For My Friends

A Long Way from Known Waters 

Nader groaned. ”That was the worse joke I ever heard.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. 

”What? It’s a classic!” Aldon’s voice cracked as he pretended to be insulted. With a shrug, he shimmied up the railing and secured the line he was supposed to be securing. ”I’d like to hear you tell a funnier one!” His voice was almost lost on the ocean wind. Nader narrowed his eyes as he watched Aldon scurry between the lines. With a small shake of his head he went back to coiling lines and making sure they were out of the way of the crew. 

He missed being on the Indenel, this smaller ship was too crowded and it was near impossible to find a spot to just sit and watch the ocean. Captain Arelel was relentless in finding chores for him to do. Even if they were useless ones, like recoiling already perfectly coiled rope. 

”Nader!” The Captain’s voice cracked like a whip. Nader hoped he had managed to hide his jump of surprise, but the look on her face told him he hadn’t. ”Stop daydreaming and go see if we’ve caught anything in the nets.” With a curt nod he stashed the last of the lines and went aft, to check the small nets dragging behind the Athalad. 

There was movement in one of the nets; a small school of fish were caught in there. With expert hands he collapsed the empty net and secured it, before starting to haul the squirming one towards the ship. 

”Play with me?” The question rolled slowly through his mind. While holding his breath Nader scanned the waters as he continued to haul the net. There! A break in the surface showed him the back of a whale. Elated, Nader slowed his breathing and focused on the calmness of the other’s mind. 

”Yes, absolutely! But let me finish this first.” 

The surface broke with a splash as the whale breached it to blow a breath. ”Why this ship?” 

Nader blew a breath of his own and pulled the half full net up on deck. The fish splashed about, soaking his breeches and bare feet. ”Father sent me here.” 

”Long way from known waters.” 

”Yeah.” Nader managed to transfer the catch into one of the fish barrels. ”I think he likes it this way.” Quickly he hung the net and pulled his shirt over his head. Damn what the Captain thought. Unnat was more important than any letter of recommendation or his father’s approval. 

Gracefully he dove, hardly making a sound as he cut through the surface. The coolness of the water washed away some of the sadness and the feeling of Unnat’s deep hum vibrating through his body had a smidgen of happiness glimmering in his soul. Below the surface he could feel the distant knowledge of other whales not too far away. Opening his eyes he saw Unnat doing a roll, the happiness in his aquatic friend was apparent.

”Lets dive, and then you can push me back to the ship.” Nader turned towards the dark blue of the deep ocean. Captain Athalad would yell at him no matter what he did, might as well give her something to yell about. Unnat hummed and with a grace that no Grey Elf could match, no matter how long they lived, he swam past Nader and into the deep. 

The water pressed on him, like a tight hug from a mother that loves you so very much. Nader pushed himself a little further. Deeper he dove, the blue nothingness a comfort. Unnat appeared beneath, blowing bubbles into a ring, tickling and trapping Nader who turned to swim back to the surface. Just as he broke it, Unnat pushed him though, having him fly up in the air. Nader did a flip and managed to dive almost gracefully back into the water. 

”You’re out of practice.” Unnat splashed the surface with his tail. ”They’re turning around.” 

With a flick of his head to get his hair out of his face, Nader turned to look at the Athalad. They were indeed turning her back towards him. ”You better take me to them.” 

Unnat swam up behind Nader and pushed him towards the ship. ”Ship Matriarch is yelling.” 

Nader sighed. ”I’m sure she is.” 

”Will you be in trouble?” 

”Nothing more than I can handle.” Nader saw Inyel lower a rope down the port side. ”You can leave me here, they’re close enough.” 

Back on deck the Captain looked like she was going to snap him in half. ”I don’t care who your father is! I’m going to keelhaul you and leave you at the next port!” 

Nader felt the summer sun on his back, slowly drying him, and for a second he imagined what it would be like to be left to his own devices. Then he sighed and looked the Captain in the eye. ”I’m sorry Captain, but I hadn’t seen Unnat in ages and I took the chance to spend som time with my friend.” 

The Captain opened her mouth to interrupt him, but when he called the whale his friend she closed it again. ”You know them?” 

