𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 • Neil Perry

Chapter 2

"PETERSON!" was her name. Neil was filled with a great sense of relief in being able to call it across the hallway and see her receive it. She was in the company of her friend, who he learned to be Virginia Danburry more ceremoniously when she auditioned. She was one of at least two dozen Hermias.

"Don't wait ahead," Evelyn told her lowly. "I probably won't make it to the common room until a little later anyway."

"Can't imagine why," Ginny quipped, causing Evelyn to roll her eyes that landed on Neil. The brunette caught up with another friend, leaving the two in the rapidly emptying hall.

"Is that what you're going to do now? Call me by my family name?"

Neil returned the smirk on her face. "You're the one that made such a point of it before."

"I've got to keep some mystery haven't I? What fun would I be if I gave it up all at once."

"I happen to think you can learn a learn a lot about a person depending on how much they're willing to tell you."

She searched his eyes for a short moment. "Then what have you learnt about me?"

He cocked his head pointedly. "That's for me to know."

She scoffed in spite of her small yet present smile.

"What are you doing now?" Neil asked.

And he could've sworn he saw Evelyn contemplate an answer for a split second before she challengingly remarked, "What's it to you?"

"I don't know, I figured..." he shrugged as he racked his brain for suitable phrasing and a distillation of his ever present nerves. "I don't know, we could do something or some other thing, somewhere."

She smiled warmly and spoke with a new softness he had yet heard from her. "I can't. I'm meeting somebody."

Neil wondered what kind of somebody. "Oh."

"He actually probably has a stick up his butt over how long I've already kept him waiting."

And then he knew. "Sounds like a real keeper," he replied sarcastically.

Evelyn's face contorted. "I'm not sure that's exactly the word I would use."

"Then what word would you use?"

Her eyes settled upon nothing in particular as she pondered his question. Then after the brief pause passed, she returned her focus to him and said, "A distraction. Or something in that vain at least, I've never been all that good with words."

"Your audition said otherwise," Neil said sincerely. "I might as well pick up those cigarettes now."

Evelyn smiled at that. "I wouldn't hold my breath. But as for that some other thing—some other time maybe?"

The softness of her glowing eyes only made him catch his breath all over again. But still, he answered, "Definitely."

Her smile was warm with no inclinations to kittenish amusement. So, when she headed for the exit merely metres away, Neil raced ahead and open one of the double doors for her. She gently laughed as she thanked him, followed by short goodbyes as they parted ways.

The soles of Neil's shoes felt glued to the floor as he watched her walk towards the suave convertible Buick rumbling with its engine and illuminated by the reflection of its taillights.

Evelyn slipped into the passenger seat which coaxed the driver to look up, and that was the moment Neil caught a glimpse of his face in the rearview mirror.

It was the face of Chet Danburry, and he was looking right back at him.

Once Neil was back at Welton, he didn't do so much as make a stop for his room. Instead, he knocked on a door across the hall: Knox's room.