Under The Painted Sky (O/O CLOSED)

Eden scowled at his words. Too good for him. Her insides churned uncomfortably. Did that mean he was actually thinking about it? A small part of her thought it wouldn’t be so bad—he’d be good to her. He wouldn’t be a repeat. She immediately threw that thought of away. It was always going to be a repeat.

“Oh, our bad,” the mother apologized. Eden merely turned away. “You would look cute together.”

“We’re merely classmates,” Eden cut in with a shake of her head. “We barely know each other. Have a nice day.” She smiled a small smile, barely noticeable at Aiden before she turned around, seemingly done with the conversation.

You would look cute together.

She’s too good to date me.

Eden scowled again.

Eden looked at him with a sigh, taking off her hat and running her fingers through her hair.

“Yeah,” she murmured, setting it back on her head before she took off her glasses, trying to wipe the lenses with a tissue. They weren’t really smudged, but Eden just felt awkward. She wanted something to take her mind off of things. “The red pandas. When do we meet up with the rest of the group?”

Eden stopped walking and turned to face him, eyes narrowing more so to get a better view of him than from irritation. She should have put on her glasses, but she was still cleaning them, so she merely fixed her expression in a glare.

“Don’t ever say that again,” she finally said, fisting the tissue in her hands. Her eyes raked him from head to toe though all she could see was his blurry figure. She still did it, anyway. “That I’m too good to date you.”

“I think I make up for that by ruining their lives,” she replied, eyeing him warily when he stepped closer to her. “The battlefield is my home. I’m worse than all of you combined.”

Because you were wronged. Eden’s eyes flashed. Had she spilled too much earlier?

“And who told you I fight because I was wronged?” Eden tilted her head to the side, finally putting on her glasses.

“You asked around about me,” Eden’s eyes narrowed into slits. “And what, may I ask, did you find out?”

Eden never had any trouble maintaining eye contact. This wasn’t any difference, though she wanted to look away for no reason at all. His words brought her back to the memories she dug so deep within herself. The times she laughed. The times she was truly happy, when she never had to stay awake at night because sleep came easily, when she didn’t wake up screaming the times she did fall asleep. The times when things were okay. When she was all right.

When she was normal. But normality was like a pipe dream. So close yet so far away. So out of reach.

Her lips twisted into a smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes but hinted at the cruelty brewing within her.

“And did they tell you what I do to people who annoy me?” She tilted her head to the side, “Did they tell you what I do to those who get in my way?”

“I’m merely giving a warning,” Eden replied with the same calmness, silently damning him. He was right. She wouldn’t, not here. “But I suppose you’re still going to bother me. And then you’re going to realize what a monster I truly am and you’re going to lament the waste of your time. But you’re going to deny that, too, until it punches you in the face.”

Eden stared at him for a while, confusion and surprise finally showing through. He wasn’t budging. He wasn’t budging at all. Was he truly, actually serious about this? Eden didn’t want to believe that. She once did and she ended up on the ground.

Still, she continued to look at him. Continued to look at the slight cracks he might hold.

“Eden McArthur,” she introduced herself again, not holding out her hand. She couldn’t. “Crystal. Untamed Beast. Blackhole. I’d say I’m looking forward to your amusing and limited yet annoying presence in my boring life, but I make a habit of not lying.”

Eden snorted at his blatant comment, and then the title in which he addressed him as struck her. She didn’t comment on it.

“You’ll become old news soon,” she gave him a thin smile. “The girls here are simply looking for something new.”

Eden quirked an eyebrow. “I did not expect that answer,” she said, “Now come.”

Eden crossed her arms, eyes on his back. He didn’t like the attention. He didn’t like what he used to be. Was that supposed to lead her on, or was that a genuine truth? It seemed like one. It felt like one. Eden didn’t want to foolishly believe.

So she didn’t question him. She continued to walk, falling into step with him, his long legs giving him a good advantage. She nearly scowled.

“I never said you liked it, did I?” She found herself muttering. “I suppose not everyone likes the roles they have in high school.”

Eden tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. He was quiet. Strangely so. It unnerved her. He’d never been that silent before in her presence.

“Did you know that the male penguins sing love songs to their mate?” She broke the silence first, keeping her eyes around her instead of at the male. “Some penguins also choose the same mate season after season.”

She paused when they walked past a tiger cage, tilting her head and walking towards it. The tiger was leaning against the cage’s wall, eyes closed. She crouched down in front of it, wanting to reach out to touch its soft fur.

Eden snorted, never removing her eyes from the animal she was observing. “I’m not a penguin,” she muttered. “Why would you want to win me over?”

“You’re sure attracted to trouble, aren’t you?” Eden mumbled under her breath, tilting her head to the side. “They like water. Only member of the feline family that does.”