Nader shrugged his shoulders. ”Well, yeah. Unnat, his family, have been living near Barastir for as long as anyone remembers. I’ve known him all my life. And when he asked me, I had to say yes.” 

The Captain’s face was slack in shock and surprise. ”And your father, everyone, knows this? Know that you speak with them?” She gestured over the water, to where the whales were last seen. 

Nader turned his head, he could still faintly hear them humming at the back of his mind. ”I think so. He never asked, but I think so.” The Captain’s face was back to its usual dour self as she looked him over, but he could see that there was something new in the way she saw him. ”May I go get my shirt? I left it at the nets.” 

”Yes, and then you go down into the lower hull and check on the coat of enawst.” She turned her back and Nader made a face. Enawst stunk to high heaven and his hands would be stained for days, but at least he got out of the keelhauling. 

”You are the luckiest sonofabitch…” Aldon slapped him on the back. ”I wish I had some of the ancient magics. Woulda gotten me out of trouble loads of times.” 

Nader chuckled. ”Now that’s a funny joke.” 

”What?” 

”At home they just ignore me, and here I get punished anyway.” Nader peered at Aldon through the hair that had fallen into his face. ”I’ve yet to see my magics actually do me some good.” 

The younger elf grinned at him. ”You’re still young.” He motioned with his head towards the ladder leading into the ship. ”Come on, I’ll help you with the enawst and then we go bother the cook for some dried ubhal.” Nader smiled as he pulled his shirt over his head. Maybe this forced apprenticeship wouldn’t be too bad after all. 

Smoke and mirrors 

Frantic. That’s the only word I can think of. Frantic scrambling. Scrambling for whatever can be salvaged, brought along, carried with ease. People are divided into two factions; the ones who grab what they can get and shove everyone out of their way, and the ones that help others and load carts for the families to push. The sight of a flash drone has everyone working harder, faster. They’ve swept the inner shantytowns and are slowly working their way towards us at the edge of the city. If the drones are here, the troops won’t be far behind. 

Chas left to find something bigger for us to pack in, he’s been gone quite some time. I try not to worry, he’s more than capable to take care of himself. 

Naki is choosing between the pots and pans we’ve collected. ”Are we even going to cook? Do we really need these?” I don’t bother answer, she’s talking to herself. 

”Ellen! Stop daydreaming. Do something!” Valya’s clipped words feel like slaps to my face. Her different colored eyes glare at me, that’s nothing new, and I go back to packing clothes. ”Chas has better not ditched us…”
”He wouldn’t.” I bite my tongue. 

”You think that any bond we have formed is going to win over survival instinct?” Valya snorts. ”If he’s not back in half an hour, he’s gone for good.” 

”Oh my god V, just because you had The Worst Life Ever over in Russia, does not mean that everyone in the world is an asshole.” Naki carries the discarded pots and pans back to the cupboard we built under the stove. ”He’s probably stopped to help someone with something. You know Chas…” The last bit she aims at me and I shoot her a small smile. 

There’s a rattling at the door and we all pause. It opens and a large crate is wheeled in through. Chas’ hair can be seen over the top and I know that all of us draw a relieved breath at the sight of him. 

”They’re crazy out there.” Chas parks the crate and wipes the sweat of his brow. ”There was another drone, and half the street just dropped whatever they had left and legged it. Which was perfect, because that meant I got this for free.” He slaps the side of the crate and gives us a cheeky grin, and I feel my stomach do a flip. Which is ridiculous. We’re in the middle of running for our lives and my heart finally decides on what I feel. Although, I guess I’ve known, for quite some time, but I’ve not let myself feel it. And Chas is far too cool to take notice of me. Like that. He winks at me, and I curse my pale skin for making me blush. 

”Enough lolling about. We need to get moving.” Valya starts untying the straps holding the crate to the sack barrow and Naki hurries to help. I make a move to get over there, but they look like they’ve got it covered. My hands fist around the soft material of a t-shirt and I go back to packing clothes into a backpack. Chas is carrying one of the heavier boxes to the crate, I envy the effortlessness in how he just lifts the heavy stuff. I wish I could contribute with something useful, not just the folding of clothes. 

