frostbite

Chapter 25: The Breaking Point

The sky had opened up without warning, a sudden downpour drenching the campus as students hurried for cover. Eden, however, didn't care. She welcomed the rain, letting it soak through her clothes as she walked alone across the nearly empty quad. Her thoughts were a tangled mess of frustration, confusion, and anger, all swirling around the same person—Evelyn.

Every step felt heavier, every drop of rain like a reminder that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get through to Evelyn. She'd pushed her, teased her, tried to make her feel something, but still, Evelyn clung to her icy resolve, retreating into herself whenever things got too real.

Eden walked faster, her breath coming in short bursts as the rain blurred her vision. The campus had all but emptied, students long gone, leaving Eden to wander alone through the storm. The cold water seeped into her shoes, chilling her to the bone, but she didn't stop. She needed to think, to clear her head, and somehow, the rain seemed to help.

As she turned down a quieter street near the edge of campus, the sound of a car engine broke through the steady drumming of the rain. A sleek black car slowed as it approached, pulling up next to the sidewalk. Eden ignored it at first, assuming it was someone looking for a ride or maybe lost in the storm. But when the window rolled down, and she heard that familiar, clipped voice, her heart stopped.

"Miss Graves."

Eden kept walking, refusing to acknowledge her. She was tired. Tired of the constant push and pull, of the mind games Evelyn seemed determined to play. She wasn't going to let Evelyn swoop in, play the concerned professor, and then ice her out again when things got real.

The car continued to crawl along beside her, its tires splashing through puddles. Evelyn's voice cut through the storm once more, sharper this time. "Get in the car, Eden."

Eden stopped but didn't turn. The rain ran down her face, dripping from her chin, soaking through her clothes. "No," she said, her voice barely above a whisper but full of defiance.

The window rolled down further, and Evelyn's icy blue eyes bore into her from behind the wheel. "You're soaked. You're going to catch a cold if you keep walking like this."

Eden let out a bitter laugh, turning to face her at last. "You care now? After days of ignoring me? After pretending like I'm just another student, like none of this matters?" Her voice cracked, the raw emotion she'd been holding back slipping through.

Evelyn's grip on the steering wheel tightened, her expression a mask of frustration. "That's not what this is about. You're being reckless. Get in the car."

Eden took a step closer, her hands shaking from the cold and the tension. "Why, Evelyn? Why do you care if I'm out here or not? You can't just show up like this and expect me to fall in line."

Evelyn exhaled sharply, the frustration clear in her eyes as she threw the car into park and flung open the door. "I'm not going to argue with you in the rain," she snapped, stepping out into the downpour. "Get in the car."

Eden crossed her arms, planting her feet firmly on the wet pavement. "No."

Evelyn's jaw clenched, and she took a step closer, her presence overwhelming even in the storm. "Eden," she said, her voice dangerously low, "you are soaked through. You're freezing. Get in the car."

"I'm not your problem," Eden fired back, her voice shaking with anger. "I'm not going to keep doing this, keep playing whatever game you think we're playing. I'm done."

"You think this is a game?" Evelyn's voice rose, her control slipping as she stepped even closer, her body almost brushing Eden's. "This isn't a game, Eden. This is—"

"This is what, Evelyn?" Eden cut her off, her eyes burning with frustration. "You keep pushing me away, and when I try to walk away, you pull me back. You don't get to do this—show up like you care and then disappear again."

The tension between them was electric, the air thick with unspoken words, unsaid feelings. Evelyn's face was inches from Eden's now, her chest heaving with barely controlled emotion.

"You don't understand," Evelyn said through clenched teeth, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't know what you're asking for."

"Then explain it to me!" Eden shouted, her voice rising over the sound of the rain. "Stop hiding behind your stupid rules and just tell me the truth!"

Evelyn's breath hitched, her eyes flashing with anger—and something else. She reached out, grabbing Eden's arm, her grip firm but not painful. "I'm done with this conversation. You're getting in the car."

Eden's heart raced as she tried to pull away, but Evelyn's hold on her arm tightened. "Let me go."

"Not until you're in the car," Evelyn snapped, her voice low and commanding.

"I said no!" Eden struggled, trying to break free, but Evelyn wouldn't let her go. The frustration, the tension between them was unbearable, and Eden could feel her pulse hammering in her chest, the storm outside nothing compared to the one inside her.

With a sharp tug, Evelyn pulled Eden toward the car, her jaw tight with determination. "Enough, Eden."

The force of the movement, the closeness of their bodies, sent a surge of adrenaline through Eden's veins. Her breath caught in her throat as she stumbled forward, her back hitting the side of the car with a thud. Evelyn was right there, her body pressed against hers, the heat of her frustration radiating through the cold rain.

"Evelyn," Eden whispered, her voice trembling, "what are you doing?"

For a moment, Evelyn said nothing, her eyes locked on Eden's, burning with a mixture of anger and something deeper—something raw, unfiltered, and terrifying.

"I'm done letting you walk away," Evelyn finally said, her voice low and full of tension. "You're getting in the car."

Eden's heart raced, her breath shaky as Evelyn's grip on her arm loosened, her hand sliding down to Eden's waist. The closeness between them was overwhelming, the air thick with the weight of everything they had been avoiding. She could feel the heat of Evelyn's body, the way her breath came quicker, more ragged, and for a moment, Eden thought—

No. She couldn't let herself believe this was happening.

But Evelyn wasn't moving. She wasn't stepping away. Instead, her eyes flicked down to Eden's lips for the briefest moment, and Eden felt the tension between them snap, the pull undeniable.

"Get in the car, Eden," Evelyn whispered, her voice low and rough, her hand tightening on Eden's waist.

Eden's breath caught in her throat, her chest heaving as she felt the heat of Evelyn's words wash over her. She was on the edge, teetering between fury and something that scared her more than she wanted to admit.

And then, just as quickly as the moment had come, Evelyn stepped back, the mask of control slipping back into place. Her jaw was clenched, her fists balled at her sides as if she was physically restraining herself.

"Get in the car," she repeated, her voice softer now, but no less intense.

Eden stood there for a long moment, her heart pounding, her body still buzzing with the electricity of their almost-contact. She could feel the tension radiating off Evelyn, the way her entire body seemed to be fighting against itself.

Finally, Eden nodded, the fight draining out of her as she stepped toward the car. Evelyn opened the passenger door for her, her hand lingering on the handle as Eden slid into the seat, drenched and shaken.

As Evelyn climbed back into the driver's seat, her movements were slow, deliberate. She didn't say anything, didn't look at Eden as she started the car and pulled back onto the road. But the air between them was still thick with everything unsaid, the tension so palpable it was hard to breathe.

And as they drove through the rain, the silence between them heavy and charged, Eden couldn't shake the feeling that this storm between them was far from over. Evelyn had pulled her into the car, but the walls between them were still there—barely holding, barely containing what was simmering beneath the surface.

One way or another, this was going to break.

And when it did, Eden knew neither of them would come out of it unscathed.