Laydon ended up at work. He leaned against the counter, feeling terrible, gripping the necklace around his neck. It was a gold ring with a split in half with half a moon on one part a sun on the other. The design was tribal and he understood the meaning perfect somehow. It was the day and the night, as one.
“Laydon!” Kirk shouted when he came out of his office. “What are you doing?! Help Jinx with the orders!”
“Sorry, man,” Laydon called back. “Sorry, Jinx.” He went over to her and grabbed a cup fixing the order written on it.
“It’s cool dude,” Jinx told him. She usually worked shifts with him but had been out of town lately for some new online girlfriend. She had short blond hair that was spiked with pink. “Kirk’s just PMSing,” she yelled at him.
Laydon looked over his shoulder to see Kirk lean out of his office, look around for people then flip her off. She blew a kiss in return,
Laughing turned into coughing for Laydon though.
“Dude, what’s wrong with you?” Jinx asked while they worked.
“Huh?” He realized she was talking to him. “Oh nothing. I’m just tired today.” He tried to yawn but that as well turned into coughing.
“Yeah, that’s it.” Jinx rolled her eyes. “Just tell Kirk you’re sick, he’ll understand.”
“But I won’t,” Laydon said. “I’m just working another thirty minutes and then I’m out. He’s letting me off early. I’m fine.”
“Fine,” Jinx repeated.
***
Laydon knew he was a wreck, he just didn’t want to miss the last game. For Ethan, and because he promised Jo. Yeah, he knew he was a good best friend and boyfriend. Maybe he would get away with leaving early.
[-S.
+”Nothing's gonna change my world...”
-The Beatles]
So I got bored after that part, and well here:
“Evan?” Laydon called as he walked out the door behind Evan.
She turned around, hair flowing behind her. “Yo?” She had her phone out.
“Can you come over and help me with my stats? I need help catching up.” He had been failing miserably since he barely got out of work and his house lately. He couldn’t get to school because of his sick but Kirk let him help out and bus tables for minimum wage still.
“Sure,” she said shrugging. “I was just about to call Randy to pick me up, but yeah that’s fine.”
He walked over to his car, her following. He knew this was a bad idea. He knew it. If Ethan or Jocelyn found out…but he needed help and since Patrick was at band practice she was the only one. Okay she wasn’t, but Jocelyn was still…Jocelyn
They got into it and started the ignition with his music playing. Oldies. Queen. He had been listening to it immensely lately. The whole ride to his house Evan sang along beautifully. When he entered his neighborhood Evan whistled.
“God damn boy,” she said turning down the volume. “And you work?”
He shrugged. “Got to make a living some how,” he laughed before coughing.
“Not feeling any better?” She asked solemnly.
“Nope,” he shook his head then pulled into his driveway.
“Nice,” she said getting out and looking at the huge yard. “It’s so big and open.” She spread out her arms looking up. “Amazing place to fly,” she said dreamily.
“I thought we’d go inside,” Laydon said laughing awkwardly.
She turned and shot him a killer smile. “Right.”
Together they walked together into his house. Once in Laydon called, “Grams. Are you home?” Then he spotted the note on the dining room table.
Laydon, it read, I went over to your aunts for the night. I don’t think I’ll be home tonight but you can stay at Ethan’s or have Ethan over. I’ll call you when I know for sure.
-Grams
Laydon hurt inside. Damn it, he thought. Now who was going to keep him in line? “Well,” he said, not really sure where to go with it.
“Huh?” Evan asked. She was over by the stairs starring at the picture of his mother and father.
“Grams is out,” he said coming over to her. “That’s my mum, and dad.” He pointed at each of them.
“She’s beautiful,” she said, but Laydon didn’t think Evan had much of a say seeing as how beautiful she was as well.
“So are you,” he said aloud before thinking about it. He bit his cheek.
She looked at him, gazing. “You look like both of them.”
He smiled. “I know,” he said simply, reminding himself of Han Solo.
“You have her hair,” she said looking back at him and touching his. She took a breath and then said, looking down, “but his eyes.” She looked up at him again.
Looking into her emerald eyes he was overwhelmed, amazed by her. Without thinking he started to lean closer before stopping with one word popping into his mind Ethan. He turned suddenly. “Sorry,” he said shortly.
He looked back at her and saw her looking away, cheeks flushed. “Yeah. Let’s get busy.” She said looking over at him and smiling forcefully.
***
In the middle of the books paper and laptop lay Laydon and Evan. They were in the living room with a C.D. playing in the background. The couch had their almost empty bags on it.
They were around half way done when Laydon’s stomach growled loudly. Evan looked at him before busting up laughing.
“You got a monster in there?” She asked rolling on the ground.
“Maybe,” Laydon said getting up. “I’m going to go order a pizza. Cheese or Pepperoni?” He asked.
“Don’t care,” Evan said shaking her head. “Do you have any soda? Or coffee? Something with caffeine at least?”
