Status: Just beginning
My Sweet Corrupted
mysterious stranger
As predicted, by lunch time, Skye had returned to her usual sunny self, bringing the table to a discussion about Nathan Calloway. Tristan returned to sitting with the jocks, but thankfully Skye refrained from mentioning anything about Eden's supposed crush and how Nathan obviously wanted her. Eden and Tristan acted as the school's golden couple - to suggest that either of them would have any other romantic ties would only cause unnecessary disturbance. Especially when they didn't exist in the first place.
It was interesting to hear the memories that the other girls had about Nate. A couple were seniors who had been in the same grade as him in elementary school. Some had memories of him being friends with one of their "boyfriends" or of trying to make him theirs. Some had only entered the school as freshman and so didn't have any memories of him whatsoever.
From what Eden could gather and from what she remembered, Nate had been withdrawn. He talked to people and he was part of the most accepted group of boys, but it was obvious that he never had a best friend and never showed much interest in becoming close to anyone. Even then, he had seemed older than he was.
There was no explanation as to why he'd left. Nobody had been close enough to him to know. They had graduated elementary school, all of them ready to move on and grow up, and when it came to returning to school, Nathan simply didn't show up. Nobody had even considered it until now.
If there was anything for certain, he had aged well. Not a single girl had anything negative to say about his current state. Whereas his withdrawal had once been considered strange, it was now seen as mysterious. His looks had always been present; however his growth had brought about a certain power that drew every eye to him, whether he was looking for attention or not. His confidence had obviously increased. He could fall into an easy discussion, always holding the upper hand while never revealing anything incriminating about himself.
Tristan had only mentioned him once, just before dropping Eden off at her first class. "I can't believe the whole female population is up in arms about some returned loner. Thank god you're more sensible than that, babe."
Eden had just smiled and not said anything.
During lunch, it seemed everyone wanted to talk to him, to be his friend. But while they all waited, it became glaringly obvious that he had better things to do than spend his lunch hour in the school cafeteria.
***
After school, Eden walked home. Her parents had offered to buy her a car when she'd turned sixteen, but she'd never seen much point when she only lived fifteen minutes away. The walks home were one of her favourite times of the day. In the summer, she could feel the sun on her cheeks and the buzzing of life around her. Now, in the winter, the air was fresh and the streets were peaceful.
The walk gave her time to think over the events of the day. Today she was trying to make sense of what Skye had been talking about, with her and Tristan. About how she should want to sleep with him, even though she had no intention of doing so. It just made no sense to her. She wasn't sure what it was that Skye was suggesting. That she break up with Tristan? That was only the most ridiculous thought ever. They were in love. They had a future together that went far beyond high school. Did she want her to sleep with Tristan? That felt ridiculous as well.
What hadn't felt ridiculous was the spread of warmth along her skin, the painful butterflies in her stomach, threatening to drag her tongue down her throat. That pure moment of wanting to move closer to the person in front of her, no matter the consequences. To have someone make her feel like that against her consent made her angry.
And then a voice sounded out from beside her, in the park she was walking by. "Hello, Eden."
She paused, the feeling of dread freezing her blood as she turned around. Perched on a picnic table, giving an amused smile was the one person whose name had been burnt into her brain from the amount of times she'd heard it in one day. "Hello Nathan," she said coldly.
It was interesting to hear the memories that the other girls had about Nate. A couple were seniors who had been in the same grade as him in elementary school. Some had memories of him being friends with one of their "boyfriends" or of trying to make him theirs. Some had only entered the school as freshman and so didn't have any memories of him whatsoever.
From what Eden could gather and from what she remembered, Nate had been withdrawn. He talked to people and he was part of the most accepted group of boys, but it was obvious that he never had a best friend and never showed much interest in becoming close to anyone. Even then, he had seemed older than he was.
There was no explanation as to why he'd left. Nobody had been close enough to him to know. They had graduated elementary school, all of them ready to move on and grow up, and when it came to returning to school, Nathan simply didn't show up. Nobody had even considered it until now.
If there was anything for certain, he had aged well. Not a single girl had anything negative to say about his current state. Whereas his withdrawal had once been considered strange, it was now seen as mysterious. His looks had always been present; however his growth had brought about a certain power that drew every eye to him, whether he was looking for attention or not. His confidence had obviously increased. He could fall into an easy discussion, always holding the upper hand while never revealing anything incriminating about himself.
Tristan had only mentioned him once, just before dropping Eden off at her first class. "I can't believe the whole female population is up in arms about some returned loner. Thank god you're more sensible than that, babe."
Eden had just smiled and not said anything.
During lunch, it seemed everyone wanted to talk to him, to be his friend. But while they all waited, it became glaringly obvious that he had better things to do than spend his lunch hour in the school cafeteria.
***
After school, Eden walked home. Her parents had offered to buy her a car when she'd turned sixteen, but she'd never seen much point when she only lived fifteen minutes away. The walks home were one of her favourite times of the day. In the summer, she could feel the sun on her cheeks and the buzzing of life around her. Now, in the winter, the air was fresh and the streets were peaceful.
The walk gave her time to think over the events of the day. Today she was trying to make sense of what Skye had been talking about, with her and Tristan. About how she should want to sleep with him, even though she had no intention of doing so. It just made no sense to her. She wasn't sure what it was that Skye was suggesting. That she break up with Tristan? That was only the most ridiculous thought ever. They were in love. They had a future together that went far beyond high school. Did she want her to sleep with Tristan? That felt ridiculous as well.
What hadn't felt ridiculous was the spread of warmth along her skin, the painful butterflies in her stomach, threatening to drag her tongue down her throat. That pure moment of wanting to move closer to the person in front of her, no matter the consequences. To have someone make her feel like that against her consent made her angry.
And then a voice sounded out from beside her, in the park she was walking by. "Hello, Eden."
She paused, the feeling of dread freezing her blood as she turned around. Perched on a picnic table, giving an amused smile was the one person whose name had been burnt into her brain from the amount of times she'd heard it in one day. "Hello Nathan," she said coldly.
♠ ♠ ♠
Unplanned run-ins are just the best thing ever :)