Saving Everest

11.

-There was a hole in his soul
And she longed to make him whole
To turn his heart covered in coal
To be enamored in gold

BEVERLY

Everest's favorite ice cream is pecan, but he doesn't like pecans. So, every time he has a bowl, he picks through it. I asked him why he doesn't just get vanilla ice cream but he insisted that it wasn't the same.

I told him how I refuse to accept the scent of bubble gum. It immediately makes me nauseous and it smells absolutely horrible. He chuckled and asked me why I thought it smelled bad, but I couldn't give him an answer.

Hour by hour, what happened at lunch was still on my mind, and I couldn't even begin to explain what it felt like to have someone actually be interested in who I am. My brain tried to sort out the emotion, but I couldn't place my finger on it. He actually wanted to know me, Beverly Davis, the girl who usually sits in the shadows.

I learned a lot about Everest today. Among those things was that his favorite singer was John Mayer, his favorite number was three, his favorite animal is a lion, and how he is afraid of cats. I laughed at the irony, while he did this side smile.

I noticed how he side smiles a lot, like he's restricting himself from fully smiling. I noticed how he chews on his lip when he's slightly embarrassed, and I noticed how his laughs are never wild like mine. Like his chuckles are also restricted.

All it took was one period. Just forty-five minutes left me wanting more. I wanted to know everything there was to possibly know about him.

"Hey Betty, don't you just love open mic night?"Poppy hummed, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I couldn't help but agree. Open mic night was when the daunt cafe filled a little more than usual. People come to watch their friends make fools of themselves, or an upcoming artist comes to play hoping to get their sound out. I remember when I first starting working here, the place was packed.

It's still fills, but it's not what it used to be.

"Hey Betty, could you be a doll and clean the chai tea that spilled?" Lily called from across the cafe. I glanced at the liquid dribbling from a nearby table and onto the floor.

I grabbed a nearby rag and made my way to the liquid mess. But me being the uncoordinated person that I am, I slipped on the mess and fell backwards, landing straight on my back. The impact caused me to groan out in pain. I laid there for a second, eyes closed, and the ache increasing.

"Really Bev? Napping on the job? I expected more from you," a deep, mocking, voice called from above me.

My dirt eyes met his earth. Everest really does have some beautiful eyes. The swirls of green, drowning in the pools of blue.

His lips were curled in that side smile and his eyes were slightly teasing.

"Oh goodness, Betty! Are you okay?" Lily asked pushing Everest aside, Rose and Poppy standing by her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured her and even started to stand up. Though the ache in my head increased, it was nothing.

Being up on my feet, the wetness on my back became an issue. I rubbed a little at my shoulder blade.

"Go sit down for a second, that was a pretty nasty fall," Lily instructed. "I'll clean it."

I sat at a table and Everest sat across from me.

"Are you really okay?" he asked, slight amusement on his features.

I rubbed my head a little. "Yeah, my shirt kinda absorbed all of the mess when I took the fall, and that's bothering me more than anything."