𐂂

.𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝘃𝐢.
𝑷𝒊𝒛𝒛𝒂 & 𝑩𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒔

Jacob Black's Garage
La Push, WA.
April

𝓑anshee: A Banshee is said to be a supernatural being in Irish legend. Her scream is believed to be an omen of death. The scream, also called a caoine—meaning keening—is a warning of an imminent passing. Banshees are special human women with the supernatural power to sense or predict when someone is about to die. As a result, they are seen as harbingers of death, often referred to as the Wailing Woman.

By that night, Evee had read the wiki page a million times. No matter how often she skimmed it, clicked through other articles, or reread the folklore—it still made no sense. Every single source said something different. A thousand clashing myths, scattered across cultures, all contradicting one another.

She didn't know what to believe. Or how to believe any of it.

She'd barely slept. Fell asleep too late, woke up too early—a brutal combination. Her head pounded. Her body felt heavy. But her mind was still spinning.

"Harbingers of death," she muttered to herself, staring at the glowing screen of her phone. She let out a hollow laugh. "Well, doesn't that sound fun."

Evee sat hunched on the edge of her bed, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Her room felt colder than usual, like even the air had decided to keep its distance from her. The weight of last night's revelations still clung to her chest like heavy smoke. No matter how many deep breaths she took, she couldn't seem to find any air.

She glanced to the clock on her nightstand: 8:02 AM. Seth was supposed to pick her up at ten. That gave her two full hours to sit in this silence, to replay her aunt's words over and over again like some haunting lullaby. You are what they call a banshee... The words had lodged themselves in her mind like a splinter. A banshee. A harbinger of death. She hugged her knees tighter.

Evee's eyes flickered toward the door. Down the hall, she could hear someone—probably Jonah—murmuring to their uncle in the kitchen. The scent of coffee floated faintly through the air, usually comforting, but now it felt sterile. Domestic. Like everything in this house was pretending to be normal when it wasn't.

She wanted out.

Every part of her wanted to bolt. To scream. To climb out of her skin and run until she wasn't this, wasn't her. The only place her mind could run to was Seth. His easy smile. His gentle laugh. The way he'd held her in the driveway like she was something precious and breakable and safe.

Her fingers trembled as she reached for her phone on the bedside table. She hesitated, thumb hovering over the screen. Would it be weird to call? Too early? She didn't care. She couldn't sit here a second longer without feeling like she'd lose her mind.

With a shaky breath, she tapped Seth's name in her contacts and pressed the call button. The phone rang once.

Only once.

"Hello!" Seth's chipper voice rang through the speaker, so warm and full of life it made Evee close her eyes. It was like someone cracked a window in a stuffy room—fresh air.

A soft smile curled at her lips for the first time that morning. "Hey, so uh—whatchya doing right now?"

There was a pause, and then his voice came through again, light with curiosity. "Just some studying. Why, what's up?"

Evee bit her lip, her smile turning a little sheepish even though he couldn't see her. "Oh, I'm just... really bored. And I don't really have anything to do..." she let the hint hang in the air, hoping he'd catch it. She didn't want to admit the truth: I need to get out of here before I start screaming.

There was a moment of silence, then: "Want me to pick you up early?" he offered without missing a beat. "I can be over in, like, an hour."

Relief flooded her chest like warm water. She didn't even try to hide it. "Yeah, actually! That'd be great."

"Cool. I'll see you soon," he said brightly.

"Okay, see you then, bye!" she chirped, and before she could even hang up, she was already springing to her feet.

The moment the call ended, she turned to her mirror and grimaced. Her hair was a mess, sticking out at odd angles like she'd been electrocuted in her sleep. Her eyes were puffy, rimmed red from crying. She didn't look like herself. She didn't feel like herself. But maybe a hot shower would help.

Grabbing her shower caddy and a clean outfit, she bee-lined it to the bathroom, heart racing with something that felt a little like anticipation—and a little like desperation. She needed to see him. She needed to remember that there were still pieces of her life that made sense. Seth Clearwater was one of those pieces.

As she shut the bathroom door behind her and turned the water on, she let herself believe—just for a moment—that maybe things could still be okay. Or at the very least, less horrible.

Evee showered quickly, her mind racing the entire ten minutes beneath the stream of hot water. Her hands moved automatically—shampoo, conditioner, body wash—but her thoughts were anything but calm. They spiraled like the water down the drain, cycling through flashes of Millicent's face, her aunt's trembling voice, and the word banshee echoing like a drumbeat behind her ribs.

