Evelyn's POV

Leigh can't stop talking while we walk home. For once, I actually don't mind. For once, I genuinely listen, genuinely answer and genuinely care. Sure, she's talking about things I don't usually care about but I talk, I give my opinion. I'm not just there for the sake of it, I'm a part of the conversation. 

'So you thought about what you'll do when we leave school?' We're walking down a different street because I knew she probably wouldn't like walking down the one I usually use. 

'Not really, no. You?'

'I'm not so sure either. My parents don't really mind as long as I do something that'll provide a stable future. You know, parent talk,' She replies and I giggle because I kind of do know what she means. My mom tells me once in a while that I should think about getting a job that pays well. I know what she really means is one that pays well enough so that you don't have to work for a long long time, like her. 'Maybe I might go for a creative job.'

'Fashion designer?' I assume.

She nods and then shakes her head 'I was thinking maybe an Architect.'

'Doesn't that require a lot of thinking?' I inform her then slam a hand over my mouth because it sounds like I'm calling her dumb. But she just laughs and carries on.

'I know. That's why I said 'maybe',' We carry on talking about the future until obviously, it ends up on the topic of relationships 'I think I might not get married too soon. I wanna find the right person. What about you?'

'I might not get married at all, to be honest.'

'Why not?' I shrug. She smiles 'Yeah I get it. It's hard to find the right person, isn't it? Even for me. Okay so this is totally unrelated to the topic but I was talking to the guy that said your hair looked nice- don't worry, I wasn't talking about you,' I arched my brow at her suspiciously nonetheless 'And then suddenly, out of nowhere, he asked me if you were single,'

'What did you tell him?' 

'I said I didn't know and that I would ask- I mean, I didn't want to be meddling or anything. I really really think he likes you~'

I roll my eyes 'The guy barely knows me, Leigh. I appreciate what you're trying to do for me, I really do. But I just feel like I'm not looking to be in a relationship right now. You get me, right?' She nods curtly though I'm not sure she agrees. 

We're almost to my house when she starts getting a bit reluctant to speak 'Can I ask you something, Ev? Promise you won't mind?'

'I'll have to know what it is first.' I tell her 'Then I'll decide if I mind. But don't worry, you can tell me.'

'Are you a lesbian?' 

I answer simply 'No. Why?'

'Just a question. Do you... have anything against them, or you know gay and trans and everyone like that?'

'Of course not.' I assure her. 

She clears her throat before speaking as I open the front door and walk in. She doesn't start until we're both in and I've closed the door. 'I'm bisexual.' 

'That's fine.' I respond, but then I think for a while and thoughts begin to pop in my head. Leigh has tried to get very close to me during the last few weeks. 'Wait, you don't um...like me do yo-'

She interrupts me before I can finish, her cheeks bright red 'No, I don't! I mean, I like you, but not in that way. I'd be way too nervous to talk to you if I did.'

'Are you sure?' 

'I'm very sure.' She nods. I feel a bit embarrassed for overreacting. Of course she wouldn't like me in that way. Almost no one does anyway. But Leigh starts to speak again 'By the way, Evelyn. I wanted to tell you that you're still a really pretty girl. I just want to be friends with you.' 

'Thanks.' It makes me feel a little better 'I want us to just be friends too.'

We giggled for a bit, which I didn't expect because I'm not the giggling type and then we climb up my stairs to my room, working on our assignment. We're silent for about 15 whole minutes before we start talking again.

'Ev, you wanna present this with me?' 

'I don't think I can. I'm not good at presenting things,' I admit. I'm not really a fan of talking in front of the class, I could have added, but decided it wasn't the appropriate time. 

'Come on, I've never heard you talk in that class! And it wouldn't be fair if you didn't present, I mean, you were a big part of this assignment too.'

Maybe arguing with her wasn't going to be the right approach so instead, I agree 'Alright, maybe just a few lines.' Leigh beams at me, grinning so wide I feared for her jaws. She hands me her notebook where she's been writing her lines for the presentation. I take a highlighter out of my pencil case and highlight the really short lines, the ones that are easy to remember and hard to mess up. Leigh doesn't seem to complain. 

'When we start working on the PowerPoint, I'll bring my laptop. Should I type up these lines on a separate document for you?' She asks and I nod. 'Alright. When's the next time we can meet up?' 

'Tomorrow?' I inform 'Remember we were supposed to meet up tomorrow as well anyway.'

