As Evie opened her eyes the next morning, the events of last night started flooding back. Dylan and I broke up, my mother had an episode, Roxy and Kate broke up, Roxy now lives with me. She could hardly believe it, and grinned into her pillow.

Soft morning light flickered into the room, escaping past the gaps in her curtains. Evie checked her phone for the time; just before seven. Sitting up she stretched and clambered out of bed, heading for the bathroom.

After a quick but efficient shower, in which Evie washed her hair and shaved her legs, she hopped out and wrapped her towel around her. Just as she picked up the blow dryer, the door opened, and Roxy sauntered in.

And Evie stared. Is she in slow motion? One hand raked through her tousled faux mohawk, the other arm raised in a stretch, showing off her toned muscles. Her pjs consisted of baggy boxers and a skin-tight crop top. Evie and Roxy made eye contact; the former blushed and the latter smirked.

"Oops, sorry." She drawled casually and turned around, slow-motion walking back to her room. The door clicked shut behind her. I really need to get a lock for that...

Evie finished up as quickly as she could, knocking on Roxy's door to let her know the bathroom was available. Then she went back into her own room, applied makeup, styled her hair and laid out her dreary uniform.

The sound of running water filled the space. To distract herself from the mental image of Roxy in the shower, Evie headed downstairs and into the kitchen. A hand-written note was tapped to the fridge.

Evie, shame I missed you this morning. Here's a little gift I picked up from Hong Kong last week. Love, daddy.

Evie ripped the note off and stuffed it in her pocket. She turned to the counter, and sure enough, there sat a tiny box wrapped in a pink ribbon. Evie opened it, revealing a Swarovski bracelet. It's beautiful. She thought, picking up the delicate silver circle, studded with ice-blue crystals.

Aaaand it doesn't fit, she realised as she tried to jam it onto her wrist. Hong Kong sizes. She popped it back into the box. Evie liked getting gifts from her dad, always jewellery or clothes, made her feel special and thought of. It didn't bother her that he was never home, or that he tried to buy her love.

There are plenty of fathers out there who are never home regardless, and don't buy their daughters anything to make up for it. I'm one of the lucky ones. She reminded herself.

Gloria won't be up before nine, but the house keeper comes in early ever day. So Evie toasted two waffles and two slices of bread and poured two cups of hot coffee. She placed these on a tray along with a bowl of fruit and one of yogurt. As she was about to carry it out the kitchen, their housekeeper Elena bustled in.

"Good morning Miss ElClaire," the gentle, motherly woman said, accent thick.

"Good morning Elena. Please call me Evie." Evie asked, for what felt like the thousandth time since Elena was hired when Evie was just a child. But as always, the woman did not respond. Probably terrified of the witch who lives in this castle.

Evie tried to inch past without showing her tray, and almost made it too when Elena looked over. Kind, yes. But stupid, no.

"I see someone's hungry." Elena observed, eyes speaking volumes. It's not what you think! Evie wanted to blurt out, but the little Spanish woman had already moved into the butchers pantry.

Instead Evie turned around and raced out, as fast as her tray of goodies would allow. Using her foot to open her bedroom door, she entered and placed the tray on her dressing table. A moment later, she felt someone watching her.

Roxy had enter her room, dressed in a cotton off the shoulder top and black pants. Roxy stared back, and Evie realised it was the first time Roxy had seen her in school uniform. Filled with embarrassment, Evie turned around grabbed a waffle, shoving it into her mouth. Damned grammar school.

"The sexy school-girl look works for you." Was all Roxy said, grabbing a slice of toast. Evie almost choked on her mouthful of sugary goodness, but looked at Roxy gratefully.

"Going to school today?" Evie asked. She knew Roxy blew off some days, but to do what she wasn't sure. Roxy shook her head, causing the tips of her faux mohawk to rustle.

"Nah. I've got to go talk to my old man, see if he can get me an apprenticeship. Either for a mechanic or electrician, hopefully a mechanic." Roxy crossed her fingers and glanced up at the sky. Evie laughed. The idea of Roxy working on a car... is unsurprisingly very hot. "Then I need to see an agent about finding a rental. And I need to go see Jim for some more hours now that I'm not sharing expenses."