Still, she moved quickly. She needed this—needed to get out of the house, clear her mind, and be around someone who didn't look at her like she was a ticking time bomb.

By the time she stepped out, steam clung to the mirror and her nerves had turned into hyper-focused energy. She dried off, tugged on a pale blue tank top that hugged her shoulders just right, paired it with her favorite high-waisted denim shorts, and twisted her still-damp hair into a loose braid that brushed over one shoulder. She dabbed a light concealer under her eyes, fluffed some color into her cheeks, and added a touch of brown liner and mascara—just enough to feel human again.

The last step was lip gloss. She applied it slowly, the soft shimmer catching in the sunlight pouring through her window. It was a barely-there pink, just glossy enough to make her feel a little like herself again. She tightened the cap, slipped it into her pocket—

Knock knock knock.

Her heart leapt.

She knew that knock already. It was casual, light, familiar—and it sent a flutter straight through her chest.

Evee practically beamed as she bolted from her room, thudding down the stairs with excitement buzzing beneath her skin. She pulled open the front door with a wide smile, sunlight spilling into the foyer behind her. "Hey!" she greeted brightly, closing the door behind her with a soft click, like she was sealing the chaos inside.

Seth stood there in jeans and a T-shirt, his hands tucked into his pockets, his eyes lighting up the second he saw her. There was a subtle moment—a flicker of something in his expression, like he wanted to reach for her, maybe pull her into a hug—but he hesitated. Instead, he offered her that lopsided smile of his, easy and sincere.

"Hi," he said, his voice warm with genuine happiness. "So~whatchya wanna do today?"

Then, with a playful tilt of his head and that same soft, teasing smile: "Other than asking me more questions."

Evee laughed, the sound surprising even herself. It felt good to laugh. Like maybe not everything was broken inside her after all.

She rocked back on her heels, squinting at him in the morning sun. "Well, technically I didn't promise there wouldn't be questions," she replied coyly, crossing her arms over her chest, "but I figured we could do something normal today. Chill. Clear my head."

Seth nodded. "I can work with that."

They stood there for a second, smiling at each other, neither one quite ready to break the moment. It wasn't awkward—it was warm, like the beginning of something still figuring out how to take shape. Evee suddenly realized how close they were standing and felt her stomach flip, just slightly.

"You, uh, look really nice," Seth said finally, glancing at her then quickly away, like it caught him off guard to say it out loud.

Evee's cheeks flushed. "Thanks. You too," she said, trying to sound casual, even though her heart had started thumping just a bit louder.

"So... normal?" Seth raised a skeptical eyebrow as he glanced at her, his lips quirking. "Don't know how good I am at that."

Evee smirked, crossing her arms lightly. "Oh, come on. You seem somewhat stable."

He chuckled at that, eyes glinting. "Somewhat's generous." He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, considering. "We could go over to Jake's. Some of my buddies are hanging out there today—lowkey stuff."

"Sounds good to me," Evee replied without hesitation. Truthfully, she didn't care where they went, as long as she wasn't stuck at the house or alone with her thoughts.

As she reached for the car door handle, Seth suddenly jolted forward, nearly stumbling over his own feet.

"Wait! Don't touch that door," he insisted with comical urgency, darting in front of her like her life depended on it.

Evee blinked in surprise before breaking into a full laugh, her hand flying to her mouth. "Are you—serious?"

"Dead serious." He flung open the passenger door with a dramatic flourish and bowed slightly. "M'lady."

Evee tried to hide her giddy grin, but failed miserably. Her cheeks flushed pink as she climbed in, her heart doing a little somersault. He's adorable, she thought, unable to stop smiling even as he jogged around the front of the car and hopped into the driver's seat like nothing had just happened.

"You're such a gentleman," she said, adjusting her seatbelt and sneaking a glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

"It's all thanks to my mom," Seth replied with a proud shrug. "She made sure I grew up with manners. Opening doors, saying ma'am and sir, chewing with my mouth closed—you name it, she drilled it into me."

He slid the key into the ignition and turned it with a confident snap.

"Apparently, one time I forgot to say 'yes ma'am' when I was like... ten? And she gave me the look. I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes."

Evee laughed out loud. "Brutal. But effective parenting."