Valya is organizing how to pack everything and Naki has disappeared behind the curtain separating her sleeping quarters from the rest of this place. I hear her humming something in Japanese, it’s a sooting song and I try to block our Valya’s clipped commands to Chas. The backpack is filled to the brim with clothes for all four of us, we decided one bag of clothes would be enough. Naki and Valya are almost the same size and all of the t-shirts are large enough to fit Chas too. I look like a child in all of this, but at least I won’t have to be naked. 

I can’t pretend to be folding clothes anymore. I have to help with the other stuff. I have to put myself in the line of Valya’s never-ending critique. She knows I can’t help with everything, but she never ceases to push me, to make me take on heavier duties. 

”It’s full.” Valya’s voice has me jumping, but looking up I see that she’s addressing Naki. 

The roll of something in Naki’s hands is being denied the crate. ”I’m sure this’ll fit. Somehow.” 

”No. It’s full.” 

”Aw, come one V. Work with me here!” Valya crosses her arms over her chest and shakes her head. Naki seems set to ignore the apparent denial. ”Let’s try it at least.” 

”No, there’s no way.” 

”I found something for you.” Chas’ low voice in my ear has me turning away from Naki and Valya. ”Let’s… let’s go over here.” 

Gently he leads me to what used to be my bed. He turns me from our arguing friends and has me facing him instead. He holds his hand out, a closed fist on something small in the palm of his hand. He nods at me to hold my hand out. Carefully he opens his and lets a small earring fall into my palm. It’s a small red stone, sparkling in the semidarkness of the room. 

”I can’t… I can’t accept this. It must have cost you a fortune.” He smiles at me and tucks some of his har behind an ear. There I see a similar earring, he’s had his helix pierced. 

”They’re connected.” He raises his hands and gently replaces the ring I have in my right ear with the new earring. He presses it and suddenly I feel his presence. It’s like my sense of touch has expanded slightly outside my body and now I can feel an indentation in the air where he’s standing. 

I draw a surprised breath. ”How does this work?” 

Chas grins. ”They create a sort of forcefield between them, if we’re close enough. And when we’re further apart they serve as a sort of sensory beacon.” To prove his point he moves away from me. The sensation of feeling him changes into a sensory knowledge of where he is. 

”How far apart to they work?” 

He shrugs his shoulders. ”I don’t know. I found them, and Thaddeus told me what they are.” He stole them off of someone, let’s just hope that someone doesn’t have a way of tracking their property. 

A loud boom has us all turning towards the door. Screams from the street tell us it’s time to leave. Valya barks orders. ”Leave whatever’s not already packed.” 

Naki isn’t carrying the roll of whatever, the crate is closed and once again strapped to the sack barrow. Chas hands me my coat and I don it before shouldering the backpack. Valya has a huge backpack filled with provisions, Naki is carrying our tech stuff and Chas is pushing the crate. Looking back towards the city I see the evening sky darkening with smoke from the shacks set on fire by the military. Our street is eerily empty. Doors stand open and various knickknacks have been left on purpose, or dropped, by fleeing towners. 

We hurriedly set off towards the old highway. As we move more people show up, all of them moving in the same direction. There’s some shuffling as two people shove their way past everyone. Angry shouts follow them, but they don’t care. Two drones shoot past above and someone yells in fear. Naki and Valya hurry their steps, moving ahead of me and my short legs. I lose track of Chas, but I feel him somewhere in front of me. 

A loud crack has the throng of people on the street scattering, screaming and pushing at each other. I’m dragged along with a group of people who run for a side street. Craning my neck I try to spot my friends, but all I see are strangers. Chas is somewhere in the other direction, I think. It’s becoming harder to pinpoint exactly where I sense him. I cast a glance over my shoulder, and the sight of dark blue and gold has me setting off in a run. The backpack is slowing me down. Soon my legs feel shaky and my lungs beg for me to slow down. The fear of being caught is bigger and I force myself to keep running. Chas is somewhere. I can’t tell in which direction. 

There’s a metallic taste in my mouth. I slow to a brisk walk and try breathing the stitch in my side away. The people pulling me with them have scattered, taking off down side streets, or being more fit and getting ahead of me. The shacks and small houses are all mostly empty. I see scared faces peering out of some doorways, these are the ones who don’t have energy to run. A powerful explosion has the sky behind me light up and sends dust down the street. I lower my head, press my fist against the stitch in my side and hurry my steps. 

