Assigned to You (Completed)

Chapter Three: Everett

It took most of my energy to drag myself inside the apartment I rented with my fraternity brother. The moment I trudged inside, Daniel was nestled on the couch, watching a football game. He turned when he heard me enter and then tossed me a beer, knowing full well I’ve had another bad day at work.

I plopped down on the couch beside him, popping open the can of beer and emptying the can in one chug. I grabbed another one and popped it open with a sigh. I could feel Daniel’s gaze on me. “Bad day?”

“Always,” I answered with another sigh. This was the third presentation I had for a game that was turned down by the company. The first time, it didn’t really bother me. Rather, it made me work more and be more creative for the next game idea I had but it was still rejected. I felt really good for this one but to my dismay, it still didn’t make the cut.

“By the way, your uncle came by,” Daniel informed me, “He’s been leaving messages all week and now he came by. Is there a reason why you seem to avoid your family?”

I knew why Curtis came by. The annual family dinner was right around the corner and last year, I hadn’t attended. Grandfather was furious that I didn’t come. I didn’t because it was around the time I found out my mother died. The only living parent I had was dead too and even when I never met her, I felt the heartbreak of the little kid inside of me that longed for her.

Someone told me to grieve her loss and that’s exactly what I did. I went to her funeral and I saw people cry for her and grieve her that way I should have. They gave a nice eulogy and in that moment, it was the only moment I felt like I had a chance to know her or even have a glimpse of the life she had lived. She was a good person and I couldn’t understand why such a good person abandoned her son.

“Ev?”

I looked back at Daniel and ran a hand through my long hair. “It’s the family dinner. I didn’t come last year because I had something to do.”

“Aren’t you coming this year?”

I didn’t feel like coming this year. I felt like such a failure and I didn’t have anything to boast to my family. I couldn’t show up and bring nothing. I was done with college, I had a job, yet I still relied on half the trust-fund that they gave me.

I amounted to nothing and if my grandfather knew it, he would be pleased.

“I left the house saying that when I stepped foot there again, I would have my own company and had developed my own game,” I explained, glancing at my Asian friend, “I’ve presented thrice and got rejected all times.”

“I’m sure they would’ve forgotten about what you said, Ev,” Daniel said, trying to cheer me up.

My phone suddenly rang and when I pulled it out of my pocket. It was Curtis calling. I waited until my uncle gave up and listened to the voicemail I knew he would leave me. “Everett. This is the fourth time I’ve left a message on your voicemail and I knew you’re listening to my messages. Papa wants to see you, Everett. Come to the dinner.”

The knock on our door startled both Daniel and I and he moved towards the door. When he opened it, I already knew who was behind. Curtis walked into our apartment without being invited in. He still looked as crisped as ever. His suit fitted him perfectly and his black hair was neatly trimmed. I, on the other hand, looked like a homeless person next to him.

“How long have you been standing outside?” I asked. I never treated Curtis like an uncle since our age difference wasn’t that big. He was more of an older brother to me than an uncle despite the fact that he was my father’s younger brother.

Curtis merely shrugged and walked into the room, plopping down on the couch and making himself at home. He grabbed a beer and popped it open and then flashed me a lazy grin. “Long enough to make sure you’re home and that you’re awake so China here has no reason to tell me that you can’t face me.”

“I’m Korean,” Daniel muttered before heading to the kitchen where the phone was, “I’m ordering pizza.”

I turned to Curtis and crossed my arms. “If you’re here to pester me about joining the family dinner, I won’t, Curt. I left the house saying that when I come back, I’ve made something of myself and I haven’t.”

“No one expects anything from you, Everett,” Curtis drawled, “What we expect is your presence at dinner.”

I sighed and ran a hand through my long hair. “Look at me, Curt, do I look like I still belong to our damn family?”

He glanced at the way I looked. I had allowed my hair to grow, something I knew Nana would nag at me. I haven’t shaved for a month and I was dressed in yesterday’s pants and a worn out hoodie. I kept the ‘expensive’ clothes I had stocked in a box in my room and had bought myself a wardrobe in a thrift shop.

“Buy a suit,” Curtis replied with a wave of his hand, “You don’t have scotch in this dump?”

I glared at Curtis. There was another knock and Daniel went to answer the door again. When he got to the living room, he placed the box of pizza on the coffee table and took two slices and trudged back to his room, giving me and Curtis privacy to talk.

I grabbed a slice and sat beside Curtis. He looked at the pizza with distaste and didn’t grab one. It wasn’t the kind of food my family ate. “I don’t have money for a suit.”

