6. Eden
EDEN
Iwas an actual idiot.
Could I use Alana’s help so I had even the slightest chance of not ruining my sister’s baby shower? Sure. Was somehow starting rumors that we were dating the way to ask her for her help? Definitely not.
I wasn’t even sure how that happened or why I did it.
One second, Brittany was annoying me, and the next, I declared Alana my girlfriend. I didn’t even know Alana. Well, I knew of her, but did I know the girl? No.
And yet I couldn’t stop myself from proposing a deal, or trying to anyway.
“You want to get less shy, right?” I asked, cocking my head at Alana. “Let me teach you. In return, you’ll give me baking lessons.”
She was hesitant, but of course she would be. That girl was the epitome of shyness. For all she knew, I could’ve been playing with her. My offer to help her with something she’d likely been struggling with all her life could’ve been solely for my gain.
She couldn’t trust me quite yet.
Her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as she considered my deal. “I don’t know, Eden…” Her voice trailed off, uncertainty evident in her eyes as she tried to gauge whether I was being genuine or just trying to fuck with her head.
“I understand that you’re unsure,” I said, feeling a super strange wave of guilt wash over me for putting her on the spot like this. But I was desperate at this point. “I shouldn’t have sprung it on you so suddenly. Forget I even mentioned it.”
Failing this one chance I had was all on me. If I truly wanted Alana’s help, I should’ve known better. Proposing a deal such as the one I had required a different kind of trust. She would’ve had to open herself up and enter a whole new world—one I was sure she’d never seen before.
Alana would have been vulnerable with me, while all I had to do was not burn down the house.
Aside from that, it was pretty rude of me to call her my girlfriend to get rid of Brittany.
If only I’d simply asked for her help.
But to my surprise, Alana’s hesitant expression softened, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
“No, it’s not that… It’s just… Look, there’s this guy I like, and thanks to you starting rumors, I’ll never have a chance with him.
He’s also the only reason Asiya wants me to be more confident. ”
That didn’t sound like a problem to me, unless… “Is he one of those nerd guys you talked to at the party?”
“No?” Her eyebrows drew together in confusion, like she had no idea which guys I was even talking about.
But, since, according to her, he wasn’t one of those guys, there was literally nothing that could’ve stopped whoever she wanted from reaching out. Especially when he thought she was my girlfriend.
If I wanted someone, 80 percent of the guys on campus were ready to have her, too. The last twenty were either gay, faithful, or at least decent enough not to try to steal her while we were still dating.
“Who’s he then?”
“That’s none of your business,” she snapped.
I swallowed a chuckle. “Well, I can’t help you get him if I don’t know who the target is.”
I totally could, but I was curious. Some guys took more effort than others.
Alana sighed, nodding to herself. “Austin…”
“Austin who?” It was a pretty common name, no?
“Bennett.”
“Bennett?” I laughed, then slapped my hand to my mouth to force myself to stop. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just that Bennett is far from who I imagined you having the hots for.”
Bennett was quite something. But hey, if she thought he was good-looking or date-worthy, then so he was, apparently.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alana leaned against the sink counter.
“He’s the captain of the football team, no?
” He was, I knew that. I knew Austin too well for my linking.
Okay, I might not have known Austin personally too well, but I knew the stupid things he pulled all the time.
“You’re a wallflower, Ally-Bear, while he’s, well, Bennett.
For that guy to notice you, you’re in desperate need of more confidence…
Or you need a boyfriend who’s more liked than him. Both are even better.”
I wasn’t even kidding. Austin preferred my leftovers.
The moment he found out Alana was my girlfriend, he’d slowly find an interest in her, so she barely even had to do anything to make him like her.
That was probably not the true love she was hoping for, but it was all she was going to get from Austin stupid Bennett.
And that wasn’t my problem anyway.
For years now, Austin had always been with my exes. He could never be me, but he sure tried.
Her jaw tensed, and I could watch as her brain was working to process what I was saying. “And why exactly would that be?”
“Between every woman out there who throws herself at Bennett at any possible chance, you’re invisible.
He’s too busy watching everyone fight for his attention, enjoying it even.
Why would he fight for someone who’s not on his radar when he has multiple to choose from?
I can, however, draw his attention to you. ”
Apparently, I was really good at drawing attention from other guys to my girlfriends. Austin especially.
But I was being truthful. Austin didn’t have to work to get it, so why would he? He only ever started reaching out first when it was my girlfriend he wanted. And even then, he always got her.
Not because he was handsome or anything. In my humble opinion, he was no better looking than roadkill. But he was an athlete. He was charming, or some would lie. He was easy to have.
“You make him sound like such a bad guy,” she almost snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.
I made him sound like a bad guy? He did that all on his own.
“He’s not exactly a friend of mine, Ally-Bear. I don’t know the guy beyond what I see and hear. But you can tell me all about how wrong I am once you’re officially his girlfriend.”
If Austin ever agreed to anything with a title for longer than a few weeks.
Alana nodded softly, barely. “I’d only have to give you baking lessons?”
“Yup.”
“How would we even start this whole thing?”
Relief flooded through me as I realized she was actually willing to give my ridiculous deal a chance.
“We can start slow,” I suggested. I could survive another two weeks without baking lessons.
“Maybe we could meet up for coffee later or tomorrow and just have a chat about it? We can discuss how far you’re willing to go and what exactly I need from you. ”
I had to get to my next class, so we couldn’t have discussed this any further right now. I was a lot of things, but never late for my classes.
She nodded again, faintly, taking shallow breaths.
“No pressure, of course,” I quickly added. “No expectations either. Just two people getting to know each other.”
Alana seemed to consider it for a moment longer before nodding again. “Okay. I can do coffee. Tomorrow after classes.”
“It’s a date.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I mentally kicked myself in the ass.
It’s a date? What was I thinking?
Alana’s eyes widened in surprise at my slip-up, and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.
Smooth, Eden. Real smooth.
Contrary to what I thought Alana was going to do next—panic mostly—she giggled. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said softly before walking past me to exit the restroom.