Evelyn smiled. “What do you plan on doing, brother?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pzbaf3CXQ

  I glared to her. “Not what you think,” I said. “I just need to talk to him about something.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvp1yr7Z1v

 Evelyn looked me up and down while Eric toyed with the keys in his hands. “You’ve got a phone for a reason, dude.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGGq0arasn

  “I’m grounded,” I reminded them.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzN7LYnOBk

  “How?” they both asked me at the same time. I shrugged, not wanting to get into anything. My mind was still spinning from breaking up with Haven, and I was unsure if there was really any chance for me at school tomorrow. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6P57oxfoy

  ⟴. I have homework.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZfrqgBRq4

  “Can you drive me or not?” I asked Eric. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXD35o1sdC

  My older brother shrugged before he put his keys back down on his bed. I didn’t really care what deal he wanted to make, as long as he’d let me take the keys at night. “Imma make a deal with you,” he said.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSICXQ1u5p

  “Go,” I challenged.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QpjhQzSI0

  Eric smirked. “You let us come with you, and I won’t tell Mom and Dad about you sneaking around all the time.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYYA13Z2vc

  I looked at him like he was crazy. “What? Wh-why would you even-no.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡEi4nU2dWxi

  “He’s just worried about his emotions,” Evelyn said, rolling her eyes. “It isn’t the worst thing in the world, Ez. Plus, I wanna talk to Callie.”36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoA8G10SLO
copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡmB9LUqCujk

It’s like I can never have a private conversation with somebody. “Then call her on the phone,” I said. If Evelyn wanted to be friends with Calliannah, that was her business, not mine. I could care less about whatever happens in their friendship, as long as she doesn’t ruin my time with Delcan. Sure, he doesn’t listen, and he can annoy me for hours at a time, but it’s better being around him than with Haven. Or Evvie, for that matter. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡugisRjwQm1

  Eric shrugged. “Alright,” he said. “Then I guess you’re gonna have a fun talk with Dad.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20k6oe9BbG

  Gym.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxh4jcuVGO

  “Fine,” I said. “But I swear to God, Eric if you ask a single-"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sGYp6dy64
copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡgb5zEWSaMe

“Oh, chill.” Eric rolled his eyes. “I don’t want any of those details, in the first place.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOfwVEL5gW

  Evelyn shook her head with her eyes closed before she opened them again and looked at me. “You should probably text him.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbu3fNgKJX

  “What does grounded mean to you?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZ8DyNArYm

  Evelyn looked like she was about to flip me off, but I was surprised that she didn’t. “Do you know his number?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWrhlQlY7l
copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡGabWH7AscQ

 The only people’s numbers I know are my parents, and that’s because of when I was younger. I can’t even remember the first few digits of it, let alone the entire number. I didn’t even know the actual address of his house. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡpY1T1gGi1p

  I want my phone back. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzpodYbNpa

  “No,” I said. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5kl11sCuE

  Eric pulled out his phone within a second. “I’ll text him,” he said. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTCuMELtXM

  I looked at him, raising my eyebrows. “When did you get his number?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcmjAAhMnG

  “You’re dating a guy who literally slept with people for money,” Eric said. I looked down at the ground. “And you’re asking me how I got his number?”36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMK8Vr9VjV
copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxMhTOjlqN

“Was it from Ethan?” I asked.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0THDouiaYf

  Eric nodded with a straight face.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRrjb2UsPh

  I got past whatever information Ethan could possibly share about Delcan (that would actually be lies) and tried to think of a way out of this. “Why do you even want to be around Delcan? He doesn’t like many people.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MPV3JKn5b

  “I’m shocked,” Evelyn said sarcastically. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡa55SItm0Ek

  “He responded,” Eric said, looking up from his phone. Since they were already butting into my business, I might as well listen. I sat down next to Eric as he gave his phone to me.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBcHVnJPQz

Delcan Heslop:copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZlWVpFFML

  Okay, stop. How the ⟴ did you get my number?copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXQWPzqbz4

  “Told you,” I said. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPFJwA6gpX

  Eric shrugged and took his phone out of my hands before he began responding to him. Delcan had told me once on one of our dates that he didn’t care much about my siblings or friends, and he wouldn’t let anything come between our relationship - if we were to have one. “He’s texting back,” Eric said.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwWbtSB9yn

  Evelyn finally got off the rolling chair from Eric’s desk and sat down next to me. “Ez, can you ask Delcan if he hates me?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpkKmajMmT

  I smiled. “He doesn’t hate you, Evelyn,” I said. “He just has unique ways of showing his emotions.”36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpnqnNwAlD
  “Like flipping me off,” she said. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSJwCg7Ixw

  Oh. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡGn3CzwvaG3

  “Yeah,” I said, shrugging. It was really the most I could say because it was hard to explain how Delcan’s brain worked.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAtSlP3FCp

  I don’t even think he knows how his brain works. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡztiiZUz7D6

Delcan Heslop:copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjuHW3erdU

  Whatever. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLvYEQOHwq

  This better be something interesting, though. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65UonUjX1W

  It was odd how quickly he’d agreed to it. He never really does that. Evelyn stood up and pulled her hair into a high ponytail. “I guess I should get ready,” she said.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FfxmcABDO

  Both Eric and I looked over to her. “Why?” I asked her. “You look decent enough.”36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHz6YVWjU3
copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9A18eSWVo

  “I haven’t even washed my hair, Ezra,” Evelyn said, looking at me as if I’d just said the worst thing to ever say. “And my outfit needs to be changed.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1thqRcKOd

  Eric shut his phone off, and set it down. He shrugged. “I will never understand women,” he muttered under his breath. Evelyn glared at him before she huffed and left the room, leaving Eric and I to ourselves.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSSWpf80QM

  “Eleven thirty,” I told him. He nodded without question, and I left his room. So we’re doing this. Once Mom and Dad are both asleep, we’ll be making our first move.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnVpo4Dg0y

3.92.28.84