Self-conscious and insecure Evelyn Garrick has a history of comparing herself to others, longing to be anyone but herself.
She is trapped in her own mind and is drowning in her negative thoughts.
She meets a boy. A boy who also struggles to accept...
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Evie was curled up in a blanket in front of the fire in the Hufflepuff common room, her toe poking out from the blanket to be warmed by the fire. Petal, her smoky-grey cat, was snuggled into her side as she dozed in and out of sleep.
Evie had a book in her lap, her finger underlining the words as she read them, her dark brown eyes darting across the page. The book and the story it held had Evie's entire attention. She took no notice of the bustling of people around her.
Out of the corner of her eye, Evie saw Pippa, her best friend since first year, approaching. Evie bookmarked her page and turned to her friend.
Pippa was dressed in a red dress that hugged her slim figure. Her straight brown hair almost reached her hips and framed her face in the most perfect way. Evie couldn't help but smile at her beautiful best friend.
'Are you sure you don't want to come?' Pippa asked. 'I don't want you to be here alone.'
'I've never gone to a party in my seven years at Hogwarts, I think I'll survive," Evie said. "Besides, I won't be alone. I have Petal."
Pippa smiled ran over to hug Evie. 'Don't wait up for me.'
Evie watched as Pippa joined up with their dorm mates and left the Hufflepuff common room. She then turned back to her book.
It didn't take long for Evie to be completely engrossed in the story again. Her hands clutched the book tightly, showing her excitement as a huge secret was about to be revealed.
Petal meowed beside her, making Evie jump. She had forgotten she was in the Hufflepuff common room, she had forgotten she was in Hogwarts! She had been transported to a far away land where she was a heroine.
Laughing softly to herself, Evie checked the time. It had gotten late; Pippa had left over two hours ago. Evie nudged Petal gently and they both made their way up to the dorms.
While Petal got comfortable on the bed, Evie hopped into the shower. Afterwards, smelling strongly of coconuts, she stood in front of the bathroom mirror.
She studied herself. Her hair hung in damp curls and barely reached her jaw. She had forgotten to remove her badly-applied makeup so foundation and mascara ran down her full cheeks. Her eyes ran down her body, pausing momentarily at the little white marks on her arms.
Sighing, Evie dried and dressed herself before looking in the mirror again. Her pajamas covered every inch of her skin and were two sizes too small. Evie had bought them while she was shopping with Pippa, and had been too embarrassed to ask for a bigger size.
Evie thought back to Pippa and how she looked tonight. There was only one word to describe Pippa; beautiful. Pippa was gorgeous, with her long thin legs and her silky smooth skin. Evie would do anything to look like Pippa and wear tight dresses without looking like an elephant in spandex.
Evie's reflection began to blur as tears built up in her eyes. Evie hated herself for being so emotional; another thing on the long list of Evelyn Garrick's flaws.
Evie pulled herself away from the mirror in hopes to forget what she saw. She went back into the empty dormitory, a lonely feeling settling into her body. Evie pushed it aside; she would much rather stay here and finish her book than go to a party.
Climbing into bed and positioning her body in a way that wouldn't disturb Petal, Evie opened her book again. Her wet hair pressing against her headboard annoyed her but she soon forgot about it as she became transfixed by the story.
It wasn't long before Evie finished her book, feeling satisfied as the villain was locked away. Not sleepy yet, Evie grabbed the closest book to her; Advanced Potion Making.
Potions was one of Evie's best subjects and she was determined to get an Outstanding in her N.E.W.Ts. If she couldn't be one of the prettiest girls in school, then she would be one of the smartest.
Footsteps interrupted her study. The door to her dorm opened and in cane Pippa, Beatrice and Naomi, stumbling in their heels and speaking excitedly to each other. They greeted Evie briefly before getting themselves ready for bed.
For the next hour, Evie's dorm mates discussed the night they had. They laughed at jokes Evie didn't understand and spoke of people she didn't know. Evie didn't try to engage in the conversation, she knew the three girls didn't want her to.
~> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are as excited as I am for the next one!
