[8]
- EDEN -
-
MY HEADACHE WAS back and I could barely see where I was going. The rhythmic thumping at the back of my head was driving me crazy and making me cross-eyed. I held onto the cart I was pushing, tightly, hoping the pressure I was applying from my hands would make my headache go away.
It didn't.
We were checked in and made it past the security gates. We were now on our way to the boarding hall, where we'd sit for an hour. Hopefully, I'd be able to sleep off my headache there.
"Are you okay?" Someone had said, startling me and making my headache 10 times worse. I winced as I turned to look to my right, where Jude was standing, smiling at me worriedly.
I nodded, "It's just a headache. I think I'll be fine."
He nodded, a soft smile on his lips. He was really pretty, beautiful even, I had noticed. All three of them-- Jude, Dawson, and Atlas-- were handsome, but Jude was different. His beauty was soft and regal which made him easily the most handsome person in the room.
I blinked slowly and looked in front of me as we walked down the long hallway. Atlas was walking next to Dawson, listening to whatever was spewing out of his mouth. He was talking animatedly as if Atlas was just as interested in what he was saying. I watched him move.
He was dressed in a pair of gray sweatpants and a simple black shirt. His hair fell in loose curls on his head, making me want to run my hands through them. With every step he took, his muscles rippled underneath his shirt, making my heart rate soar in my chest.
I blinked out of my trance as Jude snapped his fingers in front of me. I stared at him, a confused look on my face. He chuckled and shook his head, "Did you hear anything I said?"
My cheeks flushed red as I realized that I didn't even notice that he was talking, "No,"
He chuckled again and I smiled. His laugh and smile were so contagious, I knew I wouldn't have a hard time liking him. He quieted down after a while. I looked up to see Atlas glancing at us briefly, a frown on his face.
"You've taken a liking to Atlas, huh?" Jude said causing my eyes to widen.
I shook my head slowly, not wanting the pain in my head to rise, "No, he's rude and annoying."
Jude laughed, "He just likes to make people nervous around him. He has a hard time making friends because of that."
I frowned, "That's mean,"
He laughed, "You'll get used to it and maybe even start to like him."
I rolled my eyes, "Sure,"
Jude looked at me, a frown on his lips, "Have you guys met before? I noticed that he's tiptoeing around you."
I told him about the time at the grocery store and he laughed at me. I frowned, hitting his shoulder, lightly, "That's not funny."
He tried to catch his breath as he continued to laugh, "But it is!"
I rolled my eyes, "Whatever,"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He laughed, patting my shoulder lightly. He eventually stopped laughing and told me that he probably didn't mean it that way.
"Didn't mean to make fun of me needing a tampon?" I whisper-yelled.
He tried to hide his laugh and when I looked up, Atlas was looking right at us. I stopped, my eyes were wide and my cheeks red. Shit, he probably heard us.
"Are you guys talking about me?" He said, a smirk on his lips. His eyes raking my body and then glancing at Jude, briefly.
I frowned, "You wish,"
His eyes snapped to mine and suddenly I felt naked under his eyes. Like suddenly he knew everything that I tried to hide from the public's eyes. I was like prey under his bright blue eyes.
He then gave me a dark look and turned back around as if nothing happened. I turned to Jude, my lips parted.
"Did you see that?" I asked, gobsmacked.
He didn't respond, a small smirk on his lips.
-
We were finally settled in on the plane and I let out a sigh. I was sitting next to Julia and Leah and the boys were sitting in the row directly behind us. Leah has practically turned around and was talking to Jude about how much she loves art. It wasn't a complete lie, but she doesn't love it that much.
"Oh, Jude dances!" Dawson said to Leah.
"Oh, really! That's so cool. What type?" Leah asked, brushing her hair back with her fingers.
"Hip Hop," I heard Jude say.
Leah let out a sound of approval, "Are you good?"
Dawson laughed, "He's better than good. He has like 50 thousand followers and participates in a lot of competitions. He thinks he's shit though."
Jude rolled his eyes and gently punched Dawson's arm, "I'm okay."
Leah giggled, "Can you teach me?"
Dawson whistled, "I'd like to watch that."
I looked up to see Leah's cheeks tint red and she giggled. Jude agreed that he'd teach her some moves and maybe make a video with her. She was ecstatic, to say the least.
I placed my head down on Julia's shoulder and she glanced at me, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just have this headache that won't go away," I said, wincing a little.
"I have crackers and Advil in my bag if you want." She said, brushing my hair back softly.
I shook my head, slowly, "It's okay. I think I'm just going to sleep it off."
She nodded and I placed my head back on the rest, "You should talk with them, get to know them and stuff."
She laughed a little, "So you won't have to?"
I smiled, "Exactly,"
She pinched my cheek lightly and turned around to Leah. I placed my head to the side and closed my eyes. I waited for sleep to wash over me and when it finally did, I felt the pain in my head start to subside.
