Eden’s POV:
I didn’t realize I said anything until the words left my mouth. I didn’t know why it was easy to talk to Sterling. His presence made me lower down my guard.
I looked at Sterling, who seemed to not want to leave. I felt bad. I’d let my personal feelings get in the way of him enjoying himself.
“It’s okay,” I said with a small shrug. “We can stay a while longer.”
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Sterling's POV:
"No, really. It's okay," I assured her with a grin. "I think we should go through the tunnel. I heard that it was really cool."
Eden's POV:
I thought for a second before I stood up.
"I want to see the sea turtles," I said quietly, looking at Sterling, his grin disturbing my normal heart functions.
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Sterling's POV:
"Then we'll go see the turtles," I told her as my grin softened, hoping she actually was trying to enjoy herself. "I think they're… Over here."
Eden's POV:
Sterling's gaze softened. It always did when he looked at me. It made it harder for me to look away.
I nodded, following the direction of his hand. It felt awkward, I thought. Sterling was reserved and didn't do anything unnecessary, but we didn't look like we were here for a date. It felt like we were strangers in a place full of family and lovers. Not that, of course, I wanted that. The atmosphere was just awkward.
When we walked to where the turtles were on display, I felt my expression soften. I absolutely adored sea turtles. When I was a child, I always wanted to be like one. In the ocean, free from my worries.
I had gotten extremely lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice Sterling had stopped walking. I crashed into his back, stumbling and unable to regain my balance.
This is why Lucas tells me to pay more attention to my surroundings, but do I ever listen?
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Sterling's POV:
I felt someone crash into me from behind and turned around to see Eden stumbling. Quickly reaching out, I caught her by the hand and pulled her to her feet before she could fall.
"Woah, are you all right?" I asked, my eyes flicking over her worriedly.
Eden's POV:
I didn't understand how I pulled myself into situations like these. It was always around him. Around others, I could be myself. Cold, harsh. Around Sterling, it all would crumble like it wasn't even a part of me. It baffled me how he could so easily do this. I'd been so confident in the fact that I wouldn't let this affect me, but it already was.
"I'm fine," I finally replied, my eyes on the hand that held mine. Sterling's hold on my hand was tight as if I'd fall if he let go. His eyes skimmed over me, worry on his features. When was the last time someone other than my family worried about me?
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Sterling's POV:
I didn't realize I was still holding her hand until she glanced down at our hands together. Suppressing a sigh of disappointment that I couldn't hold her soft, warm hand for longer, I let go slowly and reluctantly.
"Okay. That's good. I'm glad you're okay," I said softly, giving her one last once-over before I was assured that she was, in fact, all right.
Eden’s POV:
I didn’t want him to let go. I didn’t, but I couldn’t ask him to hold it. It would give him hope.
How was that a bad thing?
I missed the warmth of his hand the minute he let go of mine, but I didn’t protest. I once again scolded myself for thinking like that.
“… sorry…” I murmured, clasping my hands together behind my back.
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Sterling’s POV:
I gave her my classic half-grin. “Don’t worry about it. So… How are you liking the aquarium so far?”
Eden’s POV:
I couldn’t help but smile back.
“It’s fun,” I replied, looking ahead, a small smile on my features. “I would like to come back here again.”
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Sterling’s POV:
Gosh, she had a beautiful smile… I wished I could get her to show it more often. Without my knowing it, my grin grew as I looked at her smile.
“Well, we aren’t quite done looking around. Did you want to go backstage? I think there’s a tour going on in a few minutes, and we’re pretty close to where we’d be meeting it,” I suggested.
Eden’s POV:
I nodded slowly, standing on my toes before standing straight again.
“Okay,” I replied, trying not to look at him, because I knew if I did, I might not look away.
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Sterling’s POV:
“Great! It’s over this way, and we’d better go now before they start without us,” I said, starting toward the meeting as I stuck my hands in my front pockets again.
Honestly, I was pretty excited for this part. I had been on a backstage tour to an aquarium once when I was younger, and it was really cool.
Eden’s POV:
Sterling and I stayed for another hour, taking the tour and looking around. I loved the aquarium. There were so many different species of marine life. I knew I’d come back here if I had the chance, and I’d keep coming back.
Finally, our day ended. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed because I was. I, surprisingly, didn’t want the day to end. I hated that thought.
When Sterling walked me to my car, I knew I had to push him away. If I didn’t, I knew I’d end up developing feelings I didn’t want. I knew I’d end up falling for him. The thought terrified me.
So I turned around and decreased the distance between us, our faces dangerously close to each other as I hardened my expression.
“When our month is over, and you’ve failed…” I murmured coldly. “Do not approach me again.”
That was when I noticed the look in his eyes, the mysterious glint that made me swallow hard and nearly lose my composure.
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Sterling’s POV:
She’d done it again. She’d gotten up in my face, probably to try to intimidate me. Unfortunately for her, it didn’t work.
All I could think about was how close she was, and how badly I wanted to kiss her. So I did.
In one, swift motion, I had put one hand behind her head and pressed my lips against hers. And I hoped, desperately, that she wouldn’t pull away. That she would kiss me back.
Eden’s POV:
My eyes widened as Sterling slammed his lips against mine, pressing them tightly as if he’d been dying to that all day. My heart began hammering wildly in my chest, my lips burning red at the contact. I froze, cheeks heating up, my chest tightening. I didn’t pull away, nor did I want to. I wanted to stay like this, as much as the thought bothered me. But I was frozen, both from shock and the sudden realization that took over me. I didn’t kiss him back, but I didn’t pull away, either. I just stood there with his hand behind my head and his lips pressed tightly against mine.
