Eden scowled at his words. Too good for him. Her insides churned uncomfortably. Did that mean he was actually thinking about it? A small part of her thought it wouldn’t be so bad—he’d be good to her. He wouldn’t be a repeat. She immediately threw that thought of away. It was always going to be a repeat.
“Oh, our bad,” the mother apologized. Eden merely turned away. “You would look cute together.”
“We’re merely classmates,” Eden cut in with a shake of her head. “We barely know each other. Have a nice day.” She smiled a small smile, barely noticeable at Aiden before she turned around, seemingly done with the conversation.
You would look cute together.
She’s too good to date me.
Eden scowled again.
“You have a nice day, as well,” Sterling said before turning back to Eden. She was scowling. Was it because of what he’d said? Of course it was. She hated him. Even just the thought of them dating must make her sick. “Let’s go look at those red pandas.”
Eden looked at him with a sigh, taking off her hat and running her fingers through her hair.
“Yeah,” she murmured, setting it back on her head before she took off her glasses, trying to wipe the lenses with a tissue. They weren’t really smudged, but Eden just felt awkward. She wanted something to take her mind off of things. “The red pandas. When do we meet up with the rest of the group?”
“For lunch, I think. Noonish,” Sterling answered, starting back toward the area of his favorite marsupials.
Eden stopped walking and turned to face him, eyes narrowing more so to get a better view of him than from irritation. She should have put on her glasses, but she was still cleaning them, so she merely fixed her expression in a glare.
“Don’t ever say that again,” she finally said, fisting the tissue in her hands. Her eyes raked him from head to toe though all she could see was his blurry figure. She still did it, anyway. “That I’m too good to date you.”
Sterling froze and turned around, his confusion evident on his face as he looked at her. His brows furrowed and lips twisted downwards.
“Why? Isn’t a girl who doesn’t sleep (and hasn’t slept) around better than a guy who did?” he questioned her, taking a step closer. “Because I think she is.”
“I think I make up for that by ruining their lives,” she replied, eyeing him warily when he stepped closer to her. “The battlefield is my home. I’m worse than all of you combined.”
“But you fight because you were wronged. I slept around because I had nothing better to do,” Sterling said, raising his eyebrows.
Because you were wronged. Eden’s eyes flashed. Had she spilled too much earlier?
“And who told you I fight because I was wronged?” Eden tilted her head to the side, finally putting on her glasses.
“Information is easily gathered when girls think you’ll sleep with them for it. Even when they cuss you out when you won’t,” Sterling said with a shrug.
“You asked around about me,” Eden’s eyes narrowed into slits. “And what, may I ask, did you find out?”
Sterling hummed and glanced around before shrugging, his eyes finding hers once more. They held no pity, he knew she wouldn’t want that. They were simply calm and looking straight into hers.
“I found out that you used to be a normal girl. You were best friends with the girl who is now dating your twin brother, and you three used to be very close. And then something happened that affected you in some way, and you became the queen of the school, the only Crystal. And now you don’t let anyone in, not even your brother or former best friend,” he said softly.
Eden never had any trouble maintaining eye contact. This wasn’t any difference, though she wanted to look away for no reason at all. His words brought her back to the memories she dug so deep within herself. The times she laughed. The times she was truly happy, when she never had to stay awake at night because sleep came easily, when she didn’t wake up screaming the times she did fall asleep. The times when things were okay. When she was all right.
When she was normal. But normality was like a pipe dream. So close yet so far away. So out of reach.
Her lips twisted into a smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes but hinted at the cruelty brewing within her.
“And did they tell you what I do to people who annoy me?” She tilted her head to the side, “Did they tell you what I do to those who get in my way?”
“Am I in your way? If so, what of? And I know what you do, but I also know you wouldn’t do it here. Especially not here. So please, Eden, hit me,” Sterling said, ever calm.
