Eden

Hidden Desires 🔥

Eden..

How the hell did Bethany get that?" I really needed a smoke. I was getting worked up by the minute.

"Being the niece to the principal must have some perks. Duh?" Amaya shrugged, looking at me like I said the dumbest thing on earth.

I stood up, ready to bolt for a smoke. I couldn't stay here a minute longer. Just one cigarette would be enough. I guess. Maybe two.

"Where are you going?" Felix questioned the moment I took a step away from them

" Anywhere but here." I said frankly and turned to leave.

Walking straight for the path that led to the school's garden, I walked straight to the gate that led to a part of the garden no one even knew existed. I mean this school was enormous. Some places we didn't even go to because you couldn't even walk there.

So I found my own special spot. It even had a bench where I could smoke and observe nature and its beauty. Irony of life.

The school bells didn't even reach here. The only problem here was I could stay here all day and get high. I wouldn't want to go back into the world.

Taking my seat on the bench I brought out my pack of cigarettes and my baby pink lighter from my LV bag.

Lighting a cigarette, I inhaled and let out the smoke slowly from my nose. I could feel the effect already. My knotted brain was already loosening up and relaxing. I sighed as I exhaled again, watching how the smoke mixed up with the air and vanished. Never to be seen again.

Wow. Even smoke lived its purpose. Even a cigarette lives its purpose. Was I living mine?

"It all depends on if you want to."

I was instantly brought back to the now and looked to my side so violently, I feared my head would pull off. Even the cigarette in between my fingers fell to the floor and I crushed it immediately with my boots.

"What?" I whispered to myself but it seems the person heard it.

"I said you can choose if you want to live your purpose." He repeated, turning to face me this time and not the garden anymore and how butterflies of different colours flew around each flower.

He turned his head to look at the opposite of that scenery. To look at darkness.

Did I say that out loud?

He probably understood my amused expression because he let out a small chuckle.

"Yes, you said that out loud."

Was I dead? Was he an angel. He looked so calm and peaceful. Like he didn't hear voices in his head.

"Who are you? How did you get here?" I peered at him, already getting defensive.

The smile on his face suddenly vanished and I could feel the bench suddenly get smaller and was awfully aware how close we were.

His brown eyes were searching mine like a scanner. Like how the face recognition on your phone scanned your face to know if it was truly you.

"I didn't follow you here. Just like you I'm drawn to places people don't notice or go."

I narrowed my eyes on him. "What do you mean?"

"Just like you, I like to compare the beauty of life in nature with my life, Eden."

His brown eyes were bright. I almost couldn't breathe looking at them. I don't know why. I must be high already.

"You know my name." I whispered. I didn't know why I was surprised. Everyone at school knew my name. I was Eden Madrid of course.

But he said it like he knew it because he wanted to, not because he heard it from someone or around.

"What's your name?" I heard myself asking him.

"Canaan. Canaan Hadid." He smiled at me softly and all I could think of was why was he smiling at a girl who didn't even know if she was real or not.

***********************************************

"Canaan. Canaan." I found myself repeating his name in my head. I haven't met someone who went by Canaan before. I looked back at him still.suspicious of how he got to be here. When did he even get here and how long had he been here?

"How did you get here?"

"I don't know. Days ago, I was taking a walk and I got lost. I found this place and loved it. You?" He asked me and I raised my eyebrows in surprise. He was asking me? I got here first.

"How did you find this place?" He asked again clearly, not getting the surprised look on my face.

How can I tell him that I found here in my desperation to get out of human company and be by myself, alone and away from prying eyes, rolling cameras and fake laughs?

That I found here as my happy and sad place. Where I could smoke and there were no eyes to look at me with judging looks. The way they always did if I didn't get a line correctly like my mum does or if I added weight because I loved ice cream.

"The same way you did. I got lost." I lied and turned away from him and set my eyes on a single butterfly, following it to every flower it visited to eat.

He was silent, like he knew I was lying, but he didn't call me out.

"I'm leaving now. I'm sure classes will start any time soon." I said, getting up quickly and picking up my bag from the bench.

"Same here. I really enjoyed chatting with you." He smiled at me and walked away. Was what we had a chat about? It was more like a weird discussion.

Dismissing it, I walked back inside the school building just as soon as the first bell went off. I moved to my locker and selected the books I would need for the class.

