Pretty Waterhouse I: Ashes of Yesterday

Chapter 4: "A Nighttime Stroll"

Eidan was eating alone in the bustling school cafeteria, surrounded by the din of teenage voices. At school, apart from the girls, his only occasional company was Paul, Alex's Asian friend. Since his arrival, Paul had approached with charming politeness and, given his friendship with Alex, Eidan had been forced to interact with both, albeit reluctantly.

"Hey, buddy," greeted Paul, approaching the table. "Can I sit here?" Eidan offered a kind smile and gestured to the seat next to him. As he settled in, Paul noticed that Eidan was engrossed in a drawing. It was a portrait of a girl whose features didn't seem to belong to anyone at the school; her eyes were a beautiful brown, and her black, wavy hair fell gracefully.

"Man, what are you drawing?" asked Paul, leaning forward a bit. Eidan abruptly closed his sketchbook, concealing a grimace of disgust. He didn't like being watched while he drew, and he liked questions about his art even less.

"It's nothing, just doodles," he responded, maintaining his smile but with a note of coldness in his voice.

"Well, those must be the best doodles I've ever seen," commented Paul, clearly impressed. Eidan often drew the same girl over and over, capturing every detail of her face as he remembered it from his dreams.

"I had no idea you drew so well," added Paul.

"Well, now you do," replied Eidan dryly.

At that moment, Elena approached and sat down with them. Eidan barely disguised his displeasure; the blonde had always been too direct for his liking.

"Hi, guys," she greeted with her typical flirtatious smile.

"Hello, Elena," responded Paul, clearly delighted by her presence. Eidan, on the other hand, bit the inside of his cheek to suppress a laugh.

"I was thinking..." Elena paused dramatically. "I know it's more than a month away, but do you guys have plans for the school's historical ball yet?"

"Oh, sure," said Paul quickly, still smiling.

Eidan, however, remained distant, his gaze lost on the horizon.

"And you, Eidan? Who will you go with?" insisted Elena, noticing his silence.

Just then, Eidan saw the new girl walking arm in arm with Alex, sparking a flash of interest in his eyes. However, Elena blocked his view, forcing him back to the present moment.

"Oh," he murmured, shaking his head. "I still don't know... And you, babe? Who are you going with?"

Eidan knew he was flirting in front of Paul, but he couldn't help it; Elena seemed to constantly seek his attention.

"Actually, I haven't been invited yet," she replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Eidan was aware that many guys had tried to invite her to the dance, but she had turned them all down. Each rejection was followed by a stealthy glance in his direction.

"Maybe we could go together," he suggested, though his tone promised nothing definite.

Elena smiled, filled with hope, but Eidan quickly added:

"But I still don't know, I have a lot to think about."

He stood up, gathered his things, and headed towards the dormitory, leaving Elena hanging in uncertainty. He wasn't ready to commit to anyone.

A nighttime stroll across the expansive campus of the boarding school was a welcome distraction for Emily, who had often enjoyed similar walks in the garden at home. This place, vast and silent as the evening fell, provided a perfect setting to reflect and adjust to her new surroundings. There were hardly any people around, except for a few sporadic couples and students scattered on benches.