Unexpected Love
Avoidance & Confessions
Eden texted Colin the next day telling him she thought it was best if they didn’t go out. He told her he understood. When Monday morning rolled around it was time to go back work and face reality. She stayed holed up in her house all weekend only to go outside to let Brutus get some fresh air.
She couldn’t stop thinking about Colin. She knew she had it bad for him even though she tried to stop herself. She wanted him. She just didn’t want to get hurt again.
When she pulled into work she saw Colin was waiting for in the visitors lounge. He was talking to Evan and they looked to be in deep discussion about something. She used this to her advantage and snuck in through the employee door. She made it to her office without being noticed and shut her blinds so no one could see her. She began on the paperwork she put off on Friday then her thoughts began to wander about her and Colin and their make out session on the couch. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Evan tell someone he would check her office. Eden turned off her lights and ducked under her desk just as Evan and Colin walked in.
“The time clock said she clocked in. She has to be here somewhere.”
Evan noticed something move under the desk and looked under there.
“Oh here she is! Hi Eden!”
Eden jumped when she heard Evan’s voice and smacked her head on the desk. If looks could kill poor Evan would have been dead right then.
“Good morning Evan.” She said in a less than chipper voice.
“What were you doing under your desk?” Evan asked.
“I dropped my pen and was trying to get it.”
“All your lights are off and your blinds are shut.” Evan said stating the obvious.
“I just got here and was getting situated.”
“Oh ok well as you can see you have a visitor so I will let you two visit.”
Eden and Colin stood in awkward silence before Colin said something.
“Hi”
“So what’s up?”
“Not much. You?”
“Same.”
Another few minutes of awkward silence.
“Can we talk?”
“What about?”
“You know what Eden.”
“Fine. Come with me. I have to do my rounds.”
Colin and Eden made their way to the elephant house while Eden was making sure they were fed and were in good health she and Colin began talking.
“After I left I realized something.”
“What’s that?”
“That I wasn’t sorry for kissing you. I wanted to do it for so long and I just did it. So I take back my apology for kissing you.”
“I’m not really sure what to say to that. I’m not sure if I should be mad or happy.”
“Look I’m just going to lay it out on the line and whatever happens, it happens.”
Colin took a long pause before he continued.
“I want to be with you. I want to share my life with you. If I could go back in time and change what I said I would Eden. If I had known that I hurt you I would have changed it. But I can’t go back and I can’t change things and it kills me. Nothing killed me more than knowing I hurt you and I was the reason you wouldn’t hang out with us anymore. You are so smart and so beautiful. I just wish you would realize I would be good to you. I promise I will never break your heart. Just give me a chance to prove to you I’m not the same 17 year old kid I was back then.”
Eden stood speechless. This guy in front of her poured his heart out and she didn’t even know what to say.
“Eden please say something.”
“….”
By now people had noticed Colin and were starting to swarm around the exhibit trying to get a picture, autograph or anything. But he wasn’t paying attention to them. He was staring at the girl in front of him hoping she would give him an answer.
“Eden.”
“I don’t know what to say Colin. I do have feelings for you but I don’t know if I can be what you need me to be. I mean you’re a famous football star. I’m just average. How would we make it work? We could never be a normal couple who hold hands out in public without someone trying to get a picture; we could never go to dinner without being followed. I mean look around you now. How many pictures do you think people got of us today? How many newspapers do you think those will be on and what will the headlines say. I want to trust you, I want to let you in, I want to be with you but I don’t know if I can handle all that comes with being with an NFL star. I’m so sorry Colin. You deserve someone who can give you everything you want and need…”
“I guess I got my answer.” He walked away in a fury before Eden could finish. Colin was trying to dodge questions from the numerous people who recognized him. Eden just wanted to go home and curl up in a ball and cry. She didn’t want to hurt him. She loved him but she wasn’t sure if she could handle the famous life. Could she handle everything that came with dating an NFL quarterback? In a few short moments she had her answer. She knew what she had to do. Eden ran until she caught up with Colin. Which took a lot since the guys got long legs.
