Evelyn Marsh clutched her textbooks to her chest as she hurried down the crowded hallway of Westfield High. The cacophony of slamming lockers and boisterous chatter faded into white noise as she focused on reaching her next class without incident. Head down, she wove between clumps of students, careful not to make eye contact.
Just a few more steps and she’d be safely ensconced in Mr. Holloway’s AP European History class. Evelyn allowed herself a small smile of anticipation. History was her sanctuary, a place where she could lose herself in tales of long-ago events and fascinating historical figures.
As she approached the classroom door, a booming laugh made her flinch. Travis McKenzie and his pack of jocks were roughhousing nearby, shoving each other and guffawing at some crude joke. Evelyn quickened her pace, praying she wouldn’t draw their attention.
No such luck. As she reached for the door handle, a stray elbow caught her squarely in the back. Her books went flying as she stumbled forward, barely catching herself before faceplanting.
“Watch where you’re going, nerd!” Travis sneered, high-fiving his friends.
Evelyn’s face burned as she scrambled to gather her scattered belongings. A pair of worn sneakers appeared in her field of vision, and a hand reached down to help collect her papers.
“You okay?” asked a quiet voice.
She glanced up to see Adam Chen, a fellow AP student she vaguely recognized. He gave her a small, reassuring smile as he passed over her notes.
“Y-yes, thank you,” Evelyn mumbled, hastily stuffing everything into her bag. She darted into the classroom without meeting his eyes again, face still flaming with embarrassment.
Mr. Holloway was writing the day’s agenda on the chalkboard as students filtered in. Evelyn slid into her usual seat in the front row, heart rate slowly returning to normal. She pulled out her meticulously organized binder and color-coded pens, ready to lose herself in the past for the next hour.
As Mr. Holloway launched into a lecture on the French Revolution, Evelyn’s pen flew across the page. She was so engrossed in taking notes that she barely registered the whispered conversations and restless shifting of her classmates. This was where she felt most alive - absorbing knowledge, piecing together the intricate tapestry of history.
“Now, who can tell me the significance of the Tennis Court Oath?” Mr. Holloway asked, pacing in front of the chalkboard.
Evelyn’s hand shot up reflexively. Mr. Holloway’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “Anyone besides Ms. Marsh care to take a stab at it?”
The class remained silent. Evelyn slowly lowered her hand, shrinking in her seat as she felt her classmates’ annoyed stares boring into her back.
“Very well,” Mr. Holloway sighed. “Evelyn, enlighten us.”
She cleared her throat nervously. “The Tennis Court Oath was a pivotal moment in the early stages of the French Revolution. On June 20, 1789, members of the Third Estate, who had been locked out of their usual meeting hall, gathered at a nearby indoor tennis court. There, they took an oath never to separate until a written constitution had been established for France. This act of defiance against King Louis XVI marked a significant shift in power from the monarchy to the people.”
Mr. Holloway nodded approvingly. “Excellent as always, Evelyn. Now, can anyone expand on how this event related to the overall causes of the revolution?”
The rest of the class passed in a blur of chalk dust and scribbled notes. As the bell rang, Evelyn carefully packed away her things, in no hurry to rejoin the chaotic hallways.
“Evelyn, may I have a word?” Mr. Holloway called as students filed out.
She approached his desk tentatively. “Yes, sir?”
He peered at her over his wire-rimmed glasses. “Your enthusiasm for history is admirable, but I’ve noticed you don’t participate much in class discussions. Is everything alright?”
Evelyn fidgeted with the strap of her messenger bag. “I’m fine, Mr. Holloway. I just… prefer to listen.”
He regarded her thoughtfully. “I understand you’re more comfortable with written work, but developing your verbal skills is important too. I’d like you to make more of an effort to engage in debates and group work. Can you do that for me?”
She nodded reluctantly. “I’ll try, sir.”
“Good girl. Now run along, I’m sure you have another class to get to.”
Evelyn hurried out, mind racing. The thought of speaking up more in class filled her with dread. It was so much easier to express herself on paper, where she could carefully craft each sentence without stumbling over her words or feeling everyone’s eyes on her.
Lost in worried thoughts, she didn’t notice Adam until she nearly collided with him outside the classroom.
“Oh! I’m so sorry,” she stammered, face flushing.
He smiled, adjusting his glasses. “No worries. Hey, I was wondering if you’d want to study together sometime? You always seem really on top of things in class.”
