Another Door Opens

51 - You're not 'just Eden'

- EDEN -

Wolfe texted me earlier to let me know he couldn't make it to class this morning. Luna wasn't feeling a hundred percent when she woke up, so he's staying home to watch her, and asked whether I'd be okay to open the shop and cover Luna's one client today while he took her to the doctor for a check up. 

It was a no brainer. Of course I'd do as he asked.

The second I heard Luna wasn't feeling well, especially now so close to the end of her pregnancy, all thoughts of Austin simply evaporated in my brain. My thoughts were only on Luna as I started warming up on a bag in the corner on my own, perhaps a little more forcefully than usual considering I may be trying to pound out my anxiety about Luna.

"Your right hook is looking pretty solid these days, Eden," a deep voice said from close behind me, startling me out of my fixated anxiety spiral so unexpectedly I may or may not have turned on my heel and sent out a punch to the midsection of what I now know to just be Miles saying hello, hunched over and wheezing a little. 

"Case in point," he said, straightening up with a playful smile, despite the fact I just attacked him.

"Miles! Fuck, sorry," I said, fussing over his left ribs where I'd just jabbed him. "I'm so sorry! I was thinking and I didn't realise it was you." It probably wouldn't have mattered who it was really. I feel like I'd still have responded the same considering how preoccupied I am about Luna, and unconsciously probably still about Austin too.

Miles grinned his signature sweet and smug smile, perhaps enjoying a little how uneasy I’m feeling. I'm sure he has that effect on a lot of women. I've seen first hand how much his natural charms work on gay men, let alone straight ladies. "Don't even worry about it."

But I am worried about it, just like I am about everything right now. Just add it to my growing list.

"So, how do you like the fresh cut?" he said, turning his head back and forth dramatically to show off his new fade. I haven’t seen him since the day after my birthday seeing as I’ve been avoiding Wolfe and him both while trying to work out this Austin shit and so haven’t been to class since.

I smiled, unable to help myself, despite all the worries in my head right now. At this exact moment with a playful, smiling Miles in front of me, they somehow don't exist anymore.

"Heath did a great job, as always. I'll be sure to let him know later when I head into work," I said, trying hard to get my own hair to behave by moving the strands that had fallen in front of my face when I whipped around and punched him behind my ear, which was a feat in and of itself not just because it was so short, but also due to my current glove situation. Miles, who hadn't yet put on his own, watched me struggle to achieve success a few times, huff out my frustration, and take a deep, steadying breath so as to not lose it, which I may still do.

When I finally looked up at him, he was watching at me pityingly, but playfully. Like he wanted to laugh but knew how badly that might go for him.

"Can I help?" he eventually said, with a gesture that looked like he wanted to help me fix my annoying hair. I didn't necessarily give him permission, but I also didn't say no as I froze in place watching his smile grow on one side of his mouth the closer his hand got to my face, moving the hair out of my eyes gently and placing it behind my ear.

His brief touch against my ear was warm, which isn't exactly unsurprising considering how hot it is already this morning; but what was groundbreaking was the way it instantly calmed me and dissipated all my worry about Luna and my confusion about Austin. Honestly, it felt magic, the way contentment spread from my ear where his skin touched mine all through my body.