Chapter 3
Eden
My first real time alone with Sloane and I’m acting like a petulant child.
I’m not the type of person to sulk, really I’m not, but I have some childhood-related trauma where exercise is concerned.
I know Mr Porter thinks I’m just being an idle teenager, rebelling against authority and all that shit, but it’s not the case at all.
Back in good old England, when I was small, I had a severe case of asthma.
I needed inhalers daily, and sometimes simply walking up the stairs made it hard to breathe.
As I grew the symptoms lessened, which was ace…
until primary school, year six. We got a new PE teacher called Mr Michaels.
Ex-military with a real chip on his shoulder.
Now bear in mind we were like ten years old, and he was used to pushing grown ass men and women until they broke.
Well, I’m sure the picture is forming. Mr Michaels pushed us hard, way beyond my little lungs’ limits.
Breathing became hard again, and the more I complained, the harder he was. It got so bad I started throwing sickies just to miss his class. God knows what Headmaster Vicars was thinking by hiring him. The man was a fucking menace.
Anyway, my behaviour started going downhill fast, and yeah, I should have told another teacher or my parents, but like, I was ten and terrified of the dude.
Eventually, my parents stepped in when I randomly threw a temper tantrum at the school gates because they were making me go on a PE day.
It took a couple of hours in the headmaster’s office to get to the bottom of it.
When everyone was in the know, my dad went ballistic and threatened to get the school board involved.
Mr Michaels was suspended, and I developed a long-term hatred of exercise and people who tried to force it on others.
So that’s why Mr Porter drives me nuts, and why Sloane has had to put up with me being a mardy arse. I just don’t want to tell her all that.
But if I don’t, she’s going to think I’m an ass. Decisions, decisions.
We walk in silence for a while, which is quite nice. I tend to find the world too loud a lot of the time. Like, why does everyone always have to fill the quiet with noise?
I still can’t understand Sloane’s motives in this.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful she saved me from creepy Harley, but what is she getting out of it?
Porter would never fail her, not in a million years.
I can’t imagine she’s super pumped about spending time with me.
We haven’t exactly got a bunch in common or spoken more than a paragraph to each other over the entirety of our high school years.
Plus she’s super hot, which automatically makes me say and do stupid things. She must have a girlfriend who’s going to be pissed I’m taking up Sloane’s time, right? It’s simply not possible for someone as lovely as her to be single.
“How’s the pace?”
Oh right, she’s here with me, and I’m in my head. “Yeah, good.”
Come on Eden, you can do better than that!
“It’s quite nice around here without all the other students,” I say as an opener, hoping she’ll grab it and help me out a little. I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t. Maybe she’s already regretting her decision to buddy with me and just wants to get back to the gym where all her friends are.
“It’s rare to see it so still,” she replies. Her eyes scan the school grounds lazily. There’s a relaxed smile on her face, too. Weird.
“So, look,” I begin, because I feel bad about acting like a dick earlier. “I’m not just lazy.”
Sloane buries her hands in the front of her letterman jacket. Her head turns slightly my way, but she doesn’t give me her full attention. I kinda like that. It’s less pressure.
“The whole working out thing kinda triggers me, ya know.”
“I don’t know.” She smiles.
“Right, yeah, why would you?” I scratch the back of my neck.
It’s a nervous tick. “I had bad asthma when I was young. Turns out the teacher in my primary school thought he knew better than medical professionals and went above and beyond to push me. I’d started to grow out of by that time, but I’ve never had strong lungs, and his tactics only made things worse. ”
“Shit, Eden, that’s awful!”
“Tell me about it. Anyway, it was a whole thing, and it’s left some baggage.”
“This was back in the UK?”
I side-eye her to see if she’s genuinely interested. Hmm, seems so. “Yeah. We moved to the States nearly four years ago.”
“Did you still have asthma when you came over?”
“No. By the time I hit puberty it was all but gone.”
Sloane nods. “Your pouting makes more sense now.” She smiles.
“I didn’t pout.”
She throws her head back and laughs. Loudly. “You so did! Everyone in Holcroft knows how much you hate gym class.”
“And yet you still volunteered to be my class partner. Doesn’t seem so smart to me.” I grin.
