Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(16)

“Dad, can I talk to you?”

“Sure son, what’s on your mind?”

Turn off the TV, Dad, this is a biggie. “Um, well, it’s about Laney, and me, and...damn Dad, I just don’t even know.” There we

go, got his attention now; TV off.

“Evan, start at the beginning, son, and when you get to the part where you’re ready for my advice...stop.”

My dad really is the most uncomplicated genius alive.

“Well, Laney thinks that since we’ll be at different colleges, we should break up. She thinks I’ll be tempted with parties and

girls and do something to hurt us forever, so she basically wants to let me off the hook now.”

I guess I kinda get it and she’s right about the girls. I mean, they’re the same way in high school, but I barely even cared when

she wasn’t mine. There’s no way I’ll care about any floozies when I finally have her to lose.

“How could she have no faith in me, Dad? I’m not some big player, what do I do?” Come on, Dad, spit out a cure-all, please.

“Geez, son, you set out to stump a man, you really go all out,” my dad chuckles, scratching his cheek. “Bottom line is, that

sweet lil Laney is a realist. She was forced to put up a guard. She’s got the oldest soul I’ve seen, always has, and she’s brave

enough to put all her fears out on the table. Gotta respect the hell outta that, cause a woman who actually tells ya what you’re

doing wrong, hell, before you’ve even done it; rare breed there.” He laughs a bit, probably because he never has a clue what my

mom is mad at him about.

My dad’s right, Laney is something very special. I guess I should appreciate the fact that she’s being honest with me and telling

me how she feels, because it gives me a chance to fix it.

“Son, you know she’s right about the girls. You’re a good looking young man, new athlete on campus. They’ll be sniffing around

you every chance they get. How’s she know you’ll be able to handle that? Better yet, do you know you’ll be able to handle that?

You could worry the same thing about her, you know. First time living out from under her dad’s roof, first time you guys have been

apart, and boys will notice her, son. Maybe you ought to cool off and see where things go? That out of sight out of mind stuff can

get tricky.”

“Dad, guys notice her now. Girls notice me now. She will never be out of my mind. I want Laney, only Laney.”

“Yeah, I know. Now go tell her.”





Chapter Ten


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BACKBURNER

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Laney

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I may be almost nineteen years old and about to start college, but The Fox and the Hound is a classic, and this really is

therapeutic; anything Disney is, really. I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve made Evan sit through this movie;

basically anytime he’d screwed up and I felt he needed a reminder of friendship. Right now I’m watching to remind myself. Oh,

here it comes...

“Copper, you’re my best friend.” “And you’re mine too, Tod.”

“And we’ll always be friends forever. Won’t we?” “Yeah, forever.”

Wait for it, wait for it....and there’s the tears. I can’t fight with Evan.

In a few weeks he’ll be gone. There’s no way I’m spending our dwindling time together fighting. Time right now is precious. He

is precious. I’m not too proud to extend the branch first, but I’m snuggly, so a text will have to do.

Laney: Hey Tod

....oh I know he got it, the text and the reference. Is he really ignoring— Evan: Hey Copper

Laney: You’re my best friend

Evan: And you are mine, and so much more, forever Laney: Where are you?

Evan: Sitting under your window

Laney: Creeper

Evan: Guilty

Laney: Movie?

Evan: Open up

The window isn’t locked and he knows it. He chastises me for it constantly, but I’m actually proud he held out for once and let

me come to him. I want things to be okay so badly. I hate fighting with him and feeling insecure, but I couldn’t live through him

cheating on me. Cheating is more than betrayal. It’s letting a selfish, physical need take over with blatant disregard for the

other person’s feelings, as if they’re of no value. If Evan ever treated me with that type of disrespect, it would change us

forever. It would hurt way more than this.

Do I want to think of him with another girl? Hell no. But thinking of him not caring if he hurts me, even for the few minutes it

takes to get to the goal line hurts much worse. If we’re not “together,” not only is he not physically cheating, he’s not

emotionally cheating...the ultimate deal breaker for me.

I scoot over and make room for him, pulling down the covers. “Evan, I don’t want to fight with you. I don’t want to hurt you. I

don’t want you to hurt me. Please say we’re okay.”