Chapter 10
I'd been asleep ten minutes. Ten fucking minutes when my phone began to ring. I opened my eyes and Eden had gone. She wasn't in our temporary bedroom. Great something else I have to deal with. I rolled over and searched the bedside table for my phone. My hand stumbled over pillow mints, complementary soaps before I find my phone. By the time I pick it up the phone's stopped ringing. I eliminated the screen and checked the time. Turns out I wasn't asleep ten minutes, I'd been asleep for a few hours. Three missed calls and two new text messages.
I decide to call Eden first.
'Hi?' She answered the phone sounding confused.
'Hi. Where are you?'
'I'm in the restaurant downstairs, I'm having breakfast. Its an all you can eat! You have to get down here!' I've never heard someone sound as excited about food as she is. She sounds like a child at Disney land or at Christmas. I couldn't help but chuckle at how giddy she was.
'I'll be down there in ten minutes.'
'Okay. I got to go there serving more bacon. Byeee.' The line clicked dead and again I was chuckling to myself. I hauled myself out of bed, showered and got dressed in the space of five minutes.
When I reached the restaurant most of the tables were full of family's eating. I looked around the room for Eden but I couldn't see her at any of the tables. My eyes drifted to the tables were they were serving food. At the front of the line stood a dwarfed brunette with a large white bandage on her hand. The plate she had in her good hand was piled with food. Another chuckle escaped. I'm surprised this place has any food left. I watched her take her seat at a table and made my way over.
'Are you hungry or something?' I asked sarcastically. Eden was lent over the table grabbing a slice of crispy bacon off my plate. She gave me an innocent smile but she knew she'd been busted. She sat back down leaving the bacon on my plate. I took my seat and passed her my bacon, she gave me a little smile. I couldn't help but smile at her. She began to eat her breakfast, I've never seen her eat so much. The whole time she lived with us she ate the portion she was given and never asked for more. If she doesn't stop eating soon, cows will be extinct. After ten minutes her plate was empty and the buffet had stopped. Which made her look really disappointed. I was still eating my breakfast that she'd got me. She tried not to look at my food, but her eyes kept trailing to my egg and sausage.
'All you have to do is ask.' I informed her,, chuckling away to myself. Her face turned red and she had to hide her smile. I don't like eggs anyway. The white of the egg is disgusting and slimy. I'm full anyway, so I put my knife and fork down and pass her the plate. She gave me a grateful smile and began eating my leftovers
'How does someone as slim and small as you eat so much food?' I asked an amused smile on my face. I leaned back and waited for her to wipe the yolk from around her face with a napkin.
'Sorry. I didn't eat yesterday and I guess it bit me in the ass. What day is it?' She asked.
'Sunday. Why?'
'Shit. We need to go. I have dance at noon.' She grabbed the remaining half a sausage and began to run to our room. She received a few odd looks. And a few people began to whisper. I heard one person say 'I bet she found out she was pregnant. Did you see how much she ate?' I couldn't help but laugh.
When I got to our room and Eden was grabbing the few things we brought with us. Jackets, car keys and her bandages that we need to change soon.
'Ready? She asked walking out of the room. She put the keys in my hand, we checked out and drove home. 'Can I ask a favour?' She said running to the door.
'Yeah sure.'
'Wait here while I get my dance stuff and then drive me to the studio?'
'No can do. I'll drive you there and back but I'm coming inside with you.' I said walking past her and opening the door. She groaned and walked in and up the stairs. I could hear Austin, Ralf and Daphne yelling. I closed the front door, letting it slam a little to let them know we're here. The shouting stopped immediately. Ralf's head appeared around the kitchen door, he walked out and closed the door behind him.
'Where the hell where you?!' He demanded. I put my hands up in defence.
'I had to take Eden to the hospital yesterday. The door was locked when we came home last night so we stayed at a hotel.' I said calmly. Ralf's eyes grew wider and threw me the questioning look.
'What happened? Who hurt Eden?' He growled at me, taking a step closer to me and pointing his finger at me.
'Whoa, whoa. I didn't do anything. She got shards of pottery stuck in her hand and they wouldn't come out. So I drove her to the hospital and she didn't get released until three and Daphne and you dad we're asleep and we had no keys. So we we went to a hotel. I've never seen your sister eat so much.' I explained to him.
'How?!' He growled.
Why don't you ask Eden or Daphne.' Its not my place to say how that happened. Eden came running down the stairs, with her gym bag on her shoulder.
'Come on lets go.' She tried to to run out the door but Ralf caught her arm, careful not to touch her hand. He tugged her arm and pulled her closer to him. She looked really worried,but treid to fight and wiggle her way free of his grip. 'Let go.' She hissed at him.
'What the hell happened?' He pointed to her hand. He looked beyond pissed at her. 'Who?' He growled. I haven't seen this side of Ralf before and I don't like it.
