Chapter 6 Six

"Moving on is tough, but it's necessary."

---

~ Elizabeth ~

"Liz!"

It all happened too fast. One moment, I was standing there, lost in my thoughts; the next, I felt someone shove me out of the way.

I crashed onto something-no, someone. Blinking, my senses snapped back into place.

"Evie?" I lifted myself, staring at the girl beneath me-the girl who had just saved my life.

"Were you tired of living already?" Her words struck like lightning, jolting me back to the reason I had been outside in the first place.

"Tell me, girl!" Her hands gripped my shoulders, shaking me-not violently, but just enough to anchor me to reality. "Do you think suicide solves anything?"

"Do you?" She shook me again, harder this time, and something inside me cracked.

Tears spilled down my cheeks.

"I don't, Evie! I don't!" I collapsed into her arms, and she held me-tight, unwavering.

We stayed like that for minutes, wrapped in each other's warmth, until the distant chime of church bells reminded us of the world still moving around us.

"Come to my house," she said.

I nodded, not asking why.

Evie helped me up, leading me toward her motorbike parked a few steps away. I climbed on behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist as we sped off.

I had always loved bikes, but I had never owned one or even had the chance to ride one-one of the many downsides of being an only child.

Evie's home was a charming bungalow, its front yard bursting with sunflowers and tulips.

"Good day, Mom," she greeted as we stepped inside.

A woman in a flowing sundress appeared, her warm eyes flickering from Evie to me.

"You're back early, love," she remarked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.

"I am." Evie turned to me with a small smile. "Meet my new friend, Elizabeth Bennett."

Her mother's eyes widened. "As in Pride and Prejudice?"

We both chuckled. I wasn't surprised-every time someone heard my full name, their reaction was the same. I had even wondered if my parents had done it on purpose.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, stepping into her open arms.

"Nice to meet you, Beth."

"Thank you."

Before I could get too comfortable, Evie grabbed my hand, dragging me upstairs to her room.

Her bedroom was a shrine to all things Barbie-pinks and purples everywhere, like I had stepped into a fairytale.

"You sure are a Barbie fan," I teased, glancing at my reflection in her vanity mirror.

"You bet."

My eyes landed on a bass guitar resting on a stand. Without thinking, I ran my fingers across its strings.

"You play?" Evie asked.

I shook my head. "Not really. I never cared much for it... until I lost Eliezer." My voice dropped at the mention of my twin. "She was obsessed with guitars-her whole room was filled with them."

Evie frowned. "You two didn't share a room?"

I shook my head. "Nope. We valued our privacy too much."

"She was more introverted than you?"

"Yeah."

The next few minutes passed in quiet as I browsed through Evie's book collection. It wasn't that I didn't have books of my own, but something about her shelves reminded me of Eliezer. Maybe it was because her death anniversary was near. Maybe it was because Evie reminded me so much of her. Or maybe it was both.

---

Evie sat cross-legged in front of me, her gaze filled with curiosity. "So, what happened?"

I hesitated. It was funny how quickly we had bonded-mere hours ago, we were strangers. But then again, she had saved my life and taken me in like I was hers to care for.

"My parents got divorced."

Her expression shifted from neutral to shocked. "Has it been finalized?"

I nodded, and the weight of reality hit me all over again.

"That sucks." She moved closer, wrapping me in a half-hug. And that-just that-was exactly what I needed.

Sometimes, we don't need someone to take away our pain. We just need someone to sit beside us, hold our hands, and let us feel it.

"It does."

Evie sighed. "My mom is a single parent, too."

I blinked. "But you said..."

"I know, right?" She trailed off, her hold tightening around me. "My dad abandoned us after twenty years of marriage."

"Why?"

"He said he didn't love my mom the way he used to-that it felt forced. So, he left. For a younger woman. They live in the UK now."

I closed my eyes as her words sank in.

"He calls sometimes, just to check in."

"And your siblings?"

"I'm the youngest. The others are scattered across the world. Dan, the oldest, is in Germany. Patricia and Luciana are in Canada. Joshua-my immediate brother-is in California with his wife and kids."

"Wow." I managed a small laugh. "That sounds kind of adventurous."

She chuckled. "Maybe."

Silence settled over us for a moment before I spoke again. "Why are men like that, though?"

"No idea." She sighed, but there was something unsaid in her voice.

"Tell me." I placed a hand on hers.

She hesitated before finally speaking. "I saw Patrick earlier."

My heart lurched at the mention of his name.

"He lives around here?"

"Yeah. Most of the students in our school do, so don't be surprised if you run into someone."

"Okay." I nodded. "You were saying?"

She hesitated again, the pause stretching between us.

"Evie," I pressed, "just tell me."

She exhaled sharply. "I overheard him and Sarah talking..."

I stiffened. "And?"

"She asked him why he was so into you."

My breath caught in my throat. "What did he say?"

Evie's eyes locked onto mine, and I knew, whatever she was about to say, I wouldn't like it.

"He said it's because you're pure and headstrong. And he's determined to break you."

The words slammed into me like a freight train.

"What the fuck?" I whispered.

Evie and I stared at each other, eyes wide with shock.

Had I just stepped into a nightmare?

And more importantly-was it too late to change schools?

....

A/N: What do you think will happen next, guys?