Library Duty

Eden’s Point of View

“Iris removed the cable from the computer last night.” I muttered, stirring my soup absentmindedly. “Even though I wanted to study, I couldn’t use it.”

“Why?” Lola asked curiously. “Evangeline doesn’t even need the computer, didn’t you say your father got her a laptop?”

I nodded, and she muttered something like ‘evil bitch’ underneath her breath.

“I guess my step-mother is hell bent on making me fail.” I shrugged my shoulders. “My eyes hurt.”

“You stayed up all night crying, didn’t you?” she guessed, and I wondered how she knew. “Your eyes are swollen and red, I mean anyone who looks closely at you would notice.”

“Should I just run away?” I whispered, but Lola caught it and she leaned in closer to ask.

“From what?”

“From home, from school—everything.” I confessed.

For me, life usually moved at a slow pace, but right now, it felt like I’d hit a wall. Everything seemed frozen—even my relationship—and at this rate, I feared Thorne might actually break up with me for real.

“What do you think about sex?” I asked out of nowhere.

She did a spit take, and some of her soup sprayed across my face. I sucked in my lips; I guess that is a no.

“I’m sorry.” She yelled, her voice panicked, as she reached for the napkin on the table, helping me wipe my face.

“It’s fine.” I muttered, wiping my face clean. “So, are you ready to answer me?”

“I’m eighteen years old, only a term away from college—don’t you think it’s time to have sex?” I asked curiously. “You’ve done it before, tell me what you think.”

“You see, Eden, the difference between you and me is this,” she said, taking my hands gently. “I did it with my boyfriend because I loved him—and I wanted to.”

She paused, her eyes serious. “But I think your boyfriend is an asshole trying to pressure you into something you’re not ready for.”

“But I love Thorne,” I protested quietly. “If I love him, then I would do it.”

“No,” she said firmly, squeezing my hands. “You don’t do it just because you love someone. You do it because you want to.”

I was silent, because I know I wasn’t ready yet, as much as I loved it, it sometimes feels like Thorne and I didn’t really know each other that well, and for a lot of reasons, I just felt unsure.

There was nothing really special about being a virgin, it doesn’t mean people will treat me any better, if I love him, I was going to do it.

It’s not a big deal.

Everyone is doing it.

“Eden!” My head snapped up when I heard Thorne’s voice, it was quite loud, and sharp—like a warning. Thorne stormed into the cafeteria, every pair of eyes turning toward him.

Whispers spread immediately. Some students wondered why he was coming to my table—despite dating for three months, he always insisted on keeping us private.

Which is why I don’t understand the reason he is now grabbing my hands in front of everyone, and dragging me out of the cafeteria.

“Ow, ow, ow!” I yelled as he hurled me and slammed me against the wall. “Thorne what’s gotten into you?”

“Why didn’t you tell me my brother is in your class?” he demanded, his silver eyes sharp enough to slice through me.

“Let me go! You’re hurting me!” I shoved him, and only then did his fingers loosen around my wrists.

“What’s the matter with you?” I gasped, heart racing.

“Answer me,” he said, and I flinched from his tone.

“How was I supposed to tell you anything when you weren’t even talking to me?” I asked, frowning. “And what happened to keeping our relationship a secret? Did you forget that while making a scene in public?”

“Did he talk to you?” Thorne’s voice was low, but there was a dangerous edge to it.

“What?” I blinked, more confused than ever.

“Did Theron fucking talk to you?” he yelled, and I nodded quickly. I had never seen him this worked up before.

“What did he say?” he demanded.

“Stop this madness!” I snapped back, raising my voice. “I don’t understand what you’re doing! I get that you don’t have a good relationship with him, but he’s my classmate! He even sits behind me… he just spoke to me, that’s all!”

Thorne’s breathing had become rough, he was staring down at me, and confusion etched in my face as my heart pounded in my chest.

I was about to ask if I could return back to my seat, when he suddenly grabbed my head, and slammed his lips against mine.

“Um…” I struggled in his embrace, as he shoved his tongue in my mouth, he wasn’t usually gentle whenever we kissed, but he wasn’t this rough as well.

Everything was wrong with the kiss.

His teeth grazed me, but he didn’t mind, he grip around me tightened, as his hands slipped inside my shirt.

“Ugh…uhm…” My protests were muffled in his mouth, as he began to grope me; with all the strength I have left in my body, I shoved him off of me.

In the heat of the moment, without thinking, my hands lifted and I threw a slap at his face.

The sharp sound echoed in the air, and we both stood frozen in the moment, I drew back my hands, my breath coming out in shaky pants.

“You animal!” I squealed before running off, wiping my lips and the tears that gathered in my eyes.

“Are you okay?” Lola asked curiously as I returned to class; she seemed to be waiting for me in front of the class, a frown formed in between her brows. “What happened, you’re trembling.”

Uh… nothing,” I muttered, my voice small. Surrounded by so many eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth—that I’d just been forcefully kissed by my own boyfriend. I dodged the prying eyes of the people as she led me to her desk.

In the end, it turns out she was right, I don’t want to have sex, I don’t even feel safe being intimate with him.

“Why did he call you?” She asked.

“He just… um… wanted to talk… about us,” I muttered, biting my lip as I tried to calm my pounding heart. “Don’t worry.”

She didn’t look convinced but she leaned closer to whisper something in my ears.

“Do you know you have library duty with Theron Adler after school?”