Rough hands grab my arm and pull me into a dark house. Before I can scream a hand covers my mouth. ”Shut the fuck up.” A man two times my size and with a wild expression in his face glares at me. ”Take your backpack off. No funny business, or I’ll fucking kill you.” Tears are burning in my eyes and nausea is churning in my stomach. With shaking hands I unbuckle the backpack and slide it off my shoulders. The man shoves me in the chest, having me lose my breath and falling backwards into a table. 

Pain has sparks blurring my vision and I just let myself fall down to the cardboard covered ground. Through the tears I see him taking off with my backpack. Curling up into a ball I sob my heart out. Devastation and relief flow through me. He could have done worse, but he also took the only thing I was in charge of carrying to our safe spot. Valya is going to be so mad, the others so disappointed. My back hurts. My legs are shaking. Somewhere my friends are moving further away from me. 

I pause my crying, holding my breath. I feel something. Something. Someone. Chas! Shakily I get up on all fours and by grabbing on to the table, I manage to stand upright. I feel him coming down the street and passing my location. Biting down on the pain I move towards the door, at the same time I feel him turning around. I make it to the door at the same time he does. 

”Ellen!” He grabs my arms and keeps me at arms length. I wince. ”Are you alright? What happened?” His face is contorted in worry. 

I swallow down the tear threatening. ”Robbed. He… he took…” I swallow them again. ”He grabbed me. Pushed me. Took the backpack.” My voice breaks on the last word and I can’t stop the tears from falling. Chas doesn’t say a word as he gently pulls me to him. My head barely reaches his shoulder and I just want to disappear into his arms. The earring makes it feel as if I’m actually melting into him, and it’s at the same time unnerving and wonderful. 

A crash has him taking a step back and peering up the street. I follow his gaze and see a military vehicle running over all the debris scattered outside the rickety houses. Behind it a company of soldiers are marching, sometimes disappearing into a house and dragging out whoever hid in there. 

”Follow me.” Chas grabs my hand and drags me away from them. 

We find ourselves in a small plaza of sorts. The city wall looms ahead, with one of the smaller gates leading in to it. There’s a line of people waiting to enter and Chas pulls me toward them. 

”Chas.” His name sounds like a hiss. ”We can’t go there.” Naki has our fake IDs and even them can’t take us past the official toll booths. 

Chas doesn’t say a word, but pulls a wet wipe from one of his pockets. With swift movements he rips it open and wipes his face clean of dust and sweat. ”And now you.” He offers it to me. 

I stare at it, at him. ”A wet wipe won’t change the fact that we’re not getting into the city.” Annoyed he grabs my chin and wipes my face clean. I try freeing myself, but his grip is tight. Tossing the wipe on the ground he grabs my hand and pulls me toward a scraggly looking tree. 

I’m about to say something when he leans against the tree and pulls me close. ”They’re coming. Kiss me!” I must have suffered an aneurysm. Did he just? ”Ellen. Kiss. Me.” When I won’t, he takes my face in his hands and without ceremony places a kiss on my lips. 

”Citizen. Get back in line.” What? Where am I? 

”Alright, alright.” Chas pulls me towards the line of people slowly moving into the city. Terrified of what will happen when it’s our turn to ID ourselves, I cling to Chas and pray he has a plan. He flashes an ID and the booth blips and lets us though. 

”Chas. What?” He shushes me and pulls me though, into the city. The neon is almost blinding. Chas waves us a cab and gently seats me before scooting in after me. 

”Waylan Industries.” I look at him. And I wonder why I haven’t seen it before. He won’t look at me. 

”You’re Chaster Waylan.” He nods. ”All this time. And you could just leave. Go back. You didn’t have to stay out there.” He shakes his head. ”You lied to me.” 

That has him turning to me. ”I never… I… didn’t lie.” His eyes search mine. ”I would never lie to you. Not you, Ellen. Never you.” 

”But why didn’t you say anything? We’re you just going to live with us? Never go back? You must have had everything!” 

He looks away. ”I would have gotten you all into the city. Eventually.” A deep sigh. ”They raided the shantytowns sooner than I thought.” 