“Colin! Wait!”
“Just let it go Eden. Forget I said anything.”
“Just wait a minute. You didn’t give me a chance to finish.”
Colin stopped and turned to face her. Eden pulled him into an empty room so she could talk to him in private. Colin didn’t expect her to jump into his arms and kiss him with such passion. He swore he could feel the sparks radiating off of them.
“Not that I’m complaining but what was that for?” Colin said with a small smile.
“I want to be everything you want and need. I just needed to show you I feel the same way. I’m scared Colin. I’m afraid you will find someone better, I’m afraid this won’t last. There’s always going to be someone or something there to try to hurt us. If we get together I need you to promise me that you will make time for me, make time for your family, that you’ll be there when I need you, that you’re honest with me. Don’t lie to me, protect me, support me, and fight for me. I know it may sound like a lot but I need assurance that you really want this.”
“Eden, I’ve been stalking you the past week and you want to know if I really want this. I wouldn’t have kissed you or come to your work just to see you; I most definitely wouldn’t have sat outside your house on a Friday night waiting for you to come home. I think you’ve already forgotten that I just spilled my heart out to you begging for a chance. What do you want me to do to prove to you I want you. That I want there to be an us.”
Eden thought for a moment.
“Kiss me.”
“You’re not going to run away from me or push me are you?”
Instead of answering him, Eden reached up and grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in for a sweet & simple kiss. When they pulled apart Colin rested his forehead on Eden’s.
“I’m not going anywhere Colin.”
“Neither am I… by the way when were you going to tell me you never actually dated Evan? He told me you used him as a cover so I wouldn’t pursue you. Did you really think you having a boyfriend would stop me?” Colin said with a smirk.
“A week ago I was hoping you would stop and leave me alone. But you really have a way with a girl’s heart. The more I was around you I knew I’d give in. Like I said I’m scared.”
“Don’t be. But please don’t ever use your gay best friend as a cover up. That really bugged me to think you could date a guy with better fashion sense than a Kardashian.”
They shared a laughed another kiss before they left the deserted office. Maybe this time it would be different.
She couldn’t stop thinking about Colin. She knew she had it bad for him even though she tried to stop herself. She wanted him. She just didn’t want to get hurt again.
When she pulled into work she saw Colin was waiting for in the visitors lounge. He was talking to Evan and they looked to be in deep discussion about something. She used this to her advantage and snuck in through the employee door. She made it to her office without being noticed and shut her blinds so no one could see her. She began on the paperwork she put off on Friday then her thoughts began to wander about her and Colin and their make out session on the couch. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Evan tell someone he would check her office. Eden turned off her lights and ducked under her desk just as Evan and Colin walked in.
“The time clock said she clocked in. She has to be here somewhere.”
Evan noticed something move under the desk and looked under there.
“Oh here she is! Hi Eden!”
Eden jumped when she heard Evan’s voice and smacked her head on the desk. If looks could kill poor Evan would have been dead right then.
“Good morning Evan.” She said in a less than chipper voice.
“What were you doing under your desk?” Evan asked.
“I dropped my pen and was trying to get it.”
“All your lights are off and your blinds are shut.” Evan said stating the obvious.
“I just got here and was getting situated.”
“Oh ok well as you can see you have a visitor so I will let you two visit.”
Eden and Colin stood in awkward silence before Colin said something.
“Hi”
“So what’s up?”
“Not much. You?”
“Same.”
Another few minutes of awkward silence.
“Can we talk?”
“What about?”
“You know what Eden.”
“Fine. Come with me. I have to do my rounds.”
Colin and Eden made their way to the elephant house while Eden was making sure they were fed and were in good health she and Colin began talking.
“After I left I realized something.”
“What’s that?”
“That I wasn’t sorry for kissing you. I wanted to do it for so long and I just did it. So I take back my apology for kissing you.”
“I’m not really sure what to say to that. I’m not sure if I should be mad or happy.”
