Eden is still sporting a pout as we drop our stuff in the locker room and head out, but she’s stopped scowling so that’s something.
This is the first time in nearly four years that we’ve been alone together. Suddenly I feel nervous, which is way out of character, and I don’t like it one bit.
The sun is shining, but there’s little heat to it. I worried we’d overheat as we walked, but we’re going so slowly I’m now worried I might catch a chill.
“Do you want to maybe pick up the pace a little?”
Another irritated sigh, but she moves a little faster. I’m wracking my brain trying to think of something to say when she growls and stops. I stop too and wait.
“Why are you doing this? Like seriously.”
“Because Mr. Porter asked me, and I think it’s a good idea.”
“Bullshit.”
There’s fire in her voice and I like it. Usually, she gives me just one- or two-word answers. Not counting yesterday, this is the most she’s spoken to me, ever.
“Not bullshit,” I reply calmly. “I enjoy gym, but I know plenty who don’t. However, it is a required class, and you have to pass it to graduate. Is walking with me that hard to do?”
She looks at me and then away again. “No, it’s not.”
“You could have ended up with Harley if I hadn’t stepped in.”
She screws her face up. “Fuck, no.”
I laugh because Harley is a gross frat wannabe. He’s got the emotional range of potato and wandering hands.
“So look on the bright side, okay? Now walk.”
3
Eden
My first real time alone with Sloane and I’m acting like a petulant child. I’m not the type of person to sulk, really I’m not, but I have some childhood-related trauma where exercise is concerned. I know Mr Porter thinks I’m just being an idle teenager, rebelling against authority and all that shit, but it’s not the case at all.
Back in good old England, when I was small, I had a severe case of asthma. I needed inhalers daily, and sometimes simply walking up the stairs made it hard to breathe. As I grew the symptoms lessened, which was ace…until primary school, year six. We got a new PE teacher called Mr Michaels. Ex-military with a real chip on his shoulder. Now bear in mind we were like ten years old, and he was used to pushing grown ass men and women until they broke. Well, I’m sure the picture is forming. Mr Michaels pushed us hard, way beyond my little lungs’ limits.
Breathing became hard again, and the more I complained, the harder he was. It got so bad I started throwing sickies just to miss his class. God knows what Headmaster Vicars was thinking by hiring him. The man was a fucking menace.
Anyway, my behaviour started going downhill fast, and yeah, I should have told another teacher or my parents, but like, I was ten and terrified of the dude.
Eventually, my parents stepped in when I randomly threw a temper tantrum at the school gates because they were making me go on a PE day. It took a couple of hours in the headmaster’s office to get to the bottom of it. When everyone was in the know, my dad went ballistic and threatened to get the school board involved. Mr Michaels was suspended, and I developed a long-term hatred of exercise and people who tried to force it on others. So that’s why Mr Porter drives me nuts, and why Sloane has had to put up with me being a mardy arse. I just don’t want to tell her all that.
But if I don’t, she’s going to think I’m an ass. Decisions, decisions.
We walk in silence for a while, which is quite nice. I tend to find the world too loud a lot of the time. Like, why does everyone always have to fill the quiet with noise?
I still can’t understand Sloane’s motives in this. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful she saved me from creepy Harley, but what is she getting out of it? Porter would never fail her, not in a million years. I can’t imagine she’s super pumped about spending time with me. We haven’t exactly got a bunch in common or spoken more than a paragraph to each other over the entirety of our high school years.
Plus she’s super hot, which automatically makes me say and do stupid things. She must have a girlfriend who’s going to be pissed I’m taking up Sloane’s time, right? It’s simply not possible for someone as lovely as her to be single.
“How’s the pace?”
Oh right, she’s here with me, and I’m in my head. “Yeah, good.”
Come on Eden, you can do better than that!
“It’s quite nice around here without all the other students,” I say as an opener, hoping she’ll grab it and help me out a little. I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t. Maybe she’salready regretting her decision to buddy with me and just wants to get back to the gym where all her friends are.
