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evangeline blackwood

When I make my way downstairs, I'm greeted by both my father and Logan sat at the dining room table. They're both laughing considerably, laughter which doesn't halt upon my arrival.

I force a smile, grabbing a cup of coffee lay out on the mantle piece and then lean against it.

"Hiya."

"Morning, Princess." His eyes light up as he finally notices me, "I was just catching up with Logan."

Not got time to catch up with me or your son but you can speak to my fucking mate.

"Did you come to see Atlas?"

The hesitation in his expression makes me freeze, "Cami was taking him to the doctors when I arrived."

"Why didn't you take him then? I'm sure Mum wouldn't have minded." I shrug, narrowing my eyes slightly in annoyance.

"Evan, don't." That warning tone, the threat laced within his tone.

A few years ago, I would've kept my mouth shut.

Now I just don't care.

"Get out."

"Ev-"

"Shut up, Logan, this doesn't involve you." I snap as my Dad stands up.

"Do not speak to me like that." He cautions, clenching his fists. "I've been back for a fortnight, I've not seen you in months and you're going to disrespect me and tell me to leave when I visit you. Fuck me for wanting to see my daughter again before I leave."

I scoff, "What? So you're going back tomorrow? You've got to be joking." I start to laugh. "That's fucking amazing, father. Wow."

He furrows his eyebrows but I could physically feel his anger accumulating.

"You've not even come to see us." I remark quietly, my voice nearly a whisper. "Atlas has been asking me when you were coming, why you don't ever take us out like Mums do? Why you don't bother with us?"

His gaze softens but the wrath doesn't fade.

"And you're here speaking to my best mate, acting as if its nothing." I shake my head, "I'm not arsed, I'm used to this by now. But don't you dare hurt that boy, Dad, because so help me God I will never forgive you."

He kisses his teeth, "I'm going to have a talk with your mothers about this." He gestures to me, moving his hand up and down. "You ungrateful, disrespectful bitch. I can't believe how much you've changed."

"Oh, go tell someone who cares." I scoff, "Get out my house now."

He snarls, his top lip curling back as he glares at me. But he grabs his coat and walks out.

It shocks me, in a way. I expected more fight, more disapproval. He definitely wasn't a cruel parent but he never let any disrespect or argument slip.

He always argued that it was because of the values his parents taught him, how he won't let his kids turn into the people you hear about in the news.

"Ev-"

"I'm not speaking to you about this. It's been due." I interrupt before he finishes. "We're going out today. I need a drink."

"I know, I've texted Apollo and he's going to meet us at the park in an hour with Orion and Morgan."

"What about Adonis?" I ask before I can stop myself.

Logan smirks knowingly, "He didn't mention him."

"Why we going out so early?"

"It's 2pm." He deadpans.

My eyes widen and I pull my phone out, confirming that it is in fact 2 in the afternoon.

"Your bruises look at lot better today."

He frowns, "Your dad kept asking about them. Told him I was jumped walking back from school."

"You need to stay away from that stuff, Lo. It ain't good for you." I take a sip of my coffee, ignoring the way my stomach twists at the thought of what that stuff actually is.

His eyes flicker in suspicion, "I'll be fine. It was a one off."

"You got any boys on the scene?"

His lip pulls up, "No."

I raise my eyebrow, "Not got your eye on anyone?" I look at him knowingly.

He shrugs, "Apollo's pretty fit."

"You been texting?"

He nods, "What about you and Adonis then?"

"Nothing. He's fit and stuff but I'm not after a hookup." I dismiss it instantly.

Logan scoffs, "Sure. He's more wifey material."

"Maybe you should make a move then." I chuckle but he just shakes his head.

"You know, I would've but he can't seem to take his eyes off you when you're in the same room."

My stomach flutters but I'm left breathless. "Don't say shit like that."

"It's true."

My phone suddenly begins buzzing, as does Logan's. My eyebrows furrow as I open it judging by the fact the only people I speak to are Logan and Ashanti.

Chat shit get banged

* Three new members added*

Unknown number

Who's who?

Morgan

Think we all need to meet up

Unknown number

Logan, give Evan our numbers. I sent them you last night.

Unknown number

Ooooh, something to tell us?

"Oh, so you was speaking to Apollo last night?" I hum, laughing when Logan starts to blush.

"Shut up." He takes my phone off me and saves all the numbers, using his own phone as guidance.

