You're Crazy

Chapter Eighteen

***Tom’s POV***

I pushed passed Evanna, touching her shoulder as I did so, more grateful than I could express that she wasn’t furious at me. I have a feeling that if Ev had been at all upset by my actions, Nathan would start whining at me, like that time that Max wasted the lemons he needed for his throat. As I crept through the small hall, I heard the door click as Ev pulled it close.

I heard a TV blaring from a room on the right and stuck my head around the door.

“Oh, Tom! What are you doing here? Haven’t Ev and Nath left?” I recognised Nathan’s friend, Ceallach immediately, looking very confused and I didn’t blame him.

“Erm, yeah they’re gone. I’m just here to talk to Charlie – is he here?” I asked, my voice faltering traitorously in the middle.

“Oh,” Ceallach said pointedly, but the word was weighted, heavy with understanding. It was in that second, I realised he knew everything and I felt ashamed, flushing slightly “He just went to the bathroom. So, I’ll just be off…let you talk alone.” He shifted uncomfortably and in one swift movement pulled on his hoodie and swept his bag over his head. I could tell he didn’t approve of what I had done, but he just didn’t feel he knew me well enough to approach the subject.

I nodded at him as he left and stepped aside to let him leave, he shot me a fervent, unsmiling look that I didn’t return. I settled uneasily into a seat on the sofa, twiddling my thumbs and glancing at the door. Suddenly, I was terrified of how Charlie would react. I didn’t know they guy – would he cry? Perhaps, throw things? Or hit me? I could take him in a fight, although thoughts like that wouldn’t exactly get him to listen to me.

I saw a cheap, brick mobile lying in front of me on the dented coffee table and a crazy, stupid thought floated across my mind. I tried to push it away, but the longer Charlie stayed away, the more anxious I got and the more appealing my stupid idea became.

***Evanna’s POV***

“Hello!” called a female voice excitedly. A petite woman threw the door open and beamed at both of us. She looked maybe in her mid 40s with dark blonde hair tucked behind her ears, and a pink pearl earring in the lobe of each ear. Her kind face grew into an excited smile and her warm eyes shone as she glanced from Nathan to myself. I smiled as I noticed the shape of her eyes were the same as his, except they were bright blue.

“Hello, mum!” Nathan smiled, walking forward to hug his mum quickly.

“Oh, Nath, I feel I haven’t seen you in years!” She complained smilingly, sweeping his hair off his eyes before hugging him back. She quickly released her son and turned to me, Nathan instantly stepping back to my side for support.

“Mum, this Evanna.” Nathan gestured towards me and I smiled shyly at his mum.

“Evanna, dear, it is such a pleasure to meet you!” she grinned at me, her blue eyes shining and looking much younger in her excitement.

“You too, Ms Sykes!” I laughed as she suddenly threw her arms around me. She held onto me tightly and at first I was shocked, but the I felt overwhelmed, that this practical stranger was so willing to welcome me, that I put my arms around her as well. I saw Nathan smile sheepishly at me from behind his mum’s back but I just stuck my tongue out at him.

“Oh, none of that!” She laughed, finally releasing me and examining my face kindly “Call me Karen.”

She stepped aside and let us both enter into the small hallway.

“Well come inside, you must be freezing, both of you without coats.” Karen closed the door behind us as the smell of cooking filled the air. It had been a while since I had smelled proper homemade food as opposed to the crumby sandwiches I would put together or the cheap takeout meals Charlie would heat up from Tesco. “Evanna, I love your dress!” She exclaimed, gesturing to myself. I felt my neck flush and thanked her profusely. “And your hair! It’s so lovely.” She picked up some of my curls from my shoulder before dropping them again and smiling kindly at me.