Evelyn smiled. “What do you plan on doing, brother?”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMy6k7e52v

  I glared to her. “Not what you think,” I said. “I just need to talk to him about something.”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkvNJJHjjI

 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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6J9tELi6j

  “I’m grounded,” I reminded them.copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡQV5p2pwguz

  “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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOUhCD1jXk

  ⟴. I have homework.copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eqLnUp8cv

  “Can you drive me or not?” I asked Eric. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3rysuXZKs

  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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwhtOT7Pd4

  “Go,” I challenged.copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fiA1GuqPG

  Eric smirked. “You let us come with you, and I won’t tell Mom and Dad about you sneaking around all the time.”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhJoPcSNcD

  I looked at him like he was crazy. “What? Wh-why would you even-no.”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLayeYrmOF

  “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.”71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYmrvLpSki
copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXUIxVp2me

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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjvsHlFA9R

  Eric shrugged. “Alright,” he said. “Then I guess you’re gonna have a fun talk with Dad.”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqCnYRlpda

  Gym.copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4E7ZnFVMIh

  “Fine,” I said. “But I swear to God, Eric if you ask a single-"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHSNPzHeIg
copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rAwUiRzS1

“Oh, chill.” Eric rolled his eyes. “I don’t want any of those details, in the first place.”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5r4tpVPP9

  Evelyn shook her head with her eyes closed before she opened them again and looked at me. “You should probably text him.”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTN6TbMOXu

  “What does grounded mean to you?”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XWGtQYlpQ

  Evelyn looked like she was about to flip me off, but I was surprised that she didn’t. “Do you know his number?"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURPUGJ3C5Q
copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRWOVpdRe2

 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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dWPkP07DX

  I want my phone back. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJVyqpooKO

  “No,” I said. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7FbWAA9sO

  Eric pulled out his phone within a second. “I’ll text him,” he said. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡct28imYitC

  I looked at him, raising my eyebrows. “When did you get his number?”copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5mbDMA2al

  “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?”71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqOSRkDgcX
copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡQptvBp6bzy

“Was it from Ethan?” I asked.copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0L13UkpSCT

  Eric nodded with a straight face.copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSZR4DDEFO

  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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vdt1PS71r

  “I’m shocked,” Evelyn said sarcastically. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2cI572vZF

  “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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡovyomC1ZhG

Delcan Heslop:copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhc1KdQDlR

  Okay, stop. How the ⟴ did you get my number?copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41UhKZpMuo

  “Told you,” I said. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTT0hgDjfU

  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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3cc4XpVAL

  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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFMHXwHmjb

  I smiled. “He doesn’t hate you, Evelyn,” I said. “He just has unique ways of showing his emotions.”71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEEsru28JK
  “Like flipping me off,” she said. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡLL5EMnVpGa

  Oh. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFexSiuhe4

  “Yeah,” I said, shrugging. It was really the most I could say because it was hard to explain how Delcan’s brain worked.copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21JPJGmq2F

  I don’t even think he knows how his brain works. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNrHsd4oDL

Delcan Heslop:copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYrNvj5ZAk

  Whatever. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DmOt5vPwx

  This better be something interesting, though. copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8lWQOaVdN

  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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLL7ygqEg1

  Both Eric and I looked over to her. “Why?” I asked her. “You look decent enough.”71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEBfzhZCU5
copyright protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkEl87rDXY

  “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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡbs7xoXmzTz

  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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzl8HUp8zF

  “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 protection67ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9y0OU8WmMT

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