Evie crept in early in the morning; The house was quiet, but creaked around her every movement. She was able to slide back into her room without waking any of the other girls and decided a good bath would ease her chill. It took some maneuvering to get the water just right and Evie was eyeing the soft robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door when her phone buzzed.
Jake: I wanna see you again.
Evie couldn't help herself. She giggled and kicked her feet as she wrote him back.
Evie: Maybe you'll dream of me.
Jake: And here I was wishing for something more tangible.
Evie: What exactly is your wish?
Jake: A do over.
Evie: Oh sorry. I just gave away my last flux capacitor.
Jake: Very funny Riordan.
Jake: How about a second date?
Evie: What's your offer?
Jake: My terms: You, me, a carnival and I win you a stuffed bear.
Evie: Your terms are acceptable. Pick me up at 6.
Evie: Don't be late.
Jake: Yes, ma'am.
Evie's giddiness had just hit a new all time high. As she sunk into the hot bath water, she felt like she was a teenager again and just as fragile.
Evie awoke to the smell of eggs hitting her. Her room was so bright she blinked and squinted herself back into the waking world. She could hear her friends in the kitchen chatting and laughing to themselves when one voice rose above the others.
"Rise and shine, Evelyn!" It was Lisa, always concerned with everyone's eating habits. Her voice grew louder as she came down the hall with two other pairs of feet in tow. "Evie, my love, it's almost noon and I have to hear everything that happened last night. Spare no details!" Lisa was in her room now with a tray full of food. Evie rolled over and sat up to greet them as her friends jumped in bed with her.
"Did he kiss you?" Marilyn was one to get right to the point. She sat next to Evie at the head, squeezed her arm, and said, "Is he a good kisser?"
"Why was he late?" added PJ.
That one Evie felt she should answer. "It took him a while to get away."
"Well," PJ replied, "he could have called."
"I agree," said Lisa.
"Oh who cares? What does he kiss like?!"
"I didn't kiss him," Evie said in a small voice. She wasn't ashamed, exactly, but she was disappointed it hadn't happened.
"My ways are lost on," sighed Marilyn.
PJ piped up, "Good thing too." Marilyn scoffed at that and hit PJ with a small pillow which elicited a giggle from PJ and Evie.
"Watch the food!" said Lisa. "Eat it while it's hot." Evie did. Lisa was always a good cook, but as her friends talked around her and the discord from the girls around her grew, Evie thought the eggs tasted extra special that day.