Lacuna(1)

Chapter 1

There are no set requirements for normality, especially not in Fairview. Every family has their own thing.

The Singh's have been fearing for their lives the past five years because their oldest son allegedly killed Andrea Bell. He, in fact, did not do such a thing.

The Bell's oldest daughter, Andrea, was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend who, allegedly, later killed himself.

The Hastings family has quite the history of sickness. Before she was born, her older brother, Max, had Leukemia at around seven. Later once it had passed, they had Evelyn. Another nine years later came the twins, Maverick and James. At only two years old, Maverick was diagnosed with the same Leukemia that Max had had; James had no trace of it. On May 25th, 2012, the Leukemia was too strong and eventually took Maverick's life. Evelyn could always very vividly remember the faces of her family on the drive back from the hospital. Max hugged James who had no idea what was going on. Her father's knuckles white from holding the steering wheel so tight. Her mother balling into her hands, sobs wracking her body.

They say that "hair holds memories". That's why Evelyn kept hers long, the memories of Mav and James as newborns tugging on her hair. At the time she would have been mad, but now she's happy they did that, because she would never feel it again.

"We're having another kid." Mom lowered her head. Evelyn turned to the left toward Max and found him gaping at their Mom, she turned to her right and James had a similar expression.

"What." Evelyn had recently come back from Ellingham academy —the academy she had been invited to for my talent of art— to stay home for winter break, the thought of anything interesting let alone another kid never crossed her mind.

"We know it's a lot to take in," Dad said, sitting up straighter. "But we think that it's finally time. It's been almost seven years and we're ready."

"Aren't you guys too old to be having kids? I thought they put a limit on how old you can be... especially with shipping it'll cost more..." James tried putting the pieces together. Sometimes Evelyn forgot that James was just an eight year old kid and didn't, well, understand this stuff.

"That's not how it works, James." Max rolled his eyes.

"Then how does it?" That shut Max up. He started looking around frantically, looking for help from someone.

"Yeah, Max? Care to share with the class?" She grinned and leaned back against the couch.

"No." He muttered embarrassed. Evelyn laughed before turning her attention back to her Mom and Dad.

"Do you have any name ideas?" Evelyn asked.

"Not really anything yet, but we're not too worried, we still have around four month—"

"Four months!?" James screeched. "I can't wait that long!" Before they could console him, he shot up from the couch and ran upstairs. Evelyn and her remaining family sat and waited for him to come back but he didn't.

"Well, now we don't have to sugar-coat things, now what's going on? I need more than just 'we're having a baby yippe do da!'" Max crossed his arms, matching Evelyn's position by leaning back.

"Why do y'all like to have such big age gaps between your kids?" She said before they could explain. "Me and Max have eight years, me and James have nine, and James and this new one have eight, nine years too!"

"I don't see you commenting on Pippa and her brother's age gap?" Her father pointed out.

"That's because I understand the reason for a larger age gap." Pippa, Pip, and her brother, Josh, had a nine year age difference—but she understand why. Pip's dad passed away in a car accident when she was only eleven months old, Pip's stepfather, Victor, is Josh's dad. Pip's mom, Leanne, met Victor when Pip was around three. They bought their current house when Pip was four, and five years later had Josh.

"Ya'll are so confusing." Max shook his head, rising from the couch to go to his room, leaving Evelyn alone with her parents. A silence fell over the room. What was she supposed to say?

"Feel free to go upstairs too." Dad motioned toward the stairs, letting his head fall. She took the chance while she could and practically sprinted upstairs. After flopping onto her bed, which hurt more than expected, she snatched her phone and put on some music, getting lost in her thoughts.

I don't think I'm ready for another sibling, but I know I'll love them anyway.
******
"Bye!" She waved aggressively at her parents, turning around once they waved back. Down the green path, Evelyn noticed a lean-ish, tall-ish, brown haired boy up ahead. Eventually recognizing that it was Nate, she ran up the path hooking her arm around his shoulder. "How's Natey Watey been?" She mocked.

"Oh shut up, Hastings." He shook his head, lifting his hand to grab hers.

"That's not nice." she pouted. "You excited to be back?"

"Excited for more school? Never." Nate sped up seemingly trying to avoid her also while having his hand in hers.

"At least I don't have to be in the hellhole called Fairview," She laughed. They walked up the grassy cobblestone pathway toward Their dorms. She was kind of happy to be back. Fairview gives her the creeps, so being back in Vermont is nice— it's also really pretty.

"Evelyn! Nate!" A familiar voice called from behind them. They turned around to find a bright yellow figure, Janelle, running toward them, David and Stevie linked together not too far back. School had been quite boring since they —Stevie— officially solved the infamous Ellingham cases. Other than a lot of paperwork, other normal school related work had been lessened. Without Call Me Charles' loud, annoying voice drifting through the halls, it had felt empty here. But now that they're back, and Janelle is too, it won't be so quiet. Hopefully.

"How was your guy's breaks?" Stevie asked once she and David had caught up to the newly formed trio.

"Got nothing done. Best two weeks of my life." Nate responded flatly.

"Nothing much happened for me either." Evelyn lied, forcing a not so convincing smile onto her face. Stevie's eyes flew around our group, studying us from head to toe, eventually landing on Evelyn and Nate's hands.

"I didn't know you guys were together!" She smiled. Evelyn laughed, turning to Nate to find him as red as a tomato.

"Thank you!" She responded between laughs.

"We are not together, Stephanie." Nate stated firmly, still not detaching his hand from hers. The group finally got to the doors of Minerva House, Evelyn scanned my card to save the group some time. After they had delivered our stuff back to their rooms, Evelyn went into Nate's room to interrogate him. Like usual he was sitting on his bed with his phone, which he was scrolling on, laptop, and a notebook and pencil. The scrolling was a dead giveaway that he wasn't busy. She gently knocked on the wall, causing him to look up from his phone.

"May I come in?" she asked, flashing him a smile.

"You may." He sighed. Evelyn walked over to his bed, sitting on the end. She knew she had to ease him into the conversation to get the answers that she desired and started with some simple questions. Ice breakers if you may.

"Do you have any siblings?" She sputtered, not knowing where the conversation would be going with this. "After all this time we've known each other I still don't know if you have any."

"No I don't... why would you need to know." He asked hesitantly.

Evelyn took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she would say next. "My winter break wasn't actually boring. I was lying because I feel like I can't tell anyone about it because it's too overwhelming for me!" She ranted. Noticing my distress, Nate sat up.

"What's wrong?" He furrowed his brows, leaning closer to her.

"I'm going to have another sibling. But I'm scared it'll turn out like Maverick," her voice cracked, "and I can't deal with that again." Evelyn's vision blurred but she swallowed the tears.

"Hey, it's okay, Evie." He whispered, crawling over to wrap his arms around her. She gently placed her head on his shoulder while he rubbed her back.

Before he could say anything, she took this silence as her chance to ask him the question she had been waiting for. "Why did you, we'll, sort of... snap? At Stevie before?" Evelyn sniffled.

He cleared his throat before responding, "Well, because 1) we aren't dating, 2)we're just good friends, and 3) if we ever did date, which we won't, I don't want to ruin our friendship." He lowered his voice as he finished his explanation.

"Oh. That makes sense."

"I still had no right to snap at Stevie like that." He laughed.

"That you are right about." They slowly untangled ourselves, giggling in the process. "Well, my work here is done!" She jumped up from the bed, heading for the door before Nate's voice brought her back to him.

"Wait!" He called, "why don't you stay in here with me? I'm lonely." He pouted. She smiled, walking out of his room to grab some stuff from hers.