Evelyn and Clara were standing in front of two cars parked in front of each other. Just standing there dead.
Evelyn craved to kill someone. A nerve was bulking over her forehead while Clara wanted to hit herself over and over again till she kill herself.
"Evelyn and Clara are coming with me," Oliver's forehead furrowed.
"You might be busy. I will take them." Alexander's lips drew back in a snarl.
"No-No. I would take them. After all, Evelyn is my sister." A vein popped out in Oliver's neck.
"And Clara is mine." Alexander faked a smile.
"Great, so I will leave with Alexander, and Evelyn could go with Oliver." Clara's voice broke through a close private conversation.
Alexander and Oliver both looked at Clara with narrowed eyes. It was like tigers were marking their territory. Agitated and intense.
None of the two wanted to leave Clara or Evelyn in the other man's presence.
"I think you both girls should travel together." Alexander's jaw tightened.
"I feel the same" Oliver's eyebrows waggled, "So I will be taking them." Oliver smiled at Alexander.
"No, I will." Alexander jammed his hands in his front pockets.
Evelyn swayed her head. The same conversation was happening all over again. She was sure if she and Clara, both leave at some point, both Alexander and Oliver would not know at all.
"Evelyn," Clara glanced at Evelyn.
"Don't worry." Evelyn showed Clara her phone.
In between all of the talking and barking, a car stopped in front of the four.
"Miss," the driver opened the door and waited for the two girls to enter.
"Let's go" Evelyn held Clara's hand and walked towards her car, not caring about anyone else.
"Wait there."
"Where are you going?"
Alexander and Oliver said at once. As their voices mixed, their furious eyes crashed with each other.
Evelyn turned and said, "It's my own car. The driver had been in my house for the last 20 years, so he will not kidnap us."
"Clara and I will be together. Our car is fully fueled and will not stop in the middle of the road."
"As all of your concerns are now answered, I would like to go. I am sleepy and have an important appointment tomorrow."
Clara just shrugged her shoulders and left with Evelyn with a smile. Finally, she was out of a silly fight with a noisy child.
Both the guys stared at each other, accusing one another of wasting the time.
**Inside the car**
"When did it you call the car," Clara wanted to laugh. The faces of the two men were worth watching.
Clara looked at Evelyn. She had not seen Evelyn called for one.
"I texted when they both started fighting first," Evelyn said. "I knew if we waited for them to drop us home, we would be stuck here for ages if not centuries."
Clara chuckled. It was true.
"You and Oliver looked close," Evelyn raised her chin.
"Well," Clara scratched her head in defense, "Not yet."
"Oliver looks smitten by you," Evelyn clapped her hands in excitement.
Clara's hopes kindled, "What is going on with Alex and you?" Clara turned to look at Evelyn.
"I don't know," Evelyn looked outside the window, thinking about her conversations with Alex from the past.
Clara touched Evelyn's hand, "Alex looks truly happy with you."
"I can say the same for you," Evelyn turned to look at Clara. "Oliver might like you a lot."
"He didn't even say a word." Evelyn smiled.
Evelyn's thoughts moved at Oliver, Oliver had never said anything about Clara. Maybe Oliver was sure as long as he liked someone no one in their group will object.
"How was he like," Clara turned and looked at Evelyn with moist eyes, "Oliver."
"He is someone very dear and near to my heart. Maybe all the people in my group are," Evelyn's eyes were unfocused.
"You seem extremely close to your friends," Clara smiled, as warmth filled her chest.
Evelyn's eyes twinkled. She did not even nod to confirm Clara's words.
"You know when you are alone in a faraway land, away from your parents, away from their love and support," Evelyn's eyes were in a mist. "The people you make connections with, stay with you forever."
"I have 4 friends, maybe I should call them family, now." Evelyn chuckled, "And I am so lucky that I work with them."
After a few seconds of silence, Evelyn came back to her senses. "Oliver used to be very shy." Evelyn giggled, thinking about their past. "Maybe the word is incorrect. He was silent, or that's what he told himself and us."