This is a definite improvement. I’m actually holding a decent conversation.
“Or maybe it’s super smart! I’m thinking it’s gonna look great on my college applications. I did the impossible and made Eden Sawyer exercise. People at Holcroft will talk about it for years. I’ll be a legend.”
A very unattractive snort escapes my nose and throat. Whatever, she’s funny.
“Glad I can help cement you into the Holcroft Hall of Fame.”
I feel her hand on my forearm. Her face is more serious now. “Why didn’t you tell anyone? Porter wouldn’t have been such a hard ass if he’d known. The dude is exercise crazy, but he’s a decent teacher.”
I shrug. “I know, and I’m well aware I’ve made shit harder for myself. I just don’t like talking about it. Plus, I genuinely dislike the effects of exercise. Like, you enjoy the burn, right? When you’re running or doing those twirls in cheer.”
“Twirls?”
I roll my eyes. No, I don’t know the technical terms for being thrown about by classmates.
“You know what I mean. Anyway, that feeling…I hate it. There’s nothing but negative connotations when I think about my lungs burning.
I don’t get the euphoric high after a workout, just anxiety.
I’ve just got to get through this year and I’ll never have to worry about it again.
I thought I was free and clear until Porter concocted this bloody partner scheme. ”
Why is she smiling at me?
“I like it when you say bloody. All English and stuff.” She giggles. Actually giggles!
I feel my face warm up. “You can take the girl out of England, but not the shitty accent out of the girl.” I laugh. Sloane doesn’t. Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows furrow.
“You don’t like your accent?”
I shrug. “It’s basic.”
“I like it.”
Okay then.
We’ve come full circle, just in time for class to end and therefore the day.
I thought I’d be in a rush to leave, but it’s been nice hanging out with Sloane.
I had a feeling she’d be sweet, and I think I was right.
It’s refreshing to have a cheer captain who isn’t the mean girl.
That honour gets left to the captain of the soccer team.
We stop at the gym doors. “Well, thanks for the walk.”
She bites her lip, which I’m coming to see is Sloane’s version of my neck scratch. “I have a proposal.”
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
It’s her turn to roll her eyes. “It’s a win-win.”
I gesture for her to continue with a roll of my wrist and hand. I’m definitely not going to like this.
“Porter wants you to pass gym. I want you to pass gym. But not barely, I want you to enjoy it. Erase the bad memories and end high school…well, on a high.”
“But—”
“There’s this thing called Couch to 5k.”
“Yeah, I know it.”
“I want us to do that.”
Cocking my head to one side, I try to figure out which part of this Sloane thinks I’m going to agree to. So far, none of it is remotely appealing. If I can walk around the school every gym class and pass, that’s what I’m going to do.
“I can see you’re not sold.” Understatement. “But just process it before you say no.”
“But, why?” I laugh. “You heard my story, right?”
She’s bobbing her head, but her eyes are way too excited. “Yeah, which is why I think you should do this with me as a fuck you to the douche canoe of a coach you had when you were little.”
Rubbing my temples, I sigh. “But I don’t give a shit about him anymore.”
Sloane’s arm shoots out and grabs my bicep. Or what constitutes a bicep on my body. “You do, otherwise Porter getting you to do more than stroll on a treadmill wouldn’t trigger you so bad.”
“That’s frustration, Sloane. He’s picking me out of the crowd. Pia and Todd barely do more than me, but Porter’s only on my ass about it.”
“Eden, they at least change into sports gear.”
I’m getting frustrated. “Fuck, why is everyone up my arse about this?”
“Because we care,” Sloane shoots back.
“You don’t know me.” I laugh.
“I’m getting to know you,” she replies.
What in the fuck is going on? “Sloane…”
“Please, Eden. Just give it a shot. No more Porter up your arse, as you put it. We get to hang out and have some fun, and you pass gym class. I promise you, I’ll make it worth your while.”
Her eyes are the size of saucers. She’s doing the human equivalent of the Puss in Boots face. Totally not fair.
“Fine, but I have a condition of my own.”
“Shoot.”
I don’t know why I said that. I have no conditions because I really don’t want to do it, but she’s successfully broken me in record time.
“Art,” I blurt.
“Art?”
The word popped into my head and then fell out of my gob before I could really think it through.
