Evie Wyatt

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𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐏𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 together. “Yes! Who doesn’t love lemonade? It’s amazing. Are you more of a regular or pink lemonade kinda person?” With Evie’s agreement, Olive started heading in the direction of the lemonade, picking up a taco and biting down enthusiastically. “First day off in weeks? What do you do?”

Evie followed in suit toward the lemonade. “I love both but pink kinda has my heart.” Evie chuckled, opening her take away box with two very pretty tacos sitting in it. “I’m actually a journalist for the Tribune, they dont kid with those due dates. Its like college all over again.” Evie joked.

preston sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “of course you do. you have got to be shitting me.” he said under his breath. “let me guess, you are apart of the malnati job program too? or are you one of those extended living guests?” he asked raising his brow. the amount of people they had in that hotel was wild. the malnati family could literally be the end of a falling economy. “yeah i live up in that hotel too.”

Evie almost laughed but managed to choke it down. She cleared her throat and responded. “Um yeah actually, I’m just an extended living guest. But that’s crazy, do you work there or the same as me?” Evie couldn’t imagine him as an employee, he was clearly to icy but maybe he had some sort of fake personality he didn’t bother showing Evie. Nonetheless she couldn’t believe her luck, the only thing was she wasn't sure if it was good or bad luck. 

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𝐀 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄'𝐒. “I’m Olive! It’s really nice to meet you!” Taking their food and shuffling over to the side out of the way, they were still in shock by the kindness of the stranger. “Thanks again! I really mean that! I know a great little spot that sells amazing lemonade and I would love to make it up to you by treating if you’re interested? Whenever too! Doesn’t have to be today or anything if you’re busy!”

Evie burst with a smile. “Uh, yes! I love lemonade! And this is actually my first day off in weeks so I’m free all day! We could go now if you want?” Evie suggested. She was so afraid Olive wouldn’t offer more than just a thank you that her excitement was bubbling out of her. 

Nic was having a shitty day, to say the least. It probably would have been more fair to say that she was having a shitty year, but that felt dramatic and unnecessary for the world to know. But if there was one thing about Nic–she did not hide her emotions well. She had never learned the meaning of fix your face and while she wasn’t the most talkative of people when it came to feelings, you’d know if she wasn’t having it. You’d also know when she was surprised by a random act of kindness as well. She blinked rapidly as the man at the food truck told her she had been paid for already, looking around to see if she could spot the person who had been in front of her. As she narrowed in the gaze, she nodded, paying instead for the person behind her to start a chain. As the transaction closed, she moved toward the woman in question, fixing her baseball cap as she settled into a spot near her. “So, why’d you do that?” She asked, bluntly. Nic was better at conversation when she wasn’t running off of four cups of coffee only, that was for sure.

Evie looked up from her phone and took in the appearance of the stranger she paid for. She was glad it wasn’t a creepy guy, and at this moment she realized how stupid her attempt at making a friend was. She could have gone to a bar or something which would have been safer and more reasonable than expecting someone to thank her and start a conversation after buying them food. However, it was too late and the choice was made. “Just thought it would brighten someones day,” she admitted, a little taken aback by the question laced with bad vibes. She kept the whole friend thing to herself, she knew it would be seen as odd by anyone but her. 

  preston’s dark eyes fell to her hand and with a furrowed brow he ignored it. like he said, he wasn’t looking for a friend but she wanted to talk to someone? he could offer her something. “okay… evie.” he said waiting for the moment of him not accepting the handshake to end and for her to catch on that he was stubborn. and subtle. they were still waiting for their orders and  maybe that was all the time he’d give her before getting bored but that all depended on what he could get out of this girl in the few remaining minutes. “so… you get annoyed by a roommate and look for some random ass stranger to talk to… thats… normal.” he said. his hand pulled at the leather of his jacket. he really was’t good at small talk so what else was he supposed to say? “do you like live around here or something?”

Evie dropped her hand and chuckled softly. “Normal is relative, it may be odd to you but I don’t find it weird.” Evie wasn’t frustrated anymore but rather determined to make him like her. “But yes, I do live close, about a block down at the hotel,” She answered, holding in a smile. “How about you?”

“Oh it’s absolutely ok. I should take a page from your book, it certainly makes the day better.” She laughs before looking to the woman. “I’m not a local, hun, I’m from Georgia that’s far from Illinois.” Rian laughs before agreeing with her. “I get that. I tend to lean on bars for that.”

“Grilled Chicken seems like it would defiantly hit the spot. Like, I can just imagine it now.” He replied with a satisfied nod. Kit unlocked their door and paused to let Toast off the leash. The puppy bolted over to where Hector was sleeping on the couch and instantly began to harass him. “We have the whole city at our finger tips, Evie. That being said, we’ve only been here a month and I’ve eaten subway for three out of those four weeks so I have no idea where the best place to get grilled chicken is.” He snorted and began to grab Hector’s harness and leash for his walk. “This is the part where we do research.” 

She’d been on her way back in from the station - a rather uneventful one where she was in charge of washing the engines (a task no one truly enjoyed doing). Before stopping in at the kennel to pick up Freckles, she’d decided to grab food and the nearest option that sounded appealing was the taco truck. She’s fumbling for her wallet to pay the cashier when he states that the meal was paid for already. Rian’s looking around and sees the woman seemingly content with herself and approaches her. “Were you the mysterious dinner buyer?”

