The Eden Projects (EDITING)

Chapter 4. Polaroid.

Kasper wasn't sleeping. As the light bent eagerly into the room, he could hear someone moving about in the kitchen, and for a while, he lay there, feigning sleep. Just breathing in the calm and quiet. A new sensation. Relief. He was relieved he had somewhere soft to sleep. He was relieved Zak was his friend. He was relieved Adam hadn't come for him. 

Eventually, the smell of fresh breakfast hit his senses like a brick wall. The floorboards creaked lightly, there was the weight of a hand tapping his shoulder which nearly sent him flying up in surprise.

"Kas... Kasper..." Zak whispered.

Opening his eyes he turned to sit up.

"Man you slept hard, it's nearly noon."

Kasper rubbed his face, immediately regretting the choice. "Oh gosh..." The swelling was obvious. Even by feeling alone.

Zak yawned. "Yeah well you aren't exactly sleeping beauty. Then again, neither am I, you know I was gonna get plastered last night. Then you came in and put an end to that plan. Guess you saved me from a tough morning."

"Not a surprise there." Kasper took the glass of water and pills he handed over. "Ow." His body was all aching, and he assumed the lack of adrenaline had left him in a muddy mess.

Zak squinted and pursed his lips. "I don't know what your tryin' to say..." He ran his fingers through the dark brown hair that piled in a mess of chocolatey waves on his head. "Go wash up and I'll plate us some grub." With a clap he rose and walked lazily back to the kitchen. 

Kasper watched him shuffle off into the tiled eye sore that was their cooking space.

Zak was interesting... He had a feral masculinity to him. Generally, an unkempt creature with kinky curly brown hair and a face full of freckles that tended to keep him from looking too tough even when he was blind with anger. He had soft, tan skin that played into a deeper tone along his shoulders during summer. Freckles traced his joints and fell in uneven patches on his arms. They often made him look younger than he was, but he was twenty. So he said, but age was something often lied about by them both. A bridged nose sat squarely in the middle of his gently featured face and pointed to his kind gray eyes perfectly. He was made of boyish charm and had the hands of a workshop tinkerer. 

To Kasper, if Zak only cleaned himself a little, half of Rim would be after him. He was naturally attractive. Likely due to his Dad's middle eastern heritage. MOST likely due to his golden personality. For whatever reason, he had chosen Kasper as his favorite past time and though he fought against Zak's stray trailing... he would be lost without him.

As Kasper entered the bathroom, he started to notice a few things. Firstly, Zak was an utter mess; the evidence was undeniable, including a crumpled pair of pants in the corner. Secondly, it was obvious that he hadn't used the bathtub, which was cluttered with greasy, partially painted car parts. This led to a puzzling thought: "Does he even wash himself?" He closed the door and was instantly met with the sight of a woman hunched over, working under the hood of a vehicle. "Jesus." The name "Golden Adeline" was elegantly scripted above her. Her shirt was tied in a way that accentuated her figure, with a black bra visible beneath it, drawing his attention. Her slim waist was highlighted by her voluptuous hair, which cascaded in perfect curls over her shoulders. "Fantastic," he thought, quickly averting his gaze. Yet, he found it difficult not to steal a second glance. His curiosity piqued as to whether Adeline was linked to the business Zak's father was managing.

He moved aside a bottle of aftershave and a fragrance-free lotion to create space for the towel that Zak had given him. Surprisingly, the towel was much cleaner than the old shelf it now occupied. As he shut the medicine cabinet, Kasper caught his first glimpse of his reflection. "Oh God," he muttered. A large bruise marred the lower part of his face, and against his pale skin, it looked as if someone had gone and smeared black and purple paint on him. His lip appeared red and swollen, and worse still, he noticed where Zak had glued the deep cut shut; the skin around it looked irritated and dry. Running his fingers along his jawline, Kasper checked for any fractures, skeptical of Zak's late-night, alcohol-fueled medical skills.