He doesn’t answer, so I make my way back out to the waiting room, booking an appointment as my eyes wander over the people waiting to be seen.
One man covered in tattoos with a menacing sneer on his face locks eyes with me. I try to smile at him, but when he pulls his lips back, baring his teeth and growling, I squeak.
Darting my eyes around, I let them land on the plump woman behind the desk as she hands over a card with my appointment time and date on it.
I take it from her, saying thanks and then rushing out of there and over to the bus stop down the street.
The ride here took nearly an hour, a lot longer than it took when Jake drove me the day I was released. It took the scenic route, not that I mind. I soak up every little thing that I see on the way back to town, much like I did on the way here.
The trees lining the roads, the children playing, the fluffy clouds that sit in the sky. There’s so many colors surrounding me as well as the sound of the bus’s engine that rattles the seats.
I lean back, staring down at my hands in my lap as the bus comes to a stop, signaling for me to get off.
Standing up, I walk down the aisle, waving to the driver before jumping off the bus and heading past the shops of the small town. My eyes are on the shop windows that are displaying what you can buy inside when my gaze lands on a pair of boots. I halt, watching them in awe before walking toward the shop in a daze.
My hand lands on the glass as I stare at them, my breath fogging up the window. The black leather looks so soft and the buckles on the side are engraved with some kind of pattern. My eyes are full of hearts and I want nothing more than to buy them right now.
My hand hovers over the pocket in my jean shorts and I’m in the shop, trying them on and buying them before I can form a coherent thought.
I stare down at the bag and sigh as I walk out of the shop, turning right and hitting a hard wall.
“Shit, sorry,” I murmur, looking up at the wall that I walked into as something grips onto my biceps.
A slow smile spreads across his face, his honey eyes lighting up as his hands grip harder to steady me.
“Fancy seeing you here,” Evan says, letting go of my arms slowly, the pads of his fingers running down my forearms before he drops them by his sides.
“Hi.” I stare at him for several seconds, neither of us moving. “I just bought new boots.” I smile big and wide, bringing the bag up between us, causing him to dodge out of the way because I nearly smack him with it.
“Yeah?” he asks, looking down at the bag and then back up to my face.
“Mmmhmm.” I tilt my head to the side. “I just got off the bus from my parole meeting and heard something.” I bring the bag to my chest, hugging the box. “These boots were shouting my name, calling me and begging me to take them home.” I shrug. “I couldn’t say no, so I bought them.”
He grins down at me and I smile wide, showing him my teeth. We stand there, neither of us moving as we stare at each other. My feet are stuck to the ground and my eyes can’t move from his, being held captive.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he suddenly says, his grin dropping from his face, a serious look masking his eyes.
I know he’s referring to Monday when I hid from him at the community center, too embarrassed after our first meeting. I made a fool of myself, and I have no idea why. I’ve always been one to talk randomly, but he makes me nervous: more nervous that I’ve ever been.
I take a step back, my eyes finally able to drop from his as I look down at a crack in the sidewalk.
“I didn’t think you’d want to be associated with me.” I lift my eyes up to his. “You know, because of me just coming out of pri—”
“No.” His voice is deep and gruff and shocks the hell out of me. He shakes his head, pulling up his lips into a grin again, only this one looks forced and not the natural one he had only a few minutes ago. “I mean… you don’t have to avoid me.” His eyes search mine before wandering off over my head, lighting up at what he sees. “Come on.”
He takes my elbow in his hand, spinning me around and dragging me along with him. His strides are long and I practically have to run to keep up with him.
“What are you doing?” I gasp when he comes to a stop causing me to nearly collide with his back.
“We’re having milk and pie,” he states, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
I stare at him wide-eyed, wondering if he’s lost his mind. I’ve met him once and I was the most awkward person to ever exist and now he’s pulling me into a diner.
“Evan…”
He ignores me, winking at the waitress while he keeps his hand on my elbow, coming to a stop at one of the booths and tilting his head at the seat. “Sit, I’ll order pie.”
He turns around, heading to the counter while I stand stock still, watching him before my eyes take in the diner.