"Exactly," he said with mock solemnity as he pulled out of the driveway. "Fear builds character."

As the car hummed along the road, Evee watched the trees blur past her window, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "So... who all's going to be at Jake's?"

Seth leaned back in his seat a little, keeping one hand on the wheel. "Quil for sure. Maybe Embry, if he ever checks his phone. I texted him like two hours ago and still nothing. He's got this awful habit of reading a message and then totally forgetting it exists."

"Ah," Evee nodded. "One of those people."

"Exactly."

The conversation flowed effortlessly after that. The fifteen-minute drive felt more like five. They talked about teachers they both couldn't stand, favorite classes (and least favorite—Seth hated math with a passion), and embarrassing childhood stories. Seth had her laughing so hard at one point—something about Quil falling into a pond while trying to impress a girl—that her stomach actually hurt.

Eventually, the car slowed... too quickly.

"Jeez, Seth," Evee blurted with a breathy laugh as she braced herself against the dashboard. "You trying to launch me through the windshield?"

"It wasn't that bad," he protested with a sheepish grin. "Did we crash? No. Everyone's alive. That's a win in my book."

"Your bar is so low it's underground," she teased.

Instead of arguing further, Seth once again dashed around the front of the car and opened her door, looking smug. "See? Perfectly safe and chivalrous."

"You're a menace," she muttered, stepping out.

"A polite menace."

Evee shook her head, smiling to herself as they headed toward the house. It was a small, weathered cabin nestled between tall evergreens. The exterior was a faded red, the paint peeling at the corners, giving it a rustic barn-like charm. The windows were narrow and shaded, and faint guitar music could be heard drifting from somewhere nearby.

"This way," Seth said, gesturing for her to follow him around the side of the house. "Jake's probably out back—he spends most of his time in the garage."

As they moved past the edge of the house, the thick brush of trees and low-hanging limbs gave way to a narrow gravel path. The sound of birds chirping mixed with the occasional clink of metal echoed from deeper in the yard.

Evee slowed her steps slightly, nerves fluttering in her chest. She didn't know what to expect—meeting new people, especially guys, had always made her slightly anxious. But with Seth beside her, she felt braver than usual. He kept glancing back to check if she was keeping up, flashing her soft, reassuring smiles that made her insides twist in the best kind of way.

As they rounded the final bend, a detached garage came into view—its doors wide open, revealing tools scattered across a long workbench, an old motorcycle in the middle of what looked like mid-repair, and a tall figure bent over the engine. Music played from an old radio set on the hood of a beat-up car.

"Welcome to Jake's sanctuary," Seth announced with a grin.

Evee took a deep breath, letting the tension in her shoulders ease. Maybe today would be okay. Maybe she could forget about the banshee thing—just for a little while.

She turned to Seth, who was already watching her with an unreadable look—something gentle, protective... and something else she couldn't name yet.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. Let's do normal."

"Are we early? I don't see any other cars," Evee said softly, eyeing the empty dirt patch that acted as a driveway. Her arms folded unconsciously over her chest. The quietness unsettled her. She liked socializing—with people she knew. But meeting new people? That was like being thrown into the deep end without knowing how to swim.

Seth glanced at her, reading the slight tension in her shoulders. "Yeah, we're the first ones. There's no real set time. Jake keeps things pretty chill."

"Right..." she mumbled, forcing a small smile as they reached the garage door.

Seth pushed it open with a creaky groan, the metal hinges letting out a loud, crackling protest that echoed like a crow's caw. The sudden noise made Evee flinch. Inside, the scent of oil, old metal, and damp wood hung in the air like smoke.

Jacob looked up from the motorcycle he'd been hunched over, a grease-slick wrench in hand. His face broke into a wide, easy grin. "Yo, what's up!"

He crossed the garage in a few quick strides and pulled Seth into a warm, familiar bro hug. It was the kind of greeting you could only give to someone you'd known forever.

And then—without warning—Jacob twisted Seth around into a tight headlock.

"Oh, come on!" Seth grunted, trying to laugh as his face was mashed into Jacob's bicep. "We're doing this now?"

"You brought a girl over, I had to assert dominance," Jacob deadpanned, ruffling Seth's hair aggressively with his knuckles.

Seth managed to hook his leg around Jacob's and yanked forward with a triumphant growl, sending both of them crashing to the ground with a thud that shook the dusty garage floor. They burst into wild, unfiltered laughter, a mix of old friendship and unspoken competition.