'Daphne. I have dance.' She spat at him and ripped her arm free of his clasp. She grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me out of the house. But not before I heard Ralf begin yelling. Eden was sat in the car, tears streaming down her face.
'What's up? Why you crying?' I asked.
'Ralf. I love him and everything but he doesn't know how to control his anger. He's going to go in there and yell like mad at Mum and Dad. Mum's going to get more pissed and then hell is going break loose when I get home. Mum's going to yell and turn things around on me... Sorry can we, can we just drive to the studio. Please.' She calmed down and I started the car. I drove her down to the studio and she ran inside, then came back.
'Will you pick me up? I finish Gymnastics at half three.' She smiled at me.
'I thought you had dance?' She did say she had dance practise at noon when we were at the restaurant this morning.
'I do. I have an hour warm up in the gym. Then at one I have dance, gymnastics starts at two. It lasts an hour. Then I have a ten minute ice bath. Shower and get ready.' She explained. I really don't want to be sat here for three and a half hours. What would I do anyway, go to Eden's house and be around her happy family. I guess I could get something to eat but I'm still full from breakfast.
'Unless you want to stay here. You could watch or work out I have the key to Ralf's locker he's got a closet full of clothes. He never uses it, have you seen how skinny he is. Sorry I'm rambling.' She blushed at me.
'Don't worry its fine. And could I watch?' I asked. She nodded her head and grabbed my hand and dragged me inside. She handed her pass to a woman at resection and she lead me up a flight of stairs.
'I'm gunna warm up in the studio today, I'll be in, in a minute.' She disappeared into a small room, I'm guessing its a changing room. After a minute or two she reappeared wearing a plain, black leotard with a pair of dark blue shorts. She went to a bar connected to the wall and began streching. Her Ipod playing Primadonna girl. I watched as she stretched. I watched her with awe. She was amazing at it, I mean anyone can stretch but she's flexiable. Standing on leg and the the other leg touching her head. I've never seen someone stretch like her.
'Stop staring, do something useful and help me stretch.' She tired acting mad and angry but just made herself look more adorable. I slipped my shoes off and walked over to help her.
'So what am I doing?' I asked. She laid down on her back and smiled. She pointed her foot and raised left leg.
'Push my leg as far as it will go until I say stop.' She said, gritting her teeth. I did as I was told and pushed her leg. 'STOP!' She said through gritted teeth. I'm not surprised she stopped, her knee is almost touching her shoulder. It must be painful. I could see her mouthing something. Numbers I think.
After an hour of stretching her out an elderly woman in her fifties came in carrying a large black nike bag.
'Hello Eden.' She greeted her. 'You've been stretching?'
'Hi Marina, yeah. One hour stretching.' Her head was gleaming with sweat.
'Okay, go go straight into our routine in the corner whilst I stretch the rest of the team. I wished they'd all commit like you do. Are you doing gym after?' Eden nodded in response. 'I'll book you in for a three five minute ice bath slots.' Marina said. Wow, three five minute slots are going to be tough. Bubba makes me have them when I have a competition coming up. I should have been competing this weekend, not a big one. Just teams verse teams. But for oblivious reasons I'm not there. Bubba will be pretty happy because I've kept him at the pool for hours at a time. When Eden first left I spent thirteen hours swimming. I never once stopped. Bubba practically had to drag me out of the pool and make me eat.
Eden groaned but went and practise.
'And who are you?' Marina asked. Why do people ask that question.
'Jesse Bolton.' I put my hand out to her, she didn't accept it. Instead she circled me and looked me up and down. Judging me.
'Oh I know all about you Mr Bolton. I'm Marina, Eddie's coach. Do me a favour love. Go to a machine and get her a couple bottles of water. She's going to need it.' She passed me a ten pound note and I went to find a water machine. Whilst on my hunt I bumped into a snake. Aubrey. I stayed out of her way and started looking for a machine again.
When I returned to the dance room, Eden and Marina had been joined with a few other dancers. One stood out. Aubrey. Great I have to put the act on again. I sat on the side and drank a bottle of Eden's water. She kept coming over every now and then for a two minute break for water.
Afterwards, there was a five minute break before gym started. I planned on staying to watch.
'Hey, Eden. You did great today. Oh, hi Jesse.' Aubrey said walking over to us. The smile on Eden's face dropped.
'Hi Aubrey. Thanks hun, you did really well too. So much better than me.' Eden's too modest, she really should take credit for how good she is. The too of them began to talk and I zoned out. I was brought back when I heard them giggling.
'What?' I asked a little confused.
'I said, are you ready for our date tonight?' Aubrey asked. Shit. I totally forgot about the plan and my 'date' tonight. I looked at Eden who looked like she was going to start crying. Well done Jesse upset her even more than you already did.
'Yeah. It's going to be fun, I have everything planned.' I have nothing planned and I'm not going to hate tonight.
'You know Jesse. Why you go home and get ready for tonight. I'll ask Ralf to pick me later.' She smiled at me and jogged out of the room and so did Aubrey. Great.