𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 • Neil Perry

Chapter 4

HE was early. In the time he had spent waiting as he leant against the railing post of the staircase, a number of students had strode past. Some on their lonesome. Some in herds. It was his mistake being so cautious. But he preferred the notion of being careful more so than careless. He could not afford to be more sorry than he already was.

But, naturally, it was when he rolled up his sleeve to get a look at his watch that he heard her voice ask, "Have you been waiting long?"

And surely, there she was descending from the landing above. Under her teal cardigan, she wore a simple pearl blouse tucked into a navy skirt grazing her calf with each step in the same way her hair grazed her upper back.

"It doesn't matter."

She stepped down onto the ground, and there was a lingering silence for a moment that froze the air around them. Until she spoke. "I should apologise for yesterday, I was—"

"Don't even mention it," Neil shut down easily and sincerely, but it was enough to make her disregard the matter.

"Where are we going?" she asked instead. But before he could do so much as think to answer, she interjected. "Wait, let me guess. That's for you to know."

Neil's lips pulled up into a slanted smile. "You'll like it."

"Let's hope so," said Evelyn as she began to take measured steps towards the double doors. "It's a slippery slope for you."

Neil followed at her pace, and soon enough, they were on his bike with Neil holding the handlebars whilst Evelyn clung to him firmly. But with the bike still approaching the Vermont roads, Neil's wheels ran a path through the courtyard before the myriad of Henley Hall buildings, and without warning, Evelyn's hands pinched the sides of his abdomen.

The sensation jolted him into swerving his bike only momentarily, "Evelyn!" before he managed to steady it back into motion.

All the while, she laughed against his back. "Sorry! Couldn't resist."

"Here?"

They had arrived at the lakeside by Welton Academy. Neil let Evelyn get off the bike first, before following suit and leaning his bike against a tree.

"I robbed you of your time here yesterday and I wanted to make up for it."                          

Evelyn's eyebrows furrowed as her focus on him intensified. "By spending it with me?"

He began to lead the way towards the water, with his body still angled slightly to show she had his attention. "Is that all right?"

She watched him sit down feet away from the water's edge before the ground began to slope downward and he could feel her eyes on the back of his head. He wondered what she was thinking.

"It's definitely thoughtful," she said and sat herself down beside him on the grass.

The air was still mostly quiet where the nightlife hadn't been concerned. But there was something comforting in the silence that embraced them. It wasn't demanding in the sense Neil felt the need to fill it with lighthearted words. But that did not mean his heart was devoid of nervousness. The last time he had been this fright was the night of the open tryouts for the play, but this was within its own league. He felt a dire responsibility not to ruin this. There was no telling if he would ever get another chance to be alone with Evelyn, and he wanted to prove to her all the reasons he deserved one.

"I didn't thank you for coming tonight," he said.

"I gave you my word," Evelyn replied softly. "And my roommate is a real grump most of the time, so it's nice to have a reason to go out and just get away. Even if it's for a little while."