Apollo

Shut the fuck up

Rory

Ahaa calm down you ungrateful bastard. At least I care

Donnie

Wow, my head actually hurts having to deal with you both

Rory

Sorry to inform you, dickhead, but that's your brain trying to comprehend your stupidity.

Morgan

Sorry to inform you but y'all boring. Be at the park in 10

*******************

"Are you being serious?" Adonis mocks, raising his eyebrows at Morgan's bag of food.

We're all sat by the massive swing set. And despite the fact it was Morgan who asked for us to meet 10 minutes after he sent that text, he was 20 minutes late.

"What?"

"You literally eat all the time and it ain't even healthy. I swear you've had McDonalds everyday this week. How the fuck do you stay so..?" Adonis trails off, looking for the right word as he gestures to Morgan's athletic build.

"Look, man, I know you have this whole negative mindset going on at the moment but keep that vibe away from my food." He takes a bite from his burger half-way through talking and it nearly falls out of his mouth. "And it's called exercise. Maybe you should try it sometime."

"I'm more than happy with how I look and as long as my metabolism stays fast and I keep my muscles, I ain't going nowhere near a running track." He says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just eat your food and forget I mentioned it."

"Dickhead."

"Prick."

"Language." Rory scolds, nodding her head towards Phoenix who, as usual, is sat silent in the corner. He's staring at Morgan's food in disgust.

"So is this like the get-together point?" Apollo questions, sitting awfully close to Logan. Ashanti gives me a suggestive stare and I smile back at her, watching the two boys carefully.

"Yep. But I'll tell you one thing, we're normally drunk." Ashanti shrugs, taking some of Morgan's food despite his argument.

"Oh shit, yeah." Morgan pulls another bag out of his pull over JD bag. "Someone put in the group chat that they had a headache or something."

"Yeah, it was me. My phone wasn't shutting up." Adonis deadpans.

"Well, you know what's good for headaches, don't you?" Morgan grins, his lips pulling upwards until I swear he resembles the Cheshire Cat. "Vodka!"

"I want some." Rory springs up instantly, walking towards Morgan and grabbing the bottle.

"No!" Apollo argues instantly as Adonis swipes the bottle from her hands. "You're 16."

"And? Let's not pretend that Donnie didn't spend most of Year 11 at the back of the fields even though he was supposed to be in school." She reaches out again and, due to Adonis' shock, manages to take it back.

"If it helps, Evan was like that too." Logan adds on, laughing, but without considering why I was like that.

Ashanti sends him a 'what-the-fuck' look and even Morgan's eyes narrow at him.

"What?" His eyes widen as he realises what he said. "Oh shit, E, I'm sor-"

I nod my head, keeping my mouth closed.

Apollo and Rory are sending us all weird looks but don't ask.

Adonis seems to sense the tension, "Give me some of that."

20 minutes later and the remainder of Morgan's food is lay disregarded on the concrete and him and Adonis are having a screaming match.

"You're my best friend!"

"Nooo." Morgan extends the o, sounding just like a 5 year old. "You're my best friend!!"

"You're both so annoying." Apollo signs, acting as if this isn't the first time this disagreement has occurred.

"You're my best friend." Adonis' words slur slightly but he still talks as though he's speaking to a child.

"Fuck off, Don. You're my best friend and that's final!" Morgan cross his arms, cocking one brow.

"You're a prick."

"I love you, man."

And then they're hugging.

"Love you, bro. You're mint." Adonis and Morgan are now holding each other, naturally folding into each other's arms.

In simple words, it's making my ovaries explode.

And judging by the glimmer in Ashanti's eyes, our thoughts are the same.

But, with a lot of self-restraint, she manages to pull her eyes away and instead look to Rory. "Are they always like this?"

"Pretty much." Their little sister rolls her eyes, "They're normally worse though, to be honest."

"Do I even want to know?" I chuckle.

"You really don't." She scoffs, "Let's just say they have no issues with their masculinity."

"I have no issue with my femininity either." Ashanti rebuts with something obviously in mind.

"God, you're insatiable."

"Do you even know what that word means?" She argues back, cocking an eyebrow.

"Do you?" I raise mine in response.

"No." And then she's on the floor, laughing her fucking head off.

And that's how we spent our night. Two boys arguing about their friendship value, a black girl on the floor crying with laughter, another two boys speaking and giggling until the sun morphed into the moon and a group of friends just sat cherishing their lives together.

Confession: It's times like these which I miss. When everything changed, it was the little things I cherished.