”Valya will never live in the city. And Naki will go wherever Valya goes.” 

”I know. But I hoped.” He runs a hand through his hair. ”I had hoped to sway them.” 

”And now they’re lost.” 

Chas takes my hand. ”No. I know where they are.” He pulls a small tablet from his coat. ”I’m tracking them. When we get home I’ll send someone to take them to the safe location. Away from the city, but a real house, a place they can make their own. Where they can pursue their talents.” 

”And me? Where are you going to put me?” I hate that my voice trembles. The neon lights of the city move past the cab and I let them catch my attention. 

With a gentle squeeze of my hand he has me looking at him again. ”I was kinda hoping you’d want to stay with me. Maybe? Like, only if you want to. I can find you your own place. I mean, if you rather not.” The thought of being alone. Again. ”You’ll have your own room. Obviously.” 

”But I’d still be trapped. No ID, remember? And I don’t understand how you got us both in on yours.” 

”Yeah… I… uhm… I have a… plus one.” He shrugs his shoulders. ”It’s a standard Waylan ID.” As if that would explain it. ”And I have one for you.” He hands me a small holographic square. As my fingers touch the surface it lights up. A headshot of me appears, along with a string of numbers claiming me a citizen of Forgrave. 

”You got my name wrong.” Chas is quiet. I look up and see him rubbing his neck. 

”Yeah. This wasn’t how… I had it all planned.” 

”What?” 

The cab comes to a stop outside a very posh looking building. He takes my hand and pulls me onto the sidewalk. He lets me go and I look around. There are less people here, and the ones I do see are very well dressed. I feel small and dirty and lost. 

”Ellen Davis.” Chas is down on one knee and my stomach drops to my feet and up again. ”I know I haven’t really been obvious with my feelings, but you had me on my knees the first time I saw you. And I love you, so much. Will you marry me?” 

”Chas, what? I… I never thought you…” Sobs stop me from finishing my sentence. 

Chas gets up and pulls me to him. ”I’m sorry I never told you sooner. I thought we had more time. I thought you knew.” He lets me go and wipes the tears from my cheeks. ”So will you? Will you marry me and be Ellen Waylan?” 

”I… I think I will. If you’ll give me some time? This is a lot to take in.” 

His smile is soft, like he knows what I mean. ”As much as you need. A lifetime, even.” He pulls me into a hug and I sneak my arms around him. The feeling of melting into him is now nothing but comfortable. It’s like a promise of a better future. 

Shadows and Daggers 

The woods are dark and in the shadows shapes move. My heart pounds loudly in my ears as I lay on the ground, willing myself invisible. Angry voices gutturally shout to each other as a torch moves through the trees. A triumphant yell has them all stopping and the cold and clammy hands of fear grip my throat. The ground thumps as the take crashing strides toward my hiding place. 

The hound gives a whiny bark as it catches my scent. I close my hands into tight fists. I don’t like having to kill the hounds. Before it notices me, I close its muzzle and suffocate the poor beast. The speed of its run carries it into bushes not far from where I’m hiding and the sound attracts attention. More shouting. They’re running towards me and I ready myself to move. They stop. Two of them have their back toward me, the third is the one with the torch. They’re searching the bushes. There’s a surprised yell as someone finds the dead hound. It’s time. 

Drawing my daggers I spring up from my hiding place. I get the first one in the neck. Plunging it all the way through and using my momentum to swing him onto the one closest to him. The smell of their fear stings my nostrils. I bite down to not to inhale their stench more than I have to. With a flick of my wrist I dislodge my dagger and move back into the shadows to prepare my next attack. The light of the torch burns my eyes. The two still alive seem to be getting over the shock of the surprise attack. The one with the torch has drawn a short sword and is waving the torch around to catch a glimpse of me. 

I move to the other side. Attack the unarmed one from behind. Driving both daggers into him. Aiming for the heart I piercing both lungs. His pained half-yell has the one with the sword lunging at me. I use the body infront of me as a shield. With a raged roar the torch bearer hacks his companion in the chest. The force of the attack pushes my daggers deeper into the body. I’m pushed backwards. I feel my hands growing slippery from the blood pouring out of the wounds. With my knee I push the dead man towards his companion. The one left has to drop the torch to avoid being knocked down. He growls something at me, his face contorted in hate and loathing. 