“i just think the reason is so stupid.” he said rolling his eyes. he didn’t make friends easily and if it wasn’t obvious his attitude made it so. “i just am telling you that you really need a new system because it’s kind of embarrassing. if i said nothing and came off ungrateful for it. but i wanted to know why. apparently that was stupid. and you’re doing anything you can to make a friend… seems pathetic to me. but whatever helps you sleep at night.” he said. preston only rolled his eyes. apparently the girl was so keen on acts of kindess and preston just never really thought about doing anyhting like that for others, he wasn’t selfish he was just so held back that he didn’t think twice as she obviously had a nicer personality to her. but as she turned away from him only feeling like he now was that asshole to everyone around them despite how not a single soul was even paying attention to either of them. and he cleared his throat. speaking low to get her attention again as much as it seemed to irk him. “you should really take up a class on speaking to people, i said you are putting your hopes up too much. im not in need of any friends. but you also never said your name or asked me mine.” he wasn’t going to apologize. that was still a struggle that preston had learned from his never forgiving father.

Evie turned around, she finally saw a glimmer of hope for this man. “Like I said, it wouldn’t have mattered if you said anything or not, I’m not desperate to make a friend, I just thought it would be a good opportunity to meet the locals and start off on the right foot. I’m actually living with my best friend at the moment but I felt like getting some other social interaction,” Evie lowered her voice as if her best friend could pop up at any moment. “He can be a little annoying from time to time but besides the point,” Evie stuck out her hand, almost as if to force him to accept the argument was over and introduced herself. “My name is Evie,” she said, her emotions running out like the low tide. She hated arguing and always ended up giving up on the frustration or waiting until the other person was done. This guy, in his peculiar way, is trying his best to apologize without actually saying the words. The least she could do was meet him half way. 

“are you deaf? i never said there was a damn problem paying for the food. i just think it’s weird that you would expect some sort of friendship from it. isn’t it less pathetic to have just turned around and asked to have a conversation with me?” he asked. not as if that would have changed. “all i asked you was why you want a friend so badly that you think paying for their food had to be done. “i mean what am i supposed to say besides thank you?” he asked feeling awkward even having to do this now for something as stupid to him as a taco. 

Evie began to regret paying for this guys food. She definitely didn’t expect such an explosive reaction, she was at a loss for words. She began to shake a little, memories flashing in between blinks. She couldn’t stand it. “Look, I paid for your food to be kind, I hoped you would talk to me but if you just smiled and didn’t come over that would have been fine. Not to mention it was a last minute decision and I didn't particularly care who was behind me when I paid for their meal, it just happened to be you.” She said breathlessly. “I am not pathetic and I dont take kindly to the way your speaking to me.” Evie was seething stillness etched into her bones. She felt her emotions slowly take over. “You could have said thank you and expressed your gratitude. You could have introduced yourself or you didnt have to say anything at all but you did, I didn’t force you to come over here, I told you why I paid for it and in return I asked why it mattered so much. I digress, but nonetheless, your welcome. Have a nice day,” Evie said, trying with every ounce of herself to detox from the argument. She began to turn from him but hoped he would apologize and this whole thing could be solved but she didn’t think he was that kind of guy. 

preston’s brows furrowed. a friend? it made him cringe. “don’t get ahead of yourself. buying someone’s lunch doesn’t mean shit. and it doesn’t mean im going to be your friend.” he said thinking the girl was thinking too highly of what she thought her attempt of friendship was. preston was not one to just let people in that easily. he was a challenge and a stubborn one. “the food is okay… but what the hell do you want a friend so badly for?”

Evie became defensive, her nerves beginning to boil but she attempted to calm them with a heavy breath. “I apologize for any offense I have made but I recently just moved here and looking for some people to connect with to answer your question. And last I checked, there was nothing wrong with paying for the person behind me.” Evie was never good with defending herself but she wouldn’t put up with this mans salty attitude. “The real question is why are you so angry I did so?”

“There are times for Veggie wraps and then there are times for a filling dinner.” He nudged his longest friend with a chuckle. Kit hit the button for the third floor, watching Toast sniff around the small space and look surprised when it began to shift upwards. “How about wings? Or grilled chicken? Steak? Lobster? Shrimp? Elk?”

it was a lunch he’d been craving all day and when he went to pull out his wallet and pay the cashier just laughed and shook her head pointing at the girl who had been in front of him and told him she paid. at first he thought it was a mistake but he was just told to wait for his order and that was when he went up to the stranger. “you paid for my food.” preston said coming up to the girl and instantly jumping on the idea that she was just waiting for some approval. but over all preston was just confused by it. he didn’t even know the girl or was sure he’d ever seen her before. “why?”

“Veggie wraps? Veggie wraps?” Kit laughed. “Do I look like the kind of guy who really wants to eat veggie wraps for a fulfilling dinner?” He rolled his eyes at Evie. “Come on, you know me better.” Kit pulled Toast away from sniffing a passing dog as they walked up to the hotel.

“I’m from Buffalo. We don’t have that there. What’s food cart?” Liam laughs as he looks at her with a huge smile and put his hand out”I’m Liam by the way.”

“I do walk Hector, of course. He goes in the morning, Toast in the afternoon after work, and both in the evening. But sure, let’s go get the big boy and grab some grub.” He nodded, feeling a bit hungry himself. He tugged a little on the leash to get Toast headed in the right way. The puppy was having the time of her life sniffing and licking anything she could find.

After a long day of shopping and copping some major deals at her favorite thrift shops, her stomach was beginning to yell angrily at her. “Okay, okay, jeez, I’ll get somethin’. Shut it.” She mumbled under her breath as she walked up to the nearest food truck. Tacos? Oh, hell yeah. She’d just been craving some, so it was perfect. Surprised when she ordered her food and they refused her money, she looked around for the kind stranger that had paid for her meal. She really hoped it wasn’t some sleazebag just trying to get some brownie points. Smiling when she saw the woman wave at her, she walked over to stand next to her and wait for her food. “Hey, thanks for that. You didn’t have to do that. Kind of restored my faith in humanity a little bit. People can be such assholes these days.”