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Sterling’s POV:
I’d wanted her to kiss me back, but she didn’t. I shouldn’t have been surprised. And yet, she hadn’t pulled away, either, which only confused me further than I was.
After a moment, I pulled away, my cheeks burning bright red. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t— Gosh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m just… In just going to go now,” I muttered, taking my hand away from her head as I stepped back and turned around.
Eden’s POV:
I couldn’t hear Sterling, nor could I move. I stood there frozen in disbelief and shock, my heart clenching and my lips throbbing, burning red from the contact. I couldn’t feel anything except the way his lips pressed against mine, even after he pulled apart. I didn’t know whether I wanted to punch him for kissing me, or for pulling away. I didn’t even know what I wanted anymore.
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Sterling’s POV:
I am such an idiot. And absolute, fricking idiot. There go any chances with her that I may have had. And they took my pride with them, too.
Letting out a heavy sigh, I roughly pulled a hand through my hair as I walked to my car. I still couldn’t believe that I had done that, and I still couldn’t believe that she hadn’t even reacted…
Lucas’s POV:
When Eden came home, she looked like she was in a hurry.
“Yo, how’d It go, Eden?” Dad asked curiously, a smile on his features. It immediately went away as Eden, with her face flushed and twisted into a conflicted expression, shot him a heated glare. She proceeded to ignore us both as she marched into her room and slammed the door shut.
“What… exactly just happened?”
Eden’s POV:
I didn’t know how long I stood there frozen, and I also didn’t know how I was sane enough to drive back home. All I knew was that I felt conflicted, and that my heart still hadn’t calmed down.
When I got home, dad and Lucas were still together, but this time they were playing a board game instead of cards. Dad asked me a question, but instead of replying, I gave him one of my coldest looks and stomped off into my room, slamming the door shut, tossing my bag into the corner of the room and throwing myself on the bed.
I sighed deeply, unconsciously reaching out to touch my lips. I shouldn’t have gotten close like that. I should’ve pulled away the second I noticed that look in his eyes.
Still, I remembered the hungry look his eyes possessed as they looked at my lips, right before they clasped firmly on mine.
I couldn’t sleep the whole night.
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Sterling’s POV:
I walked into my room as soon as I got home. My parents were gone, and Tobias must have been at a friend’s house because ours was surprisingly silent. But I was glad for it.
With a load groan, I sat on the edge of my bed, burying my face in my hands. Eden was never going to speak to me again. Heck, she’d probably never even look at me again. And all because I had be an idiot and kiss her.
Maybe I just shouldn’t go to school on Monday…
That way, I wouldn’t have to see her, and she wouldn’t have to see me. Plus, it wasn’t like anyone would really kiss me. The only people who would notice that I was gone would be the teachers and the girls that obsessed over me.
Which I hated, by the way. I mean, not the girls themselves, just that they were so desperate to have me. They would do practically anything, but I didn’t get why. I wasn’t even the best-looking guy in the school.
Eden’s POV:
I was a mess. I barely got any sleep the past two days, and it all because every time I closed my eyes, I would feel Sterling’s lips on mine, and my heart would start beating faster.
Why did he have to kiss me? Why make things harder for me? I wanted him to leave me alone, but now even the thought of him disappearing from my life startled me.
I wanted to avoid him, I really did, but I soon began to notice that I didn’t see him at school all day. My chest tightened and I wanted to cry. The thought of him realizing he never liked me, and that he could do better, hurt. Maybe that’s why he wasn’t here today, because he realized his feelings for me weren’t real, and he was trying to think of how to break it up to me.
Lucas and Ashley noticed my strange behavior, but they didn’t comment on it. It seemed Ashley was holding Lucas back from doing something, but at this point, I didn’t care what it was. All I wanted was to be alone.
So the second school ended, I grabbed my bag and left, wanting the peace of mind Sterling had stolen along with a kiss, as well as whatever sanity of mine was left.
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Ashley’s POV:
“I’m worried about her, Lucas,” I said softly as I walked up to him in the hall after school. “Have you noticed how she was acting today? Do you know what happened? Why she’s acting like this?”
Lucas’s POV:
I frowned.
“She went out on Saturday,” I told her. “She didn’t tell us where she was going, but I joked about her going on a date and she didn’t deny it. She was pretty… happy before she left, but she came back home flustered and frustrated. I wanted to talk to her about it, but she never came out of her room. I just saw her today in the morning.”
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Ashley’s POV:
I sighed and leaned my head in his shoulder. “Maybe… Maybe we should have a talk with Sterling… I’m not saying I give you permission to hurt him or anything, but we should see if he knows what happened.”
Lucas’s POV:
“We should,” I agreed. “I haven’t seen him all day, though. Should we check him out at his house?”
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Ashley’s POV:
“Yeah, probably. I have his address if you need it. Am I riding with you or driving myself?” I asked, pulling away to look at him.
(Should I do the other part now? Or wait?)
(You can do it.)
Lucas’s POV:
“Ride with me,” I told her, pressing a light kiss on her forehead. “And yeah, I do need his address.”
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Ashley’s POV:
I smiled at the kiss. The random bits of affection were some of my favorite things he did. “All right. You ready to go, then?”
3rd Person:
A group of three blondes walked up to Eden before she could leave school grounds. Each wore light pink flats, a white skirt, and a light pink shirt, though the styles of each varies with the girl.
“So, we’ve noticed you hanging out with Sterling Ainsley lately,” said the girl with her hair cut in a bob as she crossed her arms over her chest. She must have been the leader of the group because the other two, though they gave Eden the same look and stood with the same stance, stood behind her.
