The next couple of weeks, Everly had avoided and dreaded going to dance class. She didn't want to see Luke or be asked by her teammates what happened. Easton would walk into her class and make sure that Everly was comfortable. Troy had told Jack, his father, what had happened and asked if he could keep an eye on her. One day, Everly was going through the gym when she heard Jack call her name.
"Ev" Jack called from inside the basketball office.
Everly looked up and smiled. Jack motioned for Everly to come into the office. Everly walked into the office that she knew so well and sat down.
"How are you doing, honey?" Jack asked.
"Alright. I know that my dad told you what happened" Everly said.
Jack smiled sympathetically.
"He is just looking out for you" Jack said.
"I know" Everly said.
"And you know that if there was a problem, you can come to me too" Jack said.
Everly nodded.
"I know" Everly said.
Jack smiled.
"You haven't been dancing as much the last few weeks" Jack said.
"I've been avoiding it like the plague" Everly said.
"Don't worry about him saying anything to you. Just focus on what you are doing" Jack said.
Everly nodded.
"Alright, I'm done lecturing you. Now, I have to lecture Easton on his free throws" Jack said.
Everly giggled. Jack and Everly stood up. Jack hugged his granddaughter.
"I love you Everly" Jack said.
"I love you too grandpa. Let me know if Easton outruns you today. Dad will be thrilled" Everly joked.
"Hey, you better watch it young lady" Jack joked.
Everly left the office. A couple of hours later, Everly was at home and doing her homework. Troy came into the house and smiled when he saw Everly sprawled out across the couch in the living room.
"You are home early" Troy said.
Everly nodded.
"Skipped dance today?" Troy asked as he kissed his daughter's head.
"Yeah and had a long talk with grandpa" Everly said.
"About what?" Troy asked moving Everly's body over so that he could sit down next to her.
"He wanted me to know that he was there if I needed him. He told me that you told him what happened with Luke" Everly said.
Troy nodded.
"I'm just looking out for you" Troy said.
Everly nodded.
"In two weeks all of this will be forgotten and you can go back to your long hours of practice" Troy said.
"Hopefully" Everly said.
Troy and Everly heard the door unlock and Robert walked into the house.
"Hi, guys" Robert said.
"Hey, bud. How was practice?" Troy asked.
"Good. We are getting ready for the big game against UNM next week" Robert said.
"You guys will be great" Troy said.
Robert looked at his watch and then looked at Everly.
"Why are you home so early?" Robert asked.
Everly sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Can't everyone just let me go through what I'm going through" Everly said getting off the couch and walking upstairs.
Robert looked at his father.
"What did I say that was so bad?" Robert asked.
Troy shook his head.
"She and Luke broke up. She's avoiding him so that is why she is home early" Troy explained to his eldest son.
"Oh. Why did they break up?" Robert asked.
"That's something that is between us and Ev. You and Easton don't need to know about it" Troy said.
"He didn't hurt her did he?" Robert asked.
"Rob, it's not your business. I get that you are concerned. But, she wants to deal with it on her own" Troy explained.
Robert sighed.
"Fine. I am her older brother and I just don't like seeing her get hurt. She takes it so seriously" Robert said.
"I get it. I don't like it either. But, she is not a baby anymore" Troy said.
Later that day, Gabriella came home from the office.
"Hi baby" Troy said.
"Hi. Rob's home?" Gabriella asked.
Troy nodded.
"He went into an overprotective mode with Ev earlier" Troy said.
Gabriella shook her head.
"I hope you didn't-" Gabriella started.
"I didn't tell him details. I just said that they broke up" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"How is she?" Gabriella asked.
"She skipped dance today" Troy said.
Gabriella sighed.
"It's her first boyfriend, Brie. I'm sure that when you were sixteen, you were hurt when you and your first boyfriend broke up" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"But, I wasn't in love with him" Gabriella said.
Troy raised his eyebrow.
"She was in-" Troy started.
"It's Everly" Gabriella said.
Troy nodded.
"She's sensitive and this is going to sting for a while" Gabriella said.
"I just don't like seeing her like this" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled softly. She kissed Troy's cheek.
"That's why you are a good daddy" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled.
"I'm going to go and talk to her" Gabriella said.
"Okay" Troy said.
Gabriella kissed Troy's lips softly. She walked upstairs and went to Everly's bedroom door, which was closed and knocked. Everly opened the door. Gabriella smiled.
"How are you doing?" Gabriella asked as she walked into the bedroom.
Everly sighed.
"Everyone is asking me twenty questions" Everly said.
Gabriella nodded.
"Did Tori?" Gabriella asked.
Everly nodded.
"She wanted to know why I didn't" Everly said.
"And did you tell her?" Gabriella asked.
Everly nodded.