Evee instinctively stepped back, eyes wide, her mouth slightly agape. This was... a lot. Loud. Physical. Familiar in a way she wasn't part of.

She reached for her phone—something to fidget with, to ground her—but then—

"Don't worry, you get used to it," came a calm voice to her left.

She turned and jumped slightly at the sudden presence of a boy leaning casually against the garage's support beam. Tall, lean, and quiet-eyed, he wore an amused smirk as he watched the chaos unfold in front of them. His black hoodie had a tear at the shoulder, and he looked like he'd just appeared out of thin air.

Evee blinked. "Oh—uh, hi. I didn't see you there."

"Well aren't you jumpy?" Quil teased with a mischievous grin as he stepped into view, arms crossed as he leaned against a wooden post. His eyes sparkled with playful amusement, clearly enjoying the moment.

Evee pressed a hand to her chest, laughing a little despite herself. "You guys keep sneaking up on me! I swear you're part ghost."

"We get that a lot," Embry quipped, strolling up beside Quil, hands in the pockets of his hoodie. "But I promise, we're not that spooky. Just fangs and claws, oh and a lot of fur."

Just then, Seth noticed their arrival and quickly disentangled himself from the impromptu wrestling match with Jacob. He jogged over, slightly breathless but smiling. "What's up, you guys?"

"Not much," Embry replied smoothly. "Oh—and pizza's on the way. Quil's treat."

He held up Quil's wallet with a triumphant grin, shaking it like a trophy.

Quil rolled his eyes, snatching it back with a mock glare. "I said I'd pay, not that you'd rob me blind in the process."

"Oh, same difference," Embry said, shrugging with zero shame.

"Niceeee," Jacob called out from the other side of the garage, where he had returned to his motorcycle project. He glanced up briefly, wiping his hands on a rag before ducking back down with focused intensity.

"Dibs on the first slice!" Seth declared dramatically.

"You say that every time, and you never win," Embry replied with a smirk.

A car door slammed in the distance, breaking through the buzz of conversation. Evee turned instinctively, her curiosity piqued. Embry and Quil immediately perked up.

"That'll be the pizza guy," Embry said, already halfway across the yard with Quil hot on his heels. "Time to fulfill our destiny."

Evee smiled, watching them go. There was something oddly comforting about the way the boys interacted. Loud, chaotic, borderline reckless—but there was a deep-rooted closeness between them all, a loyalty that showed even in their jokes and jabs.

Seth stepped beside her again, his shoulder brushing lightly against hers. He didn't say anything at first, just stood there with her, watching the others.

"You doing okay?" he asked eventually, his voice a bit quieter than before, almost thoughtful.

She glanced up at him, caught a sliver of concern behind the warmth in his eyes. "Yeah. I mean... I think so. Everyone's really cool. I was a little nervous, but this has been nice."

Seth smiled at that, and something about it made Evee feel lighter. "Told you. You're one of us now."

She let out a small laugh. "That's a dangerous thing to say."

"Maybe. But I meant it."

Their eyes lingered on each other a beat too long, until the sound of the screen door slamming again and a voice calling out, "Hot, greasy delivery comin' through!" pulled their attention away, Quil's voice already muffled by the pizza he wasted no time stuffing into his mouth.

"Let's go eat," Seth said, nudging her gently with his elbow, the moment shifting back into easy rhythm.

Embry walked through after Quil, the door swinging open with a creak as he carefully balanced three stacked pizza boxes in his arms, the smell of melted cheese and pepperoni wafting in behind him like a warm breeze.

"Six boxes?" Evee asked, raising an eyebrow as she took in the impressive haul.

Seth grinned as he threw himself onto the couch beside her, his shoulder brushing hers as he leaned back with all the confidence in the world. "We eat. A lot."

"That's an understatement," Embry muttered, setting his boxes down on the nearby table and immediately opening one.

Quil strode over dramatically, flipping open the top of a box and holding it out to Evee like he was presenting treasure. "M'lady?" he offered with a mock bow, then tilted the box toward Seth. "Oh—and Seth. But you fall under that category too, don't ya?"

Seth shot his leg out without hesitation, landing a solid kick to Quil's stomach.

"Oof!" Quil doubled slightly but kept his grip on the box, laughing through it. "You wound me, sir!"