Curtis sighed and looked at me with exasperation. “You’re still of the same size right? I’ll send you your suit for the dinner first thing in the morning. Just come, Everett. Papa has something to talk with you.”

That was all Curtis said. He stood up and with a firm nod, left the apartment. It was as if he didn’t even come. Daniel emerged out of his room when he heard the door shut close. “He’s gone?”

I noted the hint of surprise in his voice. Just like me, he must’ve expected a longer visit than just that. But then again, it was Curtis. Papa had wanted him to deliver a message and he had done his mission. There was no need to linger after that.

My phone vibrated in my pocket before I could’ve answered Daniel. I fished it out and opened a message. It was from Curtis. Did he forget to say something?

Pack your bags. I’ll have Brenton pick you up tomorrow morning. Papa got you a better apartment than that dump.

I stared at his text. Was he serious? He couldn’t just come into my apartment, demand me to go to dinner tomorrow night and tell me to pack my bags and that I had a brand new apartment, courtesy of Victor Saunders.

You couldn’t have told me that when you were here?

You would’ve put up a fight. I didn’t want to bother your roommate with an argument. Actually, you don’t have to pack anything. Just tell your roommate he needs to find a new one. No more questions and buts, Everett.

I hated it when he used that tone on me, even when it was through text, I could still hear his voice when I read his messages and I could just imagine him using that particular tone. I looked at Daniel on my phone and sighed.

“They’re making me move out.”

“Wow, he hasn’t been here for half an hour and you haven’t had dinner with them yet but they’re already back at controlling your life.”

I chuckled at that. He had a point. “I don’t feel like packing my things. But I’ll be back some time to get them. Are you okay with looking for a new roommate?”

Daniel turned away, suddenly looking sheepish and then he said, “Actually…”

I raised an eyebrow. “Were you planning on kicking me out?”

He quickly shook his head. “No! Well, not exactly. But uhh, it’s just that I was thinking of asking Olivia to move in.”

“And it would’ve been awkward if you still had me around,” I concluded. I didn’t feel upset with what Daniel said. He and Olivia had been together since we were freshmen in college and I knew that they were going to end up living together soon.

Daniel sighed. “I was just thinking of the right time to talk to you about it.”

“No worries, Danny. Its fine,” I replied with a smile, “I guess it’s a good thing that I actually have a place to move into rather than being homeless.”

Daniel looked apologetic. “To make it up to you, do you want to have a few drinks at the bar? My treat.”

I grinned. “Oh, absolutely.”

The bar was just a few blocks away from the apartment. It was actually one of the many reasons that Daniel chose to live in this building. The reason why I ended up being his roommate was that he could barely afford the unit by himself since he was just starting work. I had just announced to my family that I was going to live on my own and not come back to the mansion after I graduated and so when Daniel told me he needed a roommate, I moved right away.

It was crowded and filled with drunken college students and people our age. There were couples grinding on the dance floor. Daniel and I made our way to the bar and ordered shots. My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for someone that I could pass the time and take my mind off the things that bothered me.

I wasn’t exactly the type of guy that was into commitments. I liked flings and one-night stands. I remembered my grandmother once mentioned that my father had fallen in love with my mother and thought that she must’ve been the one but before they could’ve gotten married after she gave birth to me, she left without a word or even an explanation.

They were the prime example that commitment didn’t exist, that loyalty wasn’t real and that love doesn’t make someone stay.

A flash of red hair caught my attention.

I perked up and focused on where I had first seen it. I watched as the crowd parted for her to have more space. She danced with such grace and passion, it was mesmerizing. She went with the rhythm of the beat, moving her hips tantalizingly. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

Without realizing it, I had already left Daniel at the bar and had moved closer to the girl on the dance floor. It was as if there was an invisible thread that she was pulling, drawing me to her. When I reached her, I moved in beat with her, matching her rhythm. Just as she spun around, the sight of the familiar green eyes broke me from the daze I was in.

The green eyes, the lips that had molded with mine that night, the fact that I couldn’t forget no matter how hard I tried.

A smile broke out from my face as I looked at her in amazement.

“Evangeline.”

She stopped dancing immediately when I said her name. Just like that, the moment came to a screeching stop. She looked at me with eyes wide and mouth agape, as if she didn’t believe that there I was, right in front of her.

“Who are you?”

The three words stilled me. “Evangeline?”

She blinked. “I don’t know you.”

She pushed past me and headed to the bar, ordering a drink. I rushed to her. I’ve lost her once. I wasn’t going to lose sight of her again. “Evangeline, it’s me. Don’t you remember me? It’s Everett. We swam together, had some fun, talked.”