'Tomorrow...' She repeats, less enthusiastically.

'What happened? Are you busy tomorrow?' 

'It's not that. I thought we were gonna hang out tomorrow. Not do homework.'

'Oh.' I say 'Was that what we arranged?'

'No,' she admitted 'But I thought that since we're both not busy that day, we could go out and have a little break from this assignment.' She quickly adds 'If that's okay with you.' 

I think it through. Sure I'm not busy tomorrow, but Ash'll be there. I can't just leave him alone again like I did today. That would make it two days in a row. But something told me that maybe I should hang out with Leigh tomorrow; after all, we were getting closer as friends. If I keep rejecting her then who knows, maybe she won't want to be nice to me. That's probably an impossible thing for Leigh to do, she's the nicest girl I've met- even if she is a bit clingy. I'd have to talk this out with Ash. 

'I'll see.' I tell her, but not in an 'It'll never happen' way; more of an 'I'll try my best' way. 'I'll talk to mom about it and if she agrees then I'll text you tonight.'

'That's great!' she smiles 'No offence, but your mom sees really strict.' I try and keep the scoff from escaping my throat- I had portrayed my mother in such a way to Leigh that she must really think she's a stiff, iron-fisted woman when in reality she's just as fragile and distressed as she looked. 

We wrote away in our notebooks and exchanged notes and talk for another hour and a half. Oddly, the time had passed really fast for us, all though I'm not sure it would have for Ash. I have to admit, it was pretty enjoyable talking to Leigh and then pulling away and trying not to procrastinate. Something I felt like a normal teenage girl would be used to. Honestly, it's something I want to get used to now that I've gotten a taste of it. 

As soon as Leigh leaves through the door, I take out my phone and text Ash to come back. He's quick to reply.

Dude That Won't Leave My House: I'm on my way 

Dude That Won't Leave My House: See ya in 10 mins

*****

'Here, I got something for you.' Ash hands me a medium sized shopping bag, a logo on it that I recognised. 

'What is it?' I ask, a little curious.

'Open it and find out dummy.' I follow his instructions and tip the bag onto my bed, the contents of it spilling out. Light yellow and white fabrics were bunched up on my bedsheets, I examined them as my curiosity only grew. Opening them out, I realised that the yellow one was a dress and the white on was a cardigan. 'I want you to wear these next Friday.'

Before I can say anything, I find myself encircling my arms around his shoulders and squeezing my cheek against his chest 'Thanks for everything.'

'Don't mention it,' he hugs back 'It feels nice being the good guy for once.'

I pack the clothes back in the bag and place it in the corner of my room for the time being. Ash sits on the floor against the wall in his usual place and I sat cross legged on my bed, telling him everything that happened today. Leigh probably wouldn't want me to be telling anyone but then again, who was Ash really gonna tell? 

'To be honest, I kinda knew she was bi,' he says so casually 'She may have had a crush on you, probably explains why you gotta surgically remove her from your person all the time.'

'She told me she doesn't like me in that way,' I correct him.

He smirks 'She could have been lying.'

'Come on, Ash, do I honestly look like someone people would be interested in?'

He frowns 'Of course you do. In my opinion, you're pretty fucking hot.' 

'Yeah, a serial killer's opinion,' I roll my eyes. 

'I told you I'm not a serial killer!' he sounds a little bit pissed off 'Serial killers are people that aren't right in the head. But I'm perfectly fine. I'm not a serial killer.'

'You're not exactly an average citizen either, Ash,' I joke, rolling my eyes again. He huffs at me, like a bull after you show it a red piece of cloth, all cross armed and moody expression-ed. 'Anyway, I've told you about my day. Tell me about yours now. How was your session with your therapist.'

'I don't want to talk about it.' He responds sternly, his arms still crossed. 

'Don't be mad at me,' I say, leaning a little forward.

'I'm not mad, I just don't wanna talk about it.' He repeated 'Sharon pulled a dick move. I'm pissed off about it.'

'Okay then.' I can tell if I asked any more questions about it, he might snap and God knows what he does when he snaps. But he unfolds his arms and looks up at me again, shaking off the grouchy tone. 

'Tell me more about your day,' he smiles 'Do you like your new hair cut? And your new outfit?' 

(A/N I'm honestly so behind on my coursework and it's because I don't want to start it. Please pray for me. And enjoy this new chapter too! Love you all!!!)