The Prince Of Highland Park (7 page)

Evelyn Chapter Thirteen

Three
Weeks

It’s Saturday, and I’m walking along the lake, just finished my morning run.  It’s so peaceful out here this time of morning, except for one
or two people I see riding their bicycle or running along the lake.  I’m heading back home to finish up my laundry so I can go to the mall to find something to wear to this party tonight. A friend of Brent’s invited him, and all the girls are tagging along.  I’m looking forward to hanging with the guys, Brent, Jack, Eric and Travis.   I haven’t seen them since Kevin died.

I wasn’t up to hanging out, but I do miss hanging out with my girls. Other than going to Ryan’s party with Jules three weeks ago, I haven’t seen any of them lately except for Jules.  I can’t wait to see everyone and to have some well needed fun.  The girls are meeting up at Old Orchard mall so we can get our outfits for later.  I hear my phone ringing; it’s on the kitchen table where I left it when I got back from running.  Looking at the name on the screen I answered, “Yes Jules what’s up?”

“I take it you didn’t have you
r morning fix as yet?” She laughs knowing I can be a little cranky before my coffee.  “I’m having it now,” I answered sipping the hot liquid. “I was just checking to see what time you want us to meet up at the mall?”  She asks.

“One
o’clock would be good, that would give me enough time to get my laundry done, because I know how you guys are when it comes to the mall.  I won’t get back home until it’s too late to do anything else, but get ready,” I stated while she laughs. She knows they’re about to torture me. I hate shopping, especially with them.  “Ok Ev, I‘ll let you go get your stuff done.  So you know you are right, we are going to have some fun at the mall.  Not to mention getting the perfect outfit for you for tonight.” I already know what that means.  They will try to get me in some skanky, barely there outfit exposing my hoo-ha.

Just leaving the mall and heading back home. I was right to think the mall was going to be a nightmare, because it was.  Even though I’m so tired from walking all over that place, I am happy that I found something to wear after that torture.  The music’s playing and I’m getting pumped up to go out and have a wild time.  Looking at the time, it’s now six o’clock; as soon as I get home I have to start getting ready.  These particular friends of Brent’s are his fraternity brothers or something like that, so they are not from around our side of town.  Brent was one of my brother’s best friends. Even though his parents have money, he doesn’t act like the snobs at the club; he’s real and down to earth.  His friends where he lives used to turn up their noses when they saw us at his house, but he didn’t give a shit what anyone thought, and he was not afraid to let them know. So over the years they left it alone knowing they could not break the bond between my brother and him.

The excitement o
f seeing everyone is setting in, I can’t wait to shake this ass of mine, it is well overdue.  Brent is coming to pick up Jules and me from my house so we can drink and let go.  Jules is already here prancing around like miss runway model.  I called to her, stopping her mirror modeling.

“Brent’s here, let not make him wait as usual.”  I ran to the door opening it before he could ring the doorbell.  When he sees me his eyes pops out. I’m wearing a tight sleeveless, open back blue dress, paired with white pump.  “Wow there sexy! You’re looking hot Ev; not that you don’t normally…you know what I’m trying to say. I better warn the boys that we might be getting into some fights tonight.”   He said throwing his arms around me. “Always the charmer huh Brent, well, no fighting; I’m going to enjoy myself to the full extent of my abilities. Now if you or the others disrupt that in any way, I’ll have your balls. Got me?” I say leaning closer so he gets my meaning. “Well when you put it like that, I hear you loud and clear.”  He laughs holding his hands up in surrender. 

“Ok good
! Now that we are all clear let’s go get our party on, what do you say Jules?” I ask walking toward Brent’s car.  Smiling while patting Brent on the back Jules turns and says, “Lead the way sister.” We all jump into the car and headed out. Jules calls the others making sure we were all heading out at the same time.  When she gets off the phone she informs us that everyone is now heading to the party, so we should arrive around the same time.

