Eden's Eve

Chapter 11

The next few days were a blur.

Eden was working, trying to prepare for her weekend trip with Levi all while coordinating The Sarah Situation with Sam.

Thankfully, it was the last day of the press tour and Eden's schedule would finally be Mateo free. It was difficult looking him in the eye, knowing that he had slept with her sister and yet still pursued her. She felt disgust in the wells of her being whenever he was around, laughing and flirting with her as normal.

Eden changed into a matching sweatpants and hoodie set, and tied her hair up into a bun in the dressing room.

Three quiet knocks on the door rang out, on the other side of the door, Eden heard Mateo call out, "Eden! It's me!"

As Eden stared back at her own reflection in the mirror, a wicked smile crept on to her face. She shook her head.

Oh Mateo, how you should have stayed out of my way. You have fallen right into my trap, a fall you won't soon recover from.

"Come in." Eden responded, she spun around in her chair to face the door.

He says I'm a diva, today he will see a diva.

Mateo closed the door behind him with a big smile on his face, "Hey pretty lady. I thought I'd catch you before you left...We were supposed to go out a few weeks ago, but I know I kind of messed things up. I want to start over... You should come over tonight if you're free.''

You dirty bastard.

Eden crossed her leg, tilting her head. "And why would I want to do that?"

Mateo looked taken aback. "Uh, well, I thought we were...You know."

"We were what? No, I don't know actually."

"Um...Did I do something? You seem like you're upset with me."

Eden smiled brightly, " Don't be silly."

"So...is that a yes for tonight?"

"It is the most resounding no that my words could ever articulate. Mateo, you have to be something extra-silly to think that you could sleep with my nineteen year old sister and still have the audacity to pursue me afterwards."

His deep tan skin went pale.

"My little sister. My heart outside of my body. THAT is who you selected to make your floozy, your whore and you want me to lay with you on that very bed. Mateo, are you out of your mind?"

"Eden, Eden, please." He took a deep breath and exhaled. "She was drunk and I tried to discourage her—."

"My hero."

"Eden, please."

"No, seriously. You are my Knight in the most dazzling armor, you valiantly attempted to discourage my drunk, teenage sister from having sex with you...Right before you had sex with her."

"Hey, if you cared so much, you should have been watching her not giving Levi the goo-goo ga-ga eyes."

"Ah, so your escapade was retribution of some sort? Is this your claim? Mateo, I foolishly yet genuinely trusted you. We had what I considered a deep connection, had I not, I would have never brought my sister around you. I never take her to any events with me, yet I took her with me that night in hopes for me and your connection to deepen further."

"So why were you with Levi?"

"Simple, he captivated me and you did not." Eden replied without missing a single beat.

"That's BS, Eden. I chased you for months."

"In vain."

Mateo huffed, taking a seat across the room, Mateo put his head in his hands. "This is some BS."

"What exactly?" She questioned, there was no warmth in her tone.

Mateo sighed once more, "Look, I'm sorry for sleeping with your sister. I know that trust doesn't come easy for you, I shouldn't have betrayed you like that...Maybe I'm being greedy but is it too late for us? Has Levi already won?"

"You are being greedy, you and Levi are not in competition." Eden's stern tone then softened, "Mateo, the connection between us is of friendship, not romance."

"Well, I tried." He shrugged. "Are we cool? If you are going to be dating Levi, you'll still see a lot of me, we should reconcile for at least his sake."

"Hm. Tentatively." Eden answered honestly before standing up to leave the dressing room.

Mateo followed behind her, walking her to the front door of the studio. Before she walked out, Mateo stopped her.

"So, just like that, huh. Press tour is over, filming is over. Cedar's Eve is behind us. I really did enjoy working with you. Co-starring with you will likely be the highlight of my career."

"Thank you." Eden nodded, still feeling cautious. She was still icy in her tone and demeanor. "All the best."

Mateo opened his arms for a hug. Eden stared at him, considering if she wanted to participate or not.

"Come on, Eden. I'm not a monster."

"You have behaved as such." Eden retorted, she then hugged him.

As she moved out of the hug, he kissed her on the forehead. Eden looked up at him with warning eyes. Without another word, she walked off, with a slurry of conflicting emotions.

From the studio, Eden went straight home to meet with her brother, Sam, who was coming from Atlanta to talk.