Chapter 16.
„E, why are you not ready yet? We have to go soon." Mal questioned, positioning her hands on her slim hips, as the other girl, who was currently sitting criss-crossed on her bed, typing away on her laptop, lifted her eyes from the screen to stare at her friend.
„Go where? What do you mean?" Evie asked curiously, a very slight panic settling at the notion that she had forgotten that they needed to be somewhere important.
„Movie night, silly. Don't tell me you forgot." Mal told her with an innocent tilt of her head, as a smile ghosted over her lips. There was a devilish gleam in her eyes that didn't escape Evie though.
„M…" Evie groaned, fidgeting slightly in her spot. „I'm really not in the mood for that." She told her friend with an apologetic look on her face, as she tried to wriggle out of going, fully aware of the fact that movie night meant spending the entire evening, night and probably tomorrow morning as well in Jay's presence, a thing she was most definitely not ready for after their last encounter.
Oh, but Mal was having none of that. No chance in hell.
„Ah-ah," The purple girl tutted, lifting her index finger to signal the bluenette that arguing was pointless. „No way, you're coming with me." Mal commanded, approaching the bed and frowning in the process, as Evie's face fell at her words. „You need a night off, E! After everything that's happened, you deserve a little fun!" She exclaimed, trying to convince her friend, but also believing every word she said. Evie really deserved some fun and friend time after Chad and Jay and the whole mess that had gone down. Contrary to popular belief, the bluenette was actually a very strong-willed person, so she didn't really show it (except to the purple girl herself), but Mal knew she was hurting. She also knew that the small, stupid round with Jay had wounded Evie a thousand times more deeply than the fact that Chad had tried to assault her. But Mal was determined to fix that one way or another.
Seeing that her persuasiveness had little to no effect on the bluenette, Mal decided to switch tactics. She slowly, but deliberately took a step towards the bed and Evie's eyes widened as a mischievous grin settled on Mal's lips.
„Mal, no!" Evie warned, a big smile fighting to break out on her own face. She knew her friend well enough to know exactly what she was planning to do.
„Come on, E, don't you want to have fun?" Mal's fingers wiggled dangerously and her Cheshire cat smile only widened, as her eyebrows raised, and Evie let out a breath at her friend's devilish expression. She was about to break out into laughter very soon.
„Seeing Jay is not gonna be fun! The look on his face alone is gonna eat me alive, please, don't make me do this!" Evie yelled in mock terror, trying to keep calm and stay serious but failing miserably, as her friend approached her with a wicked grin on her face. Mal extended her hands excruciatingly slowly and made a deliberate, threatening move to place her wiggling fingers on Evie's ribs, knowing the effect it would have on her friend as the girl backed away from her on the bed. „Mal, get away from me!" Evie screamed with a grin shining on her face as Mal drew closer and closer, until she loomed over her.
„If you don't come with me, I will tickle you to death!" Mal threatened, letting out a maniacal laughter, her fingers inches away from Evie, as the bluenette couldn't draw back any further without tumbling off the bed. She squealed as Mal's fingers grazed her sides.
„No!" She yelled gleefully before breaking out into a fit of giggles, even though Mal retrieved her hands the minute they touched her.
„So will you come?" The purple-haired girl questioned after a second with a hopeful smile, though she knew she was determined to do whatever it took to get Evie to go with her, even if it meant dragging her down the hallway kicking and screaming. Of course, it would be a whole lot easier if she just managed to persuade her, but she was willing to go to the extreme if need be.
Evie sighed, the joyful smile on her face faltering at the thought of having to face a Jay who didn't want to see her. She contemplated for a moment, because in truth she was dying to go with Mal, she wanted to see him more than anything, but she was afraid of his reaction. Ever since their fight she missed him like hell. They never fought, so she wasn't used to not being able to see him or talk to him whenever she wanted for more than a couple of hours at a time. Being away from Jay clawed at her heart, it was literally the hardest thing she had ever had to face up until now, harder than having to deal with Chad or moving to Auradon and being one of the 'villains' on top of being the new girl, or even overcoming her mother's constant disapproving looks and criticisms. Because through all those hardships, Jay had never left her side, he was always there and she could always count on him. He was her rock.