She said, taking a sip of her black coffee. She didn't say it to generate sympathy or to fish for money, Evie knew that. But everything in Evie just wanted to help Roxy.

"You don't have to, you know. Move out, I mean. You could just stay here." With me. Evie offered, secretly really hoping she would. But Roxy shook her head again, jaw set.

"Nope. I'll stay only till I've found a place. This isn't high school musical, or a slumber party, or some other cringy teen tv show. Even when I've lived with partners in the past, we were roommates first and foremost. Equal terms." Evie understood what Roxy meant, she wasn't trying to be mean she was just being honest. But it still hurt. 

Roxy got up and ambled to the door, toast in her mouth. She turned around at the door, took the piece of toast in her hand, and looked at Evie.

"But thanks princess. You're pretty special E. See ya tonight." A wink and she was gone, no doubt tiptoeing down the stairs and outside, to where her car was parked in the next street.

Evie ate her yogurt thoughtfully. At least Roxy's got a plan for after all this. A plan to earn money and become self sufficient. Me... Evie sighed, eyeing herself in the mirror.

It's a shame you can't go to college for being beautiful. Or a decent person. What else do I have to offer? Even if I pick something to major in, I'll need to find a job afterwards. And, unless I go to the closest state college, I'll have to move.

Too many big questions for too soon in the morning. Evie decided, grabbing her bag, phone and keys. A couple minutes later she was out the door and in her car, heading to school.

The moment Evie walked through the hallway she knew something was off. Evie was used to being watched wherever she went, either in admiration or jealousy. But more than usual, people glanced at her as she walked past, whispering to each other. People stopped as they were walking to, and just stood there staring.

Unnerved, Evie walked to her first class, hoping it'll calm down. But by halfway through, the force of multiple gazes on her back was too much. She whipped around. A boy sat behind her, freckled and geeky with large glasses. Upon eye contact he dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Spill." She hissed. Do they know? About me... and Roxy?

"Wh-what?" He stuttered, eyes back up to hers. He licked his lips nervously.

"Why are people looking at me like I grew a third boob?" Evie's voice was guttural, and the nervous teens gaze dropped to her cleavage. She rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue, grabbing his attention again.

"They know." He started and Evie felt like she'd been punched in the gut. "About you and Dylan." Dylan?! Oh, right.

Heart racing, Evie murmured her thanks and turned back around. Calm down Evie, it's okay. Evie didn't care if they knew about her and Dylan. She was actually surprised people were making such a fuss about it, it was just a high school break up after all. He was probably already tongue deep in that red head, plastered all over her locker.

But Evie did some soul searching, sitting in that first period class. The teacher spoke, but she might as well have been under water.

Would it be so bad? Why did I freak out when I thought people knew about me and Roxy? There isn't even anything happening between me and Roxy. But the idea that someone might think so...

Does that make me a bad person? It's not that I'm homophobic, not in the slightest. But... am I ready for people to know that I... well, might like girls?

Evie wasn't sure. It would mean letting go of her queen bee, ice bitch façade and being vulnerable. Letting the world see who she really is. And she wasn't ready for that, not when she hadn't even come to terms with it herself yet.

She was still lost in thought by the time lunch rolled around. Seated at their table, eating a salad sandwich, she finally turned to May, who had been staring at her the entire time.

"What?" She asked, exasperated. Evie was starting to get sick of the constant attention, like being an animal in a zoo.

May looked at her, long and hard. "We should hang out after school. Like we used to. Hit up the mall, browse Macy's, get fro-yo..." May dragged the words out, making it sound pretty enticing. May elbowed Evie playfully.

Just as she was about to decline, she got an incoming text.

E, I've got an apartment listing @ 4. I'll see you later & I'll bring takeout xx Roxy

Evie scowled. Damn it. She looked back at May, eager and keen to be friends. Evie softened.

"Sure, that sounds like fun." And I'm sure it will be fun. Just not as fun as hanging out with Roxy.

"Great." May said, clapping her hands together and getting up from the lunch table, probably to go grab a chocolate milk.

"Me too please." Evie called after her. I hope she's getting chocolate milk...