Evelyn blinked in surprise. No one had ever asked to study with her before. “Um, sure. That would be nice,” she found herself saying.
“Great! How about the library after school tomorrow?”
She nodded, still a bit dazed. “Okay. See you then.”
As Adam walked away, Evelyn felt a strange flutter in her chest. Was this what it was like to make a friend? The thought both thrilled and terrified her.
The next day, Evelyn arrived at the library 15 minutes early, nervously smoothing her cardigan as she claimed a quiet table in the back. She arranged her textbook, notebook, and pens in perfect alignment, then pulled out her worn copy of “A Tale of Two Cities” to pass the time.
She was so engrossed in the story that she didn’t notice Adam’s approach until he cleared his throat. Evelyn startled, nearly knocking over her water bottle.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” Adam said sheepishly, sliding into the chair across from her. “You looked pretty into that book.”
Evelyn carefully marked her place and set the novel aside. “It’s okay. Dickens has a way of making you forget your surroundings.”
Adam’s eyes lit up. “You like Dickens? I just finished ‘Great Expectations’ last week. Have you read that one?”
And just like that, they were off. The next hour flew by in a whirlwind of literary discussion, barely touching their history notes. Evelyn found herself relaxing as they debated the merits of various classics, surprised by how easy it was to talk to Adam.
“Oh no, look at the time,” Adam said suddenly, glancing at his watch. “I promised my mom I’d be home for dinner. This was fun though - want to make it a regular thing?”
Evelyn nodded eagerly. “I’d like that.”
As she packed up her things, a warm glow of happiness settled in her chest. For the first time in years, she felt like she might have found a kindred spirit.
Over the next few weeks, Evelyn and Adam fell into an easy routine. They met at the library most afternoons, ostensibly to study but often getting sidetracked by spirited debates about literature or geeking out over obscure historical facts.
Evelyn found herself looking forward to their sessions more than anything else in her day. Adam never seemed to mind her occasional stuttering or awkward pauses. He listened intently when she spoke and always had thoughtful responses that challenged her to think deeper.
One rainy afternoon, they huddled by a window, watching rivulets of water stream down the glass as they discussed their latest history assignment.
“I still can’t believe Mr. Holloway is making us do an oral presentation,” Evelyn groaned. “I’m going to make a complete fool of myself.”
Adam nudged her shoulder gently. “Hey, don’t sell yourself short. You know this stuff better than anyone in class. Just pretend you’re talking to me if you get nervous.”
She gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks. I’ll try that.”
As lightning flashed outside, Evelyn found herself studying Adam’s profile. The way his brow furrowed in concentration as he pored over his notes. The little half-smile that played at the corners of his mouth. The warmth of his arm just inches from hers.
A strange fluttering sensation filled her stomach. Oh no, she thought with dawning horror. Am I developing a crush on my only friend?
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Evelyn had never had romantic feelings for anyone before. The very idea of it filled her with panic. What if Adam found out and was weirded out? What if it ruined their friendship?
She must have been staring, because Adam looked up with a quizzical expression. “You okay? You seem a million miles away.”
Evelyn felt her face heat up. “Fine! Just, um, thinking about the presentation,” she lied, burying her nose in her textbook.
Adam didn’t seem entirely convinced but let it go. As they packed up to leave, he hesitated. “Hey, I was thinking… would you maybe want to grab coffee sometime? You know, outside of studying?”
Evelyn’s heart leapt into her throat. Was he asking her on a date? No, surely not. Friends got coffee all the time, right?
“S-sure,” she managed to squeak out. “That would be nice.”
Adam beamed. “Great! How about Saturday morning? There’s this cool little cafe downtown I’ve been wanting to check out.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. As they parted ways, Evelyn’s mind was reeling. What had she gotten herself into?
Saturday dawned bright and clear. Evelyn stood in front of her closet, agonizing over what to wear. Was this a date? Just a friendly outing? She had zero experience with this sort of thing.
After trying on and discarding half her wardrobe, she finally settled on a soft blue sweater and her nicest jeans. She attempted to tame her unruly curls, gave up, and pulled them back into a messy bun instead.
Evelyn arrived at the cafe 10 minutes early, nervously fiddling with the strap of her purse as she waited outside. When Adam rounded the corner, her breath caught in her throat. He looked different outside of school - more relaxed in jeans and a fitted henley that showed off his lean build.
“Hey!” he called, jogging up with a warm smile. “Hope you weren’t waiting long.”
