Page 66 of Did You See Evie

“It’s not just that Evie was the best on the team. She was your favorite, Coach,” Tara says. “All of us could see that.”

“She wasn’t my favorite,” I say.

I want the words to be true. I try so hard not to show any bias, to give each girl the equal amount of attention and praise they deserve. The only reason I ever showed Evie more attention was because I connected with her more. I understand where she comes from in a way these other girls don’t.

“Shewasyour favorite,” Beatrice doubles down. “But you didn’t know her. Sure, we were meaner to her than we needed to be at times, but there were things about Evie you didn’t know.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s not some innocent little girl.” Beatrice pulls out her phone.

“No phones during school hours,” I begin.

“I’m going to show you,” she says, holding out her phone for me to see. “These are screenshots.”

I take the device in my hands, swiping through the images. “Of what?”

“Conversations between Evie and boys online,” Beatrice admits.

Sure enough, that’s what it appears to be. Pages and pages of messages between Evie and an anonymous sender.

“If Evie sent these, how did you get them?”

“She was bragging about it,” Tara says.

Beth opens her mouth to say something, seemingly in defense of her friend, but Amber cuts her off.

“Evie thought it was cool that she got attention from older guys.”

I listen to the girls, but my eyes are glued to the messages, taking them in. Evie cracking sexual jokes and sending PG-13 pictures. I try to align these conversations and images with the Evie I know and love, but they don’t fit.

You don’t know her, Beatrice had said.

I pause when I see the date of the most recent messages.

“These were sent the day of the lock-in.”

“She showed us the night of the sleepover,” Beatrice says.

Evie sent,Truth or dare?

Truth.

That’s boring. Are you ever going to be brave enough to meet me?

Yes…

When?

Idk.

I want to see you tonight. I’m at school.

It’s too risky.

I can sneak out. No parents. It’s the perfect time.

You’ll get in trouble.