the secret » david dobrik au

T H I R T Y - O N E

It was very uncomfortable. The prayer, I mean. I wasn't a complete non-believer, but I didn't really believe in something like a TV preacher knowing all. They always seemed so fake and scripted, and apparently, that was true in person. Gabriel's prayer was too perfect, as if he had been preparing it for a while. It just made me feel weird and pitied. So did the looks on their faces.

It took a second for things to feel normal, but they eventually came around. The more wine I drank, the more comfortable I felt around them. They weren't too bad, if you disregarded the fact that he was a preacher and I was a sinner in many aspects of my life.

"So, Evan, what are you studying in college?" it was Gabriel who asked the question, as we all sat in the living room drinking wine and feeling a bit awkward. I was counting down the minutes until dinner.

"I'm a public relations major. I'd like to move to California once I graduate and work for a celebrity management company," I explained.

"Have you ever been?"

"When I was little," I told them, a small smile growing on my face as I remembered it. I was only six, Maddie a toddler, Simon unborn. It was the first vacation I had ever been on, and my favorite. Everyone seemed so happy, so well off. "It was really nice. I don't remember a lot, but I know I liked it."

"We go every summer. You'll have to come with us, if you're not busy," Nicolette suggested. I just smiled and nodded, too scared to tell her there was no guarantee that David and I would even be together by the time summer came around. "How are you liking college? You're a freshman, yes?"

"Yes," I nodded. "I like it okay. It'd be hard without my roommates and all the boys in David's frat. They're the best friends I could ask for. I'm never alone, seriously. I always have someone I know in my classes or in the student center."

"That's good. I remember when I was in undergrad school. I had no friends," she laughed. I was starting to like her, but maybe it was the alcohol. "I was too focused on my studies. It's one of my biggest regrets."

"Don't regret it," I smiled, because I knew how it felt to feel like you missed out on everything. "They can be really annoying, too."

David rolled his eyes, but couldn't contain his smile. "Evan's ten times more annoying."

"Not true."

"Gabe, can you go get Alyssa? I think the spaghetti should be ready by now," she patted her husband on the knee and stood, heels clacking as she walked to the oven to pull out the baked spaghetti we were having for dinner. Thank the lord. I followed David's lead, grabbing my glass and moving to the round table in the dining room. There were six seats, the table already set with fancy looking china and water glasses. I sat next to David, obviously, and internally cringed as I heard footsteps approaching.

Alyssa looked exactly how I expected her to. She was wearing leggings and a tight fitting sweatshirt, showing off her bump rather than hiding it. Her hair was curled, and it now had blonde highlights in it. She had a full face of makeup on, but the lipstick and mascara was a little smeared. Oh.

Her boyfriend just looked like a douche. That was the simplest explanation. Not really a frat douche, as I had grown to love those, but just a plain out douche. He was cute, but I was sure that was what made him so douche-y in the first place. I looked away the second we made eye contact.

"Evangeline," Alyssa said it like a statement, not like a question. I had no clue how to respond, but luckily, she added, "Nicolette's just been going on and on about how sweet you are."