Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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The early Saturday morning sun shines down on me through the newly opened curtain. I smile at the warmth on my pale face and decide to open my sleepy eyes. I see that Kierra is still asleep in the bed beside me, Tanya is gone --showering I assume as I can hear running water-- and Remi is sitting up on her bed, reading her own battered copy of Lord of the Rings. I look around at my own wall and realize it's not so bare anymore. I have put a few posters of some band members and some of my favorite pieces of art. There isn't much to it yet, but it's getting there.


This first week I've been here has been an exciting one, well nothing really too exciting has happened, but just being here is excitement enough for me. Tanya, Remi, Kierra, and I have become even better friends. I wouldn't tell Tanya and Remi, but I feel closest to Kierra. She seems to be the most understanding. She knows what it's like to have a life threatening charm, one that can hurt yourself and more importantly others. She hasn't told me whether or not she has taken lives (to be fair I haven't told anyone but Nate that I have) but I feel as if she has. She has a darker past than the others do, and reminds me a lot of myself.

I've also grown somewhat closer to Nathaniel. He has become slightly more open with me and doesn't restrain himself as much. There's still distance and secrets that he's keeping, but he hasn't felt the need to share them with me yet. Honestly, I'm okay with that, right now I just want to be his friend. The girls have sorta excepted me being his friend, but they still don't want to be his. I rotate days in which I sit with him and with them during meals and I usually do my homework with him, since we are in all the same levels of classes. 

I quietly pull my feet out from under the covers and stretch, letting out a satisfying yawn. I then look at Kierra's sleeping figure, hair in a mess and mouth dripping slight drool onto the pillow, with an evil grin. I tip toe to the edge of her bed and look at Remi, who feels my gaze and looks up from her reading, a silent laugh growing on her face as I press a finger to my lips in a gesture of silence.

I count to three in my head before pouncing on Kierra's bed, earning a loud shriek. She bolts up right, breathing heavily. All the candles in the room have lit up, flames dancing happily. 

"You suck!" She exclaims, hitting me with a pillow. I roll onto my back and cradle my ribs in hysterical laughter. I hit her back with the pillow before jumping off her bed.

"Come on, get up! We are going to Eden today remember?" I smile at her while digging through my drawers to find an outfit to wear. She stretches her arms back in a yawn, letting out a squeak. 

The bedroom door opens and Tanya emerges in a towel, hair dripping water onto the carpet. "Okay, out y'all I've gotta get dressed." She says and we all scurry into the living room. Kierra immediately flips on the T.V. to see what shows she can find. A lot of them are children's shows, it being a Saturday morning. I walk into the bathroom and shut the door behind me with my clothes, shower for a few minutes, get out to brush my teeth and hair, and get dressed in a white t-shirt, a pumpkin orange sweater that I leave half unbuttoned, a black scarf, and some brown boots. It's supposed to be quite windy today, so I go ahead and pull my white mane into a pony tail that still flows almost to the mid section of my back. I put on some makeup and decide I am happy with my outfit. I come out of the bathroom to see Remi and Kierra have gathered their clothes and are sipping some coffee on the couch while watching a show I don't know the name of. 

"Who's next?" I ask cheerily, pouring my own cup of coffee. I breathe a laugh as I see the two girls start a battle of rock, paper, scissors. 

"No fair!" Kierra pouts at her loss. "You can read my mind."

"And you could technically set me on fire unless you won but you didn't." Remi pats her on the head on her way to the bathroom. "Maybe next time!"

"Haha,very funny!" Kierra calls over her shoulder as Remi closes the door to the bathroom. I laugh as I plop down beside Kierra, a few drops of coffee daring to jump out of my cup. After blowing on it I take a grateful sip. 

"So, what in all is there to do in Eden?" I ask as we stare at the T.V., although not completely sure what is going on in the show.

"Um, well," Kierra starts, shifting on the couch to face me. "it's run by lots of charms, so we won't have to worry about hiding our powers too much. There are just lots of cool shops and restraunts to go in, there is this one ice cream place where this guy who has the charm of Bending Air, and he puts on this amazing show where he throws the ice cream around and mixes it with whatever toppings you like. It's wicked cool." She tells me excitedly. "And... he's super cute." She whispers with a giggle. I laugh out loud.

"You think everybody is cute."

"Yeah, but he really is!"

"I'll just have to see for myself then."

After Remi and Kierra get finished showering, we grab our bags and keys and head out the door and down for breakfast. For some reason, I absolutely love the fact they still serve meals on weekends, and I'm super excited for my first weekend here. I don't know why that makes me so happy, it just does. I guess because, after my mom died, my dad would have too much of a hangover on Saturday and Sunday mornings to make me meals, so I had to do it myself.

We make it to the dinning hall and I can't believe what I see. Most kids, are still in their pj's. Some are even wearing onesi's with the feet and hoods and everything. I look at myself and feel a little under dressed. I tell myself that tomorrow I'll have to come in my pj's. 

