EVA"Hi, Axel. "He exhaled a pent up breath the moment I spoke, his shoulders dropping an inch and I realized, rather surprisingly, that he had been tense. Had he been worried that I would ignore him? Sure, things ended abruptly between us yesterday, but I wasn't a mean person. And not to mention, I was to blame for the awkwardness that ensued after our okay conversation. So where had he gotten that idea?He closed the distance between us swiftly, lifting my bag from the seat beside me then dropping down on the now empty chair, placing my bag on his lap. Some shuffling ensued before he settled.Due to lack of space between the arranged chairs, my right leg and his left leg touched, making me painfully aware of the bunched muscles underneath the fabric of his pants. I glanced at him wondering if he noticed. He had his eyes straight forward, oblivious. In fact he looked rather nervous to notice anything, really.I figured that was a little tell of his. Whenever he was nervous or tellin
EVA"Axel! " The high-pitched, feminine voice came from a tiny girl running towards where we were seated with a wide smile on her face. She looked genuinely delighted and surprised to see him, all but pushing my bag to the ground to make room for herself on his lap. "Were you waiting for me? "As her voice sifted into my ears, I realized that it was familiar. She was one of the girls that sat at Axel's table —almost all girls in the school really, but she frequented that table more than the others. It was only now that it occurred to me that she was closer to him than the other girls were. Stupid of me to assume he would be unattached, especially considering how much of a player —and how good-looking— he was. He fumbled to catch my bag as it toppled to the ground, causing him to lean into her and she giggled excitedly, throwing her hands around his neck to steady herself.People were starting to come out now and seeing them made me think of how stupid I must look right now. My body a
EVA There were a few significant days in my life.The day I got dropped off at the orphanage, the day I met Omar —I hadn't taken note of the date, but I wasn't going to forget it either and the day I got adopted. It was on the sixteenth of September.Today was one of those days and as I sat among the others, waiting to board the plane, I knew that there were definitely going to be more.Laura nudged my knee. "Tell me you're not excited. ""I'm not excited. " It was a lie of course and she knew it."Liar. " She smirked, turning her eyes back to her phone.Laura, Abi and I sat together, busying ourselves on our phones until it was time to get on the plane. And I was pretty excited to get on that plane. A tiny part of me was scared too, but my excitement won out. Spread around the lobby, were Ivacy High students, each one dressed impeccably. Abi and Laura had on fitted jeans but while Laura was wearing a T-Shirt on top hers, Abi wore a cami and a black jacket over it. And then there wa
EVA Laura, Abi and I simultaneously turned to the intruder. She had a face that wouldn't really be described as pretty —striking was the word, with cat-like eyes, a pointed nose and wide lips. She was slightly taller than I was with sleek chocolate skin and a slim figure clad in jean cutoffs and a long sleeved T-shirt.For some reason, she seemed familiar."Where did you come from? " Laura frowned, looking behind the girl."I appeared out of thin air. " She said and I almost believe her. Almost."Haha. " But there wasn't a hint of smile on Laura's face. "Why would you want to room with her? ""She needs someone to room with. " She turned to me, giving me the full force of her cat-like eyes. That was when I realized her hand was still linked with mine. "Don't you? "Why are you so familiar? "I actually do. " I muttered. "Doesn't mean she wants to room with you. " Laura sassed."Let's leave it up to Eva, shall we? " Abi suggested gently before turning to me. "Eva, would you be okay s
EVA"Jesus Christ. " the boy groaned for the seventh time today, within the last thirty minutes. "Can we leave already? ""You're not the only one here. You know that, right? " an exasperated voice retorted and that was obviously the wrong thing to do because the frustrated boy wasted no time in channeling all his anger at the speaker, which made me think he probably had been looking for an outlet all along."Did you not hear the 'we' in the statement I just made? ""Wasn't a statement, Destiny. It was a question. " Another voice piped in. This one, belonging to a girl. "You would know the difference if you ever paid attention to a single thing that's said in English class. Just like you're not paying attention right now. "It was Natasha, the queen of sarcasm. A vibrant, quick-witted girl who had a smart-ass reply at the tip of her tongue, always ready to launch. I envied her the talent."No one asked you, Natasha. " The boy —Destiny— bit out, his jaw tightening in anger and embarrass