Brent found a parking spot right in front of the house where the party is happening.  The cars you see lining the road is beyond real, looking around I’m beginning to feel out of place again, like I did when I pulled up at Ryan’s party, and I hate that feeling. As we were about to go inside I hear my name, I turn around and there were Travis, Eric and Jack walking towards us.  As they reach me Travis lifts me in a spinning hug.  “I missed you girl!  It’s been too long since I held you in my arms,” he jokes kissing my cheek. “Leave my girl alone, and go find your own,” pipes Jack.  Before Eric or anyone else got a chance to say anything, I walk over and hug Jack and Eric saying “I knew I missed you guys, but so you all know, you’re all my guys so no need for the jealousy.”  They all laughed, while Brent throws in, “You still know how to shut them down, don’t you Ev?”

“Even though I love
all this attention boys, let’s go in. The girls should be here already.

Let us go see who is already here” Pulling me in
to a hug, Travis says

“
Lets’ go, our girl is here to party! What about you Jules? Are you planning on being wild tonight?” 

“You know it
, I’m not driving so you know what that means,” she answered. “Ok people let’s remember we are not allowed to drink so please, let’s us not overdo it OK!” I say looking directly at Jules. She knows I was talking to her.  Rolling her eyes, “I know mother, I promise none of you will have to carry me, because I’m too fucked up. I don’t want to relive my birthday party, trust me,” she states emphasizing the trust part, and with that I was satisfied.

I remembered that party vividly. I had thrown her a surprise eighteenth birthday party.  Jules drank so much she was sick for days, so I understand her reservation.  I hope what she just said wasn’t just talk, because I was scared shitless, she drank so much I thought she would have alcohol poisoning.  “I can see you’re lost in thought, remembering Jules’ party?” Travis asks from behind me, low enough for my ears only.  The others left us and went inside. “Don’t worry about Jules; I’ll watch out for her tonight.  I’ll make sure she doesn’t get wasted.   In my opinion I think that was a one-off type of night.”   He states shifting from one foot to the next.  “Thanks Trav, I appreciate you looking out for her,” I say knowing that Travis has a motive for watching out for Jules.  “Think nothing of it, it will be my pleasure,” he answered following Jules with his eyes.

“Hey! Won’t that put a damper on you having fun, and hooking up, the way you do at these things?” wanting to see if he would admit anything to me about his feelings for Jules. “Nah! I’m good, I will have fun watching Jules” he quips.  I know Jules has feeling for Travis; she has been secretly in love with him for years.  She got drunk that night because she was jealous when he showed up at her party with some girl.  I also know that Travis has feelings for her; I can tell by the way he looks at her when he thinks no one’s looking.  The way his eyes light up when he talks about her.  I’m hoping they’ll both get their heads outta their asses and admit they have feeling for each other already. 

“Ok Trav; lets’ go have some fun,” I said snapping his attention back to me. “Lead the way, m’ lady; I’m right behind you,” he winks.

“Ok Shakespeare enthusiast
,” I say laughing as we walked in just as the party is picking up vibes.  I looked toward the kitchen where I saw Brent and Eric talking to a couple of girls, while the girls’ eyes fuck them where they stood.  These boys don’t waste any time.   I can see the guys still have girls dropping their underwear where ever they go.  I’m about to mess them up, walking up slowly I plant a kiss on Brent and then Eric’s cheek, whispering loud enough so the girls can hear.  “I hope I’ll see you both later.”  I say smiling resting my hands on both their chest.    They both start laughing knowing exactly what I was doing.  The girls on the other hand looks at me and roll their eyes as if I was intruding on their property. Laughing I walked off, leaving the boys to explain. 

I went in search of Jules, finding her with the girls.  “Where’s Madi” I ask looking around seeing only Kyla and Mel.   ”She went to the bathroom” they all piped up. Kyla and Mel both attacks me with hugs so tight, my air supply is about to be cut off.  “Girls you suffocating me here, your hugging too tight.”  I squeak catching my breath as they loosen their grip. “Sorry Ev; we just missed you so much.  We haven’t seen you in so long we got a little carried away,” Kyla apologizes still not letting go. “You guys can get carried away with those hugs anytime, just please don’t kill me in the process, and we’ll be good,” I say as they all laughs at me. “It seems our girl is coming back,” Jules quips joining our reunion.  I can hear Madi before I see her, bracing myself for her to pounce.  And pounce she did.  She is like our own personal tiger.