She shook her head, not quite trusting her voice. They headed inside, the rich aroma of coffee enveloping them.
As they settled into a cozy booth, Evelyn felt some of her nerves start to fade. This wasn’t so different from their library meetups, really. Just… more intimate somehow.
They fell into easy conversation as they sipped their drinks - a latte for her, black coffee for him. Adam told her about his family’s recent camping trip, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as he described the stunning mountain vistas.
“You should come with us next time,” he said. “I bet you’d love learning about the area’s history.”
Evelyn nearly choked on her latte. The idea of spending that much time with Adam’s family was simultaneously thrilling and terrifying.
“That’s really nice of you,” she said carefully. “I’m not much of an outdoors person though.”
Adam grinned. “We could ease you into it. Start with some nature walks or something.”
As he launched into a story about his little sister’s misadventures with a skunk, Evelyn found herself captivated. She loved seeing this more animated side of Adam, so different from his usual quiet demeanor at school.
The hours slipped by unnoticed. Before they knew it, the cafe was preparing to close for the afternoon.
“Wow, I can’t believe how late it’s gotten,” Adam said, glancing at his phone. “This was really fun. We should do it again sometime.”
Evelyn nodded eagerly. “I’d like that.”
As they stepped outside, Adam hesitated. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
Her heart rate kicked up a notch. “Sure,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking nervous. “So, um, I really like hanging out with you. And I was wondering if maybe… you’d want to go on a real date sometime?”
Evelyn’s mind went blank. She stared at him, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
Adam’s face fell. “It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. I don’t want to make things weird between us.”
“No!” Evelyn blurted out. “I mean, yes. I’d love to go on a date with you. I just… I’ve never done this before. I’m not sure how.”
His expression softened into a tender smile. “That’s okay. We can figure it out together, if you want.”
She nodded, a giddy feeling bubbling up in her chest. “I’d like that very much.”
As Adam reached out to take her hand, Evelyn marveled at how much her life had changed in just a few short weeks. For the first time, she felt like she was stepping out of the shadows of her books and into a world full of new possibilities.
The following Monday, Evelyn practically floated into history class. She and Adam had texted throughout the weekend, making plans for dinner and a movie on Friday night. Every message made her heart skip a beat.
As she settled into her usual seat, she caught Adam’s eye across the room. He gave her a small wave and a warm smile that made her insides turn to jelly.
Mr. Holloway’s voice snapped her out of her daze. “Alright, class. Today we’ll be starting our unit on the Industrial Revolution. But first, I want to go over the guidelines for your upcoming presentations.”
Evelyn’s stomach clenched. In all the excitement of the weekend, she’d almost forgotten about the dreaded oral report.
“You’ll be working in pairs,” Mr. Holloway continued. “I’ve already assigned your partners and topics.”
He began reading off names. Evelyn held her breath, silently praying she’d be paired with Adam.
“Evelyn Marsh and Travis McKenzie. You’ll be covering the impact of the steam engine on transportation and commerce.”
Her heart sank. Of all people, why did it have to be Travis? The same guy who had been tormenting her for years?
She snuck a glance at Travis, who looked equally displeased. He caught her eye and sneered, mouthing “Try not to bore everyone to death, nerd.”
Evelyn slumped in her seat, all her earlier happiness evaporating. This was going to be a disaster.
After class, Adam caught up with her in the hallway. “Tough break on the partner assignment,” he said sympathetically. “Want me to talk to Mr. Holloway? Maybe he’ll let us switch.”
She shook her head. “It’s okay. I’ll manage somehow.”
Adam squeezed her hand. “If Travis gives you any trouble, let me know. I’ve got your back.”
Warmth bloomed in Evelyn’s chest at his protectiveness. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”
As Adam headed off to his next class, Evelyn squared her shoulders. She could do this. It was just one presentation. How bad could it be?
The answer, as it turned out, was very bad indeed.
Their first attempt at meeting to work on the project was a complete disaster. Travis showed up 20 minutes late to the library, reeking of cigarette smoke and clearly not interested in doing any actual work.
“Look, just do the whole thing yourself and put my name on it,” he said, slouching in his chair. “We both know you’re gonna be a control freak about it anyway.”
Evelyn bristled. “That’s not fair. This is supposed to be a partnership.”
Travis rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’ve got better things to do than waste my time on this stupid project.”
He sauntered off, leaving Evelyn fuming. She was tempted to tell Mr. Holloway, but the thought of being labeled a tattletale made her cringe. No, she’d just have to find a way to make this work.
