Page 1 of Mayhem

Serena

Life is nothing without adventure. Trust me, I would know.

I have never considered myself a lucky girl by any stretch of the imagination, but I wouldn’t say unlucky. I was coasting through life, not enjoying it but not hating it.

I never imagined this is how my senior year would start.

I am sitting on the floor in Evan's college dorm. He just moved in the other day for his freshman year.The room is your typical college dorm room. Off-white walls that looked like they haven’t been painted in years. Two beds, desks and wardrobes. There is even a small TV that Evan brought from home. The room is bare. Neither Evan or his roommate have started unpacking. The only thing they have done is make their beds.

My mind wanders as I wait for Evan to come back with some food, thinking about my life growing up. I grew up with just my mom. I never knew my father; he passed away shortly before I was born. A drunk driver hit his car one night when he was on his way home from work. My mom was heartbroken, alone, and very pregnant. I was born a week later. Thankfully, my paternal grandparents took us in and helped raise me until I was five. Mom was still in law school, but was able to save enough money to buy our own house.

I met Evan- the sweet boy across the street- the day we moved in. I was so scared and nervous being in a new place, but he came over with a flower he picked from his mom’s garden and gave it to me. I remember him telling me I was as pretty as the flower he gave me. My cheeks instantly went rosy, and I felt butterflies in my stomach.

I always had a hard time making friends, I was too shy to try and talk to anyone, so I would sit in the back of the class. One day a pretty girl with long black hair came over and introduced herself. Cleo. She sat beside me and acted as if we had always been friends.

Cleo had always had this aura about her. She is the type of girl that knows what she wants and how to get it. Nothing ever stops her. I looked up to her and wanted to be just like her. I never understood why she wanted to be my friend, but I was happy to have another one. I introduced her to Evan at recess. We became an inseparable trio that did everything together.

Evan was always my protector growing up. No one dared bully me, let alone talk to me. Evan became my entire world. I never needed anyone but him and Cleo.

I tried a few times to make more friends, but he didn’t like it when I spoke to anyone else. I remember talking to this boy named Robby when I was in the second grade. I was happy to be making a new friend, but Evan got mad. I hated making him mad, so I never spoke to Robby again. I never tried to make friends after that.

Thinking about my past isn’t always a happy thing for me. So many happy memories are shrouded in darkness. Things weren’t what they seemed on the outside, but I was too young to understand at the time.

My hands are sweating, and my body is shaking.

I am so nervous right now.

I am dreading having to tell Evan my news. I never know how he will react. All I know is that he is not going to be happy.

I stay seated on the floor, waiting for Evan to come back. He left the room to pick it up from the delivery driver downstairs.Just tell him. He may be upset, but I can't do anything about it. I repeat this head, until I feel a small shred of confidence.

I just need to tell him. Get it all out and in the open. I know he had a plan for our future - this will throw a massive wrench in them- but I cannot do anything about it.

The door opens, and Evan walks in. His arms filled with our takeout. I shakily get up and grab the bags from him, and place them down on his desk before taking out the containers. The food smells amazing, but the knot in my stomach is making it hard for me to want to eat. Once all the food is on his desk, I turn to him. I clasp my hands together and keep my head down.

Thankfully, his roommate is out for the evening. I start preparing for what I know is to come. I take a deep breath to steady myself, getting my emotions in check. I look up into his brown eyes, searching to see his mood. I never know how Evan will react to things. He is as unpredictable as a snake most days.

“Evan,” I start, my voice shaky. I clear my throat, trying to build a false sense of calm I don’t feel. “There is something I need to talk to you about.”

He grabs my shaking hands and looks down at me. His shaggy, dirty blonde hair is in his eyes, but I can see something dark in them. Evan is only a couple of inches taller than me, so I do not have to tilt my head too much.

“What’s up, Serena?” His voice is quiet and calm, but it’s unnerving to me.

“I want you to know that these last six months have been the best of my life,” I start, trying to placate him. His eyes soften a little, but I can still see anger. He pulls me into his body and kisses the top of my head. I savor the moment of peace before the inevitable battle that is to come. “My mom got a new job. She was offered a partnership at a law firm.”

He pushes me away a little and smiles down at me. He looks joyous, and I don’t want to ruin that, but that is not all I have to tell him.

“That is amazing, flower. We should celebrate.” He says excitedly. It has been a while since he called me his childhood nickname for me. When he gave me that flower the first time I met him, he decided that I would always be his pretty, little flower.

I feel more like the rose from Beauty and the Beast. Kept in a case, only to be admired from afar.

Evan goes to turn back to the food, but I grab his arm. He looks down at my hand. His eyes get even darker, like I have offended him. I know I shouldn’t grab him like this, but I need him to listen to the next part. I take a deep breath and continue what I need to say.

“The law firm is in California.” I spit it out, quivering a little, waiting for the freakout.

He stares at me for a moment. A blank face, calculating what I just said to him. He rips his arm out of my grasp and pushes me against his desk. My lower back slams against the solid wood, and pain shoots through me. His hands tightly grip my shoulders, and his nails dig into my flesh.

The tension in the air is thick, suffocating me. I try to keep my face blank, not showing how much pain I am in. I have learnt it is better to ignore the pain than to say anything. He stays silent, unmoving. I knew he would be angry, but I wasn’t sure how he would react. I should have seen this coming. I should have known better.

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