1
Eden
My heart tries to leave my body through my nose as the door to my bedroom slams against the internal wall. Whipping my head around, I stare at the tiny demon hovering menacingly in the door frame, perfectly backlit by the hallway light.
“Bella,” I hiss. I knew she’d come. I just wasn’t expecting it at…Christ, two-thirty in the morning. She waited until I was deep in a REM cycle before launching her attack. I should’ve known!
“Eden,” she chuckles menacingly. “It’s time!”
Slowly, I turn my body towards her and haul myself up into a sitting position. “Bella…you don’t have to do this,” I plead.
“But I do, Eden. It’s for the good of humanity.”
I narrow my eyes and watch her body language, looking for signs of change. Bella’s a slippery little shit, and she bites. As I observe her, I notice the trash bag sticking out of her pants pocket. She’s serious this time.
In a flash of movement that takes me completely by surprise, Bella releases a war cry and launches herself at the gym bag located near the foot of my bed. How could I have been stupid enough to leave it in plain sight?
My legs tangle in the sheets as I scramble to catch her before she grabs the bag. Even though I’m considerably taller than Bella, she still has the advantage and reaches my gym bag before I’m even clear of my bedding.
“Bella!” I shout as she cackles and dodges my attempt at grabbing her. Bag in hand, she turns back towards the door. “Don’t do anything stupid!”
Falling to the floor, I moan, but don’t stop my pursuit. I must get to her before she reaches the trash chute. The apartment door is wide open…I’m too late.
“Bella, stop,” I yell, running down the corridor. If I were inclined to give a shit what people thought of me,I might be concerned I’m only in Liquorice Man boxer shorts and a raggedy old tank top.
Bella’s bright pink hair swishes as she turns her head to me. My gym bag lies open on the floor by her feet. I can see my running shorts and sport top, but that’s all. My eyes snap to the once-empty trash bag that no longer resides in her pocket. The bulge tells me it’s holding my prized possession, the one she wants to throw in the garbage.
“Too late, Eden. This is for the best.”
Stretching out my arm, I swipe at the bag. My fingers graze the plastic, but I fail to grab a hold. The thud of the bag hitting the trash chute as it falls is the last thing I hear before Bella shuts the chute door.
“No,” I cry dramatically, dropping to my knees. Bella stands over me with hands on hips, shaking her head.
As she passes me, I feel an empathetic pat on my shoulder. I should be mad at her, but she did warn me, and deep down I know she was right to do what she did. Scooping myself off the floor, I pad back to the apartment with my head hanging down.
“Oh, honey,” Becca says with a decent amount of humour laced in her words. “It was time.”
Grumbling, I huff and head to the kitchen. There’s no way I’ll be able to sleep again now. With a hot chocolatein the making, I turn when I hear groaning not unsimilar to mine. Amy, the girl I’ve been dating for six weeks, is standing in my doorway suitably ruffled and pissed off at the intrusion to her night’s rest.
“Eden,” she croaks. “What the fuck?”
What can I say? Bella does whatever she wants to do, when she wants to do it.
“Sorry.”
Amy shakes her head. “I’m so done with this. I’m going home.”
Nodding, I turn back to my hot chocolate. I hear Amy huff and curse me out, but I don’t follow. If she wants to go home, that’s fine.
“Where’s Amy going?” Bella asks, standing next to me. She’s changed into punk unicorn nightwear.
“Home,” I mumble.
Bella’s small arm snakes around my waist, and her head leans on the side of my boob. “Are you mad at me?”
Sighing, I rest my head on top of hers. “No, you were right.”
“We got a smell complaint, Eden. The sneakers had holes in them and no longer supported your ankles. They had to go.”