“Sure,” he said leaving the room. “Give me a second.” While he called the local place he hunted around his kitchen for a soda before finding a Rockstar hidden behind his grandmother’s wine coolers. After hanging it up he went back into the living room and tossed the can at Evan.
“Sweet,” she said smiling and popping it open. She took a drink before asking, “How long for the pizza?”
He shrugged. “About half an hour,” he said then plopped down against the couch.
“Long enough for another worksheet,” Evan mocked excitement.
“Ugh,” Laydon sighed. “Please can we take a break?” He knew he sounded whiney when he said it, but didn’t care.
“Only if you want to fail,” Evan shot back.
He groaned.
“Fine,” she said stretching. “Let’s take a break.”
Laydon smiled gratefully. “So…” he trailed of unable to think of anything to say. About them Yankees.” They both laughed at that, Laydon’s laughter turning into coughs. “Doesn’t look like I’m getting that much better.”
“You are,” Evan said. “You just can’t move that much. It’s like mono.”
“Mono?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah,”she shrugged. “You know the kissing disease?”
“Oh yeah,” Laydon nodded. “Like the little fluff ball they sell Kwirkworld.”
She laughed. “Yeah/ You’re sore for awhile then it all goes away…” she trailed off the last three words and bit her lips, like she knew something he didn’t.
“You’ve had mono?” Laydon asked. He realized that he didn’t know that much about her other than what they shared at work, and he wanted to learn more.
“Nah,” she shook her head. “But Randy has, of course.”
“Oh,” Laydon said. “Tell me about yourself,” he blurted out. “I mean, I don’t know that much about you,” he finished awkwardly.
She shrugged again. “What’s to know? I moved here with Randy to stay with Dick and—”
“And that’s all I know,” Laydon cut across her. “So tell me about the stuff that I and other people don’t know.”
She smiled as if no one ever asked her that, and he realized no one probably did. “I like nature,” she said. “I’m liberal in that way. I like the green and hate how humans are cutting it down for greed. Green’s my favorite color. I like music a lot, and art. I used to see a lot of plays, too.”
And for awhile Laydon listened to her. She talked about her interests and disinterests and he found some were like his but also a lot different. It was great that they were opposites as much as they were alike he thought. She talked about her family too, but always careful to avoid something. She had more interests then Laydon could list but he loved listening about her.
“Come here,” Laydon said at one point getting up. She had just told him that she had played piano, but guitar interested her more.
She looked up at him. “What?”
“I wanna show you something.” He held out his hand to help her up. “Come on.”
She took it and he didn’t let go when she was up but pulled her upstairs to his room.
“This is my interest,” he said pushing open the door. His walls were always covered in sketches; sketches with pencils, with charcoal, some with colored pastels; sketches of people creatures and places. Above his bed was a wolf surrounded by trees and bows and arrows and fire.
She saw it instantly and walked over touching it, out of his reach. “It’s amazing.”
“Nah,” Laydon shook his head. “But I didn’t bring you up here to show you that,” he said. “I want to hear you play,” he said and pointed at his guitar.
She smiled at him and walked around to it picking it up. “Why?” she asked.
“Because,” Laydon said hesitant, “I think it’ll sound beautiful.”
She kept the smile on her face, as she picked up the acoustic and sat down on the bed, Laydon beside her. She strummed a few chords before falling into a song Laydon had never heard before. She didn’t sing but just played, soft and hard at the same time. It made Laydon’s blood pulse under his skin.
She played the last chord slowly, letting it ring. “I’m rusty.” She put it back on the stand.
“No,” Laydon said seriously. “You’re amazing.”
Evan shook her head still smiling; she sat back on the bed. “My father taught me.” She paused. “Before he died.”
“I’m sorry,” Laydon said although he knew he had already told her this. “You can talk to me about it,” he said. “If you want to.”
She took his hand again and he squeezed hers softly. She shook her head slowly. “I want to, but I’m scared to.”
“Why?” Laydon asked brushing her hair behind her shoulder.
“Because they were murdered, Laydon.” She closed her eyes and lay back, as though she was picturing it. “By the devil.”
“That’s terrible,” Laydon said.
“Isn’t it?” She asked. “And I have to deal with it every single day. Not the fact that they’re gone, but that the murderer is still out there.”
“How’s he still out there?” He was confused.
She opened her eyes and smiled. “My sister was engaged,” she said, and to Laydon it seemed as if she was changing the subject. “She felt as if she had me the perfect man.”
And then it clicked. “He killed them?”
“No,” Evan said. “His…master did. He was only there to get the inside scoop on us all. I saw right through him. I knew he wasn’t a good person, but my sister wouldn’t listen. Neither would my parents. Only my brother did.”
“Randy,” Laydon said, nodding.
“No,” Evan said sitting up. “My little brother, Andrew.”
“What?” Laydon was confused.
“Can I trust you?” Evan asked. “I think I can, and I know you need to understand what I am saying more than anyone.”
“Yeah,” Laydon said without hesitation. “I—”
But the doorbell rang. Pizza, he realized. So they got up and went down stares and
So I skipped again and I'm trying to rewrite from their...
-S.
