Chapter 35
Spring was transitioning into summer. It meant the sun was out, and the days were getting longer. It was the weekend, it was warm, and it was perfect. Evie had been beaming ever since she left the high-rise.
“You look happy,” Sam said. She was throwing seeds for a few sparrows that had gathered near her chair. Wherever she went, animals seemed to congregate.
“I am happy.” Evie bit her lip, trying to stifle the smile that simply wouldn’t go away.
“Somethingagain?”
“Someone, actually.” Evie sipped her drink, hoping the act would help her stop smiling so widely. It didn’t work.
It was her first day out of the high-rise since Natalya had woken up. Her first day outside while wearing the Chain pendant around her neck. Her first day in public being Natalya’s.
Sam had surprised Evie and picked the place, so they weren’t at The Five-Leaf. They’d gone to a bar with outside seating. To enjoy the sunshine, Sam had said.
“Your not-girlfriend?”
Evie gave her a loaded look, and Sam blushed.
“She’snotmy girlfriend.” The term didn’t fit Natalya. And it didn’t fit what Evie felt for her. It was too small. Toonormal. “I’m just hers. And it feels right.”
“She’s still scary.” Sam huddled further into herself. Despite the warm weather, she wore baggy jeans and an oversized sweatshirt. Evie had never seen her wearing anything that fit right.
“She’s only scary when she wants to be.”
“I guess she wants to be when I’m around.”
“Natalya’s holding a bit of a grudge.” Evie grinned at Sam, keeping her tone light and humorous. “She’s still annoyed about how we got introduced.”
The attempt at getting Sam to laugh didn’t work. She just curled in on herself more.
The sight made Evie feel bad. She didn’t want to make Sam uncomfortable, but the poor woman was so lacking in confidence you hardly had to say anything, and she’d manage to turn the comment into a blow. And she just took it. It hurt to see.
“Sorry, Sam. Natalya can just be… intimidating. Especially to people who don’t know her.” Evie tried an encouraging smile. “Lily and Blake say hi, by the way. They had fun last time. You’re welcome back at the Court of Chains if you ever want to get out on the weekends.” She nudged Sam’s leg. “I’m sure Blake especially would be excited about that. She likes you.”
“Blake is mean,” Sam mumbled, but she smiled when she said it. Sam glanced at Evie’s necklace. “She has one of those too. As does Lily. Though theirs are blue and silver.”
Evie laughed nervously, quickly coming up with a lie.
“It’s kind of a membership thing. The Court of Chains is pretty out there.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” A sad smile played on Sam’s lips. “It was fun though. Being out with you three. I wouldn’t mind going again.”
“You should. Who knows? Maybe Drago will be there,” Evie said innocently. Sam’s face turned scarlet.
“Yeah… Maybe.”
Evie raised her eyebrows. “He was giving you some pretty long looks last time, from what I noticed.”
“No, he wasn’t,” Sam said quietly. “He was probably looking at you. You’re pretty. I’m not.”
Evie had taken to wearing less covering clothing lately, and that day was no exception. She was dressed for the warm weather, in a tank top and shorts. The confidence she had prior to Varro’s estate was returning bit by bit every passing week. She felt more like herself than she had in a long time.
She felt pretty. She understood why Sam did not.
Sam’s hair was unkempt, and there were dark shadows under her eyes. She was pale from lack of sun, and her clothing was oversized. All characteristics that were near-permanent for her. The signs of someone not taking care of themselves, either because they couldn’t or didn’t want to.
It was a familiar mindset. Evie remembered how little she’d cared for herself when she first got to Chicago.