"Well, I'm going to sit with Nathaniel, meet back up in an hour?" I say after I have piled my plate full of waffles and sausage, a cup of orange juice in my hands.

"Yep." They all reply in unison. "Be careful." Kierra adds, as she always does when I go to be with Nate. I give a silent wave of appreciation and head towards the small round table in the back, where I'm glad to see that Nate is already there. Some people still look at me as I go to sit with him, but most of them have gotten over it already. Or I assume they have because the stares have become less frequent.

"Hey!" I greet Nate as I fall into the wooden seat. I can see he is still wearing his pj's, plaid pants and a black t-shirt, the first time I've seen him without his sweater. I honestly don't see the point in wearing only a t-shirt though, as his arms have arm warmers up them all the way to his shoulders. His hair is extremely messy and he looks very sleepy.

"I still can't believe you made me get up so early on a Saturday." He grumbles, chewing on a piece of toast. 

"Hey, you're the one who insisted on having breakfast with me." I grin, taking a bite of my own sausage. The grin stays on my face as I chew, and widens when he looks up at me with a smile, green eyes sparkling with a rare happiness.

"That is true." 

"I really wish you would come." I tell him for, at least, the tenth time since Thursday. 

"I know your friends don't like me--"

"are afraid of you." I correct before he continues.

"right, and I know it won't be fun for them if I do go. Me and you will have to go sometime." He tells me, but then realizes what he has said as a blush creeps onto his normally pale face. "That is, if you want."

I reach over the table and shove him playfully in the arm. He recoils, but only a tad bit out of habit. Other than that small bit of rejection, he allows me to touch him. During the very first two days or three of our friendship --although there hasn't been very many-- he wouldn't let me touch him period, even though I only touch what's covered in cloth. I really want to find a way to help him. I make a mental note to grab some books on it when I get back from Eden, and propose the idea to him tomorrow. I have this strange urge to touch his face, or his fingertips, and I think it's because of the fact that I can't. Strange how your mind works, isn't it?

Nate and I talk, or attempt to talk since he is so sleepy, for the rest of the hour until I get a text from Kierra telling me that they are dumping their plates. 

"Well, I guess I better go. They are waiting on me." I sigh and get up out of my chair, throwing my leather bag over my shoulder.

"Okay," Nate says, and then grabs my hand to keep me from leaving, which is the first time he's willingly touched me. "but hey, I was thinking that, maybe, since curfew doesn't set in until one on weekends that maybe, you could... I don't know, come by my dorm when you get back? I have some games and stuff and maybe we could work on that essay that's due Tuesday or something." He throws the words out of his mouth and gives me a nervous smile. I laugh.

"Of course I will silly. I'll text you when we start to head back and we could meet outside the school maybe?" I raise my eyebrow, waiting for an answer. He honestly seems shocked that I agree, which is strange, why would I have any reason to deny him?

"Oh-- uh, sure, yeah. I'll see you then." He gives me a wry smile.

"See you then." I repeat and pat him on the shoulder before taking off in the direction of the trashcan to dump my plate, and then meet up with the girls outside of the school doors. I give them a smile in which they return as we start towards the bridge.

"So, what were you and Nate talking about right there at the end... You know, when he grabbed your hand." Tanya asks, wiggling her eyebrows at me. 

"Oh shut up!" I shove her slightly. "He was just asking if I would like to come to his dorm to hang out and stuff after we get back."

"Wait what?" Remi starts, a hint of concern in her voice. "You're going to go to his dorm?"

We step onto the bridge. "Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

Remi opens her mouth to say something, but Kierra stops her. "We are just worried for you, that's all."

"I know he's dangerous, but I am being super careful." I explain to my worried friends. "Seriously guys, I'll be fine. But thanks for the concern, I really do appreciate it."

That's the last we talk of Nathaniel for now. I follow them as they lead the way. Instead of going onto the road where Thomas and I came from a week before, we turn towards a thicket of trees, ones that aren't as eerie as the Raina forest, that are spread apart for a pathway like the sea spread apart for Moses. As we start down this pathway, which is wide enough for at least four or five people, I realize other's are going the same way. They told me it's only about a twenty minute walk, but honestly it looks like this path goes on forever.

After about fifteen minutes we make a left, where we could have kept going straight forward into even more trees. As we walk the trees thin and a town comes into my vision. The stone pathway leads out of the trees and directly onto a brick sidewalk. There doesn't seem to be that many places for cars, but mostly for walking pedestrians. I can't keep my mouth closed. Kierra laughs at me.

"Beautiful isn't it?" 

"Yeah it is." I reply simply, unable to tear my eyes away. The town looks modern, but it isn't filled with skyscrapers and metal buildings, but buildings made out of beautiful bricks and stones, and wonderful street lamps that look to be out of the 50's. There are many benches and patches of grass and trees to lay under during the summer. And this is only the beginning.