Once there was a girl who wanted to talk to Oliver. The girl was so pretty and cute. Her dress flowing through her body, walking towards them. The girl resembled a doll. Evelyn had never seen her but even if she did Evelyn wouldn't remember, after all, she was only 6 years old.
Even at that time, Oliver and the girl were in the same class and usually played together. Even when the girl used to ask any question, Oliver would shy away and hide in silence.
The girl would laugh so hard. She loved making fun of Oliver to the core, even now. Over time the girl had advised Evelyn, "Never find a boy who could not stand up for you." Who would have to know the girl would grow up to be her closest friend, the most important one of them all. Who would have known once the girl grew up she would stick to her advice, even when it was applied to herself.
"Oliver never had a lot of friends, to begin with. He did make a few along the way but most of them were forgotten, many lost touch with and eventually, everyone he knew was busy with their own life."
"Maybe we all friends shared a common link and we did click. When we feel comfortable with each other's presence, after a given point of time they become your family, maybe siblings as well." Evelyn turned to look at Clara, "Just like you and Alexander."
Clara knew the feeling very well. Alexander and Clara were the same. Too close as siblings.
"Oliver becomes more protective of his loved ones. Sometimes more than a father." Evelyn's eyes swam with tears, as she remembered.
"We used to live together and Oliver had never once brought any girl home. So you know." Evelyn winked.
"He will keep you happy Clara. If you decide to give him a chance." Evelyn really believed it.
"As much as I would love to see you be with Oliver, I would love to see him suffer as well." Evelyn laughed, "Am I crazy?"
"No," Clara shook her head. Crazy or not, that was how friends were supposed to be.
"Would you like to meet our friends?" Evelyn asked spontaneously. Evelyn wanted Clara to meet her friends, get to know them better.
"Are you sure?" Clara wiggled with her fingers.
"If you want to give Oliver a chance, you should know his friend" Evelyn touched Clara's hand, "I will tell you something very important today."
"If you want to know a person, know their friends well. Make his friends your friend. Make them so comfortable with you that they will tell you everything. Every dirty secret, or at least their way of thinking."
"Aren't you comfortable with me?" Clara smiled as she asked the question.
Evelyn giggled, "Aren't you comfortable with me then."
"I like you, I can tell you all you want to know about Alex," Clara shrugged her shoulders.
"I will find it on my own. Isn't it an adventure," Evelyn smiled, as her eyes sparkled, "but the main point will always be I like you more?"
"I like you more as well." Clara giggled.
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'Next Day'
"What do you think you are doing Eve?" Evelyn looked up from her file, in confusion. People were entering her cabin without any permission, but it was normal for them.
Evelyn predicted this would happen sooner or later. But the very next day was a bit much for her to handle. Evelyn needed some silence.
"Why don't we sit and talk?" Evelyn closed her file and moved towards her sitting area.
"Don't try to change the topic?" Mason came in with a fired head.
"When did I," Evelyn shrugged her shoulders. "Forget it," Evelyn said as soon as she saw a warning sign in Mason's eyes.
"Don't be like this Mason," Selena said in frustration.
"But Sel, she did not tell us anything." Mason's anger overpowered him.
Evelyn gazed at the culprit, who was sitting there just staring at her with narrowed eyes.
"What?" Evelyn asked.
"Why were you with Alexander Knight?" Oliver sprouted the question that was ringing in his brain since yesterday.
"That is a silly question to ask." Evelyn's smile did not reach her eyes.
"Do you like him, Eve?" Selena asked to control her husband's anger, who was about to blow up.
Mason was at his limit. He was trying to control himself at his maximum. If it was not for Selena holding his hand, Mason would have marched up at Alexander's place.
"I don't know yet," Evelyn said. She realized she was saying this a lot.
"You can not."
"Stay away from him."
Mason and Oliver said in unison.