Unexpected Love
The Past & The Present
What happens when the one person you want doesn’t see you that way? Then unexpectedly turns up 8 years later with a changed mind. For Eden that one person changed her whole life.
Eden McGarrett was your average 21 year old. She was smart and athletic, loved by many. She wasn’t tall but she wasn’t short either, with just the right amount of curve. With long dark brown curly hair, olive skin and aqua eyes she was quite the looker. But she never saw herself that way. Eden’s life was what some would consider perfect. She had the perfect job, house, family. All she didn’t have was someone to share it with. And she knew it too. She always felt as if something or someone was missing.
8 Years Ago:
Eden grew up as a military kid. With her biological father Steve in the navy and her step dad Jack in the army, she moved quite a bit. When she was 13 her family finally settled down in an army base in California near San Francisco. Even though she lived on base it didn’t stop her or her brother from making friends. But there was only one of her brother, Jeremy, friends that caught her eye. Colin Kaepernick.
Jeremy and Colin went to the same high school and soon became friends over their love of sports, while Eden was in junior high at a separate building. Eden met Colin for the first time when he came over to their house one day to hang out with Jeremy. As soon as she saw him she couldn’t get him out of her head. Jeremy soon caught on to her crush to Colin and would make fun of her when he wasn’t around.
When Colin would come over, Eden would watch from her room wishing she was a few years older so Colin would notice her. But she was only 13, too young to be a woman and too old to be a little girl and everyone said it was just a crush and that she would get over him. Eden hoped they were right but at night there was only one boy who floated into her dreams.
After Jeremy learned of Eden’s crush on Colin he would purposely invite her to hang out with them playing basketball, watching movies, swimming or whatever they could find to fill their time. The first few times Eden politely said no to Jeremy and Colin. She was afraid she would spill the beans and tell Colin how she felt. Then he would hate her and she didn’t want that. But Colin was always sweet and nice to Eden, especially when Jeremy would pick on her. Eden always knew Jeremy was joking with her but it always made her heart skip a beat when Colin would stick up for her. He would always smile her and throw his arm around her and say:
“Don’t let him get to you Edy. He’s just a butt.”
“Thanks. I will try to remember that.”
“Come on short stuff, show me what you got.” Colin said bouncing the basketball in front of Eden.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you man.” Jeremy said.
“Why?” Colin asked.
Just then Eden took the ball away from Colin and swooshed it in the hoop. She turned to see a stunned Colin with wide eyes.
“What?” she asked innocently.
“You want to tell me where you pulled that stunt out of?” Colin said.
“If I tell you, then I’ll have to kill you. I’d really hate to see my brother cry over losing his boyfriend.”
After a few moments of silence all three broke into fits of laughter. But what Colin would say next would forever break Eden’s heart.
“Oh Edy, you’re the little sister I never had.”
The smile Eden had faltered into a small frown. Colin didn’t notice but Jeremy did and it killed him to see his little sister’s heart shatter.
“You guys want to go get ice cream or something?” Colin asked.
“Um no thanks. I actually have some homework to finish. Jeremy I’ll tell mom where you guys went so she doesn’t worry. See ya guys later!”
Then Eden ran home and locked herself in her room and cried.
After that day Eden stopped hanging out with the boys and avoided Colin like he was the plague. Hoping her feelings for him would go away if she kept a distance, but they never did. A year later she watched proudly as both boys graduated high school. Then she watched the only boy she ever cared about move to Nevada and her only brother join the army.
The memories of Colin still haunt Eden to this day. She would never tell anyone she watched him play all through his collegiate career. He had a strong arm and long legs that made him a fast runner when he needed to run the ball instead of throw it. Overall he had 740 completions out of 1271 attempts and 82 touchdowns and only 24 interceptions. So in April she watched the draft just to see him get picked, knowing he would get drafted in the first or second round. Afterwards she bought one of his college and NFL jerseys knowing someday he would make it big in the NFL. She never told anyone she watched ESPN just for a shot to see him on TV.
But 8 years later and he still haunts her thoughts. Eden felt she was at a good place in her life for the age of 21. She was a successful veterinarian at the San Francisco zoo, she had her own home and car which is kind of a big deal for most 21 year olds but she was never like other people. She was always different. She graduated high school at the age of 16 and double majored at UCLA to graduate college by the time she was 20. But all her hard work paid off and she was content.
One day, Eden was in the elephant area doing her rounds, when her best friend and assistant, Evan, ran over to her wide-eyed, face flush, heart racing.
“Hey Evan, you ok?”
“Cute guy….. Looking for you…. in office….”
“Cute guy huh? Nice one evan. Seriously though what’s up?”
“Eden I’m serious.”
“What does this cute guy look like?”
“Well you see…. he told me not to tell you. Said it was a surprise.” Evan said with a big beaming smile.
Eden gave him an “are you serious look” and threw her hands up.
“Fine where is this cute, mystery guy?”
“Your office.” Evan said with a smug smile. He knew only Eden’s colleagues and family was allowed in her office. No visitors were allowed near there.
After hearing that Eden got excited and ran to her office, hoping her dad or brother got to come home early from a tour of duty.