As we continue to walk I see restaurants that have pretty round tables with umbrellas sitting outside, enclosed by fences. I can't help staring at a couple with a young child, both of them speaking fluently in a language I think is Irish. Both of them cooing over their sleeping baby as they feed each other crescents. I look to the other side of me and realize that there is a flowing river with bridges leading to more stops on the other side. I've also found out in my week in this place that the lake our school is on is connected to an ocean, which means there is lots and lots of water. I make another mental note to ask Nate if we are allowed to visit the beaches during the summer, I hear that the other side of this town leads off onto the beach!

"So, where to you want to go to first?" Tanya pulls me out of my trance.

"Wherever sounds good to you guys." 

We end up stopping at the ice cream place, which is called Eden Marble Slab Creamery, because they chop up the ice cream on a cold marble slap, when it's not being tossed around in the air that is. I order myself a vanilla ice cream with strawberries. I watch in awe as the man, who is indeed very cute with curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes, tosses the ice cream and strawberries both in the air and somehow mixes them together, ending with throwing it into my bowl and having a spoon land on top. I feel obliged to clap a little once he's done, and he gives me a satisfied grin and what seems to be a wink. I blush thoroughly.

"Did you see the way he smiled at you!" Kierra exclaims, mouth full of cream as we walk down the street. "He freaking winked at you!"

"Oh shut up." I grin, trying to savor my ice cream. The creamy vanialla and juicy strawberries make me want to groan with satisfaction. Never before have I had such delicious ice cream. I promise myself that I will take Nate there, if he hasn't been already.

Next we shop at a little antique store, one that Remi had to beg Tanya and Kierra to go in. They were groaning about how boring it is in there, but honestly I think it's beautiful. There are so many old things that shine bright in real silver and gold, old clocks that no longer tick, and vanity mirrors. Remi ended up having to pull me out of there. I didn't buy anything, but if I could I would've bought the whole store.  

There is this small toy store that I pull them into, I am sixteen yes but it looks so pretty on the outside I just had to see the inside. Even in my teenage years I can't help but freak out as I walk into this store. It packed with selves upon selves of toys, stuffed animals stashed in places, a large train that goes around the entire store including wrapping around the spiral stair case, it even admits puffs of smoke every few seconds and whistles quietly. Another thing that I find very amusing is a large bubble gum machine that puts the gum through many loops, hills, holes, and wheels before getting to the bottom. We all look very out of place in a shop that is filled with small children.

Excitedly, after we leave the toy store, the girls pull me into a candy shop, one that reminds me so much of Honey Duke's Sweet Shop from Harry Potter I could almost scream. None of the sweets are magical or are charmed by the charms here because of the humans that come in here, but they might as well be. The shop is so large that it has three floors. They have everything from ever lasting flavor gum, chocolate doves (that you can make fly if you have the animation charm as Tanya informs me), rock candy, Jolly Ranchers, to super sour jaw breakers. It's truly amazing. I end up buying a two pound back of candy, costing about twenty bucks. I am surprised when the woman takes American money, until I remember what they told me about the currency in this town, they'll take money no matter what country it's from.

Bags now filled with candy, we leave for a restaurant, which is nothing really special besides the view. It's hanging over the river, so it's like eating on water. After we've had our fill, we decide to stop at a few clothing stores before our day is over. I don't buy much, besides a few shirts. The other girls are the same way, we spend most of our time just talking and trying on stuff that is way too expensive. 

"So, what are you and Nate going to do in his dorm tonight anyways?" Kierra grins at me as I try on a jacket and am examining myself in the mirror.

"Um, he said he has some video games, maybe we will start on that essay that's due for Charms History on Tuesday, I don't know really." I reply, taking off the jacket. "This jacket looks weird with my hair..."

"You like him don't you." She asks, somehow sounding both excited but also scared and frightened.

"I mean he seems to be a really good friend and stuff so... Whoa, this is way too expensive." I put a shirt back that I was looking at with a longing expression.

"You're avoided the question!" She says in a sing song voice, causing my cheeks to turn red.

"I don't know, okay." I laugh. "I mean he's cute and stuff, but we are just friends."

Kierra throws her hands up in defense. "Okay, okay. Probably for the best anyways." At that moment Remi is pushed back out of the dressing room by Tanya, wearing a leather jacket that is very unlike her personality.

"Doesn't this look great on her?!" Tanya pleads for our opinions. We both exchange smiles and nods of approval.

"I don't know guys, it seems to, bad girl, for me." Remi says, looking in the mirror again, and then lets out a sigh. "And is seventy dollars, how about no."

By the time we get done with shopping for clothes, the sun has started to set, casting a beautiful golden glow over the town. I go ahead and text Nate, telling him that we are heading back. Within just a minute or two I get a simple, yet friendly text back saying:

"can't wait, meet you there :)"


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Author's Note

Thanks for reading!