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

Chapter Fifty-One: Catalyst

After staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours Eden had finally drifted to sleep, snoring like a gale blowing through a hollow tree. She spent the afternoon in the best way possible - sleeping the day away, wrapped up in her silk sheets. The fabric was luxurious, caressing her aching muscles and grazing even the tiniest hairs on her skin. Fanning out across her pillow were chocolate curls, a knotted mess with a few strands slick with perspiration.

As she lay in her bed, her nose was nuzzled into Gary's pillow and she inhaled his scent with every breath she took. It was intoxicating but it was comforting, chasing away her worries and even her nightmares as she slept. Eden Milenko was, for the first time in a long time, carefree. Calm, tranquil - everything she was prior to her arrival at Bullworth Academy.

Suddenly, a loud bang. Then another. Eden's eyes flashed open like two light beams, darting around the room. Drawing in a deep breath of air, her hand flung to grasp her thumping heart as it threatened to jump out of her chest. There was another bang, the door shuddering under the force. Someone, or something, really wanted to get in. Or rather, her attention.

"Eden!"

"Mandy?" She whispered, staggering out of bed.

She blinked, her vision blurry as she stumbled towards the door. Nearly tearing the door off its hinges, she flung it open. Standing there before her was Mandy, amber eyes wide and glossy. Eden took in the sight for a second, as she rubbed sleep from the corner of her eyes.

"Yes?" She mumbled a greeting.

"Eden, all hell has broken loose!"

Emerald eyes bored into her friend, lifting an eyebrow in contingency. She found this unlike as just a while ago, things were normal.

"Uh-huh, right."

"Don't 'uh huh' me, I'm being serious!"

"Well then, I'll go down and see this."

"Trust me, you do not wanna do that." Mandy tugged at her hand, pulling her down the hallway.

Eden's mind couldn't help but flicker back to Gary as her heart fought with the rising panic that bubbled up within. 'This has to be a prank, right? This is something too stupid to joke about. What if Gary's fighting Jimmy as we speak? No, he said he was coming straight back...'

They stepped into Mandy's room, her grip not loosening until her friend had hauled her over to the window sill. The fruity scent of strawberries and floral perfume wafted into Eden's nose, permeating her senses as she leaned on the arched-shaped window. Resting her hands on the wood, flakes of chipped eggshell paint stabbed into her skin.

"Look..."

And Eden did just that. The glare of the sun's rays blinded her momentarily but once the ivory flares subsided, she wished she hadn't woken up. Her heart leapt to her throat, covering her gaping mouth. Non-clique students were fighting the Nerds, who were fighting the Jocks, who were fighting the Preppies, who were fighting the Greasers - who were fighting anyone. It was an all-out brawl, taking no prisoners for mercy. Blood speckled the pavement like raindrops, fallen students curled up into little balls either knocked out or nursing their injuries.

"This... this is insane! Mandy, what happened?" Her voice wavered as she spoke, eyes fastened to the chaos unfolding.

"I spoke to Ted and like apparently, Jimmy's not delivering up on his promises?"

"What promises exactly?"

"Jimmy promised to bring peace to the school..." Mandy's tone was tense, eyelids drooping. "That graffiti he did on City Hall, went against everything he stood for. It was like a trigger for everyone to just go crazy. Why should they be peaceful if their leader isn't?"

Eden shook her head disapprovingly, facing her friend. "That's absurd. They shouldn't all be fighting just because one person can't keep their promises."

"Well, I don't know." Her shoulder lifted in a half shrug. "A lot of people here looked up to Jimmy. I guess you could say he was like, a symbol of hope. He helped a lot of people but now that he's done this, everyone wants him dead."

She blew out her cheeks, a sigh drawling out through gritted teeth. "How... did everyone find out that it was Jimmy?"

Eden knew the answer before Mandy even said it.

"Gary told us."

'I should have known.' Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes returned to the disturbing scene just outside their dormitory. Vance was throwing punch after punch at Algernon, who was running away from Damon, who had just given a beating to Gord. All of this is because of Gary. All of this is because of Jimmy.

'This isn't going to end well for either of them. Jimmy and Gary both are going to lose, to some degree. Sooner or later they're going to have their little showdown, and then what? What will happen after? What will become of Bullworth Academy?' All these questions but Eden knew no matter who she asked, she would never get an answer.