"Hello, Monte Vista! It feels like I’ve been waiting forever to get here. I’m sure you all know I was born in this wonderful city, it’s really great to be back. Special shoutout to all my family in the audience, though I’ll spare you the long list of names… but it means so much to me all the love and support they’ve given me. And a special shoutout to everybody else here too, for the warmest welcome I’ve gotten yet… it kind of feels like I have another twenty thousand family members here. Hopefully you’re all as eager to listen to me sing… or as tolerant at least.”
The audience answered with loud cheers, Evie just smiled and started to sing. She hardly got nervous anymore, maybe a bit, but when the audience cheered like that it was hard to be too nervous. She could hear them before she even stepped on stage getting pumped for her to step out, and she could hear them after she stepped of still screaming in joy and chanting for an encore. It was unbelievable and totally amazing. She was really glad her family was there to see it all, to see how far she’d come.
“Gosh, you’ve changed so much on this tour.” Evie’s mother told her when they got back to her grandpa’s house and were all sitting around the living room, “In a good way of course, your music and your confidence seem to have just really grow so much. I mean you’ve always been talented and confident, but it’s just incredible how you can just own that stage in front of some 20,000 people or whatever.”
“Thanks. I just feel really great doing this, it’s so amazing.”
“You do seem so happy. I still miss you, but I’m happy for you. And I’m happy to be here to actually see this for a bit.”
“I’m glad you’re all here too. I just can’t describe this to you over the phone. But enough about me, what’s going on back at home. It’s been a little bit since I’ve gotten to talk to anybody.”
“Nothing much new for your father and I, but…”
“Julianne and I got engaged.” Mae finished her mother’s sentence.
“What?! When? Why didn’t you tell me right away? You should have sent me a text or something.”
“I didn’t know how you’d take it since you and Julianne don’t get along anymore.”
“If you’re happy I’m happy for you. The problems between me and Julianne are just that, between us, not us an you. She makes you happy and I know you love each other so I’m happy for you.”
“Okay good. Now we really have to find you somebody though. I’m sure we can find you a nice Italian guy... or girl. When in Rome, even if this isn't quite Rome... close enough. ”
“Or you can just not even try.” Evie’s dad muttered.
“Meh, maybe. Anyway, Nolan, what about you and Jules? How’s that going?”
“Not that great. I don’t think it’s going to work out. We’re fighting a lot lately. Kind of taking a break to cool off, but I don't know that it's going to help. ”
“I’m sorry.”
“Whatever, it’s life.”
“Well, no offense, but at least it’s not just my love life that sucks. What about you Delia?”
She just blushed and didn’t say anything.
“There’s a nice young boy, a friend of hers, who she’s been spending a lot of time with.” Her mother answered. "But they're just friends... for now."
“Nice is debatable.” Her father muttered again.
“Oh hush dear. Your daughters are growing up, like it or not. Dating is part of that.”
“Okay well, as fun as it is watching dad get freaked out at the idea of me and Delia dating guys… I’m starving. "Evie stood up, "Anybody want to come with me for pizza?”
“Sorry sweetie, but I have no idea how you can stay up so late. I know it’s part of your job, but I don’t know how you do it. I need sleep, not food.” Her mother answered.
Everybody else seemed to sheepishly agree with Evie’s mom. So she went over alone. The pizzeria was just across the street for which Evie was glad, because she was pretty tired herself, but she was more hungry than tired and pizza at midnight was her after concert tradition.
She expected it to be peaceful, but she ran into some guy there who she thought seemed like the type of fan to bug her “Hey, you’re Evie!” He enthused as she approached the counter to order.
“mmhhmm” She was normally more enthusiastic back to her fans, she knew they were just excited and didn’t want to be rude, but she was just tired and had been enjoying the thought of have a few moments peace.
“Sorry, I’m bugging you aren’t I?”
He looked a bit rejected and sad which made Evie feel bad, “No, it’s fine. Sorry, you just caught me off guard.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it.”
“Okay. Anyway, that was a really great concert.”
“Thanks.”
“I know your grandpa… he was telling me what a star you’d be long ago. I kind of thought he was just a crazy old man, but I guess he was right.”
“He’s still a crazy old man though," she laughed, "but he's cool. How do you know him?”
"Him and my dad are pals, have been since I was little. They used to work together or something. So I’ve known him a while.”
“Cool. I don’t know your name by the way?”
“Alex.”
“Nice to meet you, Alex.” She smiled at him.
“Yeah, you too." He smiled back before frowning slightly, "You want me to leave you alone now don’t you?”
“No, it’s fine. I just want to interrupt so I can get some pizza. We can keep chatting though, if you want?” He was really cute and seemed really nice.
“Oh, yeah, that’d be really great.” He smiled again, much brighter than before.
“Cool.”
They each got themselves a big slice of pepperoni pizza and went to sit down at a table off to the side. They spent the next couple hours talking and getting to know each other. Evie felt like she might just fall asleep there she was so tired, but she was really enjoying his company and didn’t want to leave. So she stayed until about 3am when she just couldn’t take the exhaustion any longer.
Alex being a gentleman walked Evie home. It may have been only a minute or so away but it was still an extra minute or so they could spend together. Evie already hated that she probably wouldn’t see him again before she left as she didn’t have much time in town and it would be spent with her family. She hardly knew him, but she was already going to miss him a lot. They had at least exchanged numbers so they could still talk, but it wasn’t the same.
“So are you sure I won’t get to see you again before you go?” He asked once they got to the door.
“Not likely. I’ll let you know if I escape for midnight pizza again though. Actually, there might be a high chance of that… I do like my pizza.”
“Well I’ll hope for that then. I really like you, you’re really cool. And not just because you’re a big star, you’re actually cooler than I expected because of that.”
“Yeah, well, you’re cooler than I expected of some annoying fan.” She teased before adding, “I like you too.”
“I hope this isn't too forward, because we hardly know each other, but I really want to kiss you.”
“I’d like that.”
“Good.” He whispered leaning in close and pressing his lips to hers.