Chapter 31

She focused on Lisa instead, “Lisa, thank you for being my summer best friend. Maybe things will work out so we can keep in touch.” Lisa smiled, nodding conspiratorially. Turning to Mike, she said, “Mike, Thank you so much for this once in a lifetime opportunity. The free food, a place to stay, and the money were the best ever,” she joked, getting a few laughs, Mike raised another beer up to her.

Jane looked down, resisting the urge to flee that wanted to take over. With resolve, she looked up to Evan, who was slightly taken aback by the intensity in her eyes.

“Many of you don’t know this but before Evan invited me here, we had barely spoken. Now, I’m talking about someone I’ve known since 1st grade. We both lost the same job we worked the rest of year and Evan took pity on me by inviting me up here to make some extremely necessary money.

I told myself to give him a chance, get to know him and maybe we would become friends after all; we did. We got closer and closer until our relationship evolved, and evolved. The point is, Evan showed me the best time of my life so far, and I hurt him in return.”

Evan looked down, not wanting to add to how she may have felt. It took some time for Jane to compose herself, revealing such personal things to an audience.

“Evan, I came back to apologize to you. Everything I said yesterday was bullshit I only said because I was scared. I want to change the rules again. Let’s be us all the time. Not only do I want us to continue after summer but also...” She turned to Mike, “You said earlier if Evan and I worked things out, I was welcome to come back. If that were the case, would you be willing to drop the ‘no girlfriends’ rule?”

Mike instantly loved this girl for Evan. “I would, as long as he’s cool with it,” he told her. Everyone else in the room was looking back and forth between those involved.

Jane looked back to Evan for the moment of truth. “What do you say, Evan? Forget summer girls, I want to be your year-round woman,” she declared.

Evan tried not to, very hard. The grin spread too quickly to pretend it wasn’t the greatest thing he had ever heard. Everyone in the House had their eyes on him but that time he wasn’t anxious; he was confident.

He walked up to her, holding his hand out to help her down from the chair. She took it, hopping off but never letting go of him.

“What changed?” he asked quietly, as a few people stepped close to overhear.

Jane glanced back to the crowd before saying, “Everything, we can talk about it in private whenever you want,” she said, nodding her head towards the eavesdroppers.

“So, boyfriend and girlfriend, that’s what you want?”

“Yup,” she confirmed confidently.

Evan smiled devilishly, “On one condition,” he said.