she's not your one

All for show

Evangeline's POV

"How the fuck did tonight even happen?" Jaye asks. I smile and thank my best friend for being here for me. She's one crazy bitch.

Jay holds my waist as we walk out. All eyes are on us including my mother and my auntie. Their distasteful glances sicken my stomach. Jaye's mother is also giving me dirty looks and whispering to other pompous women who think they are above everyone. We eventually make it outside and we see Ben looking rather stressed talking down the phone. Jaye removes his grip on me and goes over to his brother. The evening air is cold and I'm worried about Darcy. She'd hold her own in a cell but that doesn't mean I won't worry. I wrap my arms around myself and walk over to the boys. I can't help but think that she may cancel our weekly dinners. Shame.

"Where's my cousin?" I ask them.

"I-" Jaye is interrupted when Ben shouts thank you down the phone.

"I assume you know where they took her." I say.

"Friends in high places." Ben says smiling and rushing us towards a car. 

"Im not going to sit in the middle." I say crossing my arms. "I get car sick." I say standing my ground.

"Well it's my fiancé we are going to see and I'm already in the car." Ben says jumping in. Jaye tries to grab him but he's too slow.

"And she's my cousin so I guess that leaves you pretty boy." I say patting his shoulder and grinning sarcastically. He rolls his eyes and gets in the car. I squeeze in next to him and slam the door. Ben tells the driver where to go. We start driving and Jaye leans over me and plugs in my seatbelt. "Thanks." I say. He nods in response and we sit in an awkward silence. Bens leg is bouncing up and down and he's texting rapidly on his phone.

We eventually pull up to a police station and Ben practically leaps out. Even though I should be worrying about Dee, and I am, I can't help but notice how great Bens skin is. Jaye breaks my trance by getting out of the car and holding out a hand to me. I take it and step out.

"Does Ben have a skin care routine?" I ask.

"What?" Jaye looks at me confusingly.

"Huh? What?... We should go and-" 

"Yeah- yeah." He agrees and I walk in. 

Whilst we are walking up the driveway, out of the car park he puts his jacket over my shoulders. I wasn't exactly freezing but the sentiment did make my heart skip a beat. I was going to say thank you but he opens the door and we walk in. We are waiting behind Ben talking angrily to a guard when we catch each others eye. I smile warmly at him and it's as if the air thickens, he moves ever so slightly towards me before Ben interrupts us.

"You can cut the tension with a knife. Anyway the dude is letting us see Dee and get her bail. Although the amount hasn't been processed yet. Apparently we aren't even supposed to be here yet or whatever. I'm sure you both had that at the forefront of your mind..." he questions us, squinting his eyes a small amount.

"Yes." Jaye answers.

"Mhmm right at the front." I say at the same time. We are saved by a guard requesting that we follow him. He leads us down the hall and we arrive at the holding cell which has Dee in it.

"Darcy Danes you absolute terror." Ben says putting his hands on his hips.

"Sorry...?" Darcy says laughing. "You know this isn't the first time I've been in custody." She says smiling at me. I laugh and both boys stare at us.

"No way." Ben says.

"What happened?" Jaye asks.

"I was having fun in a bar... whilst being slightly underaged..." I start belly laughing remembering the story. All I remember was getting a phone call at work. I spent our whole months rent on her bail. 

"Come on you've never been arrested?" I ask looking at Jaye. "You definitely have." I state to Ben. He holds his hands up in response.

"I just don't get caught." Ben jokes and smiles at me.

"Anyway are they going to let me go?" Dee asks through the bars.

"With a hefty sum." I respond and earn a dirty look. "You may even get community service." I tease.

"No! Ben please. Orange totally washes me out. Especially when it's like high vis." She says holding onto the bars in a melodramatic way. Typical Darcy.

"I mean you're not above the law Dee." Jaye responds.

"It was a couple vases. Everyone overreacted." She talks back. She rolls her eyes at me and smiles at Ben.

"Darling do you know how much they were worth?" Ben says running his hand over his face.

"A few thousand?..." she asks.

"Few more zeros." Jaye adds. I elbow Jaye in the ribs lightly and he scoffs. Darcy looks at him wide eyed and slaps a hand over her mouth.

"I'm going to prison." Darcy says pacing in her cell.

"I mean-." Ben says teasing her. She gives him a deadly look and he looks like a child who was just told off. Just then Ben is pulled aside by a female officer, I assume to talk about Dee's bail.

"Look at him. The moment his fiancé is behind bars women are all over him. He's in love with a criminal and it's taking a toll on him already." She says pouting.

"Babe she said I can pay your bail now." Ben says excitedly barley standing still.

"Yeah sure." She says under her breath. I smile and Jaye nudges my arm in response. Ben runs off to go pay for her to be able to leave and I ask if Jaye would want anything to drink. He wants a coffee so I suppose I'll go and get that. 

I walk down the hall and near the entrance is a coffee machine. I pour myself and Jaye a cup. I lean against the wall watching cars leave the car park. It was then that I saw a slight camera flash. My heart drops slightly as I'm still wearing Jaye's jacket. My mind starts wondering if all he did in the car park was for show. I take the cups and walk back. I hand him his cup with a weak smile and sip on my own coffee. There's a plant table in the corner and I place my cup on there. I take off his jacket and hand it back to him. He begins to protest when I interrupt him.

"It's really stuffy in here." I turn my back on him going to get my cup again. I hope that's enough for the conversation to hault.

"Oh okay." He says putting it on his lap. 

Ben comes back with and officer who lets Darcy out. She does loads of paperwork and gets her belongings back. She's also told that she will have a trial that determines her punishment. She hugs Ben then runs out of the station. We all speed walk out to catch up with her.

"I'm free!" She shouts out. "Look grass Eve." She says pointing to the sad patch of grass outside the entrance. "Ben look a bird!" She says looking out in the evening sky. It might've been a bird. It's too dark to tell. "And look the forecast is cloudy and grey." She says smiling at Jaye. Jaye rolls his eyes knowing full well that Dee was talking about Jaye's persona.

"You've been in a cell for all of half an hour." Jaye says patronisingly. 

"Dee." I say pleading for her to cut it out. There are cameras capturing this moment and we don't look like the picture perfect family. Jaye puts his arm around me which confirms the fact that earlier, was all for show. Ben pulls Darcy in for a quick kiss and we all walk to the car. I decide to sit in the front and the others sit in the back. We're dropped off outside and I get a quick wave before the car drives off with Jaye. Ben and Darcy are snogging outside the apartment complex. I cringe because of how utterly gut wrenching it is to be technically single. I walk up to my room and find Eugene happily sleeping on my bed. I chuck my heels in the corner and my bag beside my bed. I collapse next to him making sure I don't wake him and let out a deep sigh. A wave? A fucking wave? Ugh fine. When I drop off Eugene tomorrow that's what he will get, a singular wave.