my a stinging pain on my left cheek.

My lips quivered as I held on the spot. She slapped me. New set of tears cascaded.

"You have always been a heedless child Evelyn. That's what makes Alice atop of you... Now you listen to me Evelyn, you are going to stand on that altar with Lucas and recite the vows---"

"--No"

"It is not a request, but an order."

"Please Mum, don't do this. I have a life too," I try to reason yet to no avail.

She spared me a last glance, "You may leave" with that, she walk up to the stairs designating my essence.

I crumble to the ground crying myself out. Why me? I hate my life, I want out of this. All I ever wanted is a simple life filled with tranquility and love, is that too much to ask?

"Eve" his voice urge me to lift my head up meeting his questioning gaze.

Nick. He's the last born of the family. He clocked twenty last three months. He's my favorite, specially cause we've always been there for each other. He's the one family member that makes me feel I belong.

He leveled to the ground placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. I burst into another set of tears falling into his embrace.

"Shit! You're burning up. What happen?"

His question only urged me to cry harder.

I can say for how long I had cried cause every time the tears come to a halt, yet another aching memory urges for more.

It hurt so much. Feeling worthless and undeserving is another kind of pain.

Alice. I needed to speak with her, at least talk some sense into her, maybe she may reconsider.

I screw up missing the heat of his coziness.

"Eve, where are you going to?"

I searched for my belongings ignoring his calls as I paced out. Alice got me into this and she is the only one that could get me out.

I slipped into the car driving off. It was by the grace of God that I didn't get into an accident.

I got to her apartment as fast as I could killing off the engine. I rush to the entrance hitting the door bell yet to no avail. I ran back to the car and got my phone to give her a call.

I had dropped dozens of missed calls, messages and voicemails deciding to give up.

I slumped to the ground bursting into another set of tears. She was gone. Alice is a selfish self-centered person that has no regard for other people.

I hate her.

Who was I kidding? No matter how much I try to, it's close to impossible, I still love and cared for her.

She didn't deserve that.

My phone buzzed, I squeal in relief in hope that it was her but to my utmost surprise, it was a message from Katie.

Hey. Nick told me what happened are you okay?

No, I am not okay.

I press the hit button giving her a call.

"Evelyn, thank goodness you called, are you okay?" She asks her tune laced with worry.

My lips tremble as I struggle to swallow back the tears. This isn't fair, they don't get to decide that for me.

I have the right to make my own decisions, and I'm old enough too. Mum had no fucking right to do that.

I bit on my lower lip, "Can you come get me?"

"Of course. Where are you at?"

"Alice's apartment" I didn't wait for her response and ended the call.

The cold air left tingling on my skin. I was already shivering yet to weak to get myself to the car.

I know I look like a mess. Every person that pass by spares me weird glance here and there, but it was my least of worry. I had better fish to catch.

If only they knew.

Katie's car came in view parking beside mine. I watch as she Sprint our erasing the distance between us.

I mustered enough course to get my sore muscles up, in a blur I was enclosed into her warmth. I had cried too much, my head was beginning to pound.

"Are you okay?" She pulls away cupping my swollen cheeks.

I chewed on my lower lip shaking my head vigorously urging a wince.

I rubbed on my temple, "I wanna go home."

She nods, "Sure." She guides me to her car making sure I was settled before she got to the driver's seat.

I scribble a mental note to send someone to get my car as Katie drove off.

The ride to Katie's apartment was a silent one and I was appreciative of that. I was in no state to speak with her.

I waited at she unlocked the door to her apartment.

It's good that she brought me here, last thing I want is for Jason to show up unannounced. I'm pretty sure by now he's heard the news.

He's got his eyes and ears on me. No move of mine is left unknown to him.

She clicks on the light, my heart literally skip. For a second there I thought it was Jason but thankfully it wasn't.

"Felix?" Katie says as we further walked in.

Great! Our first meet up had I be today when I'm not in the right state.

Is this Karma? Cause I'm starting to think it is.

They exchange a few words with Katie as I stood there dumbfounded contemplating wether to leave or stay but leaving maybe rude.

"And you must be Evelyn" he brush pass Katie and towards me.

I forced a tight-lipped smile extending my hands for a shake but to utmost surprise he pulled me in for a hug.

Okay.

He pulled back,"I've heard a lot about you. It's so good to finally meet you"

I nod, "You too Felix...Can you two excuse me" I didn't wait for their response, I march to Katie's room.

I decided to take a shower to ease the stress out of me and when I water from the shower sprayed on me is like they ignited the unshed tears out of me.

Pretty sure I spent more than an hour in there before I got dressed into something comfortable cuddling myself to a much needed sleep.

Maybe, just maybe this is all just a nightmare that'll wake up to gone.

I could marry Lucas. He's heart belongs to Alice. He will never look at me as a wife not to talk of feeling for me.

I don't to be stuck in a loveless matrimony. I want to be with a man that loves, respect and adores me even though I know it's close to impossible but it doesn't hurt to dream.

I wonder how Lucas is holding up. I know he won't let this happen, I feel like I'm worry too much. Lucas will never agree to marry me, surely he wasn't someone can be forced.

"Eve"

Hearing her voice compelled me shut my eyes close. I can feel her foot steps coming closer.

She pulls off the cover from my head placing her hands to feel my temperature.

I know I was burning up, my head still hurts. I need some rest, before you know it I'll be good to go.

Sighs!

I don't understand why I'm freaked out. I clearly still love Lucas and want him but why am I against the wedding. I'm suppose to be all giddy and cool with it yet I'm freaked.

What if he eventually falls for me and then Ryan gets to be with his father and I get to be with the man I love. Will that be my happy ending?

The thoughts that ramble around my head s enough to make me go psycho.

Oh God!

I really need to speak to Lucas. But the question is, would he want to speak with me?

"Eve. I know you're not sleeping."

My heart skipped. She knows me so well.

"I won't say I understand how you feel but I want you to know that this just a phase in your life that you were born to pass and someday everything will fall into place."

Her words made my eyes to sting but I wasn't gonna cry, I had cried enough.

"And whenever you feel the need to give up, remember the reason you started... I'm here for you, when ever you need a shoulder to cry on" Her voice was shakey.

I hate piety.

She place a kiss on my forehead.

"I love you"

I had to fight back the urge to say it back. The click on the door notifying that she has left had me release a breath I didn't know I was holding.

Hopefully, everything will be fine someday.