“Look I’m just going to lay it out on the line and whatever happens, it happens.”
Colin took a long pause before he continued.
“I want to be with you. I want to share my life with you. If I could go back in time and change what I said I would Eden. If I had known that I hurt you I would have changed it. But I can’t go back and I can’t change things and it kills me. Nothing killed me more than knowing I hurt you and I was the reason you wouldn’t hang out with us anymore. You are so smart and so beautiful. I just wish you would realize I would be good to you. I promise I will never break your heart. Just give me a chance to prove to you I’m not the same 17 year old kid I was back then.”
Eden stood speechless. This guy in front of her poured his heart out and she didn’t even know what to say.
“Eden please say something.”
“….”
By now people had noticed Colin and were starting to swarm around the exhibit trying to get a picture, autograph or anything. But he wasn’t paying attention to them. He was staring at the girl in front of him hoping she would give him an answer.
“Eden.”
“I don’t know what to say Colin. I do have feelings for you but I don’t know if I can be what you need me to be. I mean you’re a famous football star. I’m just average. How would we make it work? We could never be a normal couple who hold hands out in public without someone trying to get a picture; we could never go to dinner without being followed. I mean look around you now. How many pictures do you think people got of us today? How many newspapers do you think those will be on and what will the headlines say. I want to trust you, I want to let you in, I want to be with you but I don’t know if I can handle all that comes with being with an NFL star. I’m so sorry Colin. You deserve someone who can give you everything you want and need…”
“I guess I got my answer.” He walked away in a fury before Eden could finish. Colin was trying to dodge questions from the numerous people who recognized him. Eden just wanted to go home and curl up in a ball and cry. She didn’t want to hurt him. She loved him but she wasn’t sure if she could handle the famous life. Could she handle everything that came with dating an NFL quarterback? In a few short moments she had her answer. She knew what she had to do. Eden ran until she caught up with Colin. Which took a lot since the guys got long legs.
“Colin! Wait!”
“Just let it go Eden. Forget I said anything.”
“Just wait a minute. You didn’t give me a chance to finish.”
Colin stopped and turned to face her. Eden pulled him into an empty room so she could talk to him in private. Colin didn’t expect her to jump into his arms and kiss him with such passion. He swore he could feel the sparks radiating off of them.
“Not that I’m complaining but what was that for?” Colin said with a small smile.
“I want to be everything you want and need. I just needed to show you I feel the same way. I’m scared Colin. I’m afraid you will find someone better, I’m afraid this won’t last. There’s always going to be someone or something there to try to hurt us. If we get together I need you to promise me that you will make time for me, make time for your family, that you’ll be there when I need you, that you’re honest with me. Don’t lie to me, protect me, support me, and fight for me. I know it may sound like a lot but I need assurance that you really want this.”
“Eden, I’ve been stalking you the past week and you want to know if I really want this. I wouldn’t have kissed you or come to your work just to see you; I most definitely wouldn’t have sat outside your house on a Friday night waiting for you to come home. I think you’ve already forgotten that I just spilled my heart out to you begging for a chance. What do you want me to do to prove to you I want you. That I want there to be an us.”
Eden thought for a moment.
“Kiss me.”
“You’re not going to run away from me or push me are you?”
Instead of answering him, Eden reached up and grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in for a sweet & simple kiss. When they pulled apart Colin rested his forehead on Eden’s.
“I’m not going anywhere Colin.”
“Neither am I… by the way when were you going to tell me you never actually dated Evan? He told me you used him as a cover so I wouldn’t pursue you. Did you really think you having a boyfriend would stop me?” Colin said with a smirk.
“A week ago I was hoping you would stop and leave me alone. But you really have a way with a girl’s heart. The more I was around you I knew I’d give in. Like I said I’m scared.”
“Don’t be. But please don’t ever use your gay best friend as a cover up. That really bugged me to think you could date a guy with better fashion sense than a Kardashian.”
They shared a laughed another kiss before they left the deserted office. Maybe this time it would be different.