Until when she was almost giving up, she opted for the classic. A black midi dress with short sleeves.
She went home and asked her best friend to keep that outfit in her trailer. Although her mother had not yet appeared, Evie still did not trust her. She took her violin case and went to her evening class.
Evangeline hadn’t noticed, but Howard, the Castello driver, had been following her since he left the house this morning. He accompanied her in all her stops and only returned to the mansion when Evangeline returned home after the violin lesson.
"Here are the photos, sir.”
Howard delivers an envelope, which was filled with photos he had taken of Evangeline. Alec passed one by one, delighting in the images he had at hand. He couldn’t stop thinking about Evangeline and the touch of her lips on her cheek.
"Tomorrow her class is playing a recital. I thought you might like to go.”
The driver takes a couple of tickets out of his pocket and puts them on the table. Alec takes the tickets and smiles, with Howard’s cunning. He barely knew that man, as he had just arrived from another country, but felt he had him as an ally. And with those tickets in hand, he could come up with a plan to conquer Evangeline.
[...]
"I don’t want you to be nervous." Jude, the teacher, says. "Act like it’s a private show. You were born for it.”
That advice was of no use to Evangeline. She rubbed her hands together, feeling that sweat make her even more stressed. In order to be more relaxed, Evie walked to the big curtains and peeked behind them. She looked face to face until she found her best friend’s, next to an empty bench. Felippa smiled everywhere and when she found Evie’s face, she smiled even more. That made her feel a little better about the empty chair. The redhead gave her a sign to go there.
"What was it?" Felippa asks, when meeting with Evie. "Are you nervous?”
"Where is my mother?”
"Ah..." the girl looks around, not knowing if she would tell the truth to Evie. "She...”
"Speech.”
"Okay. As I was leaving, I hit the trailer to see if it was ready. A strange, half"naked guy opened it and then called her. Leah grumbled some things I didn’t understand and asked what I was doing there. I asked her if she wouldn’t get ready to come to the recital and she...”
Felippa swallows dry. She knew her friend would be hurt by the truth. After all, Evangeline had left the ticket stuck in the fridge, along with a note to her mother.
"Rip off the band-aid, Felippa.”
"She said she would not waste her precious time with a shit that would give her sleep." she says, without breathing. "But friend...”
"I’m all right, Felippa.”
She wasn’t well. And Felippa knew that. Especially when her best friend called her by name.
"Look at all these people." Evangeline opens the curtain again, to look outside. "I will not care about Leah, when...”
Evangeline’s words disappeared from her mouth when she saw the person who had just passed through the front door.
"It’s him..." Evie whispers, making Felippa curious and approach the curtains. "It’s Alec.”
"The handsome guy who gave you all that money?”
"Yes...”
"What’s he doing here? Did you invite him?”
"No, but it must be a coincidence.”
As Evangeline tried hard to get it into his head, Alec looked around in front of him, trying to find an empty seat. That’s when Marylin, the school secretary, approached him with great interest.
"Good evening, sir." she murmurs, opening a broad smile and standing with her spine erect, intending to bring her breasts very close to Alec’s face. “You’re a different face around here. First time?”
"Yes.”
Alec responded with a certain disdain. The last thing he wanted was another trophy woman hitting on him.
"Can I help you find your place?" Marylin asks, touching Alec’s back. He looks at her sideways and makes a move to move her away. "We have a great view of the cabin and...”
"I’ll be right up front.”
Marylin wore a tight, low-cut red dress. That choice had been made purposefully, with the intention of winning over rich old men and thus making them the school donor. Alec was a long way from being an old man, but she knew that only a very rich man could wear the kind of suit he wore. So she hurried.
"Our school has a beautiful scholarship program for talented students and families in need." Alec stopped and took a deep breath, impatient with that. "Even today’s recital has an award and...”
"How much is first place worth?”
"Oh... a thousand dollars and a year of free classes. That second prize, the girls don’t know.”
Through Howard’s thorough pursuit, Alec knew that Evangeline lived in a trailer park. He turned to Marylin and put his hands in his pockets.
"Get Evangeline Atkins first place and we’ll talk about a generous donation to that place.”
The ten students were already in their chairs and held their violins when the curtains opened. Evangeline didn’t need any effort to find Alec. He had occupied the chair next to Felippa, who looked at him like a maniac.
Jude enters the stage and everyone stands up to applaud him. He makes a bow and soon they are seated again.
The first song chosen was a classic. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Little Night Serenade), by Mozart. It was almost nineteen minutes of that song, which made some people cry and others sleep out of boredom. At the end of that song, it was time for solo performances. One by one he started a song of his choice.
Before the curtains were opened, Jude and Marylin had a conversation by the ear and the order of the individual performances was changed. Evangeline who would be the third, was the last. She and her other colleagues, did not understand why this decision, but accepted.
