A Wild Thing - Troy Otto

fourteen

Evelyn sat in her room doing all the work she'd missed that day. After the eventful day she had, she knew she was gonna sleep that night just fine. She was peacefully working through her assignments when she heard a knock on her door. "Come in!" Evelyn exclaimed. She knew it wasn't Troy because Troy didn't knock, but the door opened to reveal somebody who wasn't much better. It was carson. "Hey," the girl greeted before turning her attention back to her math homework.

"Hi, Evelyn," Carson shut the door and leaned against it. He crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"Do you need something?" Evelyn asked irritably.

"I need to know what's going on between you and Troy!" her older brother boomed accusingly. Evelyn wa quick to roll her eyes at him. "Don't roll your eyes at me Evelyn!"

"I don't know what you want me to tell you," she shrugged. "Believe me when I say there is nothing going on. Absolutely nothing!"

"Sure, it's not like you two hang out everyday!"

     "What does that have to do with literally anything, Carson?"

     "Do you think I was born yesterday?" the boy seethed. "Troy wants nothing good from you!"

     Evelyn sighed. There was no way to defend troy, because she knew her brother was right. Troy had no good intentions. She wanted to believe that he actually enjoyed being her "friend" but she knew it'd be a lie. One of the reasons she hated being around him was because the more time she spent with him, the more she'd get used to him. She didn't want him to grow on her because in the end, he would end up hurting her. but Evelyn didn't know how to say this. "He's my friend," her shoulders dropped in both mental and physical exhaustion.

     "No he's not!" Carson frustratedly ran a hand through his hair, dramatically speaking with his hands. "He's going to hurt you evelyn! I don't want to see that happen!"

     "Why do you think he's gonna hurt me?" evelyn exclaimed. She knew the exact reason, she just wanted to hear it come from Carson himself.

     "Because he's Troy! That should be a good enough reason!" Carson flailed his arms around. He didn't mean to be so crazy and protective, but all he really wanted was to protect his vulnerable little sister, who did nothing but huff in response.

     "I have it under control, okay?" Evelyn spoke with a voice so soft she wondered if her brother even heard her.

     "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Ev," Carson said, calming down.

     "Yeah I get that, but I'll be fine, Carson. Let me handle it."

     "Fine," Carson shook his head, finally leaving Evelyn alone. She fell back into her pillows, completely disregarding her work. Now her mind was elsewhere.

     Later that night, Evelyn laid huddled in her bedsheets and blankets. Her mind was racing as she stared up at the dark, familiar ceiling. She wished things didn't have to be so complicated. She wanted nothing more than to have people like her. She didn't want to feel so skeptical whenever somebody told her they wanted to be her friend. It just wasn't as easy as it was outside. She tried forcing herself to sleep, but it just didn't work.

     The next day was incredibly tiring. She had to take her test which, because of her clouded mind, she didn't do very well on. Evelyn didn't feel like talking to any of her friends, so she avoided them at all costs, praying that they wouldn't notice.

     The final bell rang and Evelyn practically jumped out of her seat. Her music was blasting in her ears as she sped across campus to find her dad. When she reached his car, Scott could tell something was up, but he knew his daughter well enough to know that it takes her some time to open up. He figured he'd ask her about it later.

     "Something's wrong with our daughter," Scott blurted to his wife, who stood in the kitchen. She spent all the breaks she could get at home.

     "What?" Michelle tilted her head in confusion.

     "You're just figuring this out?" Carson voiced from living room. His legs were stretched out onto the coffee table as he switched through every TV channel possible.

     "Nobody asked you!" the married couple rolled their eyes.

     "She's being very quiet," Scott started, "you have any idea why?"

     "I heard her roaming around the kitchen last night. She's probably just tired. Until she gives you something to worry about, don't," Michelle shrugged, trying not to be rational and not so overbearing. She was going to keep a close eye on Evelyn, though. She tried not to let it show to her family, but she was always very concerned for the poor girl.

   Meanwhile Evelyn was upstairs laying flat on her stomach with her face buried in her pillow. She spent quite a bit of time laying around like this as she grew up. This time was different, though. She'd previously done it out of sheer boredom, this was out of pure somber, confusion, and self-pity all at the same time.

     Evelyn never understood why people didn't like her. Well, she knew why, but she didn't know why. She didn't ask to be born the way she was. She didn't ask to be adopted into a white family. She didn't ask for any of it, so why was she hated? It wasn't until she got older that this began eating at her. Evelyn couldn't help but frown whenever she thought of the amount of time she'd wasted during her adolescent years just sulking around her house, wishing that one day things would magically change. She had to admit, the day her mom sent her out to the pantry, she'd felt that same, nostalgic feeling of hope. Hoping that nobody would glance twice at her, hoping that she'd finally fit in. After all, she had been living there for a good decade, why was seeing her around still such a surprise? That was her home! Why? She rolled onto her back. She couldn't answer that one simple question even if she put all her brainpower into it.

a/n
kind of a shortish chapter ?
i have a lot of things to say
so LMAO buckle up y'all.
first, sorry there's no troy here!!
this is like the deepest chapter but
like anyways. i thinkk this book is
like almost halfway done but that
could be a lie i haven't really planned
that out lols. let me know what you guys
think!!! and guys i have had such a
rough week so PLSSS hype me up </3
wc: 1121
01.22.22