Twenty-One ~ A Dean Portman Fanfic

Eleven

Two days later, she was back to rooming at Eden Hall since having been welcomed back to her queen bed at her family's house. When her mother found out about her absence for two afternoon classes, Evangeline couldn't lie and said she'd left school, not entirely explaining where she went or who she was with. Being grounded, her father had driven her to and from school each morning and afternoon for two days straight.

She'd been punished from hanging out with friends or spending the evening out in town, it was the only thing they'd thought of to punish her.

Evangeline scoffed.

The library door opened and she heard an all too familiar fake chuckle come from the sign out desk. The librarian having told the boy to quiet down as every time he opened the door he was too rough. He played it off coolly and flipped the collar of his jean jacket and paced around the dead library.

He almost shivered upon walking in at the disgust that people would actually like sitting in a library for fun to study and read. He found it a boring place to even fathom and shook his head, Marching through the shelves of books, he picked a random one off the shelf without seeing the title and carried it toward one of the back tables.

Sitting by herself, as usual, he walked up to the table as she eyes deep in the writing's a some famous person he didn't care for the name off. In front of her, another set of books were opened as a closed water bottle was dented from someone playing with it. He wondered who it was, not seeing a pencil case or bookbag nearby to guess who's it was.

Her hair was pulled back into a thick French braid with a few curled pieces framing her face, a look he recalled all too well she sported the year before. It didn't make her a nerdy looking as last year and he found it rather suited her, unsure why it suited her now and not last year. Dean wiped his chin before casually dropping by the table, throwing his book down and sat down in the pulled back chair.

She looked up to see her friend's seat taken by someone who wasn't her friend. Evangeline gave him the cold shoulder and glanced back to her work, pencil writing away on the messy notebook.

He narrowed his brows, curious why she didn't say anything and he propped his feet up on the edge of the table. He groaned peacefully as he lied back in the the wooden chair, hands behind his head to become more comfortable.

She hadn't said anything.

"What's that?" He asked her.

"Why do you care?" She asked him, still not looking at him. He was the reason she'd been grounded to her bedroom for two days and lost both phone and going out privileges.

Dean proceeded to laugh. "I don't, just thought I'd be nice and ask."

"Be nice and leave me alone." She told him. He'd gone to speak up when she beat him to it, not wanting to hear anything more he had to say. "Be nice and leave me alone." She repeated, feeling like Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club when she told off Bender, unsure why she felt that way but it kind of made her happy.

Or even like Cherry Valance in the Outsiders movie where the redhead scolded the 17 year old hoodlum for bothering her. Even Evangeline could agree that Dallas was a hot looking guy, however he was of course an asshole and for some reason, Dean reminded her of that too. The way Cherry told Dallas off felt almost similar to the way she told Dean off.

She adored movies, she liked watching the romance and wished she too could live one. Life wasn't that way, but she could fantasize if she wanted to.

He leaned forward. "You got a problem or something?"

"I do. You're my problem...I got grounded for two days because I ditched school."

He began to laugh. "So, that's my fault?" He chuckled some more and watched her remain serious, staring at him with a glare, arms crossing over her chest. "Okay, okay, okay," He rose both hands in surrender. "You didn't have to follow." He retorted.

She scoffed, mouth agape. "You insisted I go."

"Look, so what? Mom and dad got mad." He shrugged. "Least you had fun, right?" She grew quiet. "Right?" He asked her again.

She nodded quietly, unable to look him in the eye.

"There's your reason. You got in shit but you had fun." He pointed to her.

Evangeline looked up, seeing Gloria escape from a book aisle and she skidded to a stop on the carpeted floor. Glory saw the signal from her friend, Evie, to shoo for a little longer until Dean left.

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking back to see nothing as Gloria hid in the aisle on the floor, laughing to herself.

"Nothing." Evangeline answered.

Evangeline lowered an arm below the table and gave two fingers, indicating two more minutes. Gloria could only smirk with a laugh, causing Evangeline to grimace as the girl wandered off with giddy for her best friend.

"Right," He wasn't convinced, the words trailing off his tongue slowly as he eyed her cautiously. "Are you going to the game Thursday?"

She sat back in her chair, head tilted as she looked away briefly. "I don't know...Are you asking me to?"

He let out a low nervous laugh, not sure why he was nervous about the question she'd asked him. The girl twisted his words against him and pinned him into a corner. Dean didn't know how to react to the ballsy question she gave him.

She remained seated, lying back in her chair and crossed a leg over the other. Waiting. The girl waited as she glanced off to see Glory before she met Dean, who refused to look at her. "Cat caught your tongue." She mentioned, breaking the awkward silence.

"Ugh, no." He shook his head, standing up suddenly. "I was just seeing if you were showing up." He shrugged casually, switching topics.

She began to bit, licking her lower lip and caught him staring at her lips, the way her teeth pulled her bottom lip inward to wet it. "Bye, Dean." She broke his stare.

He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his curly head. "See you around, Sully." He waved awkwardly and left.

Gloria watched from her spot at the bookcase and laughed to herself, watching the sophomore completely blow it. Her laugh filled the library as Evangeline went back to working, pencil in hand as she continued writing. Her friend came out with a giggle, approaching the table and sat down in the pushed out chair where Dean was just sitting.

With a huff, she pulled her hair back and still laughed, unable to stop herself as she felt bad for laughing. "Ahh." She laughed.

Evangeline gulped. "Was that intentional?"

"Not really." She admitted.

Gloria quieted down when her friend was sincere about the topic. "You're actually serious." She realized, sitting up in her chair. "You like him." She poked her.

The brunette rolled her eyes with a sigh, beginning to shake her head but finally bowed and gave in. Her eyes merely twinkled as she stared at Glory, a lump in her throat. "I think it came back...and quicker than I thought it would." She inhaled.

"But that's okay."

"No," Evangeline shook her head, feeling her heart become heavy. "He's only bugging me because I changed since last year. You know that, we all look a little different-"

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yeah, but not because he sees me now and not last year...For Pete's sake, Glory, he's always checking me out."

Glory nodded slowly, a small smile appearing at the corner of her lip. "Look, maybe you like him and maybe you don't. Whatever's going on in your head, you'll make the right decision."

"That doesn't help." She began to laugh. "What if..." She trailed, thinking of all these different thoughts that scared her. "What if I actually like him?"

Glory shrugged.

"Ughhh," She sighed. "That still isn't helping."

"Look," Gloria leaned forward, placing her hand on top of hers. "Let time decide."

"Where'd you get that one?" Evangeline giggled. "A movie?"

"Our daily inspo." She chuckled.