✓ | 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀, j. hale [2]

XII. Secret's Out... Again

Evelyn could just barely hear the scratch of her pencil on her paper over the rumble of voices surrounding her in the dining room of her aunt's restaurant. She had settled into a secluded corner booth for the day with the intention of getting all of her homework done, but unfortunately, her racing thoughts were not cooperating. The movement and noise of the restaurant patrons and workers around her was loud, but it seemed like her mind was louder.

Her pencil doodled aimlessly on the corner of the calculus notebook in front of her as her mind ventured farther and farther away from where she was.

The past few days had been... interesting, to say the least. Evelyn had been avoiding almost everyone in her life since the incident with Laurent. She was avoiding Bella because all she wanted to talk about was the fate of the vampire who had tried to kill them, and the wolves that she now knew were prowling the forests around Forks. Evelyn found it extremely difficult to keep her mouth shut about the wolves' secret, so she thought that it would be best to keep her distance for a while until Bella's obsession faded.

Jacob had been texting her almost nonstop since she saw him in the woods. She could not bring herself to answer him; she was fooling herself into thinking that if she avoided the issue, it would just go away on its own. Evelyn was not ready to face Jacob, or to have to keep even more secrets from the people that she loved. Most of all, though, she did not want more reminders of the day that she had almost died - again. At this point, she was beginning to lose track.

And then there was the fact that she had completely broken down in front of Will. Even the thought of it made her cheeks flush red with embarrassment. What must he think of her now? She had not lost her composure like that in a long time, and she couldn't bear to face him in person after that. At least, not right now. And then there was that strange moment in her bedroom, and she couldn't stop thinking about the way that he had looked at her. She didn't even want to think about what that could mean.

He had been texting her daily to check in, and she was ignoring those, too. She knew that sooner or later his curiosity would get the better of him and he would come to find her. She just needed some more time to mentally prepare herself for it, which is why she had chosen a day to come to the diner when she knew for certain that he would not be working.

Why do things seem to keep getting more and more complicated?

She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of someone flopping ungracefully into the booth in front of her. She lifted her eyes and met the sharp gaze of Leah Clearwater.

"I need to talk to you," Leah said, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back in the seat. "And my break is only fifteen minutes so I'm hoping you answer quickly."

Evelyn frowned, dropping her pencil on the table. "Sure. What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to know why Sam and his pack of idiot puppies keep showing up at my house and asking my mom and dad about you. It's been like four times in the past few days. I didn't know you hung out with them."

Evelyn noticed the bitterness in her friend's voice, so she hurried to try and explain herself. "I don't... not anymore, at least. The only one I ever really knew was Jacob, but I haven't even spoken to him in weeks." She eyed Leah curiously. "Why are they talking about me? What are they saying?"

Leah still seemed suspicious, but she was visibly relaxing from seeing Evelyn's genuine confusion. "I don't know for sure. Mom sends me and Seth out of the house whenever they come around."

"I have a feeling that you don't let that stop you from eavesdropping," Evelyn said, grinning.

Leah grinned back. "You'd be right. I haven't heard much; I can't hang around too close because it's almost like they know I'm still there trying to listen. It's honestly a little creepy."