Her eyebrows furrowed as if trying to think. And then I watched as her eyes lit up. “Oh! Oh, yes, Everett!”

My smile widened. She remembered me. She still remembered me even if it’s been a year since we’ve spent early morning at that beach. “I can’t believe it’s been a year since then.”

She smiled and up close, under the harsh lights of the club, she still looked beautiful. “Yea, where did the time go, huh?”

I waved at the bartender and ordered another drink, “Do you want another one?”

She motioned to the glass she was holding. “I’m good with this one.”

When I turned back to the bartender, I spotted Daniel still in the same spot I left him. He was watching me with an amused smile. He merely nodded and then mouthed that he sent me a text. I fished out my pocket and read what he messaged me.

Liv’s here. I’ll be with here. I told the bartender that I’ll be paying for what you order but tell me if you’re leaving early.

“Was that your friend?”

I turned back to Evangeline. “Who?”

“The Korean who was staring at us the creepy way you stared at me at the beach that night.”

My eyebrows rose but I ignored the latter part of her statement. “Yea, he’s my roommate. But I’ll be moving out tomorrow so I guess it’s a farewell party?”

“How could it be a party when it’s only the two of you?” she asked and shook her head. I couldn’t stop staring at her. She looked as beautiful as the last time I saw her.

I rolled my eyes and decided to rephrase my statement. “We went out for drinks.”

“More like it,” Evangeline said with a smirk. She downed her drink and then left the bar. I downed mine quickly and followed her. She stopped and turned back, “If I went to the ladies room, would you follow me there too?”

I halted in front of her and stuffed my hands in my pockets, rolling my weight on my heels. “The last time we saw each other, I asked you what would happen if we met again, that if we did, will that night last a little longer or have a follow-up.”

I watched as she remembered our last conversation and when she looked at me, there was something in her green eyes that I couldn’t put a name to. She tilted her head to the side, her red hair cascading on her shoulder.

“And I’m guessing you’re hoping that since we met again, there could be a little more that could happen tonight that didn’t happen then?”

Her lips were tempting to capture mine again but I resisted the urge. There was something about Evangeline that draws me to her, like a pathetic moth to the luminescent light. “If you mean more talking, yes. But if you’re to suggest another thing…”

I let myself trail off and she laughed, shaking her head. She held up a finger. “Give me five minutes to use the restroom and then we’ll go outside. I’m not liking the music that the DJ just turned up.”

“You won’t exit via the window?”

She smirked and then motioned to the tight fitting dress she was wearing, the green dress that hugged her curves. “I would but then I’d ruin my outfit.”

“I’ll note that.”

I waited for her for five minutes and when the time was almost up, I half-expected that she bailed on me. But when she emerged from the ladies room, looking a bit prettier than before she entered, I couldn’t help but smile. “You didn’t need to retouch for me.”

She rolled her eyes and elbowed me in the gut before taking my hand and dragging me outside the bar. I liked the feel of her hand in mine, the warmth that she radiated. Outside, the music was fainter and it meant we could hear each other a little bit more. She leaned on the wall of the establishment and looked at me with mascara-heavy eyes.

“I didn’t retouch for you,” she said, her voice light and melodic to my ears, “I could’ve met a cuter guy but well, you’re practically begging for my attention. Might as well give it to you.”

I chuckled and stood beside her. “I could have you begging for me if you want.”

Her eyes narrowed and then she sighed. “Look, Everett, just because we saw each other again doesn’t really mean that its fate. You honestly believe that silly thing?”

“Don’t you?” I didn’t know why I asked but if I was to really answer her question, I would tell her I didn’t. I thought it was stupid.

But I saw her again.

It must count for something.

She tilted her head to the side again, the action making her look cuter in my eyes. She had a calculative look on her face and then she said, “If you’re looking for a one-night stand or a friends with benefits thing, I don’t really roll that way, Everett.”

I blinked, the directness suddenly veering me off course. As much as she oozed confidence and how sexy she looked right now, it was her boldness that turned me on. I closed my eyes. “Continue being that directly to me, I might not control myself. I’ve got little self-restraint, mind you.”

She smirked and nibbled on her bottom lip. My eyes narrowed at the action. “And I’m not an easy girl, mind you. If you want me, you work to get me.”

“What does that mean?”

She pushed herself off the wall and then trudged a few steps in front of me. “It means, if we see each other again, make sure you get my number so you could actually manage to land a few dates with me.”

With that, she left with a slow wave of her hand, her red lips pulled in a smirk. She turned around, her hips swaying as she walked.

Damn, that woman could be the death of me.