Memories of Edenia

Bottled up

Tears pricked my eyes and I slowly left the kitchen. The stairs to the upper floor were covered in greenery and glass from broken windows.

At the top of the stairs there were three doors. Two very much still intact. But mine at the end of the hall had been busted open and was off it's hinges.

Fear swallowed me up as I stepped into my room. Everything had been thrown around and my window was shattered.

I stood staring at the mess, overthinking everything.

Then I felt it again. Someone was here. I was too overwhelmed to even care. Tears flooded my face and I collapsed onto the ground.

A second later I felt someone pick me up. Silas. I turned around my tear stained face to look at him. He was in shock.

He wrapped is arms around me and I flung my arms over him crying into his shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" He softly asked.
I said nothing and fell to the floor again crying. I began to shake and tremble as I felt my body go limp.
"I had to come" I slowly said through gasps of breath, "I had to know"

•Silas•

Her tiny shaking body was knelt down and she leaned into my embrace. She was so cold again.
Why do I keep finding here when she's like this.

Tital or Enzo should be here. Not me, we're not even friends she so irritating all the time. She's constantly laughing every time I mess up. She shows off when she can do it better. Always has a smart remark ready for whatever I say. She's such a pain.

But she's so amazing too. Always smiling. Even when I mess up if I try it again and succeed she cheers. She's so determined. Always there for others.

But right now she's so venerable. Crying on the floor with no energy to even stand. She's been through so much and hides this. This side of her. The sad side. The side that makes me scared. I've seen her twice like this now and I don't think anyone else has. Around us she puts on this tough persona and she plays it well. But deep inside she's dealing with this. All this pain and fear. And I'm the only one who's seen her like this.

"Know what?" I asked
"What happened, why my mom was killed, why my brother left, everything" she said through muffled cries.
"You had a brother?" I asked confused.

I had no idea. Honestly I knew nothing about her. She was my sisters friend. I heard her mom and dad had died and she didn't have great home life until she moved in with Enzo. And after I heard she struggled a lot but when I met her she seemed fine. Annoying but fine. I had no idea she had a brother.

"Ya, Helios. He disappeared the night my mom was killed"
"Did you think maybe your brother killed her?"

As soon as I said it I know I shouldn't have.

She lept from my arms angrily. Something in the back of my head wished she'd stayed. No stop you don't like her.

"No!" She yelled, "there's no way"
"I'm sorry I just.. ya know" I tried to fix what I said but she was already storming downstairs.
"He wouldn't" she exclaimed as she pushed through the door.

I ran after her.

It started to snow while we were inside, the ground was covered in a soft sheet of white flakes and the sky was dark with large flakes softly falling.

"Asteria!" I yelled as she continued to walk, "stop"

As she stormed off offended I ran to her. I grabbed her shoulders turning her to face me.

Her hair was falling in front of her eyes and I tucked it back behind her ears where she always keeps it.

"I'm sorry" I sincerely said.

She stared up at me with hatred I could see it. deep down in her eyes, it's always been there since we met. We've never got along. It was buried inside her. But being so close I could see more now. Her fears, what she's sad about, who she loves, why she cares so much.

Over the deep hatred was now a thin layer of respect. Her eyes softened as I stared back down at her. The snowflakes fell on her eyelashes and her hair making it damp.

"I didn't realize you'd get upset" I said as I let go of her shoulders my gaze drifting to the ground.
"I know" she quickly said noticing the awkwardness, "I was only spiteting you" she remarked.

Of course she'd say that even through this she still had to be better and say some remark. I know she was still upset at me but she didn't want to show it anymore.

"Of course" I replied

She looked at me funny and scrunched her eyebrows. It looked like she was trying to read my thoughts.

"Why were you following me?" She asked firmly.

I knew she would ask this eventually. The truth was.

"I couldn't sleep and I always go to the gardens to calm myself. I saw you and got curious. Then you ended up here and I waited to make sure you were safe but then ya know.." I trailed off.

Realizing for myself that I care about her even though I don't want to. I truly wanted to be sure she was safe. But why?

"So you followed me?" She said
"Fine I guess I did if that's all you want to believe" I sneered back.

A small smile escaped her lips as she began to walk again.

The snow was falling thicker and she began to shiver. She was only wearing loose sweatpants and a long sleeve t shirt. The shirt was tight and showed her small body. I didn't realize how small she was until now. She was much shorter then me. And he body looked almost starved. I could see her rubs sticking out. That's odd. The parcis must feed her well so why is she so skinny.

"Do you eat?" I blurt without thinking. Probably another thing I should've kept to my self.
"Excuse me?" She asks
"Sorry but your just so tiny I looks like you don't eat" I'm just digging myself a bigger hole.
"What? Yes I eat. Sometimes..."
"Sometimes?"
"It's not your business okay" she says more angrily.
"Okay I'm sorry" I apologize and we continue to walk in silence.

That's one thing about her. She's secretive. No one really knows her past or anything about her. I've always know her as my sisters stubborn best friend who surprisingly is good at fighting.

She's shivers again. I un clip my cloak and put it around her. It's way to big. As we stopped walking she tries to clip it back.

Her fingers were white. Why is she so cold. Worry runs through me but I shake the thought off I shouldn't be so worried I shouldn't even care why did I even give her it I'm cold now.

I notice her struggling to clip it with her cold hands so I reach down to do it for her. When we both look up our eyes lock. But she turns away and pulls the hood over to cover her hair.

                     •••••••••••••••••••••••••
We eventually made it back to Enzos estate. She begins to take the cloak off at the door.

"Don't worry about it, give it to me tomorrow" I say
"Okay" she replies blankly.

We stand there for a bit staring then she opens the door and slips inside. Something inside me wants to get my cloak back now because I don't know why I left it her but another part is almost excited to get to see her tomorrow when she gives it back.