I turn just in time as she jumps on me, almost knocking me off balance.  It’s a good thing Jack walked up right then, catching us before we landed on our asses.  Madi is holding me so tight as if she can’t bear to let go. I could feel my neck getting damp, and I knew she was getting emotional “Hey you, don’t do that, I miss you too.  I’m sorry I isolated myself from you guys.    You all are my best friends, I just needed some time to get myself together, I’m working on being ok, and you crying will only mess up your face and my top,” I say lighting the mood, trying to sooth her, by rubbing her back; I knew she would get like this.  Kyla, Jules, and Mel all wrapped their arms around us.  We stood there like this for a while until Madi could compose herself. When we finally pull apart, we were all wiping tears from our eyes.  Yeah we can all get emotional at times. I looked up just in time to see the guys walking up with water for us.  They are like that, they always look out for us and if I keep thinking like this I’m going to cry again because Kevin is not here. 

“Thanks guy
s, you’re the best,” I stuttered. 

“Y
ou know we got you, we’ve been doing this for a long time, it’s like second nature,” Jack states.

“I just want to say I love you all and I didn’t mean to go M.I.A. on
any of you. We being together like this, I just couldn’t handle it, and needed to get my head in the zone… you know.”

“We feel you and we know what you mean
. Don’t apologize, we understand, we love you too, just know we are always going to be here for you, we…meaning the boys…yes I’m speaking for them.  We will ALWAYS protect you no matter what.”  Jack finishes.

“Hell yeah
!” Eric, Brent and Travis all said at the same time.

We all laugh and got a group hug in before we break and try to enjoy the rest of our night.    Travis is whispering something is Jules’ ears that makes her face turn a bright shade of red.  I smile, leaving them to whatever that was.  The music is turned up, the beat is booming, and I’m feeling it.   Grabbing Mel and Kyla we go on to the makeshift dance floor.  We start shaking our asses and getting lost in the beat.  Madi and Jules join us laughing, I knew they were about to start some stripper move without losing their clothes.  This was our thing, we started moving gyrating our hips and asses in a slow seductive way, circling each other with our hands in the air.   We joined hands while moving our hips around in a circular motion. We were just getting started when the music picked and the beats booming faster.

I was the first to drop hands and start bouncing my ass, I was feeling it through my body, I drop it to the floor and bounce back up. When I came up I felt two hands on my hips.  I turn around to see who it they belong to, it’s some guy I didn’t know and didn’t want to dance with, so  shaking my head I said “Not right now,” and kept on dancing, as he walks back over to his friends.  Jack was dancing with Madi and Jules and Travis were grinding.  I kept swinging my hips when I felt two hands again, I turn to tell the person I’m not interested, when I turned around it was Eric that was dancing behind me. So I drop my ass low to the floor and bounce back, when I heard Eric whisper in my ear, “You still got it.”   Laughing I latch my arms around his neck, my back to his front and break down my ass while pumping slowly to the music.  We were dancing for a while when I told Eric I was going to catch my breath, and I’ll be back in a bit.

When my eyes land on Sam and Michelle coming toward me, I must have said “Shit,” out loud, because Kyla asks if I knew them. I didn’t see her come up beside me.  “Sort of,” I answered.  Looking at me curiously, she asks “How can you sort of know someone.”

“From the
country club where I work” I answered knowing if I didn’t say anything more questions would follow.  All she said was “Oh” before they stopped in front of us.  “So what do we have here?  Did Ryan send out another pity invitation and you couldn’t refuse?” Sam sneered. I wasn’t surprised by her snobbery, but I wasn’t going to let her think she can talk to me any way she pleased.  “For your information Ryan is not the only person I know who knows people, now if you’ll excuse us we have better things to do than listen to your shit.”   Trying to get around them, but Sam keeps blocking our way and I’ve about had it with her.