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I’ve loved you since eighteen…
We’ve come a long way from the playground…
Chapter Twelve
Emmy
“Hey, Emmy! Oh, wow, you look amazing!” Evan says as he walks across the street toward me.
“Yeah … except for the cast,” I reply. “But thanks! You look incredible as well. Is this new?” I realize that I’m flirting with him, without even meaning to.
He looks down at his black silk shirt that’s halfway open, exposing his tanned and muscular chest enticingly. “This ol’ thing? Yeah, I guess so. I figured I should dress up a little for tonight. We haven’t been to a concert in a long time,” he says.
“Dress up a little? You look amazing!” I reply, looking him up and down.
But there’s a strange look on his face. He’s not smiling like he usually does when I compliment him, nor is he keeping up this conversation.
Before I can ask him what’s wrong, Evan changes the subject. “There’s about a million people here. Shall we go inside? I’m afraid someone will bump into your arm on this sidewalk,” he says.
“Sure. But to be honest, someone might bump into me inside as well. I can’t imagine it’ll be less crowded—it’s a Harry Styles concert. Thanks for taking care of me and my arm, though.” I smile.
“You know I always do.” Evan puts his arm around me in a protective way, and we proceed toward the entrance of the venue, snaking through the metallic barriers they’ve installed just for tonight.
As it turns out, he was right about the crowds. No matter how careful we try to be, there are simply too many people, wandering aimlessly and chaotically every which way, not paying attention to anything. I can feel Evan’s fingers grip my shoulder as he tries to protect me. Luckily, my left arm is nestled between us and safe from bumps, but people are still charging into me from time to time as they simply don’t look where they’re going.
“Hey, watch it!” he calls out to a bunch of teenagers who almost run me down.
They don’t even notice and continue along, laughing and joking.
“It’s alright, Evan. I didn’t even feel it,” I reassure him.
“I just want you to be safe,” he tells me as he pulls me even closer. His strong arm wraps around me as my heart starts to beat faster. I swallow heavily, and I can feel myself growing warmer and warmer.
It must be from the heat of the crowd…
After a quick scan of our tickets, we finally make it inside. We have floor tickets, and I feel the excitement building now that we’re here. There are purple and pink lights flashing continuously, creating a surreal atmosphere, almost like a dream.
As the venue fills up with people, Evan and I are forced to stand closer and closer together.
“Wow, so many people, right?” I call out to him over the noise.
“What?? Oh, yeah! I mean, it’s Harry Styles, so…”
A group of girls find a tiny slice of space right behind us. They bump into me, sending me further into Evan’s arms. He holds me tight, and I can feel his pulse quicken, his heartbeat rising now.
“Hey! Stop that! Please don’t push into her!” he tells the girls. “She has a cast.”
“Sorry!” They start to giggle. I turn my head and watch in shock as all of them—probably six or seven girls no older than nineteen or twenty—are blatantly checking out Evan from head to toe, as if scanning some kind of meat at the supermarket. One of them says something to the others—I can’t make it out—and it’s obvious that she’s talking about Evan.
They all start laughing again before one of the girls runs a hand through her hair and addresses him. “Hey, so … Are you like … a fan of … Harry or something?”
“Sure,” he says, his arms still wrapped around me protecting me against the crowd.
“Bet! That slaps! We stan Harry! It’s so like … lit that we have that in common!” the girl says.
Evan doesn’t answer this time.
And I suddenly feel very old…