"She judged you for it?" Gabriella asked.
"Yeah" Everly said softly.
"Ev, you are such a beautiful person. You always go with your heart and not what your mind tells you. What you believe in is the only thing that matters. If a guy isn't going to respect your decision, then he isn't worth it. If your friends judge you for that, then maybe they aren't worth being friends with you" Gabriella said.
Everly nodded.
"But, we love you so much" Gabriella said.
Everly smiled softly.
"I love you too" Everly said.
Gabriella kissed Everly's head softly.
"Don't be cooped up in here" Gabriella said.
Everly nodded. She got off her bed. Gabriella and Everly walked downstairs. Troy saw the two girls and smiled. That night, Easton had a basketball game. Troy and Jack were both in game mode. Chad had also come to the game and joined the other two men on the sideline. Taylor, Gabriella, Everly, Robert, and Eli all sat on the bleachers. Robert had stood up in the bleachers a couple of times because of a play that was being done by the other team. But, to avoid further embarrassment, Gabriella and Everly pulled him down so that he would sit.
"Mom, did you see what they did?" Robert asked incredulously.
"I saw it. But, there should not be four Bolton men on that court" Gabriella said.
Robert sighed. After each play, Gabriella and Everly giggled at the expressions that were given by Troy and Jack. Troy turned around and looked at his family in the stands. Gabriella shook her head. Troy climbed up the bleachers and sat down. Gabriella wrapped her arms around Troy and kissed his cheek.
"Calm down lunkhead basketball boy" Gabriella said.
"Brie, they totally-" Troy started.
"Dad, I already tried that" Robert said.
Troy shook his head. The Wildcats lost the game. Easton walked over to his family and friends.
"Great game, baby" Gabriella said.
Easton shook his head.
"They were something else" Easton said.
"You guys played well" Troy said.
Easton shrugged.
"Let me go get my stuff and I will be ready to go" Easton said.
Easton left to the locker room to take a shower and get his belongings. After thirty minutes, Easton came back out to the court.
"You look mad" Jack said.
"Grandpa, they ate us alive" Easton said.
"We will have to make a new strategy" Jack said.
Easton sighed.
"But now you need to walk it off" Jack said putting his hands on both of Easton's shoulders.
Troy smiled. He remembered when he would get so hot-headed about a game and Jack had to calm him down. Easton looked at Troy.
"Walk it off. You'll get it next time" Troy said.
The Bolton family left East High. A couple of weeks later, Easton came home from school.
"Where's Ev?" Easton asked his father as he sat down in the kitchen.
"She went back to dance today" Troy said.
"Really?" Easton asked.
Troy nodded.
"If he hurts her again, I swear-" Easton said.
"There are several people that would get upset. But, we don't need to get ahead of ourselves now" Troy said.
Easton sighed and nodded.
"I just hope she will be okay" Easton said.
Troy smiled. Easton and Everly had a twin telepathy type of relationship. They always knew when one another was going through something and didn't want to talk about it or if they had to go through something difficult.
"She will. She's got you to protect her too" Troy said.
"I am older" Easton said.
Troy looked at Easton.
"Only by a few minutes, East" Troy said.
"That still means something" Easton said.
Troy shook his head. An hour and a half later, the front door opened and Everly walked in.
"Hey Ev, how was dance?" Troy asked.
"Fine" Everly said.
"Liar. You totally just avoided eye contact" Easton said.
Everly looked at Easton.
"Okay, okay. Calm down both of you" Troy said.
Easton sighed.
"So, it was fine?" Troy asked.
"Yeah. He didn't bother me. We just said hi" Everly said.
"That's good right?" Troy asked.
Everly nodded.
"How did you feel seeing him?" Easton asked.
"It hurt a little. But, I think I am just ready to move on from all the drama" Everly said.
Troy smiled.
"You are going to meet a lot of guys in your life" Troy said.
"But not for a while. I think I am done with boys for a while" Everly said.
Troy smiled slightly.
"Your time will come" Troy said.
Everly shrugged. A couple of days later, Everly was in the East High gym watching Easton's basketball practice. She had just finished her dance practice. From the corner of her eye, she saw Robert walk into the gym. He smiled and waved at Jack. Robert then walked up the bleachers and sat next to Everly. He hugged his sister.
"You never watch practices" Robert said.
"I felt like watching today" Everly said.
"Did something happen, Ev?" Robert asked.
Everly shook her head.
"You know that you can talk to me" Robert said.
Everly smiled and nodded.
"I know. I just don't feel like socializing with everyone. They are all talking about how they got asked out by seniors to prom" Everly said.
Robert smiled softly.
"Prom is overrated in my opinion" Robert said.
Everly giggled.
"You went when you were in high school" Everly said.
Robert nodded.
