Twenty-One ~ A Dean Portman Fanfic

Six

The Wednesday afternoon was warm with the sun shinning as classes had been dismissed for the day. The leaves on the tree were still bright green even as the seasons were changing to fall. The fresh smell of nature filled the noses of plenty as teachers no longer surveyed students for the sake it, and now it was the jobs of the few security guys who roamed the academy for everyone's sake and safety.

Most students were out doing their after school sports, practicing throughout the schoolyard or gym, or even the arena for the Varsity team. The sunny day caused for a perfect outdoor practice for the teams who could take advantage of it.

Along with Gloria and Julianna, Evangeline was putting her books away as they were getting ready to leave to walk around town. All three wanting to do some shopping to kill a little time and have some fun. When the sun would go down, the lights with brighten up the darkened streets and bring a whole new sensation to the city.

Hair blew in the light breeze in front of her, a few loose pieces sticking to her lips and she furrowed her brows, feeling the tickle. With a spit, Evangeline peeled the hair away with her fingers as Glory proceeded to laugh.

"Aw, the wind." Glory giggled.

"See, Evie, with short hair you don't have that problem." Julianna explained.

Evangeline pursed her lips. "I just don't like the feeling, otherwise I don't mind."

She grabbed the strap of her backpack, holding tightly and hoisted the heavy bag into the air being tossing it behind her back. Straps over her shoulders, she stared down to adjust her long pink blazer as the lapels were creased in.

Following her friends, she fell behind as they led the way toward the dorm building in order to drop their book bags off. None of them wanted to lug around such luggage throughout the city during their fun evening out. Plans on drinking milkshakes and sodas while trying on clothes seemed most fun for the three of them.

"Are we eating first then shopping? Or shopping then eating?" Julianna asked.

Glory hummed.

"I mean, shopping then eating seems like a reward."

"Ohh," Glory spun around with a smile. "Plus we look less bloated when trying on clothes if we eat after." She points, just remembering. "What?" She laughed, staring at Julianna who laughed. "Wanna look good, don't we?"

"Mhm, yeah true."

Flattening the lapel on her left side, Evangeline treaded through the soft green grass as her shoes pushed through the greenie blades, earning a few green stains on the soles from it being wet previously.

"Evie," Glory cheered, jumping around. "What do you think?"

"Oh, uh," She looked up from fixing her blazer. "Eat after or snack small before." She agreed with her friends.

Walking across the sidewalk, the girls made their way toward the steps leading up to the building. In a small group, they continued talking all the way up until Evangeline fell behind suddenly without realizing it.

Her eyes had been torn away from her shoes to stare at the students running in the field. The boy that often bugged her seemed to of caught her eye when she didn't want it to. She was staring as he was dressed in black shorts with a grey muscle tee, something more casual for once, that she swooned over.

He always wore leather or denim that when he wore something else for once, it caused her to do a double take. She had to admit he looked rather good in casual clothing and the fact he wasn't scrutinizing down her neck made it more enjoyable to tolerate him.

For a second, she'd lost her breath and forgotten she was supposed to be entering the dorm building. She watched the way he ran as the hockey players tossed a football to work on cardio, needing to be quick and steady on their feet. Dean's muscular arm reached up and his hand opened as he caught the ball, fingers grasping around the dull brown leather. He'd landed with a cheer, throwing the ball to the ground at his feet and yelled with glee, utterly proud of catching a simple ball.

"Evie...Hey, Evangeline." Glory waved a hand in front of her face, breaking her from the trance.

The girl shook her head and blinked several times, looking away.

Glory and Julianna had walked back to see what Evangeline was staring at. The two of them gazed off into the green field packed with students and they searched. "Thought you were over him?" Julianna's eyes narrowed, the sun blinding her.

"She is." Glory cut in quickly, not giving the girl being asked the question to even answer. "She's just watching, right?"

Evangeline nodded slowly before it became vigorous as she was sure of herself. "Yeah. Yeah, just watching." She nodded in agreement, head tilting slightly and Glory backed away for a second.

"Are you sure?"

Stomach sank as she watched the boy she once swoon over run in the field. Evangeline had wished for the day to come where she could just kiss the boy and fall in love, but as the days passed in her freshmen year that he didn't talk to her, she'd began to believe it was false. She didn't know why now she was feeling it all over again because it was hurting her inside.

The way he talked to her made her feel like the bad guy and that she changed over the summer in a bad way, not a good way. She'd ditched her glasses and earned a brilliant suntan that accentuated her eyes, making the ocean blue color shine even brighter in the right sunlight. That the way she observed her brothers' girlfriends and mother, caused her to hold her head up with more confidence.

She'd switched her old rags of clothes for newer, more sophisticated clothes that showed her wealth. The sweat pants changed for skirts and dresses. The old sneakers for heels and boots. The ponytail or braided hair changed to curled or straightened hair. The puffy bags below her eyes switched for a flawless simple makeup look.

Evangeline was beginning to think that Dean liked the old her even if he joked about how good she looked currently.

"I'm sure." She gulped, rubbing her arm and ignored the pit in her stomach, wishing it would just stop and go away. "Come on, let's go before we miss the buss and have to wait." She motioned.

She led her friends up the stairs, who were both confused if Evangeline really meant it or not. Glory pulled Julianna's arm back by the wrist, waiting for their friend to walk away a bit more to avoid being heard. "I think her crush for him is coming back."

"He's an asshole toward her. I don't know why she likes him."

Glory shrugged. "I just don't want to see her hurt."

"Neither do I, but we can't stop her...Out of all three of us, she knows what's best for herself. She can handle it."

"Gosh, I hope so 'cause I'd hate to see her cry over a dumb guy, again...and the same guy."