EVA "I know what to do. " Laura said, dragging my attention readily back to her. "Did you put your phone on silent? " "Yes, I think so. " My phone was almost always on silent –because what was the point in turning the volume up when no-one ever called or texted? Once in a while, Laura and I engaged in back and forth texting but that was on rare occasions. "Shit. " she cursed in obvious frustration, then her eyes lit up again. "No, wait, that works too. " she tugged me closer to her, bringing her lips to my ear as if anyone was paying attention to us. "I'm going to call your phone and if anyone here has it, we're going to know. If not, then we'll know that it's still on the bus. " Okay, that was smart. But she forgot one little detail. "My phone is on silent, Laura! " I whispered harshly. She glared at me. "I know that, but it must be on vibrate or something, right? " "Or something. " I agreed. "Silent. " "Oh, shush. Whoever has it, they're going to feel it when it rings so let
EVAVaughn caught me before I could hit the floor— although I could tell he would have preferred the latter—throwing me to the side and away from him with an annoyed grunt. I righted myself before I could make contact with the floor. Again.These guys treated me as though I was a rag doll. Henri walked in from an adjoining room just then. Their room was bigger than ours, very much so, in fact, that I knew that it had to be a suite. At first, he didn't seem to notice I was there, but then he did a double take and he froze. "Ah, the owner shows. " He drawled lazily. I wasn't surprised that Axel had discussed the incident with them. They were his close friends after all and they shared the same room. They were definitely going to ask."Go on, then. " He prompted, cocking his head in the direction of the room he just exited. "We'll be waiting for you to tell us what you had to do to get your phone back. " It was the light amusement in his voice that stopped me from panicking—and also
EVA "The first time we met? Do you remember that day? "He had the decency to look chagrined. "That was a very rough day for me. ""Of course it was," I said sarcastically. "Then there's the girls that are always at your table during lunch in the cafeteria. "He sat up immediately. "Wait. That one isn't on me. Most of them are either there for Hen or Alex. I—""Everyday, Axel. Every single day. I'm not blind. I see you talking to them. "His eyes darted away. "Well, yes, I do. But there's nothing. That's all it is. Just talk. " Was I wrong? Was Laura wrong? My eyes dropped to the bed and I fingered the duvet, picking imaginary lint from the soft material. I could tell he didn't like my silence because his hand was on mine in a second, tugging on my fingers. I felt the tug low in my stomach. I watched his big hand move over mine, covering it completely. The skin of his palm was slightly rough and hot and the assault on my nerve endings was too much all at once.I pulled away."Cg...
EVA Legs and more legs. They were all I could see. couldnt they see that I was struggling? Didn't they see me get shoved into the water? Why weren't they trying to help me? I struggled to move in the water, go far enough to touch one of the legs when suddenly, hands slid under my arms and lifted me out of the water. Immediately I breached the surface, I dragged in air though my nose which caused me to cough since my lungs were filled with water. I coughed and coughed more water out of my lungs, while an unfamiliar hand patted at my back softly, probably to help with the coughing. When I could finally breathe well again, I looked around through watering eyes, taking in the face of the person that had his arms around me. It took me less than ten seconds to realise it was Dare. So he was the one that had pulled me out of the water. I was a little bit disappointed that it wasn't Axel, to be honest. It would have started a conversation between us whether we liked it or not and maybe
EVA "Wait, whose party is this?"Today was the long awaited day for the party and it wasn't until Laura's car was pulling into the driveway of a huge, beautiful house that I realised I never asked who was hosting the party. All I knew was that there was a party and I was attending."Henri." She wiggled her brows. Her shades were parked high on her head just on top of her hair-do and I couldn't help but admire it.I had long natural hair, but mine were nowhere as curly as Laura's and I knew that it had to do with her other half. She rarely wore wigs and never made braids. She usually went around with her natural hair and styled it more often than people even went to the salon.I thought it was really cool.When her words registered in my head, I blinked. "Henri?""Yes.""Why didn't you tell me?" I snapped."What difference would it have made?" She snapped back. "What does the host have to do with your going?"Pausing, I grudgingly admitted to myself that what she was saying was true.