———————————————————

Despite not being overly keen to hang out at the mall with May, Stella and Isabell, Evie enjoyed herself. It was fun and frivolous, to walk around pointing out cute outfits, and take group photos of trying clothes on and eating frozen yogurt. Like that shopping scene with Cher and Dion in Clueless, she thought to herself, taking another spoonful of berries.

"Ready to get back on the saddle?" Isabell asked, eyes motioning to an attractive guy working at the surf shop.

Evie groaned and closed her eyes.

"No." It came out more like a whine. "I don't want to." Mature, Evie.

"You're not gonna get your game back by sitting on the bench." Stella said, checking the guy out approvingly. Evie hadn't given them details as to why she and Dylan broke up, and they hadn't asked. Besides being hot, Dylan was generally known as a bit of an asshole.

Evie's not sure what made her consider it. Whether to prove to her girls that she was still the flirty and thriving Evie ElClaire they know and love, or to prove to herself that she still found boys attractive. Or, to go after something and get it, just because she wanted to.

That's the only possible reasons to explain how she ended up, ten minutes later, making out with the cute surfer in a storage room. The only reasons she allowed herself to acknowledge. It's not because I'm pining after Roxy.

Evie held the guys face between her hands, eyes shut. Upon the feel of stubble beneath her fingertips, she dropped her hands to his chest. Somewhat better.

He used that as an opportunity to run his hands down her arms, coming dangerously close to her boobs. One hand slipped underneath her shirt and Evie pulled back. I need at least a name for second base.

"Well, that was nice. Bye." She said, and turned around to leave. A hand grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, can I grab your number? You have to agree that was hot." The guy said. Evie surveyed him. More like lukewarm. But not bad. Evie agreed and rattled off her mother's number, claiming it as her own. That'll give Gloria something to focus on.

Evie walked back to her girls, who sat at a cafeteria table watching intently. Evie made sure to really obviously straighten her shirt and pretended to smooth her hair in embarrassment. They squealed. Only May watched in annoyance. Maybe she's onto me.

"How was he?" Stella asked, eyebrows wagging.

"Let's just say I'll be walking funny tomorrow." Evie sang, quoting Brandon from Easy-A, earning her high fives all around. They have no idea how accurate that is, my quoting Brandon.

"Whose up for Taco Bell?" May asked, spreading her arms out wide. Stella and Isabell pumped their fists in the air, but Evie checked her phone. No texts from Roxy, but the time read 5:30.

"I should get going." Evie said, slinging her purse over her shoulder. They'd nipped home to change clothes after school ended, and she'd left her bag there too. The girls protested but Evie cut them off. "Gloria duty. Can't poke the bear." No one could disagree with that.

She said goodbye to her girls and headed out to her car. I actually enjoyed this outing, it was nice, she thought. Nostalgic.

By the time she'd drive home, parked and gotten upstairs, it was almost six. Evie had checked the medicine cabinet earlier, and sure enough, her mother's anti-crazy pills were unopened. Issue for another day.

Evie opened her bedroom room and had barely been sitting on her bed for ten minutes when she heard a cracking sound.

CRACK. CRACK. CRACK. Evie whipped her head around, and movement caught her eye. Tiny pebbles were smacking into Evie's window. Evie lunged forward and opened it, ducking as another tiny pebble sailed over her head.

"Oops." Came a giggle from on the street. And there stood Roxy, armed with pebbles in one hand, bag of Chinese takeout in the other. Roxy beamed up at Evie, who gaped, awestruck.

"What are you doing?" She whisper-shouted, as Roxy dropped the pebbles, hooked the bag over her shoulder, and started climbing the brick wall. Within seconds she'd pulled herself up over the windowsill, the entire movement effortless, as Evie watched in shock.

"Hey Juliet. I brought food." Was Roxy's only explanation, shaking the plastic bag. Roxy walked past and hoped onto Evie's bed, sat cross-legged and started to unpack.

"You could have come through the front door?" Evie laughed. She couldn't decide what was more attractive, being called 'Juliet' or watching Roxy scale the wall like Spider-Man.

"Where's the fun in that?" Roxy grinned, handing Evie a plastic container as she sat next to her. "Besides, your mother is hovering around the front door like a bat."

