THE NIGHT HAD A DIFFERENT ALLURE TO IT.

My hands were shoved deep into my hoodie pocket, eyes on the stars. Evan walked quicker than me, strides unwavering—all while I grinned from time-to-time for absolutely no reason but the atmosphere in itself: coal black, succumbing, and serene.

"You walk so slow," he began, eyes falling to me for a split second. Little curls sat above his ears and covered some of his forehead. It's cute, I thought, and then rolled my eyes.

"I'm a little exhausted, you know, by your act of barging into my room at midnight."

He paused. He had stopped walking, and with the steps I had taken in the meantime, I was right in front of him—a bare two feet distance between us. When he decided to stay quiet, I added, "My brother is going to kill me."

Then, he had the audacity to smile. "I'm rooting for the whole family."

"You're very mean," I gave him a disappointed look, voice muffled, "and you're out here to redeem yourself. Your goals don't add up, Parker."

His chuckle was so out of place that I had to raise my eyebrows. "I know, I know," he looked right in my eyes, "But I cannot do the right thing around you, it seems."

What a cliché line, I thought, and then rolled my eyes. "And why's that?"

"Hm," he let out a breath, taking a step closer. My eyes had widened whilst his gaze stayed perched on mine, lips twitched just the same. "Maybe it's the rabbit ears on your sweatshirt."

This is what I chose to do at midnight instead of catching up to some sleep. I fumed at him, breathing irregular. "I'll fucking leave, then."

"Hey!" he shouted when he realized I was serious, and then laughed like his life depended on it. "Take a joke, Edwards. They're cute as hell, you know I love them."

"Okay, one more thing about my outfit, and I am leaving—"

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry, okay?" he sighed, eyes lining up with the ground. "For numerous things—but firstly, for bringing you outside when the air is so cold. For barging into your room without your permission, and. . . for what I said that day."

I looked down at the ground too, hands intertwined. I was only slightly feeling the cold, but the tenseness in the atmosphere pertained to a whole different reason, making me shudder. "I. . .whatever I said to you that day was on impulse. I had been having a rough day—and I know that is the shittiest excuse ever, but I never wanted to vent out on you."

He laughed, pressing his lips into a straight line. "All I've ever done since you've been here is apologize to you, and I would understand if you don't believe me anymore—but I am sick of doing this to others around me and. . .losing them."

He cleared his throat, giving me a brief smile. I was left stunned, utterly speechless with the way he spoke at times. There was only so much I could perceive from the way he talked, words flowing with the vigor of the ocean. His striking blue eyes were a shade replicating grey, face sullen and lips drawn into a line.

"I know what it's like to lose people," they take a part of you forever. The air had gotten awkward—or maybe I just seemed to make it. "And I know. . .it's okay, Evan."

He noticed me hesitate for a second before giving me a small smile. With the weight of this whole ordeal finally off my shoulders, it felt warm and secure both being with him and with myself—as if Christmas lights glowed in my vision.

"Hey, um, Evan?" I tugged at the hem of my hoodie, eyes already failing to keep up with his due to embarrassment. "Why was everyone so worried at school?"

"I didn't pick up their calls," he sighed, "Dad and I aren't on good terms, and things just worsened over the weekend. I—I just needed some time alone, I guess."

I nodded, smile steady. "I get that."

I didn't expect a chuckle right after his deadpan statement.

"Hey, Edwards," his tone was light and breezy, lips wound up in the tiniest of smirks. This didn't seem any good. "You know who told me to pull a Romeo on you today?"

"You're telling me this wasn't your mastermind, your highness?"

"Xavier," he laughed, "told me to do this. Said, and I quote, 'Girls dig that move. Never fails—it's tried and tested.'"

"Are you serious?" my voice was shrill and accusing, eyes unbelievably wide. To think that Xavier would do this to me was betraying to the moon—and so was the undying want to kill him right this instant. 

Evan Parker was still laughing—laughing with all his might. His shoulders shook and so did his hair, and even if I was determined to stay mad at him, how he managed to look this attractive in the moonlight was a bigger distraction than I credited it to be.

"This is not funny," I poked his chest, "But if you still think it is, I can easily fulfill your tried and tested method on both of you! Would you ever want me to visit you, in the middle of the night, through the window? I'd even knock properly, unlike you, manner-less bastard."

 "You are warning me about a situation I would actually consider the time of my life, hermosa."

▂

Evan had walked a couple extra miles in the freezing night for me.

The stars were hidden, moonlight peeking through the bent alignment of the leaves, and mind astray. Something in the solace of the night fueled the recklessness still in the heart—one which soared like the butterflies in the stomach when the Ferris Wheel came gliding down on the earth—raw laughs, drunken smiles, and frenzied hair.

Something about him was eerily similar to that feeling, and it overpowered my mind when I climbed my window absently. My feet met the warmth of the carpeted floor in a split-second, the comfort running all across my body. I was glad to find the room still warm and cozy—and maybe, I was a little too distracted in only paying attention to that.

Because Liam stood right in front, face wound up in the most horrifying scowls in history.

Shit.

• • •

author's note:

i was extremely unhappy with how short this chapter turned out to be in the start, but then i realized: i cannot change the way it ends for the life of me!! i apologize for the same. but hey, we've got fun things coming up in the book, and i am thrilled!! also yes, i might've switched the days for updating to friday's for now - not that it's a huge deal. i am extremely busy, and going to be more so in a couple days due to finals, but i will try my best to update the chapters (since i have a few written out beforehand).

 i hope you're having a great day. let me know what you thought of this one. you're golden <3