With the sword gripped in both hands he lunges at me. I’m having trouble seeing clearly. The light from the torch has gone out, but I still see flecks of fire hanging in the air. The sword makes a whooshing sound as it just misses me. I leap back nearly a fraktion too late. Off balance. I tumble backwards. Blessed darkness soothes my eyes. The man makes a sound like a curse. I stab him in the leg. He yells out in pain. Drops the sword. My other dagger stabs him in the back. His yells turn wet, as blood enters his lungs. His flailing hands try to grab me. I slip away into the darkness. 

The blue light of magical fire welcomes me as I enter the caves. People look at me when they notice my bloodstained clothes and gory arms and hands. I don’t care. 

Mother has her back towards me and is stirring something in a pot. She pauses. ”Wash your hands, then hug me.” I nod, even though she won’t see, and go rinse myself off. In her arms I cry quiet tears of fear. ”Now now, you took care of them. Good girl. Good girl.” 

It happens after midnight

”Don’t touch me while I’m trying to fall asleep.” Josh moves away from me, pulling the covers up to his ear. 

”I’m sorry.” I turn to lay on my back, blinking away the tears threatening to run down my cheeks. It’s been like this all weekend. Gone is the cute boyfriend from the last three weeks. 

Josh moves about, pulling at the covers and rearranging himself. He sighs. ”Maybe it’s best if you leave.” My body goes cold. Is he saying what I think he’s saying? He sighs again. ”Evelyn, I think you should go home.” 

I sit up. ”But it’s like 2AM.” 

Josh sits up too. ”Oh, come one. You live like down the street. Nothing ever happens here.” 

Anger, rejection, shame, all the emotions at the same time. I toss the covers at him and get out of bed. My motions are jerky. It’s hard to find things in the dark, and fight tears, and be really mad, all at the same time. 

”Evelyn.” He’s still in bed. ”I’m sorry. I never meant…” 

”Shut up Josh.” I’m dressed. I need to have the final word. I have to hurt his feelings. ”It’s not that big of a deal. You’re not that much of a big deal. I just don’t want to do the walk of shame. Have a good summer.” I find my phone and my shoes. I want to wake the house up, but I can’t bring myself to. So, I climb out the window and into the night. 

The night air is cool on my heated skin. I start off at a brisk walk, the anger powering me. To my right Jess’ house lies in darkness. She would die laughing if she knew what’s happened. And then she’ll tell everyone we know that I slept with Josh, but he tossed me out afterward. My anger morphs into deeper shame and I slow my pace. Paul and Lucy Hiu have a light burning in their kitchen. I’m guessing it’s their Chinese grandma who’s having trouble sleeping. No one stirs, but I still feel like I’m being stared at. I hunch my back and hurry between the deeper darkness of the trees, as it’ll make a difference. The streetlights are outing me anyway; a lonely girl, in a cute outfit, her hair disheveled and her mascara smudged. 

My own house is dark. When I told my mom I was spending the night at Josh’s, she told me to use protection, and then she went back to watching the episodes of Green Bay Memories she had missed. Dad was out in the garage, working on whatever new idea he was going to bankrupt us for next. I understand Sam leaving as soon as possible. Our home is just a house where we all happen to live, there’s no sense of family anymore. If there ever was. 

A black truck is parked in front of my house. Lincoln Dove helps dad haul junk in and out of the garage and as a thank you, dad lets him park at our house. The Doves have four sons, and all of them have trucks and all of them still live at home, so there’s a shortage of parking over at their house. Usually I don’t mind, since I don’t have to carry all that shit in and out, but tonight my mood makes me hate him parking here. I mean to kick his tyre as I pass, but a glowing cigarette butt is dropped from the drivers side, making my step hesitant. 

”Kinda late, isn’t it?” Lincoln exits his truck, all in black. His tank top and board shorts showing off his muscular build. Or they would, if it had been light out. I just happened to know that Lincoln is ridiculously ripped, the Dove brothers are all of them a joy to ogle. 

”I’d say it’s early.” I don’t have to explain myself to him. 

”Depends if you’ve been sleeping or not.” I’m probably imagining the innuendo in his voice. 

