The Weapon, The Crown and Spring

8

Eden

"Uh, yes, hi, um well, my name is Nadia–huge fan by the way–but I was wondering if I could get a picture with you?"

What a waste of my time. I wouldn't have even presented myself if it wasn't for the compromise I had made with Karin earlier; I come down this evening in exchange for her forgiveness for my behavior earlier today. Yes, it meant that much to me.

"Of course." I lied. "Michael? Nicholas? Would you do this young lady the honor of taking a picture with her?" I turned to the staircase as soon as I finished that sentence. I've had enough already. It wasn't long before I heard sudden and quick footsteps on the steps behind me.

"Eden." Karin reprimanded.

I turned back, determined to end this conversation and return to my room as soon as possible. "Yes Karin?"

"You told me you would come down today."

"And I did." I argued. "Now that my introduction is over with, I've got business to attend to–"

"Stop that, you have no such thing." She disputed. "Your father will be AWOL on you for the next 2 weeks considering that he has plenty of conferences to manage around the world. Since you chose not to follow his footsteps, your so called 'busy-work' will not be required. At most, what he can have you do is handle minuscule paper work; which I know for a fact does not take very long for you to work through." I remained silent, somewhat sulking. "Eden I know exactly what you're going to do. You're going to go back up and lie on your bed, close your eyes, and try your damnedest to sleep; but we all know you either never will or if you do, you'll wake up shortly after because you're plagued by everything in and about your truth."

"I'd rather try than stay up all night, thank you."

"That is not my point." She persisted. "Just stay down, at least for an hour. Give it a try, it's a better way to waste your time tonight. Besides, the girl you asked about earlier today came back."

"Well good for her–"

"Eden!" She interrupted.

"Right. I apologize. Look, I'll come down later tonight alright? Is that enough for you tonight?" I bargained.

"Thank you!" She mused, meaning she had known from the start that she would win. She turned around and made her way back to the crowd of girls, while I parted on my own way up the stairs. I internally scolded myself for even considering appeasing her.

Once on the second floor, I continued on my way to the dark hallway that led to my bedroom. Once inside, I did just as Karin had fore-mentioned, not bothering to change out of my suit. If I sleep, fine. If I don't, there isn't much else to do but sulk over it.

—

Somehow, I managed to prove Karin's motherly instincts wrong and fall asleep. When I woke up it was fully dark outside, the glint outside no longer in between. Over on the bedside table, the digital clock I so immensely despised read 9:36 pm. Which is both good and bad. Good, because I wasted about 2 hours taking a much needed nap. Bad, because that meant falling asleep for the rest of the night would be all the more difficult.

Somewhere, outside the door, something was shuffling around. I could hear the glide of a shoe against the wooden flooring. I stood up and made my way over to my door. The door between myself and whoever was on the opposite end didn't fault any noise. I had very much expected to see one of the women outside snooping around where she shouldn't be.