When her turn finally comes, Evie begins the introduction of Paganini’s God Save The King. Everyone was extremely surprised by that choice, as this song was considered one of the most difficult to play. Only someone with great skill, was able to do it with mastery. And Evangeline was that person. When she started playing, there was not one person in that theater who wasn’t hooked with the performance. Even Felippa, who hated classical music and had spent the entire recital facing Alec. Evie played that song with her eyes closed the whole time. It was her way of feeling it. And the moment she finished her presentation, all the people who were there stood up and applauded her fervently. She couldn’t hide her happiness. Alec subtly applauded her as she carried a beautiful smile. Felippa screamed hallucinately. The five people destined to judge those individual presentations already had their verdict. Marylin walked sensually before them and took the envelope from the last person in th
"Of course.” Evangeline narrows her gaze to Felippa, who was now delighted with a huge chocolate milkshake. "I couldn’t stop thinking about you yesterday." she faces Alec. "After you left, that party lost even the grace. I tried to sleep and only his face came to mind.” "Alec, I, uh...” "So I decided to go out and abstract my head. I entered that theater by chance and..." he lets out a low laugh, trying to make that excuse fall well. "It was as if a force greater, had made me enter there. Then I saw you and heard, and everything made sense.” Alec stretched out his arm and touched Evangeline’s hand on the table. She stared at his hands and then looked at Alec. "You’re confusing things." she says, pulling her hand gently. "Sorry, Alec, but... I... I like someone else.” Alec blinks a few times. He had seen the photos that Howard had brought several times and in none of them appeared a supposed boyfriend. But that shouldn’t be a hindrance to him. "It doesn’t change my will." he
"Hi, Evie. The teachers are going on strike.” "Really?" she asks with sadness in her voice and drops the books on a table. "Why?” "The city has not paid their salary, so it is not fair that they continue teaching, without receiving. Is not it?” "Of course not. What can I do for you?” They spent all morning preparing posters, banners, flags and everything that was needed to start the strike on Monday. And despite the reasons for being there, not being the best of all, Ruby and Evangeline were just smiles to each other. As they were leaving the university with the other people, Evie decided to put her will into practice. "Hey, Ruby..." she touches his arm. " I was thinking... it’s...” Ruby was a bit shy, but she always liked Evangeline. Her polite, simple and clever way of doing it enchanted him at first. But the fact that he found her quite beautiful, made him think she couldn’t feel the same way about him. Until that moment. "Do you want to have lunch with me?" he asks at onc
As Evangeline approaches, the unknown man looks at her. He leaves William talking to himself and walks away to talk to another unknown person. "Uncle, what did he say?" Evie asks. "Oh, Evie... he came up with a story that this field was from city hall and someone bought it today.” "So what?” "Apparently the new owner wants that place empty today to start building work tomorrow.” "But that’s absurd!" Evangeline looks around, trying to find someone to complain about. "They can’t do that. They can’t!” And in the middle of that hole, Evangeline’s phone starts ringing. She ignores it, without even seeing who it is. Her biggest problem at the time was trying to better understand what was going on and where she was going to sleep that night. But after the phone starts ringing for the fifth time, she decides to answer the private number call. "What is it? Who are you?” "Go somewhere far from all those people.” She didn’t have to ask who it was for the second time. As has b
Futile enough to close a restaurant just for him. That’s what Evie thinks and it was almost true. The restaurant belonged to the Castellos, but served as a front for what was happening in the back. An illegal casino. Alec occupied a table right in the center of the restaurant. He had chosen the chair facing the door because he wanted to delight in the entrance to Evangeline. He knew it was coming armed, just did not expect to see her in slippers. Alec leaned on the table and put a hand on his lips, partially hiding the smile he had. Without saying a word, Evie pulls up the chair making a shrill noise and sitting down anyway. He still stares at her for a few seconds before dropping a low laugh. "I expected a certain reluctance, but this" Alec points to her clothes. "surprised me.” "Well, I figured since you wanted me here at all costs, you wouldn’t mind the clothes I wore.” "And I don’t care." He makes a sign, so that a waiter approaches. "You look beautiful.” Evie snorts
That word came out like a whisper in the wind. Evie never knew where her father was or what had made him leave. I knew his name, but I had no idea what his face looked like. Evangeline believed the story that Leah maintained, about him dropping them off in that field alone and being driven around the world. Seeing those envelopes, Evie thought that maybe that wasn’t true. She takes the envelope that was still sealed and opens it. There was some $50 bills and a brief letter. Evie read it carefully. Dear Evangeline, I can imagine why you didn’t answer my letters. Actually, I’m sure. Leah isn’t passing them to you. I should have guessed so you didn’t answer the first, twelve years ago. I hope at least she used the money I sent, to try to meet some need of yours. Anyway, I still expect an answer and the certainty that you are willing to hear my version of my departure. God knows what madness Leah has spread. Evie big, I love you. I miss you so much. I hope one day we can see each
Evie looks in the direction of the voice and is surprised when she sees Alec. In addition to the white tank top, which showed off his white arms, with some random tattoos, Alec also wore fine knit shorts and slippers. That vision almost led her to let out a sigh, but Evangeline quickly came to and nodded. "I want to talk to you.” "Of course.” Alec signals to the doorman, who promptly opens the huge iron gates. Evie does not move, as she was still thinking about giving up on it. "Do you want to come in or do you want to talk from here?” Evangeline closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, remembering her mother and her father’s stolen letters. She then takes a few steps and soon after walks behind Alec, into the mansion. He takes her to the room where she was before and Muta the television. "Football?" Evie murmurs, looking at the empty beer bottles on the coffee table. "My favorite sport." Alec points to the couch. "You can sit.” He noticed the backpack on Evangeline
There was also a weapons room underground, but Alec didn’t want to scare her. He still wondered how she was able not to know about them being mobsters, since Leah has been working there for a few years. When they returned to the house, they saw the figure of Cedric at the top of the stairs. Evangeline had no idea who he was, but no one who was in the room she broke into was able to forget the girl with the red hair. "Can you wait for me on the porch?" Alec asks Evangeline, as soon as they approach Cedric. "I’ll be right there.” She states with her head and gives a simple smile to Cedric, before going to the balcony. Alec hopes she’s far enough away to confront her new partner. "What are you doing here?” "When you said you had solved that matter," Cedric points with his head, in the direction of Evangeline. "everyone believed. Imagine what your father and the other investors will say when they find out what’s going on here.” "You don’t know what’s going on here, to want