When I woke up, I was sweating like crazy and needed to use the bathroom, but my headache was gone. I stretched my arms over my head and let out a yawn.
I turned to Julia who was watching a Spiderman movie and tapped her shoulder. She paused the movie and looked at me, questioningly.
"How long did I sleep?" I asked.
She shrugged, "A little more than an hour."
I nodded, reaching in my back pocket for a piece of gum. When I finally got the packet out, I popped one in my mouth. I stretched my legs out under me and got up. I stepped over Julia and a sleeping Leah, making my way to the bathroom. I stretched out and walked over to the closest bathroom.
I stood in front of the door, ready to open it, but realized that there was somebody in it. I was ready to turn around and walk back, but I watched as the little knob in red that said OCCUPIED turn to a green VACANT. The door opened and I pressed myself against the wall as the person walked out.
I stared at him, my lips parted in surprise. His eyes were blank as if he was staring into a big nothingness, his blue eyes dimmer than they usually were. His lips were red as if he was chewing on them for too long. I watched as he ran his fingers through his dark curls that were a little damp and let out a sigh. When his eyes met mine, I forgot how to breathe.
He tried to take a step out of the way, but the area we were standing in was too small. His body was now pressed close to mine so much so, I could smell the faint smell of his cologne on him. I tried to stop breathing or then he'd realize how nervous I was.
I tried to turn my body to the left but ended up bumping my hip into him. He grabbed ahold of my hips as he let out a small groan, steadying me in my place. I tried not to focus on the feeling of his hands on my hips.
"Sorry," I whispered.
His eyes were still close and it seemed like he was trying to even out his breathing. I watched him.
When he opened his eyes again, they met mine with a sort of interest in them. His blue eyes were so beautiful and warm, but so icy at the same time. They released a whirlwind of emotions inside of me and I started to feel a little woozy.
I tried to step back, but his hands were still on my hips, unmoving. I looked up at him and blinked, "Uh, I can-"
"Take a step back," He said, his voice slow like honey. I felt my stomach churn as his voice reverberated in my mind, repeating like a broken record.
I obliged and took a step back, his hands still on my hips. He took a step and released my hips from his hands. He glanced at me, his face blank, but his eyes swirling with the same intensity as before. He blinked and with that, he walked back to his row.
I stood there for a minute trying to understand what had just happened. I walked into the bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror. I glanced down at my hips that were feeling really cold and sighed. I'm stuck with Atlas for a month and every interaction we've had is just going to keep getting more and more embarrassing.
I shook myself from my thoughts, used the bathroom, and got a heart attack when I flushed the toilet. Does it really have to be so loud?
I finished washing my hands and that's when I saw a silver ring on the basin of the sink. I picked it up and stared at it. It was silver and pretty thick and had some sort of laurel wreath wrapped around it.
It was probably Atlas's or something.
I slipped it on my ring finger and frowned when it didn't fit. I slipped it onto my middle finger, but it was still pretty loose. I slipped it off and onto my thumb and smiled as it fit perfectly. It didn't match with the other rings I had, but it was nicer.
I slipped it off and walked out of the bathroom. I walked over to my row and slipped in. I turned to the other row and looked at Atlas. He had a book in his hands.
"Um, Atlas?" I said.
He looked up at me and suddenly I forgot what I was calling him for. I blinked out of my trance when he answered.
"Yes?"
I brought the ring out and showed it to him, "Uh, is this yours? I found it in the bathroom."
Jude looked at Atlas briefly and turned to me, a small smile on his face. He looked back at his TV screen.
"Yeah, it is." He said, stretching his hand out to me with his hand out to reach for the ring.
I handed it to him and for a split second our fingers touched. I quickly took my hand back and watched as he stared at me. He slowly slipped his ring back on his fingers and I couldn't help but stare.
His fingers were long and thin, but his ring fir perfectly around them. When his ring was on his finger, he flexed them a little. My eyes snapped up to his and all the air in my lungs disappeared. His face was blank, but those eyes told so much more. They were staring at me like he was waiting for me to say or do something like he was baiting me. I frowned and looked away from those eyes.
"Thank you, Eden." He said and I froze. The way he said my name made my heart stop and I wanted to hear him say it again and again until I died. I bit my lip.
"Yeah," I whispered, "You're welcome."
I turned back around and sat down, letting out a breath. I turned to Julia who was still watching her movie and Leah who was still snoring away in her seat. I let out a sigh and decided to keep my mind of Atlas by watching a movie too.
Even as the movie was playing, I couldn't seem to focus. My mind would always flit back to Atlas's hands on my hips and his blue eyes.
-
A/N: UGH wow. This chapter was PHEW. anyways las is still so so hot !! i hope you guys liked this chapter and OMG were almost at 1K and I literally just recently published this book WOW I LOVE YOU ALL
I want you guys to stay safe and healthy !! Make sure you doing something you absolutely love today bcuz you should !! mwah mwah every single one of you <33
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