When she opened the door her smile and excitement fell.
“Hey Edy.”
“Colin?”
Eden McGarrett was your average 21 year old. She was smart and athletic, loved by many. She wasn’t tall but she wasn’t short either, with just the right amount of curve. With long dark brown curly hair, olive skin and aqua eyes she was quite the looker. But she never saw herself that way. Eden’s life was what some would consider perfect. She had the perfect job, house, family. All she didn’t have was someone to share it with. And she knew it too. She always felt as if something or someone was missing.
8 Years Ago:
Eden grew up as a military kid. With her biological father Steve in the navy and her step dad Jack in the army, she moved quite a bit. When she was 13 her family finally settled down in an army base in California near San Francisco. Even though she lived on base it didn’t stop her or her brother from making friends. But there was only one of her brother, Jeremy, friends that caught her eye. Colin Kaepernick.
Jeremy and Colin went to the same high school and soon became friends over their love of sports, while Eden was in junior high at a separate building. Eden met Colin for the first time when he came over to their house one day to hang out with Jeremy. As soon as she saw him she couldn’t get him out of her head. Jeremy soon caught on to her crush to Colin and would make fun of her when he wasn’t around.
When Colin would come over, Eden would watch from her room wishing she was a few years older so Colin would notice her. But she was only 13, too young to be a woman and too old to be a little girl and everyone said it was just a crush and that she would get over him. Eden hoped they were right but at night there was only one boy who floated into her dreams.
After Jeremy learned of Eden’s crush on Colin he would purposely invite her to hang out with them playing basketball, watching movies, swimming or whatever they could find to fill their time. The first few times Eden politely said no to Jeremy and Colin. She was afraid she would spill the beans and tell Colin how she felt. Then he would hate her and she didn’t want that. But Colin was always sweet and nice to Eden, especially when Jeremy would pick on her. Eden always knew Jeremy was joking with her but it always made her heart skip a beat when Colin would stick up for her. He would always smile her and throw his arm around her and say:
“Don’t let him get to you Edy. He’s just a butt.”
“Thanks. I will try to remember that.”
“Come on short stuff, show me what you got.” Colin said bouncing the basketball in front of Eden.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you man.” Jeremy said.
“Why?” Colin asked.
Just then Eden took the ball away from Colin and swooshed it in the hoop. She turned to see a stunned Colin with wide eyes.
“What?” she asked innocently.
“You want to tell me where you pulled that stunt out of?” Colin said.
“If I tell you, then I’ll have to kill you. I’d really hate to see my brother cry over losing his boyfriend.”
After a few moments of silence all three broke into fits of laughter. But what Colin would say next would forever break Eden’s heart.
“Oh Edy, you’re the little sister I never had.”
The smile Eden had faltered into a small frown. Colin didn’t notice but Jeremy did and it killed him to see his little sister’s heart shatter.
“You guys want to go get ice cream or something?” Colin asked.
“Um no thanks. I actually have some homework to finish. Jeremy I’ll tell mom where you guys went so she doesn’t worry. See ya guys later!”
Then Eden ran home and locked herself in her room and cried.
After that day Eden stopped hanging out with the boys and avoided Colin like he was the plague. Hoping her feelings for him would go away if she kept a distance, but they never did. A year later she watched proudly as both boys graduated high school. Then she watched the only boy she ever cared about move to Nevada and her only brother join the army.
The memories of Colin still haunt Eden to this day. She would never tell anyone she watched him play all through his collegiate career. He had a strong arm and long legs that made him a fast runner when he needed to run the ball instead of throw it. Overall he had 740 completions out of 1271 attempts and 82 touchdowns and only 24 interceptions. So in April she watched the draft just to see him get picked, knowing he would get drafted in the first or second round. Afterwards she bought one of his college and NFL jerseys knowing someday he would make it big in the NFL. She never told anyone she watched ESPN just for a shot to see him on TV.
But 8 years later and he still haunts her thoughts. Eden felt she was at a good place in her life for the age of 21. She was a successful veterinarian at the San Francisco zoo, she had her own home and car which is kind of a big deal for most 21 year olds but she was never like other people. She was always different. She graduated high school at the age of 16 and double majored at UCLA to graduate college by the time she was 20. But all her hard work paid off and she was content.
One day, Eden was in the elephant area doing her rounds, when her best friend and assistant, Evan, ran over to her wide-eyed, face flush, heart racing.
“Hey Evan, you ok?”
“Cute guy….. Looking for you…. in office….”
“Cute guy huh? Nice one evan. Seriously though what’s up?”
“Eden I’m serious.”
“What does this cute guy look like?”
“Well you see…. he told me not to tell you. Said it was a surprise.” Evan said with a big beaming smile.
Eden gave him an “are you serious look” and threw her hands up.
“Fine where is this cute, mystery guy?”
“Your office.” Evan said with a smug smile. He knew only Eden’s colleagues and family was allowed in her office. No visitors were allowed near there.
After hearing that Eden got excited and ran to her office, hoping her dad or brother got to come home early from a tour of duty.
When she opened the door her smile and excitement fell.
“Hey Edy.”
“Colin?”