History.

The class was already occupied with students, clustered in groups, discussing God knows what and being very happy while doing so. Taking a deep breath, I got myself ready to get this day over with.

I beelined for my seat, ignoring everyone who tried to make small talk with me and sat, waiting patiently for the teacher to walk in and bring normalcy to these teenagers.

Teenagers.

The most misunderstood group of humans in the world. When we act out, we're overreacting and it's the hormones at work. We're growing, changing, so they don't take us seriously. When we don't act out, we're allowing ourselves to be trampled upon. Bullied. What the world wants from us, grow up but not so much you disrespect your elders even if they're wrong.

History class. I guess it was probably my favorite class. I liked to study ancient civilizations and the history of people before us.

The teacher liked to talk about many things out of the topic that were more interesting. She always told us about random history facts and I enjoyed them. It made me want to know more about them.

There were many ancient civilizations that no one knew about or buildings with architecture so modern, you would want to know how it came about.

I wondered if I could travel some day to see things like these. My mum hates it when I talk about things like these. She always told me I should focus on the now and the future and stop dwelling on what is past and gone.

But I have a different approach to it. I think knowing about the past is what helps us build our tomorrow. Because our history is the building blocks and the foundation of who we are today. You can't have a future without a past. That's how I felt.

When I told her that, she'll just sigh and shake her head, telling me I was going through a phase. But I knew I wasn't.

"You have to submit your work by Friday or else you'll fail the class." I heard the teachers last words as students swarmed out of the classroom and I couldn't be more confused.

I wanted to reach out to someone to ask about what just happened but no one had my time. They only wanted my attention, when they needed something from me. Like a mention, or a collaboration on their i********: or t****k account.

Almost all of them seem to be doing t****k nowadays.

But I knew they wouldn't care. All they cared about was what I could offer. What I could give them. I suddenly retook my outstretched hand that was ready to tug at the guy in front of me, and picked up my bag.

I didn't want to fail my favorite class no matter how it seemed. I loved history. The best I could do was to not fail it.

I walked sluggishly to my locker to prepare for the next class when Amaya suddenly popped up beside me with India, looking like she would rather be anywhere but here right now. Not that I cared.

"Maya." I acknowledged when she refused to say anything.

"We just got Intel that you just had your last class with the new guy. How is he? Is he cute? Is he nice?" Maya rapped quickly and I wondered if she was expecting me to answer them.

Because I wasn't going to.

"I've been trying to get him to come join us at lunch for weeks now but he doesn't seem interested. I heard he's crazy rich. We could throw parties at his house." India added, her tone flat and annoyed. I didn't care if she was pissed with me.

That's her f*****g problem.

"So why are you guys telling me all these?" I decided to finally ask since they didn't want to make sense.

"If you could get him in our group since you guys have almost all your classes together." Amaya said, leaning on the locker beside her. "Maybe try to be friendly for a try."

Some students walked past us, clearly admiring us. The IT gang. The group of people everyone wanted to be.

Well, not me.

"I don't even know who the f**k he is, Maya. Also being in the same class doesn't necessarily mean we'll speak to each other. Like, I don't even know who the hell sits beside me."

"Maybe it's because you're too busy being high or in your head to notice." India digged at me, her eyes angry.

"So now you know, you'll stop pestering me with trash, India." I narrowed my eyes on her before I went on. "And you guys just want to be his friend, cause you heard he's got banks? You guys are cheap." I said and walked past them.

"Well you shouldn't be pissed, it isn't always about you. You're mad, cause you're afraid he'll steal the spotlight from you." Amaya said behind me, causing me to stop in my tracks.

I didn't turn back but kept walking. I didn't have time to argue with them. The funny part was they'll be the ones crawling back because they need something from me.

Crazy kids.

"Eden. I see you're heading to class. Let's go together." Felix and Kane stopped me on my way and it's not like I could shoo them away so I just kept quiet and let them.walk with me.

"I heard Margaret saying to everyone that she got you to interview for Opus again. Is it true? I was surprised when I heard that." Kane said out loud and I sighed deeply before replying.

"I'm not. I didn't even tell her yes. I told her she'll get a reply by Thursday. Which will be a no."

"Why didn't you just tell her no, then?" Kane asked again.

I ignored his question and kept on walking. I didn't have the strength to be told that what I did was wrong and would hurt her.