“I’m merely giving a warning,” Eden replied with the same calmness, silently damning him. He was right. She wouldn’t, not here. “But I suppose you’re still going to bother me. And then you’re going to realize what a monster I truly am and you’re going to lament the waste of your time. But you’re going to deny that, too, until it punches you in the face.”
Sterling shrugged, looking into her eyes for a moment longer before tilting his head back to look up at the sky. “Then I will wait for that day to come and will get what I deserve…”
Eden stared at him for a while, confusion and surprise finally showing through. He wasn’t budging. He wasn’t budging at all. Was he truly, actually serious about this? Eden didn’t want to believe that. She once did and she ended up on the ground.
Still, she continued to look at him. Continued to look at the slight cracks he might hold.
“Eden McArthur,” she introduced herself again, not holding out her hand. She couldn’t. “Crystal. Untamed Beast. Blackhole. I’d say I’m looking forward to your amusing and limited yet annoying presence in my boring life, but I make a habit of not lying.”
Sterling looked back down at her and blinked once before sighing and letting a small smirk overtake his lips. “Sterling Ainsley. The Wolf. New kid. Incredibly hot guy that girls drool over. Except for the Crystal. And that is perfectly okay.”
Eden snorted at his blatant comment, and then the title in which he addressed him as struck her. She didn’t comment on it.
“You’ll become old news soon,” she gave him a thin smile. “The girls here are simply looking for something new.”
Sterling shrugged and glanced away again, biting back a sigh. “I hope so. It’s annoying having girls watching your every move…”
Eden quirked an eyebrow. “I did not expect that answer,” she said, “Now come.”
“Oh, do you think I enjoy it, then? Every second of the school day, the eyes of at least one girl are drilling holes into me. I’ve walked down an empty hallway only to be sprung on by a girl who thinks I want her. I’ve found so many numbers stuffed into my locker that they overflowed and spilled out when I opened it. Some people might like that kind of attention. I, personally, am over it,” Sterling muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He began to walk again, not meeting Eden’s eye. She didn’t need to know that, and he was sure she definitely didn’t care. “Let’s just go.”
Eden crossed her arms, eyes on his back. He didn’t like the attention. He didn’t like what he used to be. Was that supposed to lead her on, or was that a genuine truth? It seemed like one. It felt like one. Eden didn’t want to foolishly believe.
So she didn’t question him. She continued to walk, falling into step with him, his long legs giving him a good advantage. She nearly scowled.
“I never said you liked it, did I?” She found herself muttering. “I suppose not everyone likes the roles they have in high school.”
Sterling merely grunted, his gaze anywhere and everywhere but on the girl beside him. He’d said too much, spoken too boldly. She didn’t need to hear his thoughts, and she probably didn’t care, anyway. So what possessed him to say all of that? Why would he decide to say so much to someone who didn’t even care?
Eden tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. He was quiet. Strangely so. It unnerved her. He’d never been that silent before in her presence.
“Did you know that the male penguins sing love songs to their mate?” She broke the silence first, keeping her eyes around her instead of at the male. “Some penguins also choose the same mate season after season.”
She paused when they walked past a tiger cage, tilting her head and walking towards it. The tiger was leaning against the cage’s wall, eyes closed. She crouched down in front of it, wanting to reach out to touch its soft fur.
Sterling blinked at the completely random information he was just given before he chuckled and shook his head. “So are you saying I should serenade you if I want to win you over then? I’ll have you know hat I am not the best singer, Eden. You might not want that.”
Eden snorted, never removing her eyes from the animal she was observing. “I’m not a penguin,” she muttered. “Why would you want to win me over?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Aside from the threats, that is,” Sterling mused with a shrug, finally shifting his gaze to the tiger. He smiled a little as he watched it.
“You’re sure attracted to trouble, aren’t you?” Eden mumbled under her breath, tilting her head to the side. “They like water. Only member of the feline family that does.”
“Trouble? Hm, I suppose. Though I’m most likely to be the cause of that trouble,” Sterling said with a shrug. “They like swimming, I know that. And their stripe patterns are all different for each tiger. No two have the same.”
