✓ | 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀, j. hale [2]

XX. Forgiveness

A couple of days later, Evelyn was speeding down the long highway towards the coast with her windows down and the chilly March wind flying through her hair. After much begging and pleading on her part, Marie had begrudgingly allowed her to make a trip out to the reservation to speak to Leah. Evelyn had been dutifully observing the conditions of her grounding (aside from the night at the Cullens', which she knew nothing about) and, in truth, she was worried about the Clearwater girl since she had not seen her in weeks; she had resigned from her job at the restaurant almost immediately after Harry passed and vanished without a trace.

Evelyn had no idea what to expect when she got to Leah's house. She knew that her friend was notorious for holding a grudge, so she knew to expect some sort of anger and resentment. She only hoped that Leah would let her apologize and attempt to make it up to her.

After about fifteen minutes, she pulled cautiously into the driveway. Through her windshield she could see Seth and Leah sitting on their front porch, the latter with an unreadable expression on her face as she stared at the car. Evelyn took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment to prepare herself, before she stepped carefully out of the car and walked slowly up to the house. She held Leah's stony gaze the entire time, pausing a few feet from the porch steps to give her some space.

Seth broke out into a good-natured grin when he recognized her. "Hey, Ev! Long time no see, huh?"

She returned his smile, her stomach in knots as she worried about what to say to Leah. "Hi Seth! It's good to see you." She turned to his sister. "I've been trying to talk to you... I left you messages."

"I got them," Leah snapped. "I just don't care about what you have to say. You shouldn't have come."

Evelyn bristled, but she stood her ground. "Yeah, well, maybe I shouldn't have, but here I am." She stepped forward, hoping to appeal to her friend. "I came to say that I'm sorry, Leah. I'm so incredibly sorry that I wasn't there for you when I should have been. Leaving like that was a really shitty thing to do and I want to find a way to make it up to you."

Leah rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "I really thought you were my friend, Ev. I needed you that night, and you couldn't even be bothered to call me back until three days after everything happened. Clearly our friendship didn't matter that much to you."

"I am your friend," Evelyn insisted, taking another step forward. "I swear, Leah, that never changed. But he's my friend, too, and I couldn't just not help him. He would have died."

"He's already dead! Don't you get it, Evelyn? These bloodsuckers you love so much aren't even alive and you're risking everything to make sure that they're safe and happy. It's disgusting." Leah's eyes were hard as she held Evelyn's gaze. "I tried to keep my faith in you, Evelyn, I really did. But after we phased and Sam told me what they were... and that you had chosen them..."

She shook her head, her voice breaking in emotion. "You made your choice. I had to deal with phasing and my dad dying alone because I chose to believe that you would be there for me. But you picked them over me, and I don't know if I can get over that."

"Leah, come on," Seth said beside her, looking worriedly between the two girls. "She's trying to make it up to you. She can care about them and us, too."

Evelyn stepped forward again, pausing at the first porch step. "Please, Leah. I know how you feel, probably more than anyone, and I know I should have been here and I wasn't. But I'm here now and I want to make things right. Tell me what I can do."

Leah stood, descending the steps and meeting her eye to eye. Her face was like stone as her dark eyes narrowed. "You can leave and never come back here. I don't wanna see you, anymore." And with that, Leah turned and took off into the trees, disappearing from sight. Evelyn heard a profound ripping sound and a howl, and she knew that Leah had phased and wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.