At the End of the Garden

Chapter Twenty-Six

It wasn't Eden's style to be late. There hadn't been a day in the last five years where I'd gotten to school before him. Though, it was starting to make sense to me that his punctuality wasn't because he was the prime example of the greatest, most dedicated student. It was more likely that he wanted to look like the prime example of the greatest, most dedicated student. Or even more likely, the driver who took him to school was instructed to have him here at an exact time each day.
So I really wasn't surprised to find him standing outside our form room when I got there. I'd even asked Dad to drop me off a little earlier than usual, but I bet Eden had still been waiting a while.
"Sorry about last n - "
"Don't." I held up a hand to stop him.
He nodded. Then began to whisper. "Do you have the office keys on you?"
I patted the pocket they were zipped in so they rattled quietly.
"They're... pretty much redundant." He said. "I can try put them back in my father's office without him noticing. It's not worth us getting in more trouble over it. I already got you in trouble anyway - "
"Don't say you're sorry."
"I wasn't going to."
"Good."
We stopped speaking as a small group walked passed. For a moment I wondered what they would say, or what Eden would think they might say. Was I still ruining his reputation?
When they were gone, Eden coughed and began speaking again.
"Even if he does notice I'll just say I took them." Eden said, he held his hands out so I could give him the keys.
"Wait." I shook my head. "Not yet."
Eden raised an eyebrow and waited for me to respond. I glanced around the corridor before leaning closer to whisper what I was about to say. I couldn't help but think that Victor Quinn had eyes and ears everywhere. In the walls, in the teachers, maybe even in the students.
"It's about the scholarship thing we found." I said. "About Angie and Ren."
"What about it?"
"Well. They were all Luka's friends before she went missing."
I'd gotten so quiet, Eden hadn't heard me. He had lean even closer and made me repeat myself. I really didn't want to be heard.
"Don't you think it's suspicious? Those aren't random names." I asked him.
"Like I said, it could always be a bursary or something. It might not be a scholarship, and there just wasn't a column for something like that."
"I feel like I would know." I muttered. I didn't expect Angie to tell me, she never told me anything. But Ren and Michael seemed pretty certain they weren't scholarship students.
"They're your friends right?" Eden asked. "You can ask them about it before jumping to any conclusions. Whatever those might be."
I agreed. "I'll see them at Lunch - after we could meet - "
The door to our form room opening stopped me from finishing my sentence. I looked passed Eden to see our teacher sticking her head out the door like she was looking for someone. Eden turned his head too. She shook her head when she noticed us.
"You two are going to be late." She said. "Come on, get inside."
Eden checked his watch. "We won't be late for another five minutes."
Both me and the teacher were surprised. It wasn't quite defiance, but if Sidney had said something like it would definitely would have ended in an argument, or would be considered attitude. Not with Eden though. The teacher scrunched up her face, unsure what to say.
"That's not the point." She finally said. "I've already been told you're in trouble, Marie, and you two aren't supposed to be talking to each other."
A few months ago, I might have kicked off about why I was the only that was in trouble. But this time I just copied my teacher and scrunched up my face too. I think she meant to say that both of us were in trouble, but didn't want to tell her boss's son that. Eden looked back at me and I just shrugged.
We didn't put up anymore of a fight, I began walking towards the classroom and Eden followed.
"Thought as much." Eden muttered from behind me. "My father is trying to keep an eye on us."
I hummed. By the time he had finished speaking we were inside under the watchful gaze of one of Victor Quinn's eyes.

I wish that had been the full extent of it. But during second period, before I could take my seat, the teacher called me over.
"I heard about your situation. There's a spare seat at the front." She said.
I tried to summon Eden's defiance and asked, "what situation?"
She laughed quietly. "I suspect you know more than I do."
I wanted to ask more. Mainly, about how I was was the one being moved and Eden wasn't. Surely, Eden was more suited for the front of class, as the student president and everything. I felt far more comfortable when everyone wasn't staring at the back of my head. Why was I being punished, again? But the class had begun to settle, and the nerves about attracting attention started to get to me. So I stayed quiet. Even the jaded Angie had turned her head and noticed something was slightly different about the seating plan. Maybe because I was now closer to her than she might have liked.
I turned back to Eden who was frowning. Maybe he had noticed how unfair this was too. The chair at the front was wrong. I hated to admit it, but I was somewhat attached to my seat at the back. Being next to Eden was good just because he was better at Maths thanme and had actually been more willing to help recently. Then there was Sidney's chair. Even when he wasn't in it... Every time I looked at it I couldn't help but think he's late again, when's he going to get here?