"I did. But, it wasn't that great" Robert said.
"Don't try to make me feel better" Everly said.
Robert laughed.
"I'm not. I'm giving my opinion. Plus, everyone gets crazy after. It's just not that serious" Robert said.
Everly leaned her head on her older brother's shoulder.
"So, then what happened when you did go to prom?" Everly asked.
Robert smiled.
"My date got wasted. I had to drive her home. I had to pick her up and carry her into her house. It wasn't the greatest night" Robert said.
"That sounds horrible" Everly said.
Robert nodded.
"But, if you want to go, I want you to know that you can call me if you need me to pick you up from prom. Just so there aren't any weird things happening that you aren't comfortable with" Robert said.
Everly smiled.
"Thanks, Rob" Everly said.
"Any time. Even though I don't live at home anymore, you can always call me and talk to me about anything" Robert said.
Everly nodded. The conversation was interrupted when they heard their grandfather's whistle. Jack looked over at his grandchildren sitting on the bleachers and waved. Everly and Robert waved. After basketball practice, Easton walked up the bleachers.
"What are we talking about?" Easton asked.
"Prom" Everly said.
Easton shook his head.
"You aren't going either?" Robert asked.
"I haven't asked the girl out yet. I'm still trying to figure out how I am going to ask her" Easton said.
Robert nodded. He looked at Everly and put his arm around her.
"Any guy would be lucky to take you to prom, Ev" Robert said.
Everly smiled.
"Come on, let's go home" Easton said.
Robert, Easton, and Everly left East High. A couple of weeks later, it was prom night. Gabriella got home from work and sighed when she saw Everly sitting with Robert in the living room watching television.
"You really aren't going to go?" Gabriella asked.
Everly looked at her mother.
"No one asked me so I'm not going" Everly said.
"Why don't you go with your friends?" Gabriella asked.
"Because they all have dates, mom. I don't want to go" Everly said.
Everly got up and walked upstairs to her bedroom and shut the door. Gabriella looked at Troy and Robert.
"She doesn't want to go, babe. You can't make her go" Troy said.
"She needs to get out of the house" Gabriella said.
"Easton said earlier that he saw Luke with some girl. Maybe that's why she doesn't want to go" Robert said.
"She said that she's over him" Gabriella said.
Robert shrugged.
"Just a thought" Robert said.
Gabriella and Troy were going to go out to dinner.
"Are you going to stay here for a while or are you driving back to school tonight?" Troy asked his eldest son.
"Staying here for a while. Do you want me to keep an eye on her?" Robert asked.
"Please" Troy said.
"Okay" Robert said.
"Thanks, Rob" Troy said.
Robert smiled.
"No problem" Robert said.
Gabriella kissed Robert's cheek.
"Thank you" Gabriella said.
Robert smiled. The couple left the house. An hour later, Robert heard footsteps coming from the stairs. Everly walked into the living room.
"Where's mom and dad?" Everly asked.
"They went out on a date. What are your plans tonight?" Robert asked.
"Sit at home" Everly said sitting next to her brother on the couch.
"Is the real reason you didn't go to prom because you didn't get asked or because you didn't want to see Luke with another girl?" Robert asked.
Everly looked at Robert and shook her head.
"Stupid Easton" Everly said.
"We asked him why. We didn't know he was going to tell us that" Robert said.
Everly closed her eyes and sighed.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Robert asked.
"Both are the reason" Everly said.
Robert nodded.
"Do you want your brother's opinion?" Robert asked.
Everly nodded a little. Robert smiled.
"He's a teenage guy, Ev. There are not a lot of guys that understand girls like you. You are the type of girl that loves so hard. Some guys get scared of that. But, it's something that sets you apart" Robert said.
"How?" Everly asked.
"You are mature. You know what you want. You aren't going to go through guy after a guy just to do it. But that's what makes you, you. You have a big heart that not a lot of people have" Robert said.
Everly sighed.
"First crushes always suck. But, it's all going to work out" Robert said.
Everly nodded.
"And you still have next year to go to prom" Robert said.
Everly nodded and sighed.
"You aren't dating" Everly said.
Robert shook his head.
"Why? Aren't college girls different than high school girls?" Everly asked.
Robert chuckled.
"I haven't found the right one yet" Robert said.
"Natalie is still in your mind" Everly said.
Natalie was Rob's ex-girlfriend. They had broken up a couple of months ago. They had dated for a year and a half. Robert scrunched his nose and shook his head.
"I just got rid of the rest of her stuff at the apartment" Robert said.
Everly smiled.
"Have you talked to her? She hasn't talked to me" Everly asked.
"I hear from her sometimes. But, I try not to talk to her" Robert said.
Everly nodded. The rest of the night, the two siblings talked and caught up on all the latest news in each other's lives.