SHE

NINETEEN

I stayed up in my room after Hanna had left, deciding I needed to spend the time my eyes were still open productively. I reached for my laptop, opening it as I started the work. Believing Eden would eventually come around, I had to continue the research about Quietus.

Weirdly enough in today's society, I had never looked up Eden on any social media and from what I found or more like lack of it, it turns out I never should have bothered to do so. It was as if she didn't exist. I searched for Blake next. Nothing. Same with Luke, Andre, and Angel.

Of course, it would be reckless for any of them to be out there. I sighed, knowing it meant more work for me. Normally I'd be excited, but the excitement was replaced with exhaustion.

The only person I could get something from was Blake, I had already found him on the FBI data base, as well as on Police reports, so there had to be more. Hoping I'd probably stumble upon something else if I looked deep enough. Turns out I was wrong, there was nothing.

"Great, just great," I mumbled to no one, running my hands across my face as I pushed the laptop away.

"What's great?" Eden asked, leaning against the doorway.

My head snapped upwards, my mouth opening.

"I.. Um.. Nothing. Yeah, just a bad movie," I smiled awkwardly, closing the laptop. I waited for her to say something, anything, yet she chose to stay quiet.

"So.." I looked around, "what are you doing here?"

"Do you want to know the truth or the white lie?" she asked.

I laughed: "let's start with the truth."

She ran a hand through her hair: "ourparentstrickedmeintothehouseandlockedthedoorbehindmetellingmetostopbeingapussy."

I looked at her wide eyed. I had no clue what she had just said, but, damn, she did without inhaling.

"Mind repeating that in a slower, more human way?" I raised an eyebrow.

She looked at me, squinting her eyes: "fine. Promise not to laugh?"

I bit my lip stopping myself from laughing: "promise."

"Our parents tricked me into the house and locked the door behind me, telling me to stop being a p***y," she refused to look at me.

I laughed quietly: "that sounds like something they would do."

"Well-"

"Besides they seem to have a point," I pointed out, smiling.

She rolled her eyes, a small smile on her lips. "And what's supposed to be the white lie?" I asked.

"That I came here because I wanted to see you," she was looking at me, waiting for me to react.

"We both know it's the truth, not a white lie," I smiled.

"There's a huge chance you're right," she smirked, "may I come in?"

"Well it sounds like we're locked in here, so you might as well do that," I patted on the bed, next to me.

She came to the bed, sitting across me. "How are you?" she questioned, looking at me.

I put my arm around my left arm, where I had just given blood from, it was covered by my cardigan. I smiled: "I'm pretty good. And you?"

"Better now," she said, making me furrow my brows.

"Where were you the last few days if you don't feel that great without me?" I asked straight up.

"I had to take care of some things before I could see you," she replied.

What were these things, Eden? Just let me help you, tell me.

"I'm here if you ever want to talk about it," I said, reaching over and intertwining our fingers.

She smiled, squeezing my hand in response: "I missed you."

"I know, me too, Ed. But we need to talk about some things first.." I bit my lip.

She ran a hand through her hair: "you were right, I'm scared of this, of us. I've never done relationships before, never felt the way I do for you. I care about you so much that it scares me, it almost drives me insane. The thought of losing you tears me apart."

"Hey, Ed," I whispered, lifting her chin, "I'm not going anywhere."

"But what if you do?" she asked, her eyes full of vulnerability.

"Then you'll survive and move on," I laughed.

"Don't say that babe," she bit her lip, "I think what I feel for you can only be felt once in a lifetime, and if you were to leave, I wouldn't be able to move on."

"Then don't let me leave, silly," I pulled her in, kissing her, "now put your arms around me and cuddle me."

"But what about-"

I rolled my eyes, "trust me, my parents won't say a thing. And if they do, I'll shut them right up by reminding them of the things I've seen."

"That sounds disturbing," she laughed.

We both changed into PJ's and hid under the blankets, our limbs a tangled mess.

///

My intuition woke me up, just right when dad walked in the room. He looked at both of us, smiling.

"We need to talk, Ruby," he whispered, not wanting to wake Eden up.

What did I do this time?

I nodded, removing her arms from me as I walked out of the room, shutting the door behind me.

"Ruby, is there something I should know?" he used his serious, low voice.

I wrecked my brain, trying to figure out what this was about. He couldn't have found out about... No, Hanna wouldn't tell him.

"Nothing I can think of," I replied, unconfidently. I looked at the ground, praying he didn't find out somehow.

"You know security sees everything.." he stated, shooting daggers with his eyes.

He knew. "Dad, I'm so sorry, I promise I wanted to tell you," I ran a hand through my hair, not knowing how I'll get out of this one.

He raised a brow at me, frowning: "that Hanna is back in the town and has been visiting you?"

Okay, so I messed up. I laughed awkwardly: "yeah, sure, about Hanna."

"Are you alright, dear? You seem pale," he lifted my chin, analyzing my face, his frown deepening, "scratch that, you look.."

"Tired," I finished, "I've had trouble sleeping lately, just a lack of sleep."

I hoped he would buy that because I knew for sure if he had any doubts about what I said, he wouldn't stop without getting the truth out of me or someone that knew, in this case, that someone would be Hanna.

He looked like he needed more convincing.

"I just missed Eden.." I lied smoothly. Not that it was a complete lie, because I did.

"Alright, princess," he smiled, "just please let me know if something's wrong. I'd never forgive myself if something were to happen with you and I wasn't there to prevent it from happening."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, and smiled: "alright dad. I guess I got the dramatic side from you too."

He laughed and kissed my forehead, hugging me: "love you, princess."

"I love you too dad," I tightened my arms around him, breathing in his familiar scent.

At this moment I felt safe like nothing could get to me. But all moments had to be replaced by others, eventually, we would let go and it would go back to ordinary moments. And so we did, he messed up my hair: "now go and cuddle your girlfriend."

I smiled: "yes, boss."

I walked back in the room, seeing Eden spread around the bed like a starfish, her mouth slightly open.

I laughed at the view before my eyes.

She inhaled loudly, coughing a few times, then returning to the same position, but this time on her stomach.

I sat in my hammock that was the opposite site of the room, deciding to read a book. I sighed happily because things had returned to how they should be. How I'd always wanted them to be, especially with my family here. Good times are great, but they aren't the ones that make you grow. And I knew I had a lot of growing in front of me, I also knew I had to savor this moment because I had a feeling that it might not last as long as I'd want it to.

Well, at least I have a good book in my hands and the girl of my dreams in my bed, I thought to myself.