HOW TO HIDE YOUR BLUSHES

Episode 12

THE SPOTLIGHT'S HEAT

The next few days passed in a blur for Eden. Her mind was consumed with the looming competition, and yet, she couldn’t ignore the ripple of tension that ran through her every moment. The weight of her choices—the scandal, her parents’ disappointment, the gossips swirling like a storm around her—felt unbearable some days. But the other side of it, the part that had taken root when she penned The Rule Breaker’s Prayer, was an undeniable fire. It was a fire that refused to go out, no matter how much she tried to suppress it.

The day of the competition arrived faster than she anticipated. The auditorium was large, its cold marble floors polished to a shine. Rows of students and teachers were already seated, waiting for the program to begin. Eden stood backstage, feeling as though the world was spinning around her. Her palms were clammy, her throat dry, and her mind was a thousand miles away, lost in memories of the past few weeks.

Aiden had come to support her, of course, though he had insisted she wouldn’t need his help. “I’ll be in the crowd,” he had told her earlier that morning, “just waiting for you to make your magic happen.”

But as much as she appreciated his presence, it also made her anxious. How could she stand up in front of a crowd, in front of him, and share the most intimate parts of herself? She felt n***d, exposed.

Zoey found her standing by the backstage curtain, looking pale and out of sorts.

"Hey, you okay?" Zoey asked, her voice soft but concerned.

Eden turned to look at her best friend, offering a small smile. "Yeah. Just... nervous, I guess."

Zoey stepped closer, her hand gently resting on Eden’s arm. "You’ve got this. You’re going to do great."

Eden met her gaze, the weight of the moment hanging between them. "I’m not sure. I feel like I’m standing on the edge of something, like everything is about to change. I’m scared of what’s on the other side."

Zoey tilted her head, eyes soft with understanding. "Change is terrifying, but it’s also beautiful. You’re going to find strength you didn’t know you had, Eden."

Eden nodded, but the knot in her stomach remained. The host called the competitors forward, and Zoey squeezed her hand before turning to leave the stage. As Eden stepped into the spotlight, the murmur of the crowd hushed, all eyes trained on her.

The spotlight felt like an unrelenting heat, and as Eden stood on the stage, microphone in hand, she felt every eye in the auditorium watching her, analyzing her, judging her. But then she took a deep breath, remembering the words she had written—her truth, her fire—and for the first time in days, she felt a rush of clarity. The noise from the world around her faded, and all that mattered was the poem.

She opened her mouth, and the words came out, clear and steady, as if they had been waiting for this very moment. The Rule Breaker’s Prayer became a declaration, not just for herself, but for everyone who felt trapped by the constraints of society, expectations, and judgment.

The Rule Breaker's Prayer

"I stand here, on the edge of what you call sin,

But I know better than to let your rules define me.

I’m the one who bends, who breaks, who dares to step

Where you’ve told me not to go, where you’ve told me I can’t be.

I am the one you never see,

The one you look past, the one you dismiss,

But you will hear me now—

Hear the roar that comes from the depths of my soul.

I am more than what you’ve made me—

More than the labels you’ve pinned to my skin,

More than the expectations you set in my place,

I am the fire that cannot be quenched,

The voice you cannot silence.

And no matter how many times you try to shut me down,

I will rise again,

Stronger, louder, bolder—

Until my truth is heard."

__

As the final words echoed through the room, Eden stood still, her breath coming in shallow gasps, the weight of the performance still hanging on her. The crowd was silent for a moment, and then it hit her—applause. A slow, steady clapping began, followed by a wave of admiration. The room filled with recognition, not just for her words, but for her bravery in standing in front of them all.

Eden’s eyes searched the crowd, and there, in the back, she saw him. Aiden, his face filled with pride, his eyes shining with something deeper—something Eden hadn’t seen in him for a long time. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, everything felt right. Like maybe this was the beginning of something new, something real.

After the performance, Eden retreated backstage, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt like she had just bared her soul to the world, and the world had taken notice. But there was still a sense of unease in her. The applause had felt like a temporary balm to the gaping wound that was her life, but she knew the challenges weren’t over. Not by a long shot.

Zoey found her backstage after the final competitor had finished. "You did amazing, Eden. I told you that you’d crush it."

Eden forced a smile, but her mind was elsewhere. "I don’t know if I believe that. It was... a lot. And now, I’m just waiting for the fallout."

Zoey’s face darkened. "Are you still worried about the rumors? About everything else?"

"Everything," Eden replied quietly, her voice strained. "I can feel the eyes on me. The whispers haven’t stopped. People are still talking about Aiden and me, and... I just want it to end. I just want to be free from it all."

Zoey sighed, her hand resting gently on Eden’s arm. "You’re not alone in this, okay? No matter what happens, I’m here. Aiden’s here. We’ll get through it together."

Eden nodded, grateful for her friend’s support. But deep inside, she knew that what was coming next would be harder than anything she had faced so far.

The days following the competition were filled with a strange mixture of relief and anxiety. On one hand, Eden had proved herself. She had stood up for her truth, and the world had heard her. But on the other hand, she couldn’t shake the feeling that things were just beginning to change. She couldn’t hide behind the poem forever. There were questions she needed answers to—about Aiden, about herself, and about the future.

One afternoon, as Eden walked through the school courtyard, she felt the familiar presence of Aiden beside her. She glanced up at him, and for a moment, she forgot everything else—the rumors, the whispers, the disapproving stares. All she saw was him. And for the first time in a long while, she felt at peace.

"I’ve been thinking," Aiden said, his voice low, almost tentative. "About us. About everything."

Eden’s heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t interrupt him. She waited for him to continue.

"You’ve shown me something, Eden. You’ve shown me how to stand up for myself, how to not be afraid of what others think." He paused, looking into her eyes. "I want to do the same for you. I don’t care what people say about us. I just want to be with you. And if that means fighting for it, then I’m ready to fight."

Eden felt a wave of emotion crash over her. She wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that this time, things could be different. She reached for his hand, their fingers entwining effortlessly. "I’m scared, Aiden. Scared of everything—of losing my family, my friends, my future. But I’m more scared of losing you."

He squeezed her hand gently, his gaze unwavering. "You won’t lose me. Not if you don’t want to."

For the first time in weeks, Eden allowed herself to hope. Maybe there was something beyond the chaos, something worth fighting for. Maybe this was just the beginning of a new chapter. A chapter where she could finally be herself, with no apologies, no regrets.

That evening, as Eden lay in bed, the quiet hum of the world around her seemed softer. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind, but something in her had shifted. She wasn’t the same girl who had walked onto that stage, trembling with fear. She was stronger now, more determined. And with Aiden by her side, she was ready to face whatever came next.

The world might have been quick to judge her, to label her, but Eden had learned something vital through it all: she wasn’t going to let anyone else write her story. She was the author of her own fate now, and she would take whatever path she chose, no matter where it led.

As she drifted off to sleep, a small, contented smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Tomorrow was a new day, and for the first time in a long while, she was ready for it.