Lip Gloss And Leather Jackets || Completed

SEVEN || I Lose A Lot Of Things All At Once

Her lips tilt upwards into a smile. She does that more often now. At first, she was almost hesitant to do it, or she restrained herself. But she smiles all the time now. It's amazing.

I feel like I've mentioned this before.

"Good. You're cool, Angel."

↠↞

"Eden. Eden, wait. Eden!"

He doesn't listen, of course. Just keeps walking, maybe even faster, skirt trailing behind him like a cape. I wonder what part of his brain decided that a plaid skirt, stockings, and high-top floral Converse would make him look good.

I catch up to him in a second, grabbing his shoulder and turning him around. He's carrying a stack of books and looks unimpressed when he looks at me, almost like Maxine.

"Eden. Christ. Why've you been avoiding me?"

"Me? Avoiding you?" He cradles his books to his chest, as if I might slap them to the floor at any moment. "Yeah, right. How many times did I call you? Text you? Invite you to hang out? Only for you to say -" He mimics a high-pitched voice, "- sorry, I'm busy tutoring Maxine!"

The words I don't sound like that bubble up in my throat but I can't find the strength to say them, letting him go on and rant, hands waving as I stand here, catatonic.

"Like, I get it, okay? I know sometimes I'm like that with Dalla, but I've always made time for you. Always. Because you're my best friend. And I thought, maybe you'd do the same thing for me, you know?" His voice sounds thick. "But I guess not."

I wrap my hand around my throat and squeeze. Just say something, Angel, before he leaves and you lose your best friend forever. Say something, this once, and that's enough.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, the ache in my chest tightening, "it's just... it meant a lot to me and I..." Eden's face softens as I swipe my hand past my eye. "It... Jaxon's... um..."

The moment the name leaves my mouth, I regret it, clasping my hand over my mouth. But it's too late. Eden's already heard it and his eyes turn steely, hands curling into fists like he just might turn around, find Jaxon, and challenge him to a fist fight. It's not that unlikely.

"Jaxon? What did that little shit do now?"

I hesitate, but I've said too much already. If this is what it takes to get Eden back, so be it. "It's... he's been... blackmailing me? Kind of. If I don't win the competition, he'll release a video of me vomiting at my birthday party and... frame me for breaking Alena's leg."

Eden's jaw drops open and his books tumble to the floor at his feet. "No way! What an asshole!" He scowls. "No one would believe him. They - they know you're not like that..." He frowns even as he lies. "When... when was this?"

Shit. "Oh, uh. The day the contest started?"

His eyes turn all hard and resolved again, eyebrows furrowing. "Angel. Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped." I mutter something that sounds like I was worried you'd overreact. His eyes darken. Everything's so blurry. Or maybe it's the tears.

We're both silent for a moment. I should really be getting to class, but it doesn't matter now. It drags out. Nothing but silence, and the occassional sound of someone slamming a door down the hallway.

"Of course." Eden seems to be on the verge of tears too now, and it makes me feel like crap. I'm his best friend, and I made him feel like this. "Eden Rivera. So dramatic. Always overreacting."

My heart feels as heavy as an anvil as the tears start sliding down my cheeks, too fast to stop them. "No, Eden, no. I was just worried that you'd... you're so confrontational and all. And I really like that about you, but I -" My eyes widen but the words are already tumbling out of my mouth, "- was worried you'd make things worse -"