Re: Brasserie Ruhlmann: Whine & Dine [James/Open]

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn nodded. She didn't really feel up to more drama today though. But she didn't want to drag this out. James was rarely in a civil mood these days. He would probably go back to lashing at her every chance he got if she didn't do this soon.

She checked her watch. It was about eight and the sky was darkening. "I....I kind of have stuff to finish before school tomorrow. The whole weekend's been kinda crazy," she said truthfully. And it had. On Friday when she'd woken, she and Jake had been almost okay (as okay as they ever were), she and James were in a state of ignoring the other and she and Alexis had been fairly indifferent to each other.

Evelyn crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring Jake's constantly buzzing phone. Who was this guy, the president? NYC crowds hid its buzzing enough but James was walking right next to her and could probably hear it. Speaking of...Evelyn shifted a bit to the right so her arm wouldn't keep brushing his. She kept her gaze forward. "Um...I don't know when. If you have an hour or so right now, we could get it over with."

[Guest]

James thought of course he had time to talk to her, truth be told even if he didn't he would stop to make the time to talk to her, he looked at her so it didn't seem like he wasn't listening, "Yeah I have time to talk, I guess the sooner we get it over with the better right?"

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn glanced ahead at the others. Sienna was peering back every now and then to shoot them suspicious glances. Evelyn tried to curb an amused grin. She was used to this from high school. Half the girls automatically hated her because of James' attention.

"You'd offend your fan club. Don't you remember Brooke getting catty?" she said quietly, keeping her eyes forward. She hated meeting James' eyes.

[Guest]

James chuckled, shooting Sienna a look and noticing her sour expression towards Evelyn and it did remind him of high school how all the girls would hate Evelyn instantly when they saw him giving her attention.

"Eh I'm over the whole fan club scene, kind of..." He grinned, "Yeah I remember Brooke wanting to claw you whenever I talked to you."

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn pulled a face. "God, high school was so petty. I'm so glad I'm out of Ash Creek. If I can help it, I'll stay here for post-grad studies too."

"James?" Luke said from up ahead as they reached the subway stairs. "You coming or...?"

Carrie shot them a confused glance. Evelyn blinked and finally turned to look James in the eyes. Her stomach rattled when she met those dark blue irises.

"We can talk on campus if you want. Usually the quad gets deserted at this time."

[Guest]

"Yeah sure, sounds good." James said to Evelyn meeting her emerald eyes and felt chills in his body. James pulled his eyes away from Evelyn to respond to Luke.

"Um you can go ahead without me, I'll catch up." James said, raising his eyebrows at Luke.

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke nodded and as they entered the platform, he took off in a different direction while the rest of them caught a southbound train to Greenwich.

The compartment was crowded. Carrie and her friends found spots to hang onto the overhead holds. Evelyn leaned back against the transparent wall right by the doors, eyes out the window. Jake's phone began buzzing again. Evelyn pulled it out of her bag and saw the word "Mom" on the screen.

Oh shit. She debated whether to answer the call or not. Clearly Jake hadn't told his mother he'd lost his phone. Idiot.

[Guest]

James heard Evelyn's phone vibrating again while they were on the train. She sure made a lot of friends in the last two weeks if they kept calling her, he looked down and saw Evelyn holding an identical Blackberry to his and he arched an eyebrow. He could have sworn Evelyn had an iPhone and he was right, it was right there in her purse.

"Um? Not that its any of my business but you get such a busy social life you needed two phones?" James asked, looking at the phone buzzing in her hand.

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn glanced down when the BB flashed "Mom". Se turned it slightly so James wouldn't be able to read it from his position.

"Um...this..." She hesitated. "No, it's, it's not my phone. Um, excuse me, I think I need to take this."

She stepped past James, accidentally brushing against him and swallowing down the jitters that broke over her. She headed to the other end of the compartment where it was slightly more deserted, and answered the call.

"Hey, Carmen," she said softly.

[Guest]

James nodded watching her going to take her call on her second phone.

Carmen was a bit taken back by the female voice on the other line, "Hello who is this? How do yo know my name?" Her accent lacing in her voice with curiosity on who had her son's phone.

[Tiger-Lily]

"This is Evelyn. Jake brought me over for dinner last week," Evelyn replied. Had it seriously only been a week? "Jake left his phone over at my place, Carmen." She thought furiously, thinking of a likely story that wouldn't get them both screwed over. "I meant to give it back to him but he's been so busy and when I went over, he was out earlier."

[Guest]

Carmen had remembered the nice girl that Jake had brought home and her tone changed, "Oh hello honey, sorry didn't recognize your voice. Oy that stupid son of mine would forget his head if it wasn't attached to his shoulders. He was probably with Seth. I tried calling him earlier and I was just worried since he didn't come out here today. Anyway, are you okay dear? I know dinner was ruined when you came last time but remember you're welcomed any time to come back, Daniel and I would like to see you again."

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn blinked, surprised but pleased. Not having any family close by, she really did like Jake's family. They were a fun, sarcastic lot and she felt right at home with them. They kind of reminded her of her cousin Leon's family back in Seattle.

But she really, really didn't want anything to do with Jake again. Especially after what had happened that day. And there wasn't really any way to visit his parents without him knowing.

"Um...Jake and I kinda had a fallout," she muttered truthfully, not finding any other way to turn Carmen down without offending her. She didn't actually want to turn her down either, if she were honest. "But thank you for that. You guys are pretty cool. I can see where he gets it."

[Guest]

Carmen was a bit sad to hear this news, it would probably explain why her son had sounded a little down when she had last spoke to him, but at least Evelyn wasn't like her son's former girlfriend she seemed more civil and polite then Rachel, "Thank you very much, you're a kind young lady too. Just for the record I liked you far more than Rachel, so maybe if you and my son end up friends later on in life you are still welcomed to come over.I won't keep you much longer, if you see my crazy son will you return his phone and tell him I called?"

[Tiger-Lily]

"Yeah I will. He seemed really hassled this weekend from what I saw of him. He probably hasn't even realized he lost his phone," Evelyn replied. The train seemed to be slowing. "It was nice talking to you, Carmen."

She was walking back toward where James stood as she said this. She reached him and leaned back against the metal poles near the doors of the compartment.

[Guest]

"You too, goodnight Evelyn." Carmen said and hung up.

James looked over at Evelyn and heard the name Carmen, "Carmen huh? Let me guess she giving you a clue as to where you can find her?" He joked.

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn forced a brief smile, not really ready to kid around with him. She turned when the train stopped and quickly got off onto the platform.

Carrie and her friends exited from another door. Evelyn began speedwalking up the stairs to campus.

"I'll catch you later, Carrie, I'm not going back yet," she said, waving briefly. Carrie nodded at her and gave her a brief hug. Then she turned and gave James one too before heading off. Sienna looked like she'd like to linger for a moment but all she did was nod briefly at Evelyn. She flashed James a flirty smile.

"Hopefully we see you more often." She leaned up on her tiptoes and pecked his cheek and Evelyn, either annoyed or exasperated (she wasn't sure which) took this as her cue to walk off and find a good place where they could get their chat over and done with. She walked away from them over to a slightly solitary bench near the subway entrance and sat down, shoving Jake's phone back into her bag.

[[Evelyn and James to Student Campus - AC]]

[Guest]

James returned the hug to Carrie, and was a bit shocked that Sienna kissed him on the cheek but then again not too shocked since she had pretty much been sitting in his lap for the whole night.

He smiled at both the girls and said goodbye to them and turned to follow Evelyn to the bench and sit with her.

[[The Siren and The Demon to AC]]

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