"Meet me behind the park after school."
That's what Evan said when I refused to go home without knowing what he had been up to in that night. In return for him telling me what had happened, I agreed to not mention it to anyone at school. It all seemed pretty shady, but the curiosity nulled the logic in my brain. Not that there had been much to begin with.
"You won't try anything weird, will you?" I had asked as a precaution, eyeing him cautiously.
"If I wanted to hurt you, I would've already," he said very matter of fact-ly.
"Even with my trusty weapon in hand?" I waved the copper bottle back and forth for him to see.
He gave me a dry look, and that was the end of our conversation.
So, I guess I was meeting him after school today.
"Hey, what do you know about Evan Dayes?" I asked Jenna the next day, leaning against the locker next to hers as she took out her packed lunch.
"Hmm..." She thought for a second, "not much, really. I know he moved in with the Dayes like four years ago. They're not his biological parents, by the way. My guess? Probably adopted."
"Who'd adopt a 13-year-old?"
"Why don't you go ask him yourself?" She pitched suggestively, shutting the locker and facing me with a Cheshire grin, like she knew things I didn't want her to. Well, she certainly imagined things I didn't want her to, I'll give her that.
"It's not that," I rolled my eyes, turning around and starting the walk back outside. The cafeteria's too crowded so we usually sit out back. It's a lot more pleasant anyway. Especially now, during fall.
She quickly caught up with me, "He's pretty cute, I wouldn't judge you if you liked him, you know."
"I don't," I deadpanned, but she only covered her mouth to hide her growing grin.
I sighed, partly okay with her thinking I had a crush on Evan. He was a loser in my eyes, and it did bring my reputation down, but at least she wasn't going to pry for the real reason I was interested. He didn't seem like a bad guy, but I was reconsidering going to see him alone even if it was behind a crowded park in broad daylight. I had to inform someone.
"Jen..." I suddenly stopped to face her.
"...What?" Jenna frowned; a bit thrown off with the sudden shift in atmosphere.
"If something happens to me, just know it was Evan Dayes," I repeated quietly, leaning over so no one around would hear me. I just didn't want to be associated with him really.
"Evan Dayes?" She didn't sound convinced. "You sure you're talking about that guy over there, right?" She pointed to the little school garden on our left, where Evan was doing... what was he doing?
A backflip...?
Why?
The kids around him were chanting and whooping like they all belonged to a cult. My expression turned sour at the sight.
"Ugh," I groaned, hurriedly pulling Jenna along to the back of the school so I wouldn't have second hand embarrassment just from seeing the guy.
"No!" she cried, but didn't seem to physically protest. "I wanted to record that."
For fuck's sake, of all people to get involved with, it had to be the idiot. I was seriously reconsidering it now.