"Mmm, dumplings and stir fry. My favourite." Evie moaned, taking a bite out of a hot, juicy pork dumpling. Roxy reached around to grab the TV remote but Evie swatted it out of her grasp.

"Wha?" Roxy asked, mouth full of noodles.

"I haven't heard about your day yet. How'd it go with the rental?" Evie asked, full of conflicting emotions.

"So I found a place, this cute two bedroom apartment on the edge of Kleppers. I can manage the rent on my own for now, but I'll be looking for a roommate long term." Roxy said, voice light and casual. Roommate... Evie tried to hide her scowl. Are you... jealous?

"Oh, that's great. When do you move in?"

"This weekend. I'll get my furniture from Kate's place on Friday." Roxy watched Evie carefully, but Evie refused to show any disappointment or annoyance.

"I'll help you." Evie offered. Roxy's mouth twitched up in a half smile and her eyes shone. This time it was Evie who grabbed the remote, flicking onto discovery channel.

"Ugh." Roxy complained, forehead creased. "Another documentary about," she squinted at the screen, "Pygmy possums?"

Evie leaned back against her headboard, placing the discarded takeout container on the floor. Roxy settled in beside her, almost touching.

"I like his voice." Evie said defensively. Who doesn't like David Attenborough? He's like the Morgan Freeman of documentaries.

Suddenly Roxy lunged over Evie, going for the remote.

"STEALTH ATTACK." She cried as they wrestled, but Evie held on tight. Roxy pulled back and looked at Evie. She smiled slowly, wickedly.

"Oh no." Evie whispered, catching on. "No, please!" Regardless of her cries, Roxy reached up and started to tickle Evie. Evie shrieked and held the remote close to her chest, attempting to roll out of Roxy's reach.

Hysterical laughing ensued, as Roxy relentlessly tickled Evie.

"St-sto-op. P-pl-eas-e." Evie begged and Roxy let out an evil laugh.

"Just give me the remote." Roxy growled, laughter imminent in her voice.

"Evelyn?" Faintly, Evie heard Gloria call out her name. Suddenly serious, with more strength than she knew was in her, Evie flung Roxy off her and off the bed. A hard thud as Roxy shrieked and hit the ground, just as Evie's bedroom door was flung open, revealing Gloria.

Gloria took in the empty room, Evie laying on her back on her bed, remote clutched tightly, breathing heavily. She paused.

"It sounded like there was someone else in here." Gloria asked, eyes shrewd as a bat. Evie shook her head.

"Nope. Just the TV." Gloria looked at the screen, where a furry little possum ran up a branch in a forest. She raised an eyebrow. Evie swallowed.

"...I was tickling myself?" Evie offered as way of explanation. Her mother, instead of looking dubious, sighed dramatically. She leaned on the doorframe.

"Evelyn, dear, this is why you shouldn't have broken up with Dylan. You're so lonely you're pretending to be both people." Gloria said sadly, shaking her head. Evie was filled with horror, as Gloria's meaning dawned on her.

Evie glanced down at herself, panting and sweaty, at the remote in both hands and at the documentary, now showing two monkeys getting it on.

"No, it's not what it looks like-" she started to explain, but Gloria just tsked and shut the door.

Dead silence. Evie started at the ceiling, mortified. Then a burst of laughter filled the room, as Roxy's head popped up next to the bed. She laughed and laughed, falling onto her side in fits.

"This cannot be happening." Evie whispered in horror. She could taste bile in her throat. She turned to Roxy. "Please tell me that did not just happen?"

For some reason, this made Roxy laugh even harder, until tears were running down her cheeks. "Your mother thought you were trying to be both Adam and Eve! Is that what she thinks masturbating is?" She managed to make out between gasps, each word breathless.

"It's not funny." Evie wailed, chucking the remote at Roxy's head. Agile as ever, Roxy grabbed it and leaped onto the bed, changing the channel in one quick flick.

"I disagree. That, just made my day. This is why you don't watch Animal Planet, okay E?" Roxy found a channel playing the Simpsons and turned up the volume. Evie watched her, and even she started to see the humour in this situation.

What's worse Evie? For your mom to think you're fucking a girl, or that you masturbate to animal documentaries? Two months ago, she would have picked the former as worse without hesitation. Now, she wasn't so sure.