Free Finding Eden by Camilla Beavers Page B

Evaughn as I step out the door.
    I walk out of the house,
my purse dangling on my elbow. My eyes, despite my clumsiness, are
glued to my phone as I’m dialing Evaughn’s phone number.
I walk down a step and slam into something, my cell phone clattering
to the ground. Then I feel the tug on the back of my brain.
    A hand reaches down and
picks up my phone and a familiar smoke smell scent enters my nose.
    “ Here you go.”
    “ Thank you,”
I say.
    I look up at Sahariel,
goose bumps receding from my body.
    “ I'm sorry,”
he says, “you know, for earlier. I'm just stressed out is all.”
    “ It's okay,”
I say, “just don't do it again.”
    He laughs.
    “ Understood,”
he says.
    I hear the front door
open behind me and I freeze.
    “ Eden, I just
wanted to tell y‒” I hear dad say.
    I cringe and turn around
slowly, embarrassingly aware of the small amount of space between
Sahariel and me. I look at dad and he just stares at Sahariel.
    “ Good evening,
James,” Sahariel says.
    I look up at him. How
does he know my dad’s first name?
    “ Hello, Sahariel,”
dad says.
    My head whips around and
I stare at dad, my mouth hanging open.
    “ I guess it’s
about that time then, huh?” Dad asks.
    “ I’m afraid
so,” I feel Sahariel shift behind me.
    “ Wait. What?”
What the hell is going on? “You two know each other?” My
eyes dart back and forth between the two men.
    “ Sahariel, would
you like to join us for dinner?” Dad asks.
    “ I think that would
probably be best,” Sahariel says.
    “ You two are
insane,” I say and step away from Sahariel, my mind moving at a
hundred miles an hour, never stopping on one idea for more than a
millisecond, “I’m going shopping.”
    I walk away from them and
to my car. As I’m driving, I call Evaughn, telling her I have a
shopping emergency. An hour later I’ve picked Evaughn up and we
are at the mall ready to shop.

Chapter
Eleven
    “ Maybe it’s
some sort of business thing,” Evaughn suggests as she looks
through racks of dresses, “I mean, your dad is a lawyer and
all, maybe he is hiring Sahariel as an aid or something.”
    “ Yeah, maybe,”
I hold a dress up to myself, “how about this one?”
    Evaughn looks at the
shimmery, emerald green dress that I’ve held up to myself, “How
nice of a restaurant are we talking about?”
    “ Uh,” my eyes
graze the ceiling, “the guys would require a tie sort of
fancy.”
    “ Then yeah,”
she says, “that dress is perfect.”
    I smile at her and we
make our way to the shoes to find some that match.
    “ So,” I say,
“I was approved for early graduation.”
    “ That’s
great!” Evaughn gives me a huge smile.
    “ I’ve also
already been accepted into Julliard,” I try not to be
embarrassed.
    “ Are you serious!”
She’s says, “I didn’t even know you had applied.”
    “ I didn’t.”
    “ Then how?”
    “ My dad.”
    “ Oh,” she
says in revelation.
    We look through the shoes
silently for a few minutes
    “ Okay so how about
these?” I model a pair of shoes for her.
    “ Those are
amazing,” she says, “you’re going to look great.”
    “ Thanks.”
    With the dress and shoes
paid for, I drive Evaughn home and head back to my house. My father’s
Lexus is still in the driveway, and despite the fact that there isn’t
another car in front of the house, I know that Sahariel is still in
the house, in my dad’s study. I walk inside and clomp up the
stairs, letting them know that yes, I am home, and no, I’m not
happy.
    I take a shower quickly.
I stand in front of my bathroom mirror applying my makeup, hoping I
can get the smoky eye look just right. I dab on a little shimmery lip
gloss and head for my closet. I pull on the dress and notice that the
dark green and emerald colors it shimmers match my eyes and the
makeup I applied. I strap on my heels and walk out of the room.
    I walk down the stairs,
and as I come into view, the voices stop. I hear someone say “wow,”
but I’m unable