frostbite

Chapter 19: Unraveling

The cold night air seemed to bite at Eden's skin as she stood there, watching Evelyn walk away, her figure disappearing into the shadows of the street. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe-her heart was pounding in her chest, and her mind was spinning with everything that had just happened. The anger in Evelyn's voice, the tension in her body, the jealousy that had flashed in her eyes-it was all too much.

Eden hadn't expected Evelyn to react like that. She hadn't expected anything from Evelyn, really. But the way Evelyn had confronted her, the way she had claimed that it was "inappropriate" for Eden to be spending time with Claire-it felt like something more, something Evelyn was refusing to admit.

As the night settled around her, Eden knew one thing for certain: Evelyn was unraveling. And so was she.

She couldn't go back into the bar. Not after that. Claire's knowing smile would only complicate things further, and Eden wasn't ready to face any more tension tonight. Instead, she pulled out her phone and texted Amy.

Eden: I'm sorry, I can't hang out tonight. Something came up. I'll explain later.

Amy's reply came quickly, as always.

Amy: WHAT? You better spill the details later, girl! You've been acting so weird lately.

Eden shoved her phone back into her pocket, not even sure what she would tell Amy when the time came. What was she supposed to say? That she was caught in a tangled mess with her icy professor and her warm, easygoing sister? It was insane, and Eden was starting to feel like she was losing control.

The next day, Eden sat in her usual spot in Evelyn's class, her nerves on edge. The tension from the previous night still clung to her, making it hard to focus on anything. The other students filed in around her, completely unaware of the storm brewing beneath the surface, and Eden envied them. They had no idea what it was like to be caught in Evelyn Winters' orbit.

Evelyn entered the room, as composed and controlled as ever. She didn't even glance in Eden's direction, and Eden felt a pang of something-disappointment, maybe? She wasn't sure. But the distance Evelyn was putting between them felt suffocating. It was as if last night had never happened, as if the jealousy and the tension had vanished overnight. But Eden knew better.

The lecture went by in a blur, and Eden found herself unable to concentrate on anything but the tension that hung between her and Evelyn. She needed to talk to her, to figure out what was really going on. The uncertainty was driving her mad, and she couldn't take it anymore.

When the class finally ended, Eden stayed behind, waiting for the room to empty. She watched as Evelyn gathered her things with her usual precision, her movements sharp and controlled, and it only made the knot in Eden's chest tighten further. Evelyn was still acting like nothing had changed, like everything was under her command.

Once the last student had left, Eden stood and approached Evelyn's desk.

"Professor," Eden said, her voice quieter than she'd intended.

Evelyn glanced up at her, her expression unreadable. "Miss Graves," she said evenly. "Was there something you needed?"

Eden hesitated, unsure of how to start, unsure of what she was even asking for. "I need to talk to you. About last night."

Evelyn's eyes flickered, a brief flash of something behind them before she quickly buried it. She sighed softly and set her papers down, her gaze finally meeting Eden's.

"There's nothing to discuss," Evelyn said, her voice clipped but with an edge of frustration. "I made myself clear last night."

"No, you didn't," Eden said, her heart racing. "You're not being honest with me. You say this is about appropriateness, but I don't think that's what's really going on."