“That’s all?”

“Yeah, let’s head back. I’m hungry and lunch should be ready by now” Serena dismissed climbing off of Evan.

*****

“Hey, are you finished?” Shane asked tapping Evan on the shoulder.

“Yeah,” Evan answered tipping her head up.

Shane walked out the door and Evan, pushing her plate and chair away, followed. She stepped onto the porch seeing Shane leaning against the post lighting a cigarette.

“What’s up?” Evan asked standing next to Shane.

She shoved her hands into her pant pockets shuddering at the sudden cold air settling itself around the cabin.

“I heard you this afternoon,” Shane said after taking a drag.

“Huh?”

Blowing the smoke out of her mouth, Shane elaborated, “You and Serena.”

“You heard that,” Evan repeated dropping her head and then, “did…”

“Relax, everyone thinks it was me and Carmen.”

“But nothing happened,” Evan quickly said with wide eyes.

“Something happened.”

Stepping closer so no one would hear, “But I didn’t do anything. She… all by herself.”

“By herself?”

“Yeah,” Evan whispered.

“Evan, have you ever…”

“No, never. I’ve never gone that far,” she quickly answered.

“How far have you gone?” Shane asked.

Looking over her shoulder, Evan made sure they couldn’t hear her inside. Shane saw this and motioned with her head to step off the porch. The pair walked out to the carabus. Inside, Shane cracked the window and waited for Evan to answer her.

Nervous about how much she should say, Evan chewed on her bottom lip. Glancing at Shane, who stumped out the cigarette, Evan realized that this was the calmest and most relatable of the girls she was talking to.

“Today was the furthest I’ve gone with a girl.”

“How about with a boy?”

“Never done anything with a boy.”

Shane nodded.

“How far was it today?” Shane asked looking at the younger girl.

“I, uh….” wringing her hands, Evan tried to think of how to say what she was about to say, ” kissing…”

“And?”

“Touching…”

“And?”

“That’s all I did, honest. She did the rest.”

“And she had an *****?” Shane asked straight out.

Looking down at the floor, “Yeah,” Evan answered meekly.

“Ha,” Shane laughed.

Evan looked up.

“What?” she smiled.

“Stepping in where your mother left off.”

“What? Eww. Gross. Don’t say that. I don’t want to know anything about my mother and *****. I had enough walking in on them,” Evan stated shaking her body.

“You caught Bette and Tina in the act?”

“Please, let’s not talk about that.”

Evan started to climb out the bus.

“Evan, wait…. before you do anything…. talk to someone.”

“I can’t talk to them,” Evan said referring to her parents.

“Talk to me, then. If you have any questions or anything, you can always ask me. Okay?”

“Okay… can we go back now?”

“Missing Serena?”

“No…well yeah… but this conversation is kinda freaking me out.”

Smiling, Shane laughed, “let’s go.”