11

Evelyn

Fifteen minutes later, Jasper, Seth, and I reached Gloomswick.

It was even chillier than it had been the other night, but with Jasper striding next to us through the dimly lit alleyways, as confident as if he owned every brick and cobblestone he passed, the houses seemed less like narrow-eyed beasts that might pounce on us at any second and more like gently snoozing giants that nothing could awaken.

Eventually, Jasper led us to a small park that was tucked away behind a tall brick wall and consisted of nothing but two benches, a bunch of apple trees, and a lush meadow that was freckled with wildflowers. Sitting in the tall grass, we shared a bottle of sparkling wine we had gotten at the rundown corner store we had passed on our way. With the fizzy bubbles on my tongue and the starry sky above me, I felt at ease for the first time that day.

“Evelyn, what are you going to do about Noelle?” Jasper asked. He was lying to my left, arms spread wide and eyes fixed on the sky.

I shrugged, fiddling with the lid of the bottle. “Nothing. I don’t even know if she feels the same about me. If she doesn’t, it’s just going to make things awkward for the rest of the year.”

“You’re no fun,” Jasper said. “I bet you’d stand a pretty good chance.”

Normally I would have left it at that, but the alcohol had loosened my tongue and before I could think better of it, I said, “I’m really not good at this stuff, is the thing. I feel like I turn into a blubbering mess every time she’s near me. I mean, what am I supposed to say? You’re really pretty and I’m really gay, do you want to date? ”

Seth chuckled. “Brilliant, exactly like that.”

Shaking my head, I took another sip from the bottle.

“Hey, Seth,” Jasper said. “Are you interested in anyone?”

“Nope,” Seth said quickly. “No one.”

Jasper and I exchanged a suspicious look. “Are you sure about that?” I poked his side.

“Absolutely, 100 percent sure,” Seth insisted.

“You know, maybe I could help you if you tell me their name?”

Jasper offered.

“Do I have to spell it out to you in French?” Seth snapped.

“I’m not interested in anyone.”

Jasper just shrugged, unfazed. “Fine. I’ll figure it out eventually.”

“Like hell you will.” Seth practically ripped the bottle out of my hand.

“He says he doesn’t believe in love,” I explained.

Propping himself up on his elbow to get a better view at Seth, Jasper asked, “Seriously?”

Seth only gave a shrug.

“Mon dieu, that’s dark,” Jasper murmured and sank down into the grass again.

In the following silence, the wind whispered in the trees and cars hummed on the roads. The grass was slightly damp beneath me when I let myself sink onto my back, my breath forming little clouds in the crisp night air. I didn’t mind. The sparkling wine and the feeling of Jasper’s shoulder pressing against mine on one side, Seth’s knee knocking against my leg on the other, made me feel warm from the inside out.