Page 99 of A Silence So Divine

The windows of the house are dark, which must mean Creed is—fortunately—in bed. I’m not in the mood for an interrogation.

After pulling the keys from the ignition, I reach over to rouse Eden from sleep. Before my fingers brush her arm, her door swings open.

“Oh, I thought you were–”

The door slams shut. I blink, slightly taken aback.

I’m quick to follow her, squinting into the darkness. “Eden?”

She’s a blur in front of me, hasty footsteps carrying her to the front door. Jogging to catch up, I call her name three more times to no avail. She’s halfway to the porch before I’m able to grip her elbow and turn her to face me. She won’t meet my eyes.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I raise my hand to cup her cheek, but she jerks her head back.

“Don’t.”

The crease in my forehead deepens, raindrops following the length of it.

“What’s wrong?” I repeat. My eyes adjust to the darkness slowly, and I see hurt staring back at me.

“I want to go inside.”She attempts to turn, but I snag her hand. With a huff, she yanks her fingers through mine. I can’t remember ever seeing her this way. Fear and apprehension, yes. Anger? Never.

It would be wise to relent and get out of the rain, but her sour mood gnaws at my nerves.

“I’m not letting you go in until you tell me what I did,” I insist, keeping my voice level.

Finally, she steps forward, her eyes meeting mine. And they’re piercing.

“You think I’m a monster.”

Confused, I wrack my mind. All too soon, the memory of what I said slams into me. Well, fuck.

Rolling my head back, I groan and close my eyes.

“Eden,” I begin, tossing my arms up into the air helplessly. “I didn’t mean that. I wanted them to shut their fucking mouths”

She shakes her head vehemently.

“I saw you. You were disgusted.”

“Only because of what they were saying!”

Her face falters, and the moonlight begins to shimmer in her eyes as the tears roll in. My stomach sinks.

“About…”She hesitates, her hands trembling.“Being with me?”

I open my mouth to speak, but words fail me. I don’t know how to explain to her that yes, they were being disgusting but, no, I’m not disgusted byher. Nor the idea of being with her. Matter of fact, I’ve tried incredibly hard to not think about itat allbecause of how little the thought disgusts me.

“It’s not like that. You don’t understand the–”

“I do understand! I’m not a child.”

A lone tear intermingles with the rain until its trail is lost.

The more I’ve gotten to know Eden, the more carefully I tread when it comes to her feelings. She’s right, she’s not a child, but sometimes I think it might be easier if she were.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I’m just trying to protect you.”

More tears fall, and she sucks in sharp breaths as she looks away from me. A light breeze whisps her hair into her face and it gets caught in the moisture, clinging to her cheek. I inch closer until we’re nearly chest to chest. Slowly, I reach my hand up, giving her the opportunity to swat it away. When she doesn’t, I detach the dark tresses from her skin. Selfishly, I let my fingers linger on the soft patch below her jaw. A shiver rolls over her, and I wish I knew whether or not it was from the rain.