Unraveling Eden ✔ [ONC 2021]

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Tully let out a muffled sigh that just registered over the thoughts that swirled in my head. For a moment, I did find myself wondering if she was just as cold as I was. Goosebumps lined my naked arms as I ran my hands along the shingles, trying to warm myself up. The roof was starting to become a regular hang-out, but it didn't get any less scary being so high off the ground. Though tumbling to my death was starting to look better than being lost in my thoughts.

Ethan must have thought there was something seriously wrong with me. First I got a nose bleed, and then I passed out right in front of him. Not to mention the very vivid dreams I was having. How could I tell him our first kiss wasn't the first and that it happened in my head before? Yeah, he'd definitely leave if I told him that.

Tully sighed again, this time twice as loud, giving me her laserbeam like stare. "What could you possibly be thinking about on this beautiful day that has the vein in your forehead popping out?"

If there was anyone I could tell, it was her. Maybe she'd understand, though that was probably just wishful thinking. "Well..." I started, my heart palpitating in my chest. "I didn't tell you, but Ethan asked me to be his girlfriend yesterday-"

She didn't let me continue. Instead, she shot up wide-eyed and pulled me into a hug. "Oh my gosh! Why didn't you tell me? We both have boyfriends at the same time!" When she let go, she saw the frown on my face. "Why don't you look happy? I thought you liked him."

"I do like him a lot, he's so sweet and he gets me, Tully. And it doesn't hurt that he's absolutely gorgeous. I can honestly see myself falling in love with him and that's crazy because we've only known each other for about a week now. It's what happened after. Right after he asked me, I had another..." I gulped. "Dream. And then I passed out."

"What? Are you okay, Eden?" Her eyes searched mine and I could have sworn I saw fear behind her lash extensions.

"I feel fine now, but it was so embarrassing, Tully. And these dreams...I know you think that they're just a way to cope or some fantasy that I've made up in my head." I took a deep breath, bracing myself for backlash. "But Tull, I think they're real and I think they're doing something to my head. I feel crazy saying it out loud, but I can't shake it."

She looked at me, dumbfounded. A giggle escaped her lips. "Maybe it's your past lives breaking through your subconscious." Her voice was laced with sarcasm, but my gaze drifted down to my hands as I began to twiddle my thumbs, my mind racing a million miles a minute. The faces of Delphine and Nik flashed before my eyes. It was like looking in a mirror, yet two hundred years in the past. How could that be? Past lives... The words echoed in my brain.

"What if you're right?" I muttered under my breath.

"I was joking, Eden!" Tully laid her hand on mine and heaved a sigh. "I'm worried about you..."

"You don't think I know how crazy I sound? Because trust me, I do know and I'm so scared that I'm following the same path as my sister. Mental health disorders can be genetic. So I need there to be another explanation for all of this." I hung my head and stared up at the stars, watching them twinkle as a satellite floated by.

"Then we'll find it." She nodded quickly. "I promise."

* * *

Tully left, but my thoughts didn't go with her. I couldn't shake them away, no matter how hard I'd tried. Closing my mind only made them come to life and pictures of Ethan float around inside of my skull. All of the dreams seemed to come back to him. To us. It was a silly thought, but maybe he had some explanation for what was happening. Better yet, maybe he could convince me that it was nothing but my brain telling me that we were meant to be together.