Some Things You Can't Control

20: Bloom or Doomed?

Chapter 20

Bloom or Doomed?

- EDEN GARCIA-

"Eden, hurry!"

I make the final touch to my eyeliner as Jayde's voice booms from the other side of my bedroom door.

I was her lift, and we were going to be late for school. But for some reason, this morning, I just couldn't bring myself to care.

Okay that's not entirely true. I knew the exact reason I essentially wanted to be late, and that was to put off my inevitable first encounter with Aiden.

I'd slept terribly last night, my mind racing and replaying our kiss over and over again. Thinking of how romantic it was, how his lips had felt so soft against mine, how much I liked it.

And how I wanted to do it again.

And again.

And then maybe again.

Just the thought of him had my heart racing in my chest and a smile threatening to break out across my face.

The whole situation was confusing.

I hadn't told anyone about the magical moment - not yet anyway. They didn't need to know. I knew Em and Mickie would freak if they knew, and the whole situation would just escalate out of my control.

I need to wait. I still feel so confused about how  my feelings towards Aiden and where we stand - for all I know, last night didn't change anything.

Since we met, we've always been friends. We can just as easily go back to that.

"Eden!"

Jayde sounds impatient this time. I give myself a quick once over in the mirror before I quickly shoulder my bag and head out the door. The moment I leave my room, Jayde is hot on my tail, making sure I go straight to the car.

It's only when we're physically inside the car and reversing out of the driveway that Jayde seems to relax, her body noticeably loosening.

Then she turns to face me, and before she even speaks I know I'm not going to like this conversation.

"So, how was your date with Aiden last night?"

I almost blanch at her choice of words.

"It was not a date."

"Right, no, of course it wasn't," she smirks. "Just the two of you, alone, going out to dinner and then spending the night together - definitely not a date."

I roll my eyes at her heavy sarcasm, focusing on turning the corner at the lights. "Look, we just got some dinner and then came home. No big deal."

Even as I say the words, I can't help thinking to myself that that is definitely not all that took place last night. But the finer details are things that Jayde doesn't need to be privy to.

They're things that nobody needs to be privy to right now until I figure out if I even like him and where we stand. Whether anything has changed.

"Nat was telling me he really wanted you to come last night, you know," she continues.

I shrug nonchalantly. "He wanted me to go to support Nat. Of course I'd do that, she's a good kid. And your friend."

"He even lined up that extra ticket just for you."

At this, I pull into the parking lot, stop the car, and look directly at my sister. No. Way.

Even I feel the look of confusion on my face as I say, "No he didn't. They already had a spare, he said I was only tagging along."