body language - JJ Maybank

TWELVE.

the previous summer

— "MORNING Heyward." Evelyn beamed as she entered the shop, meeting Heyward behind the counter. She had thrown her hair up upon entering and was now adjusting it, taking small strands out of the front.

    "Evelyn, this is a surprise. Pope told me you wouldn't be showing up." Heyward pointed over to Pope who was stood on the other side of the counter, clearly shocked to see Evelyn.
    "Well, I made a promise didn't I? You know I'm not one to break a promise."

    "That is true, yes. Well I'm glad you're here, I feel like we've got a busy day ahead of us." Heyward told her. It was common for Evelyn to come help out at Heyward's shop in her spare time, along with helping Kiara's parents at the Wreck.

     She didn't do it for the money, that wasn't something she needed. But it gave her the experience and was just a good pass time.

    Although, she wasn't quite sure wether she would turn up today. She had made the promise to Heyward to help today the other week. His day was packed full with things to do and she was happy to help out.

But since falling out with her friends she wasn't quite sure if it would be weird for her to show up today; but she wasn't one to break a promise so here she was.

"What do you need me to do?" Evelyn asked Heyward, her hands on her hips.
"If you could just watch the tills for me, restock things when needed. That's pretty much all." He informed her whilst racing around the shop, trying to get as much done as possible.
"You got it."

"Evelyn, what are you doing here?" Pope hopped over the counter after his dad had left.
"I promised I would help out." She shrugged. "Besides, I need to kill some time before midsummers later."

Her and Rafe were attending midsummers together this year, this would be unusual for Evelyn as she was used to attending with Kiara; the two often complaining about being there.

"You know you don't have to. I mean, with you not being our friend and all." Pope muttered.
"I'm still your friend, Pope. We've just had a falling out, that's all." She told him.

The two finished their conversation there as people began to enter the shop, meaning Evelyn had to stop to serve them.
Pope went and sat in the corner, his eyes on his phone. Evelyn had assumed he was telling the others that she was there, she could tell by the way he kept looking up at her as she typed.

And sure enough, she was right. It wasn't long before JJ and John B had turned up to the shop. Whispering to each other as they stepped past Evelyn.

"What's she doing here?" JJ asked Pope, attempting to keep his voice down. That, he didn't do very well as Evelyn could still hear him.
"Said she doesn't break promises."
"Yeah, right. Think how many times she promised we would all stick together. Look what happened there."

"I would appreciate if you didn't talk about me like I wasn't here J." Evelyn turned around to face them. She pushed her hips against the counter behind her, folding her arms across her chest.

JJ stammered for a moment, not thinking she was able to hear him. "Well, you shouldn't be listening in on a private conversation."
"Then next time, don't be so loud. I know that's difficult for you, but it's for the better." She didn't care if she was being petty, she was just showing JJ how it felt.