Chapter 3.
Flashback.
„Eve, what's wrong?"
A thirteen-year-old Jay asked a little confused, as he crossed the empty street, approaching the blue-haired girl sitting on the pavement on the other side. Hearing his voice, Evie's head snapped up, making evident the tear streaks which ran down her face. They made Jay even more concerned.
„Hey, what happened?" He asked carefully, sitting down beside her, extending one finger and poking her cheek gently. It made her laugh a little through the tears welling up in her eyes, and Jay felt very relieved to hear the sound.
„It's nothing." She said, sniffling a little, as she made a move to wipe her face with her sleeve. „Just the usual, you know…" She told him sadly, flashing a small smile in his direction. Jay's eyebrows furrowed and he frowned. The usual meant that she was having problems with her mother but what had she done now?
„What did you fight about this time?" He questioned hesitantly. He didn't want to pressure her into discussing something she didn't want to, but he knew that if she didn't want to tell him she wouldn't, so he asked anyway. He just wanted to help. He knew how shitty he felt every time his father reproached him and he didn't want Evie feeling like she had no one to talk to, when he was there. He wanted her to know he was there.
Evie sighed tiredly and stared blankly in front of her.
„I'll never be as pretty as she wants me to be." She said quietly, making Jay's frown deepen even further and some anger creep into his usually carefree features. Damn it, not this again.
It was not an unusual occurance for one of the four friends to be put down by their parents. They were never good enough for them. Mal was never evil enough. Jay never stole things valuable enough. Carlos was never useful enough. And Evie… Evie was never pretty enough.
The last one made Jay really pissed because, in truth, she was completely stunning even at the tender age of twelve. She didn't need any of the make-up she had begun wearing at such an early age in order to please her mother. And yet the Evil Queen was never fully satisfied with her daughter's appearance.
„You're right." Jay said evenly and Evie looked at him surprised, expecting this from anyone else but not from him. He agreed? She almost burst into tears once more but before she could, he looked at her with a very serious expression in his eyes. „But you don't need to be as pretty as she wants you to be, because you're already absolutely beautiful." He told her in complete honesty and her beyond astonished expression made him laugh out loud.
„You're beautiful, Eve." Jay repeated to convince her. „Don't let her get you down, I'm telling you." He told her seriously, resting his elbows on his knees. Then he remembered something. He turned his attention elsewhere just in time to miss the light blush dusting Evie's cheeks and the bridge of her nose.
Stuffing his hand in the inside pocket of his vest, Jay fished around before pulling out a necklace which resembled a small tusk. He had pickpocketed it earlier in the day from a travelling merchant who was passing through the market-place. It wasn't anything fancy, the pendant wasn't hanging on a chain, but on a simple brown cord, and it was made out of something resembling brown ivory, but in reality was not. A swirly design was carved into both sides of it.
„Here." He said, holding it out to Evie, who took the necklace in her hand and stared at it in fascination. „It's nothing special." Jay told her, and something like embarrassment gripped him now, she deserved better than this, maybe something silver and delicate, not this old junk. „Ah, it's not even valuable…" He said scratching his neck bashfully.
„It's perfect." Evie whispered, deeply touched by his gesture. She knew he had tried very hard to make her feel better and it had worked. She couldn't even remember now what her mother's harsh words had been exactly. She ran her fingertips across the swirls on the necklace before clutching it tightly in her fist and turning to look at Jay, who grinned at her happily. „Thank you."
Evie smiled fondly at the memory as she stared at her reflection in the tall mirror. Her hand toyed absentmindedly with the tusk, hanging low around her neck, hovering just above the crease of her cleavage. Jay, Mal and Carlos had always been there for her, but Jay most of all. She could only hope that she was there for them too when they needed her.
„You ready to go to meet up with the boys, E?" Mal's head popped out through the bathroom door.
„Sure thing." Evie said, tucking the necklace affectionately underneath the hem of her shirt. „Let's go." She said, grabbing the bag full of food from her bed and the two girls made their way out of the room.