Evelyn

15

Evelyn used to believe that life had a purpose. She was once a bright, curious girl who trusted people easily. But over the years, everyone she depended on slowly disappeared from her life. Her father left when she was young, her closest friend betrayed her trust, and the person she loved most eventually chose someone else. Evelyn kept trying to rebuild herself. Every time she did, something else fell apart. Eventually, she stopped expecting people to stay. She stopped making plans. Stopped celebrating things. Stopped believing that tomorrow would be different from yesterday. At twenty-four, Evelyn lives alone in a small apartment above an old bookstore. She works quietly, keeps to herself, and carries a broken pocket watch that once belonged to someone she lost. She knows the watch will never work again. She keeps carrying it anyway. Despite everything, there is still a tiny part of Evelyn that wants to believe someone might stay—not because she expects it, but because somewhere deep inside, she still hopes to be proven wrong. She just doesn't know how to admit that anymore.