Pushing my shoulders back, I took a step towards them. "The school principal told me that a teen magazine would love to feature me." A surprised look passed between them. "She said they're very responsible and reputable, those exact words, and that I would not have anything to worry about. She said she's also going to call you and let you know after I do."I studied their reactions closely, searching for the slightest sign that showed that this was a bad idea, but nothing about them was giving off that energy. They just looked surprised, but not that surprised."If the principal says that they're responsible, then they probably are." Mr Lawson commented. "I'll discuss with her and do my own research on them before concluding, of course."I nodded, a huge part of me already wanting to be up in my room, carrying out my plan. Although for it to be called a plan, it had to have a chance of succeeding. I didn't know if this one did."The important question is, would you be comfortable with
EVA"What if he's mute?"The conversation drifted to me. I had not been paying attention for the most part of it—mainly because my thoughts were all over the place—and Laura being Laura, didn't necessarily require an audience for her to speak. She could very well speak to herself, so the fact that we were there was a plus for her."I doubt that he is." Abi said and her speaking, coupled with the 'he' in the sentence, piqued my interest enough for me to forget about my issues at the moment and listen to them talk.I really really wanted to know who that he was.Laura shrugged. "Well, I've never heard him speak.""Just because you've never heard him speak doesn't mean that he cannot speak."Laura rolled her eyes so hard, I thought they were going to fall off her head. "I get that you don't go to parties, so you wouldn't know, but Abi, he has never uttered a single word. Not one. Who knows? Maybe that's why he doesn't even let girls near him. And I totally feel him because that would be
EVA Was he pissed? The Axel I knew would have brought up the—eh, near kiss immediately. But the Axel I knew was also walking away from me right now as if he couldn't bear another minute in my presence. Maybe he'd changed. Of course he had. I'd told him that we were strictly going to be friends, none of those uncomfortable talks about feelings—on his side, of course—, no near kisses—this, we were both to blame—and none of those close proximities either. He'd even stopped flirting with me. I wasn't sure that I liked this new version of Axel. He was... boring. When we walked out into the open and our class buildings came into view again, he turned to me sharply. If I had not been watching him, I would have walked into him. "Thank you for your time today. You were..." He trailed off, his eyes over my shoulder. "It was really helpful." Then he turned back around and walked in that leisurely stride to the car park where his car was. I blinked in rapid successions, staring at his re
EVA The sound of a phone ringing filled the air. Axel and I flied apart like our skins were on fire and our eyes jumped around like we were searching for the nearest pool of water to immerse ourselves into—which was crazy because I couldn't swim.I never got the chance to learn how. We were both desperately trying not to look at each other, while trying to catch a glimpse of each other, to see how the other person was taking it. Even though I wasn't looking directly at him, he was in my line of sight so it was easy for me to see his reaction. He was shuffling from one foot to the other. I, however, was doing everything I possibly could to not die on the spot. What the hell was my problem? It was like I became suddenly possessed when I was in the presence of him. I did things that I wouldn't usually even dream about doing—e.g the two near kisses—and even though I was still unsure whether it was a good or bad thing, I was positive that he was changing me. Somehow. The phone had s
EVA He gave his bag to me, which I dropped on the seat next to me—but not before giving him a glare, which, surprisingly, made the corners of his mouth twitch in amusement—then he gave me a stop watch. I stared at it, then at him. "I'll need you to time me as I run." He explained. "Thats actually why I needed you to come along." And here, I thought he just needed my presence, I thought sarcastically. Okay, maybe not that sarcastically. "I don't know how to use it." "I'll show you. Here." He leaned down to explain how it worked. Pressed the start button, stop, and clear. I was paying attention to what he was saying. I really was, but his masculine scent was also assaulting my senses and it was suddenly too much for me. "I understand." I said, and took watch back from him, anxious for him to leave already. He nodded and stepped back. There was a wiry fence separating the seats from the track and field, but there was also an opening to allow people pass. He walked past it and onto
EVA Today, Abi had one of those classes that took an extra hour after normal school time to conclude, which meant that we weren't going to be picked up until then. In other words, I wasn't leaving the school anytime soon. Thanks to them, I now had an extra hour to overthink what the Principal had told me to death.I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that a magazine wanted me for a model.Me!That was the part that I was finding hard to believe.I didn't want to go and wait out there where the other students waited for their parents/drivers to come pick them up. With my face on the cover of the magazine, I suddenly felt too exposed. Like everyone was looking at me. Of course, it was all just in my head, but I couldn't shake the feeling.I couldn't get out of my own head.So I decided to go back to class, hoping that it was cleared out by now. What I didn't expect, however, was for Axel to be in class. My class. Not his.What was he even doing here?Narrowing my eyes at him, I
EVA Before I could take another step, he took the stairs two at a time and was already standing in front of me. My heart slammed against my ribcage. There was no way to run forward and if I tried to run back, he could easily stop me by gripping my arm. Not that he had ever laid his hands on me but I wouldn't put it past him. I could shout and have people within earshot come help me, but I didn't want other people to be involved. Besides, he could easily just run and then I would have to explain why I shouted when there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. You're not the same person you were before, Eva. If this was Axel, I would cock a brow and ask him to get out of my way. So why couldn't I do that now? Well, there were many reasons. One, Axel wasn't psychotic. Two, he would never threaten or hurt me. Three, he wasn't deranged. Dexter was guilty of all three things I had mentioned and I knew that if he could get away with it, he would have physically hurt me. Doesn't mat