Evee giggled at the chaos, then took a slice with a soft, "Thank you."

She examined the greasy triangle of pizza for a moment, then glanced around at the others—already scarfing down slices like it was their last meal. "Do you guys not have to worry about getting fat? Is that like... a werewolf thing?" she asked, genuinely curious.

The room froze for the briefest second—and then erupted in laughter.

Jacob snorted from across the garage, nearly dropping the wrench he was holding. Embry bent over the pizza boxes, wheezing from laughter. Even Quil was holding his stomach—not from Seth's earlier kick this time, but from laughing so hard his stomach hurt.

Evee blinked, her face instantly flushing. Heat rose to her cheeks, her stomach twisting in on itself. Oh God, she thought. Was that dumb? Was that weird? She suddenly felt very aware of herself, her hands tightening slightly around the plate in her lap.

But then she felt Seth's hand slide gently into hers, fingers curling over her knuckles with comforting pressure. She turned slightly toward him, and before she could say a word, he leaned in close, his breath warm against the shell of her ear.

"They're laughing with you, not at you," he whispered, his lips barely brushing the top of her skin.

A shiver danced down her spine, and her heart fluttered so hard in her chest she was afraid everyone could hear it. She looked up at him and found his eyes already on her—soft, sincere, and warm with something she couldn't quite name yet.

"Man, this girl is great!" Embry declared with genuine enthusiasm, tipping his head back against the wall as he grinned toward the couch where Evee and Seth sat. His voice rang through the garage with an energy that made Evee's heart skip.

Jacob looked up from the motorcycle, one greasy hand gripping a wrench while the other steadied a bolt. "Yeah, Seth, you better keep her," he added, eyes narrowing playfully. "Don't screw it up, ya little shit."

Seth rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the slow grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Gee, thanks for the confidence boost, guys."

Evee laughed softly, feeling a rush of warmth rise to her cheeks. She glanced down at their still-intertwined hands, the calluses on Seth's fingers brushing lightly against hers. She tried to ignore the butterflies fluttering like crazy in her stomach.

Quil chimed in next, clearly not ready to let the topic shift just yet. "She's kinda got a point though," he said, lifting his shirt to slap his stomach with a loud smack. "I mean, ever since I phased, this flab has slowly turned to abs."

His wide, mischievous grin stretched across his face like a cat who got into the cream, and Evee couldn't help but giggle at the ridiculous sight. It reminded her of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland—mischief in a hoodie.

"Nah, it's still flabs," Embry quipped, never missing a beat. He lifted one foot and gave Quil a light push to the side with it.

Quil stumbled a little and clutched his imaginary pearls. "Rude. I happen to be perfectly sculpted, thank you."

"Yeah," Jacob muttered under his breath, tightening another bolt with a satisfying click. "Sculpted like a sack of potatoes."

That sent another ripple of laughter through the garage. Evee laughed along with them, though more quietly this time. Watching the easy camaraderie between the boys made something flutter in her chest—something soft and warm, like the longing to belong and the hesitant joy of maybe, just maybe, finding a place where she did.

She leaned a little into Seth's side, her smile lingering.

Seth looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Still think we're weird?"

Evee smirked, brushing her thumb gently over the back of his hand. "Oh, definitely. But I kinda like it."

He grinned wide at that, the kind of grin that made his eyes crinkle and his cheeks dimple.

"So... what other supernatural beings are there?" Evee asked, her voice laced with curiosity and just the tiniest edge of nervousness. She folded one leg underneath her as she shifted on the couch, her fingers idly brushing over the hem of her shorts.

Seth, trying his best to be casual, lifted his arm and rested it along the back of the couch just behind her. It wasn't quite a smooth move—he accidentally knocked into her shoulder with his elbow first, muttered a soft "sorry," and then settled in again like it had all been intentional.

Across the garage, Embry let out a not-so-subtle snicker, elbowing Jacob, who raised a brow in amusement but didn't comment. The quiet teasing between them was palpable.

Jacob wiped his hands on a stained rag before responding, his tone instantly shifting. "Well, there's us..." he began, then added more sharply, "and then there's the bloodsuckers."

"Bloodsuckers?" Evee repeated, brow furrowing. Then realization dawned on her face. "Oh—the vampires."

Seth nodded wordlessly beside her, while Embry hummed in agreement, cheeks still full of pizza. He gave a thumbs up before swallowing and added, "Yup. Like the one that chased you."

