The Garden of Eden || Canis Canem Edit / Bully [ #WATTYS2018 ]

Chapter Eleven: Closer

It had been a week since Halloween. A week since Eden and Gary's confrontation with Bif Taylor. A week that seemed to pass by in a matter of seconds. There was something about those late summer days that entranced the couple. Maybe it was the steady waving of the grass, the long heads of golden seeds synchronising in calm ripples, as the teenagers walked each other to class. Maybe it was the soothing lullaby of the crickets that accompanied them every night, as Gary walked her to the dorm. Maybe it was even the warmth that spread over their bodies, with every light brush of their skin, that ached to feel contact. It was in those late summer days that Eden and Gary had grown incredibly close to one another.

He was by her side as much as possible. No matter how much Gary grumbled in apparent annoyance or dismay, he had become her personal bodyguard. From morning to night, he was ready to pounce on any man that dared to come an inch too close to her. Eden didn't mind. She enjoyed spending time with Gary. When the two of them were alone, they could freely be themselves around each other. Even as they snuggled up tight in the boy's dorm, all of their worries went flying straight out of the window.

That Wednesday afternoon was much like every other day that week. The full-figured girl sat comfortably beside him, her head on his shoulder, her relaxed expression illuminated only by the cooking show blaring on the TV. Gary stirred, a content sigh fluttering from his lips. His grip around her waist tightened, his body snuggling more into her body heat.

'I didn't even notice he fell asleep.'

She couldn't hide the small smile that crawled onto her lips. Bullworth Academy wasn't treating her so badly. Sure, it had its bad sides, like the drunk teachers, total lack of discipline and certain ginger-haired preppies - but, dare she think it, Eden was happy to have been sent there.

"Aw, isn't this just cute?" Jimmy made his presence known, stepping into the living room.

"How long have you been standing there Jim?" She drawled out with a tired sigh, not moving an inch away from Gary.

"Just got here ma'am!"

"Shh, don't wake the beast."

"You manage to tame that beast, somehow."

Eden tsked. "How corny."

"You're corny."

"That doesn't even make any sense-"

Gary shifted, letting out an exhausted groan. "Mmf, Eden..."

Jimmy instantly burst out into a fit of laughter, his hyena roar echoing throughout the little room. The said girl blushed deeply, her cheeks flushing a deep red as his grip tightened around her.

"Ugh, get off...." Gary murmured, shrugging her off.

She pouted playfully, straightening her form. "I was comfy."

He yawned tiredly, ruffling around his mocha mane, as his hooded eyes fell on the chuckling Jimmy. "Obviously, you were only comfy because you were crushing me, moron."

A flash of burning hot rage flashed across Eden's mind. Her face hardened at his words. The 'tough guy' act was back. The second someone else came around the two of them, all gone was any moment of sentiment or kindness. Gone were any begrudgingly muttered words of reassuring care or compassion. Gary Smith had a reputation to uphold. He was a sociopath. He lacked any empathy, with each insult he hissed out.

"You weren't complaining before." Eden retorted.

"How could I complain when your fat ass was crushing me?" He spat back coldly, reclining lazily on the tattered lounge.

Pang. Her heart panged. It was a deep hit like someone had taken a baseball bat and slammed it against her ribcage. Gary had pushed the right button to aggravate the usually stoic girl. She shot up to her feet, blazing emerald eyes piercing daggers through his own. If looks could kill, he would be six feet underground. He would be much safer buried underneath all that dirt, dead or alive, than in the same room as the furious girl.

"Do you take a second to think before you speak? Learn how to treat people around you properly, maybe then no one would think of you as the school sociopath."

His deep chocolate eyes turned cold, an indescribable swirl of copper and steel, as he stood up. "Hmm, what's better Eden? Being thought of as a sociopath, or a trust fund slut?"

Jimmy looked at Gary. Then Eden. Back at Gary. Then at the little mice that sneaked out of the doorway. Without another word, he followed its lead and scampered out of the room, mumbling about homework.

"How am I a slut? Please explain what I have done, to make you think that?" Her voice raised an octave louder.

"You're constantly hanging around guys, for one."

"Guys. Petey, Jimmy and you."

"How do I know that you haven't slutted around with Jimmy, huh? Or turned that femboy into an actual man?" His questions were an incessant hailstorm of accusations, as he approached her.

"Because I haven't!" She was shouting.

"And what, I'm just meant to believe you?"

"You should trust me Gary like I trust you!"

Eden's back hit the wall. Dust particles fluttered into the air, pieces of murky peeled paint landing on the floorboards beneath them. Gary stopped in his tracks. His brain took a good second to process what she had just said.

"You trust me?" The words sounded foreign, otherworldly on his tongue.

"I do." She replied. "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't be here."

The two teenagers stood almost chest to chest, eyes staring into each other's souls. Their argument grew from nothing but spiralled into a tornado. The heat in Eden's voice was as tangible as the rays of sun that shone through the dirty window. Gary couldn't touch it, but he could feel it. It was a small fire, his words adding kindling until it licked up the walls of her throat, and she couldn't choke back her words for another second longer.

Gary hummed in appreciation. "What chapstick do you use?"

"Cherry, why?"

"I need to confirm my suspicions." He chimed back playfully.

"Confirm your..." She trailed off.

He gazed from her eyes to her plump lips, silently asking the girl for permission. Eden's breath hitched in her throat, her heartbeat nothing more than a thunderous roar in her ears. She nodded. Gary took one small step, closing the gap.

He pressed his smooth lips against her. A simple action that sent her heart into a frenzy. Pleasurable goosebumps spread across her skin as Gary's strong arms wove themselves around her waist. It was picturesque. It was perfect. It was them. His tongue slid into her mouth, exploring every inch, claiming it in a fevered frenzy. She whimpered, tentatively wrapping her arms around his neck. Her fingers dived into his hair, tugging him closer. The kiss deepened. The two teenagers were jigsaw pieces, but together, they finished the puzzle.

Gary sucked softly on her tongue, the odd feeling making her giggle. A boyish grin spread across his lips, her melodious laughter resonating throughout the room, as he pulled back. Gary stared into her eyes, she was a deer caught in headlights.

"How was that?"

"It was nice." She whispered softly, averting her gaze as her cheeks heated up.

"Just nice?"

"Very nice."

He rolled his eyes at her answer, pecking her lips once more. "You look like a tomato."

"That makes two of us." Eden teased the taller boy, poking his reddish cheeks.

He snaked his muscular arms back around her shorter frame, enveloping her in a warm hug. She reciprocated, hugging him tightly.

'We just kissed. God, what does that mean? Does he like me? No, he couldn't, don't be so daft Eden. He couldn't. This is just, situational... It isn't. Do I like him? No, I can't. I can. I shouldn't. I'm not sure. I haven't been very sure about a lot of things lately, it's unbecoming of me. All I know is that being here makes me happy.'