Chapter 3
Observing that she had Evangeline's attention, Leah pushed one of the containers towards her daughter and got up to fetch some forks. It was only when she returned that she began to speak.
"You know I work for wealthy people," she said, and Evie nodded while stuffing her mouth with food. "Well, they're having a party tomorrow. A big party. I overheard someone say there will be over two hundred guests."
"Wow... and all those people fit in there?" Evangeline asked, her mouth full.
"Much more than that. Anyway, the head housekeeper asked us to find as many people as we could to help. And since you need money for that little thing you're into..."
Evangeline felt an immense urge to hug her mother, but knowing her well, she suppressed the urge and continued eating what was in front of her.
"How much will they pay?" she tried to show disinterest.
"I think around three hundred dollars," Leah replied.
"Wow... I..."
She was going to accept. It would be enough to pay for the recital and even buy a beautiful outfit to impress everyone in attendance.
"There's one condition, Evangeline," Leah said, serious. "In that house, there are very important people. So important that you would never see any of them walking down the street." Evangeline was paying close attention to what her mother was saying. She had no idea that Leah, being the shady woman she was, worked for someone of that caliber. "The party will occupy the entire first floor, which is huge. Evie, pay close attention to what I'm about to say. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you go upstairs and enter the left room. Got it?"
"What's in there?"
Leah grabbed her daughter's arm tightly and pulled her closer. Evie looked at her with fear, not understanding why her mother was acting this way.
"I don't know, and I don't want to know. You need to promise me that you'll do exactly as I said. Come on, promise."
The girl couldn't understand what could be so dangerous behind a door that she couldn't even go upstairs. But since all Evie wanted was money to finally participate in the violin recital, she would agree to anything.
"Okay, Mom. I promise I won't enter that room."
[...]
It was summer in New York, and the Bronx was hotter than ever. Evie and her best friend were sitting in beach chairs in front of Felippa's family trailer. Evangeline was cooling herself with a mini-fan that blew warmer air than usual, while her friend rubbed ice cubes on her neck.
Felippa murmured, stuffing an ice cube in her mouth and chewing on it incessantly. "Thank goodness you found a way to get that money back. I was about to call JJ myself and talk to the guy about the money."
"Stop being crazy, girl. By the way, I've always wanted to ask, but I didn't think it was relevant," Evangeline said, turning to her friend. "What's JJ's real name?"
Felippa shrugged.
"It's a secret. He doesn't tell anyone."
"Not even you?"
The girl shook her head while looking at her poorly manicured nails. JJ wasn't some important alias. Jonathan Jensen had always been the nerdy boy in school whom everyone teased and bullied. When high school started, in a desperate attempt to fit in with the majority of those who bullied him, Jonathan started selling drugs at parties. When people asked for his name or who to look for to get drugs, he simply said JJ.
"Wow, that's sad, my friend."
"Sad? Why?" Felippa made a face. "I don't care, Evie. We just have fun. There's no romance involved. So, naturally, his name doesn't matter to me."
She genuinely didn't care because Felippa was the kind of person who didn't form emotional attachments to anyone. Growing up in the trailer park, watching her best friend's mother suffer over every man she encountered, helped her become cold in that regard.
Evangeline, on the other hand, despite her cold appearance caused by her parents' abandonment, was completely enamored with the idea of happily ever after. After becoming a successful violinist, her dream was to find true love and live it. And that's exactly what she hoped for with Rubens Monroe, or Ruby, as he liked to be called. They were in the same class at community college.
Evie was about to give up on classes on the first day. She thought the indifference of the professors towards those causing trouble there was the last straw. College was supposed to be for those who really wanted to learn, who wanted a future away from that town.
Ruby was the only person who thought the same way. He signed petitions, filed complaints, everything to improve the college. Perhaps it was his perseverance that made Evangeline start to like that guy. Or maybe it was his green eyes.
"Hey, where are you?" Felippa splashed cold water on her friend, who had her head in the clouds. Or rather, in a life she dreamed of with Ruby.
"I was thinking of asking Ruby out. What do you think?"
"Oh, Evie... I don't even know him personally, and I'm already bored," Felippa replied.
"Stop it!" Evangeline laughed. "He's a sweetheart. And I really like him. He's the only guy around here who seems to share the same ideals as me."
Felippa decided not to argue with her friend. She always thought Evangeline was too much. That her kindness and intelligence were beyond anyone in the neighborhood they lived in.
"I'm heading home. I need to get ready and go to the party."
"And I have to cover your part-time job for you," Felippa said lazily. She would do anything for her best friend. "Once you get home, call me. I want to know everything that's going to happen tonight."
"You got it."
Evie bid her friend farewell with a wink and headed to her trailer. She was very excited about this job and couldn't wait to see what was in store for her.