“Yeah, you have to take lessons from me about art.”
“Eden, I possess zero artistic ability. Ms Billings lets me do other work in class because she knows I’m a lost cause.”
“And I have the athletic ability of egg salad, but here we are. Those are the T&Cs, Bishop. Take it or leave it.”
Sloane goes back to biting her lip and I fight the urge to swipe my thumb across it to stop her from hurting herself.
“Okay, it’s a deal. I’ll come up with a plan and get the go-ahead from Porter.”
“What exactly do you need the go-ahead for?”
“Because I plan to get you out of the next semester’s gym classes.”
“What?”
She’s nodding again, and I’m thoroughly confused.
“You’re doing something that you hate. Like literally hate, and I recognize that. If I can get you to do a 5k run by the beginning of our last ever semester at Holcroft, I think you should be allowed to skip class in the Spring.”
“That’s in like four months, Sloane. The end of this semester is in less than sixteen weeks.”
“Exactly. It will be super impressive.”
I’ve lost control of this whole situation. We’ve gone from walking together to training for a bloody five-kilometre run. Sloane is a sapphic witch! It’s the only explanation because there’s no way I would’ve agreed to any of this if she’d not cast some sort of witchy spell.
“I’m going to tell Porter. This is so exciting.”
“What? Sloane, wait!”
Too late, she’s bolted.
I’m still standing by the gym door when Pia and Todd come out smelling like the school locker room. Sweat and socks. They too have clearly chosen to shower at home.
“There you are. Did you bunk off?”
“Nope, I had a lovely stroll around the school with Sloane. Apparently, that’s what we’re doing now.”
“Wow, so she’s really working with Porter in a bid to get you to do something other than shuffle on a treadmill?”
“Yeah, can you believe it?”
Pia cackles, and Todd rolls his lips. Pia knows the real reason I hate gym, but that doesn’t stop her from enjoying Porter’s attempts and my predictable reactions. She’s got a dark sense of humour.
“That’s not the best of it,” I huff. “I’m being forced to run, Pia!”
Pia suddenly turns serious. “Hey, do you need me to step in?”
I love her for it. Pia would absolutely go to the mat for me if she thought for a second I was experiencing what I did back in primary school.
My hand goes to the back of my neck as I find the words to confess this is all a situation of my making and Sloane’s witchcraft.
“No, I agreed to it,” I whine.
We stare at each other for a beat. And then the laughing starts again.
“Oh my god, why?” she howls. I can see her picturing me in running gear.
I’d laugh myself if I wasn’t so horrified.
I’d also like the answer to her question.
I still can’t come up with a good enough reason that I somehow agreed to Sloane’s plan.
A plan which is wholly unnecessary. A plan which I still can’t figure out why Sloane is so committed to carrying out.
“I don’t know. Seriously, P, Sloane tricked me! Plus, I’m now giving her art lessons, which come to think of it, is way less taxing than my side of the deal.”
“Hey, are we going to the diner?” Bella calls. She’s got wet hair and smells a lot fresher than the rest of us.
We wait for Pia to get herself under control. She tells me the conversation isn’t over, which means the mocking isn’t over, before addressing Bella’s question.
“Can we meet in like an hour?” Pia asks. “I need to shower.” She shoots a not-so-subtle wink at Todd.
“Your mum and dad are away then?” I laugh. As soon as Pia’s parents travel, she and Todd go at it like bunnies. Her parents can be a little overbearing, but Pia plays the game well. When they’re in town, she’s the model daughter. Not so much when they’re in a different city, which is frequently.
“Two whole weeks.” Pia grins. Todd goes red.
“Do we need to stop at the pharmacy?”
It’s a sincere question. I take my friend’s safe sex lives seriously. Neither of them wants to be parents, and I’m too young to be an aunt. Best to check in and stock up on condoms. God knows Pia will forget in her horndog haze. Todd is usually reliable.
Todd clears his throat. “I have enough condoms to last until college, don’t worry.”
“And I’m securely on the pill,” Pia chimes in. She’s not so reliable with that either.
I clap Todd on the back. “Good man. Right then, I’ll see you all later. Bella, want to drop me off at home so I don’t have to endure this pair?”
Bella laughs and drags me away.