”Depends if it’s after midnight or not.” I move to pass. 

”Moody…” He might have meant to say it under his breath, but I’m right next to him and can’t help but hear. 

Stopping I turn to face him. ”What?” 

He shrugs his shoulders. ”I think you heard me.” He’s not much taller than me, and this close, and under the streetlight, I see him taking my appearance in. ”You look like you’ve been crying.” 

”What? You have night vision or something?” I shove hair out of my face and look back the way I came. 

”Nah, it’s more the mascara under your puffy eyes. Also, the way your voice just cracked.” 

”Yeah, well…” I try to swallow the lump in my throat. ”Josh and I just broke up. I think.” The last bit I barely just breathe, but of course that’s what he hears.

”You think?” He’s amused. ”I thought a thing like that would be rather obvious.” He shrugs his shoulders again. ”But what do I know, things might have changed in the last six months or so.” 

The fight, the anger, I don’t know, goes out of me and I drop my shoulders and hug myself. ”No. We’re broken up alright.” 

”I’m sorry.” 

I blow a breath. ”I don’t know, Linc… looking back makes me think it wasn’t as great as I thought.” 

He leans against the truck. ”It’s okay to be sad that’s it’s over. You poured your heart and soul into it, no matter how short of a time passed.” 

”What do you know about my heart and soul?” I go lean on the truck next to him. We’re shoulder to shoulder and I like the feeling of his body heat warming me. 

”I know you’re loyal, ridiculously loyal, and also very generous to your friends.” 

”You make me sound like a pushover.” 

”You are.” I draw an insulted breath and bump him with my shoulder. Lincoln chuckles under his breath. ”But anyone taking advantage of you will feel super bad about it, and they’ll try to make it up to you as soon as possible. Because a happy Evelyn is one of the best things on this planet.” 

I snort a laugh. ”You only say that because I sometimes gives you cookies.” 

”You know me, I’m a slut for cookies.” 

A yawn forces its way out of me, making me shudder. ”Yeah, I guess I should go inside. It’s late.” 

”I thought you said it was early.” 

”I haven’t gone to sleep yet, so late.” 

”So fickle…” 

”And a pushover.” 

”Which means I could convince you to go have breakfast with me over by the freeway.” 

”Linc… no.” 

”Evelyn, yes!” 

”I don’t have any money and my phone is about to die.” 

”I’m paying, and who are you going to talk to at 3 in the morning? Other than me.” 

”My pillow. I could be needing to have a long conversation with my pillow.” 

”I could say something about where you could rest your head, but I’m not going to. Now, get in.” I hear the smile in his voice as he opens the door and  then he gestures for me to climb in. I glance over to my house, and with a shake of my head I do as told. I am a pushover. 

”I want chocolate chip pancakes.” I don’t care if I sound like a petulant child. 

Lincoln’s teeth glimmer in the semidarkness of the truck. ”Then you shall have chocolate chip pancakes.” 

I watch him make a u-turn and set off toward the freeway. ”Why are you so nice to me? It’s not like we’re friend-friends…” 

He glances at me. ”I guess I’m a sucker for pushovers.” 

”And a slut for cookies.” 

He gives a surprised laugh. ”That too.” There’s little to no traffic and Lincoln soon turns onto the freeway. ”And I meant what I said: a happy Evelyn is one of the best things on this planet. Even though I’ve only seen it from a distance.” 

”Sounds like you have a crush!” I meant it as a joke, but his absolute silence on the subject makes me wish I could take my words back. ”I mean… uhm… I didn’t mean to…” 

”Drop it.” 

”I’m sorry.” 

”You have nothing to be sorry for.” He parks by the 24 hour diner. ”Let’s just eat pancakes. And then I’ll take you home. Okay, Evelyn?” He reaches for the door handle. 

”Okay, Linc. And thanks.” He pauses. ”I would have gone home and cried myself to sleep, now I won’t do that.” 

His smile is unexpected and it warms me to my core. ”Mom always says nothing good happens after midnight, but I don’t know about that. Having pancakes with you is a very good thing.” My answering grin has his smile widening. 

”Come on Linc, let’s go eat some happy pancakes.” Over in the east the sun begins to rise on a day that might not be as bad as I thought it would.