„Please?" Mal drawled out theatrically, sensing that Evie was about to cave. „Come on, E, you can't leave me alone with three guys! Don't do that to me! What will I do without you?" The puplre-haired girl pleaded with a pout on her lips, giving her friend one final push with her words, until finally Evie sighed defeatedly.
„Fine, fine! I'll come." The bluenette exclaimed with an exasperated roll of her eyes. „Jesus, don't whine about it." She muttered sternly, as she made a move to get off the bed, but the smile on her face betrayed her as Mal grinned victoriously.
„Perfect! Let's go then." She sang, pulling Evie along by the hand and out of the door, as the other girl laughed at her friend's eagerness.
„What's with all the food, bro?" Jay questioned with a laugh, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the large bowl Carlos had just placed on the table, along with five huge bags of chips, about ten chocolate bars, four tubes of ice-cream (well, they were in the fridge, but Jay had seen him put them there), three big bottles of soda and a one very large box of cookies. „I mean, not that I mind and all…" The boy trailed off grinning, as he popped the popcorn into his mouth, before reaching for more.
„Movie night, remember? The girls will be here any minute." Carlos called out and Jay's hand froze in the air before reaching its destination. „Well, them and Ben." The blond added as an afterthought, remembering that it wasn't just the four of them anymore, but Jay didn't hear him. All he could focus on was the fact that in less than, what, five minutes, Evie would be standing right in front of him and his mouth suddenly went dry. He couldn't face her, not after he had hurt her like that. He wanted to kick himself in the shins for not thinking of this sooner, how could he forget about their arrangement?
„Listen, ah, I'm gonna go out for a while." Jay stated, turning his back to Carlos, who in turn almost blanched. Oh, no. No way am I allowing this, Mal is gonna murder me in cold blood, the boy thought, wondering how he could keep Jay there just until the others arrived. Carlos wasn't stupid and he knew Jay well enough to know that if he let him leave now, he wouldn't return at all tonight.
„Jay, wait!" The blond hurried to speak, once he saw that his friend was already headed for the door, and the other boy turned his head to look at him over his shoulder with his eyebrows raised questioningly. „Um… Won't you help me set up the movies first?" Carlos asked hopefully, trying to stall so that he could buy more time.
„You're a computer geek, Carlos, like you need help with that." Jay snorted slightly, his hand resting on the doorknob. „I'll be back soon, bro, don't sweat it." The boy added lightly, fully aware of the fact that he was lying through his teeth, but he was eager to get away while he still had the chance. He just couldn't bear to see Evie. God, what was he gonna say to her? There was absolutely no excuse for the way he had acted, no matter the circumstances.
In all honesty, the thing with Chad, though there was still a trace of it, was not as heavy in his mind now. But the fact that Jay himself had insulted her, that he had made her cry when he was the one she had always counted on and cared for unconditionally, hung on his neck like dead weight and cut off his air to the point where he was choking. He couldn't forgive himself and he couldn't bring himself to face her, he truly felt like a villain at that moment and he felt like screaming until his throat was raw and hoarse, and his voice gone. Jay wanted, no, frankly, he needed, his best friend back with every fiber of his being, every single part of him craved her like the air that he breathed, but he just didn´t have the eyes to look at her anymore.
Carlos tried to find other excuses to get him to stay, made other attempts to stop Jay from leaving, but they all fell on deaf ears. Turning the doorknob in his palm, Jay swung the door open, making a move to step outside and leave, but as he lifted his gaze, he saw that his way was being blocked by the two figures standing in the hallway. Against his will, his dark brown eyes strayed away from the jade ones they settled on at first and were met by another pair of a lighter shade of the same colour, which seemed to draw him in, and suddenly he felt like he was drowning.
Well, shit.