Eden High: Series 1 (Eden High 1-6)

“I agree Tammy, I’m thinking that’s a no-no Sian, the last time you crossed that particular species he had you wearing the equivalent to a sack the whole day, I would hate to see his reaction to your taking off his ring so his ex skank don’t see it.”

“You’re not helping Belle, seriously; I just want to enjoy the feeling a little longer before having to deal with her drama.”

That was true up to a point, I really did want at least a few days to enjoy my new status, but another part of me was sick and tired of all the attention Mandy was getting these days.

It might be negative, but it was still attention. The first thing I’d learned in those extra credit college level Psych one oh one classes I’d taken the year before, was that any attention to an attention junky was good.

I didn’t want Jace wasting another minute thinking about her. Cass’s snarly voice broke me out of my little inner musings.

“I agree with the others, you shouldn’t hide it, and not just because it will piss Jace off, but because it’s stupid. I mean why should you have to hide from her, who the hell is she anyway?” she went on to have a very un-Cass like oral performance that left the rest of us stunned until she quieted down.

“Uh Cass, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m sorry to spew all over you Sian especially now when you’re so happy, but she just makes me grrrrr. I mean just because she’s pretty doesn’t mean that she can just take anything she wants, it’s selfish and unkind and I hate people like that...”

“Whoa Cass.” I had to stop her when she started to hyperventilate. “Go get your inhaler babe we’ll wait.” She put the phone on hold and went to find her medicine.

“Okay do either of you know what the hell is going on with her?” that reminded me that I kept forgetting to have a serious talk with her.

“Probably nothing more than Mandy being Mandy, she’s probably been picking on our girl.”

“You mean lately, since she’s been hanging out with us?”

“Could be, I haven’t seen anything but you have to admit that was more than spouting off, there was some serious heat behind those words.”

“You’re right Belle, we’d better get to the bottom of it, don’t say anything yet though let me talk to her alone first.”

“Sure thing no problem.”

Cass came back on the phone and we avoided any mention of Mandy for the rest of our conversation, which was fine by me.

In the last few days I was getting less and less impressed with her and her abilities to have any sort of impact on my life.

I figured the only power she had was whatever I gave her, so I’ve decided not to give her anymore. I want all of Jace’s attention on me from now on, not on his psycho ex and her shenanigans.

After spending hours on the phone with my three new besties, I took tons of pics to send to my girls back home. That was only another ten minutes on the phone because most of them weren’t home on a Friday night.

Mom and dad hadn’t hunted me down after Jace left to forbid me to ever leave the house again, so I felt pretty sure that we were safe.

Now I could take a breath and relive my amazing evening. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself for the longest time, trying to see the difference.

The only difference I could see was the rock on my finger and I had to wonder if Jace hadn’t timed it like that on purpose.

Then it hit me, I’m engaged; how did this happen? I just got here like five seconds ago. Maybe there was some truth to that Hollywood fairy dust nonsense after all.

My phone rang with his special ringtone and my heart felt as if it would burst in my chest. I wonder how long before that ended? Before the butterflies went away each time he called or each time I saw him.

“Hello.”

“Hi baby, before I forget, look in the pocket of your bag, there’s a tube of ointment there that’s for you to rub into your vagina to help ease the sting.”

“Embarrassing.” I rummaged through the outside pockets of my bag and found the tube of antibiotic ointment.

“Why is that embarrassing baby, I’m the one responsible for your discomfort, so I should be the one taking care of it don’t you think?”

“Maybe, but still; who thinks about these things anyway?” I don’t recall this part of the story telling from any of my girls after they’d lost their V-card.

“I do, I wish I was the one taking care of you, but I don’t think your parents are ready for sleepovers yet, I’m working on it though.”

“Jace.”

“Yeah baby?”

“Thank you.” I felt tears clog my throat and held them back because I didn’t want him to know what an absolute baby I was being right now.

“For what babe?”

“This evening, my ring, everything, it was perfect, you made it perfect.”

It felt like a while before he finally answered. “It was my pleasure princess.”

We stayed on the phone for hours, neither of us wanting to let the other go.

I could barely get to sleep after we finally rang off in the early hours of the morning. I never wanted to sleep again, never wanted the most magical day of my life to end.

The next day, as soon as it was decent, he was there to get me. I met him in what I was beginning to think of as our spot, at the side of the house where the garbage pails were kept.

Not the most romantic setting but it gave us some privacy. “I missed you so fucking much.” His mouth was inhaling mine before I had a chance to answer.

It was so easy to get lost in him, but thankfully my brother thought it was fun to douse us with cold water just when things were really starting to heat up.