Evee shivered slightly, though she tried to hide it. The memory of that night—of the cold air, the way the world had warped around her senses, how her legs had nearly given out as she ran—was still too fresh. She took a bite of her pizza to ground herself, chewing thoughtfully.

She noticed Seth's awkward but endearing move with his arm and couldn't help the warm smile tugging at her lips. It was clumsy, but sweet. She liked that he didn't have it all figured out. That made it feel more real. She leaned slightly into his side without making a big show of it, and the subtle twitch of a grin on his face told her he noticed.

"So are vampires really like in the stories?" she asked after swallowing. "Dracula, garlic, wooden stakes, coffins and all that?"

"Yeah, but without the cape and the giant castle," Quil chimed in, licking grease off his fingers. He gestured with his half-eaten slice as if it were an ancient scroll of truth.

"No, no—the Cullens definitely own capes," Seth added with a smirk, standing and stretching before walking over to Jacob's mini fridge. He popped it open and fished out a can of beer, holding it up like a small victory.

"Oh for sure," Jacob agreed, lifting his hand mid-motion.

Quil saw the signal and wordlessly tossed a can across the garage, which Jacob caught without looking. The kind of effortless coordination that only years of being part of the same pack could bring. Quil grabbed another beer for himself, cracking it open with a sharp hiss.

"And their house?" Embry added, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin. "Might as well be a castle. Giant windows. Modern stone. Could probably house three werewolf packs inside it."

"The whole garlic and wooden stake thing though? Nah," Jacob said, shaking his head and wiping grease off his hands with a rag. A sly grin pulled at the corner of his mouth, something dark and amused flickering in his eyes. "If you wanna kill one, you have to rip its head off."

The room fell momentarily quiet. The statement hung heavy in the air, and Jacob's tone made it feel less like an explanation and more like a memory.

Evee blinked. "Ew." She grimaced instinctively, her nose wrinkling. She wiped her palms on the sides of her thighs, as if the mental image alone had somehow made her hands feel dirty. "That's... a bit intense."

Jacob just shrugged with that same grin, clearly unbothered by the grotesque visual he'd left them with.

"Enough of that," Seth cut in, nudging Evee's shoulder with his own and flashing her a reassuring smile. "Don't wanna ruin our appetite."

Quil chuckled through a mouthful of pizza, "Speak for yourself, man. I've seen worse on TV and still downed a full plate of wings."

"Yeah, but you're disgusting," Embry pointed out helpfully, tossing a napkin at Quil, which missed and floated lazily to the ground.

"I prefer the term resilient," Quil said with a dramatic hair flip.

Evee laughed softly, relaxing again as the tension gave way to the usual banter. Seth leaned back beside her on the couch, his arm now resting just behind her shoulders—not quite touching her, but close enough that she felt the warmth of him.

Still, the conversation lingered in the back of her mind. The thought of vampires being real, of having to fight them—of people she was beginning to care about putting themselves in that kind of danger—it made her stomach twist in a different kind of way.

The group of teens hung out for the majority of the day, talking about everything and nothing. Laughter echoed through the garage, stories were passed around like candy, and inside jokes were born faster than they could keep track. Evee found herself most captivated by the chaos of Jacob's dramatic love triangle—the human girl, the vampire, and himself. His storytelling had everyone enthralled, and Evee couldn't help but be intrigued by the infamous Bella Swan, the girl Jacob clearly still carried a torch for, even through the bitterness laced in his words.

But if she was honest, nothing held her attention like Seth did.

It wasn't quite a relationship—how could it be, when she'd only just met him? But at the same time, it felt like she'd known him forever. Their connection was something unspoken yet undeniable, something that existed in the small glances, the lingering touches, the way their laughter always seemed to sync. It was more than friendship—though neither of them had dared say it out loud. Still, Evee knew. She knew she wanted more. She wanted him.

There was no fear in that certainty. Just quiet longing.

She hadn't expected this, hadn't come looking for it, but here it was—something real, something easy. Being near Seth made everything in her life feel a little lighter. He brought stillness to the chaos in her head, peace to places that had long been restless. Being with him was effortless, natural—like breathing.

And in this moment, surrounded by laughter and warmth, the weight of the world slipping away, Evee finally let herself feel the fullness of that truth.

She had never been more sure of anything.