Eden

 

This year was going to be different. Last year, at the beginning of my sophomore year, I was focused on myself. Eden needed a boyfriend. Eden needed Marshall. Eden needed Dylan. Eden. Eden. Eden.

Not anymore. This time, it was going to be about Allie. It was Connor’s senior year. Allie and I were going to be juniors. This was Allie’s last chance to prove to Connor she was the girl for him. Goodness, anyone would be better than that wench he was dating now. Connor had had a bevy of girlfriends over the years, but Kayla was the worst. And what I hated the most- the way she made Allie feel.

Of course, Connor was oblivious. He never noticed the little ways Kayla belittled Allie. The ways she made Allie feel insecure in her friendship with Connor. If Connor did know, he would have dropped her like the super bitch she was. But Connor had no idea. The idiot. It was time to take matters into my own hands.

To do that, I needed a plan. And we all know every good plan needs an outline. Pulling out a brand new pink spiral notebook, I thought about my idea to makeover my best friend. I’d learned a lot at the salon about style. Let me tell you, spending all your spare time with a room full of women was enlightening.

Salons are like this magical place where all your dreams come true. Flaws are made manageable. Frizzy hair? Child’s play. Broken, uneven nails. No problem. Uni-brow? Wax. But it wasn’t just physical treatments the ladies at the salon offered. No. They were, all of them, the most brilliant uncertified psychoanalysts around. They had the answers to it all.

Cheating husband? Drop his butt as fast as you can but not before putting a laxative in his breakfast.

Intrusive mother? Give her a grandchild. And maybe a spa day.

Troubles at work with the boss? Who needs it- start out on your own business.

Dumb older guy who gave up on you before you even had a chance? Forget him, there are plenty more fish in the sea.

Needless to say, I’d learned a lot working at the salon and I don’t just mean hair and nails.

How was that going to help with Allie? Well, first of all, the girl needed some clothes. Style was the last thing Allie possessed in her arsenal and I needed to pull out the big guns. This was why I needed an outline.

Blocking the letters in black magic marker, I wrote OPERATION FIND ALLIE A DATE. I knew the number one on the outline was going to be ‘make Connor jealous’ but if Allie saw that, she’d balk immediately. So, I put ‘hair and makeup’ in the first spot, instead. Next, ‘wardrobe’. I made a list of all the ways I could help Allie be as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside but then on the next page, I listed all the behind-the-scenes sneaky actions that would be necessary to accomplish my goal.

Allie didn’t need just any date, she needed Connor. And she didn't’ need a date with Connor, she needed forever with Connor. Mark my words, once I was done with this girl- ha, once I was done with Connor- we were talking wedding bells in our future and I was making a bid for maid of honor.

 

The first day of school was like many other first days. New classes. New lockers. But other than that, it was all the same story. The best part of this new school year was that Marshall Simpkins graduated, although from what I heard, just barely. Whatever. I was just glad I wouldn’t have to see his face around anymore.

As much as I didn’t want to admit it. It still bothered me. Maybe I’ve let it fester and there was no denying I’d become a bit of a man-hater. I’d done my best to hide my feelings from my best friend, but it was no good. She knew me better than just about anyone. She knew there was something off about me. She just didn’t know what. The good news? She loved me enough to just be there and not pry.

Down the hall, Connor swaggered across the shiny tiled floor surrounded by no less than fifteen girls. JJ was there, too and some of the other guys on the football team, but they weren’t the ones breaking Allie’s heart. Something had to be done.

We watched as Connor made his way toward us. Allie’s breath caught as he made eye contact with her. It was both sweet and pathetic. I shook my head. I didn’t think she even knew I was there.

“Hey, Allie,” he greeted, that special smile on his face he reserved just for her.

Allie struggled to remain calm. “Oh. Hey, Connor.”

Allie wasn’t usually nervous around Connor. They spent too much time together for that. It was the girls around him that made her uncomfortable, especially Kayla, the girl in Allie’s rightful spot.

“I don’t know how you can stand it,” I said, disgusted by the display of adulation. Those girls made me feel sick. They reminded me of how wrong I’d been last year. Worried about boys and feeling like I needed a guy to feel good about myself. First Marshall, then Dylan.

No.

I wouldn’t think about him.

Thoughts of him hurt more than memories of Marshall.

“What are you talking about,” Allie asked with a defeated sigh as we made our way to first period physics.

“Kayla! That’s what I’m talking about. How can you just stand by and let her hang all over your man like that?” That’s what Allie needed. She needed to think of Connor as hers and hers alone. Confidence like that would be irresistible to a guy like Connor.

“We’ve been over this a thousand times, Eden, Connor is not my man. We are just friends. He’s with Kayla.”

She recited the facts with such defeat I wanted to smack her. “Well, he could be yours if you would just man up and make a move on him.” I was dying for the day when Allie came to school, smiling like the cat that ate the canary, telling me she’d done it. That she just leaned forward one day while they played video games in her room- and kissed him. That’s all it would take, and that man would be hers.

“Eden!”

“I’m serious.” I decide to put the bug in her ear. Get her thinking about it. “One of these days while you’re in your room shooting zombies in the dumb video game you’re always playing, just lean in and lay one on him.” Just. Like. That. “Mu-wah!”

“And send him screaming from my room and my life? Not going to happen. Friends is better than nothing.”

Her words caused a pain to bloom in my chest. Like someone stabbed me straight in the heart with a blunt knife. Because she was right, friends was better than nothing. I knew from experience.

“If you say so. I just don’t understand how you can spend hour after hour every Saturday afternoon with Mr. Hottie McHotness and not just tell him how you feel.”

“If declarations of love are so easy, why haven’t you made one yourself,” Allie asked. We were still on our way to physics and there at our 2 o’clock was Micah Porter. Hmm-mmm. If there was one guy at this school that could weaken my resolve to give up guys forever- it was Micah.

“I’ve told you, I’m going to be a nun.” But that didn’t mean I couldn’t look, right? And Micah was fine. I followed him with my eyes as we passed.

“You sound convincing, but the drool dripping down your chin gives you away,” Allie said, her tone dry.

I stuck out my tongue. “I can’t help my biological response to a beautiful man.” It was true, but no matter how gorgeous Micah was, I couldn’t forget another guy. Dylan haunted my dreams both waking and asleep.

Allie made some comment about how perfect Micah would be for me and how hot he was.

“He really is.” We’d made it to our first period class and I plopped into my seat, wishing I could convince my traitorous heart to fall for someone realistic. Micah would be a perfect option. I’d met a few guys over the summer, even went on a few dates. Judy’s grandson, Dillon, went to another school and we’d become great friends. He wanted more, but I refused to lead him on. And that’s why I told Allie, “It doesn’t matter. You know I’ve sworn off guys.”

Mr. Richardson, our physics teacher, walked in shortly after that. I tried to focus on his voice that droned like white noise, but it was impossible. Like always, my thoughts were in one place and one place only, with Dylan.