Over the next week, Evelyn threw herself into research, determined to create the best presentation possible despite her useless partner. She spent every free moment in the library, poring over books on the Industrial Revolution and meticulously organizing her notes.
Adam watched her with growing concern. “You’re working yourself too hard,” he said one afternoon as they walked home together. “Let me help. I can proofread your outline or something.”
Evelyn shook her head stubbornly. “I’ve got it under control. Besides, you need to focus on your own project.”
He sighed. “At least take a break and have dinner with me tonight? My mom’s making her famous lasagna.”
The offer was tempting, but Evelyn reluctantly declined. “I really need to finish this section on railway expansion. Rain check?”
Adam’s face fell slightly, but he nodded. “Okay. Just… don’t forget to take care of yourself, alright?”
As the presentation date loomed closer, Evelyn’s stress levels skyrocketed. She wasn’t sleeping well, her appetite disappeared, and she found herself snapping at Adam over little things.
The night before the big day, she was a nervous wreck. What if she forgot everything? What if she threw up in front of the whole class? What if Travis sabotaged her somehow?
She tossed and turned for hours before finally falling into a fitful sleep. Her alarm felt like it went off mere minutes later.
Evelyn got ready in a daze, hands shaking as she attempted to tame her wild curls into something presentable. She’d chosen her nicest blouse and skirt, hoping to project an air of confidence she definitely didn’t feel.
The halls of Westfield High seemed to stretch endlessly as she made her way to history class. Each step felt like lead. This was it. No more time to prepare. No more chances to back out.
She slipped into the classroom just as the bell rang, avoiding eye contact with her classmates. Adam gave her an encouraging thumbs up from across the room, but it did little to calm her racing heart.
Mr. Holloway cleared his throat. “Alright, class. We’ll start with Evelyn and Travis. You’re up.”
Evelyn’s legs felt like jelly as she made her way to the front of the room. Travis slouched up beside her, looking bored.
She took a deep breath and launched into her carefully prepared introduction. “The steam engine was one of the most significant inventions of the Industrial Revolution, revolutionizing transportation and commerce in ways that…”
Her voice trailed off as she realized half the class was already zoning out. Travis was openly yawning beside her.
Panic seized her chest. This wasn’t working. All her meticulous research and practice, and she was losing them completely.
In desperation, she abandoned her notes and blurted out, “Did you know that some people thought trains would make cows’ milk curdle and hens stop laying eggs?”
That got their attention. A ripple of laughter went through the room.
Emboldened, Evelyn continued, “It’s true! There were all sorts of wild theories about the dangers of train travel. Some doctors warned that the human body wasn’t meant to move at speeds over 20 miles per hour. They thought your organs would get scrambled or your bones would dissolve.”
Now the whole class was engaged, giggling and asking questions. Even Travis looked mildly interested.
Evelyn found herself relaxing as she shared more quirky anecdotes about the early days of steam power. Before she knew it, their allotted time was up.
“Excellent work, you two,” Mr. Holloway said, looking pleasantly surprised. “A very entertaining and informative presentation.”
As they returned to their seats, Travis muttered, “Nice save, nerd. Guess you’re not completely hopeless after all.”
Coming from him, it was practically a glowing compliment. Evelyn felt a weight lift from her shoulders as the next group took their place at the front.
After class, Adam caught up with her in the hallway. “That was amazing!” he exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. “I knew you could do it.”
Evelyn melted into his embrace, the last of her nervous energy draining away. “Thanks. I can’t believe it actually went okay.”
He pulled back to look at her, eyes shining with pride. “Are you kidding? It was way better than okay. You totally killed it up there.”
A warm glow spread through her chest at his praise. “I couldn’t have done it without your support,” she said softly.
Adam’s gaze softened. He leaned in slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she wanted to. Evelyn’s heart raced as she realized what was about to happen.
Their lips met in a gentle, sweet kiss that made her toes curl. It was over far too quickly, leaving her breathless and wanting more.
Adam rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve been wanting to do that for weeks,” he murmured.
Evelyn let out a shaky laugh. “Me too.”
As they walked hand in hand to their next class, Evelyn marveled at how much her life had changed in just a few short months. She’d faced her fears, found her voice, and maybe even fallen in love.
For the first time, she felt like the protagonist of her own story rather than a side character. And she couldn’t wait to see what the next chapter would bring.