Things are hectic today in the Way household, and for once it's not my fault. Until now I wasn't partaking in any of it, actually, and simply sitting in the comfort of the "nerd room" as I like to call it, his "office" as Gerard Way puts it.

The knocking on the door startles me out of my gentle plucking on the strings of my ukulele, a melody I was making up as I went along.

"Eve?" the voice on the other side of the door asks.

"You don't have to knock, it's your office!" I call back.

"Right," I hear him mumble before the door swings open. This might be his office, but I spend as much time as I can in here without it being annoying. I remember the first time I set foot in here when I was fourteen, how I was in awe of all the books, comics, records, all the art that covered the room. And with the papers and pencils strewn across the desk, it was a systematic mess (much like my life).

The only thing that's changed in here since then is the coffee machine, because we could no longer be bothered to go down to the kitchen to get some.

"What's up?"

"Go help Lindsey downstairs, okay? Everyone'll be here soon."

"Sure," I say, getting up from the office chair, the kind with wheels that spins. And yes, it's just as much fun as it would've been when I was a little kid.

As I make my way out of the room, ukulele in hand, intending to bring it back to my bedroom before heading downstairs, I'm stopped by a hand on my shoulder. "You were sounding good, keep it up."

I roll my eyes and smile as I walk away, knowing there's no way he could hear me playing so softly. "Thanks, Dad."

He just likes to encourage me.

• • •

hi

I'm back! I kept my word and this second book is happening no matter how unmotivated I've been feeling lately. Thanks for not letting me give up on it.

If you haven't read the first book of this series, Finding A Way, go read it. Stuff will make a lot more sense.

So this is set in 2009, save the first chapter, and yes Lindsey is in it. They're still living in Jersey which isn't historically accurate, is it? I don't really care, though, this is my story and moving them wouldn't be convenient to the plot.

So there.

I'm gonna be honest, I'm not completely happy with how the first book turned out. But it was a setup for this one. She's in a way better mental state now, things are going well (which you could hopefully tell by this introduction chapter). In Finding A Way I feel like Evelyn's relationships with the other characters were... detached and they aren't so much anymore, so it'll hurt that much more when I ruin her li— *ahem*. Now, the "detachedness" was actually my intention, what with an eating disorder and a troubled past taking up most of her headspace, but I think it just came out underdeveloped. So here's what I'm gonna do: I'm really gonna take my time on this book and try my absolute best to make it better than the last one.

I somehow managed an update every 3 or 4 days for Finding A Way (save that couple week break I took for exam season). I can't promise that again because I actually want to try this school year and intend on putting school first. Well, my mental health first, and then school. Which is great until it affects my education which effects my mental health, which effects my education, which—

. . .

POV is Evelyn's unless otherwise stated, and yes , so you can click off if you want, I won't be offended.

That's it for now, friends, I hope you enjoy!

Edit: go validate this playlist "a way back home" made by

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7AhZN22JlR4U3J0I1OpPr5?si=baDge0lTQJ2orBmClV2Hwg