to convince myself that tonight would go great for Eden. My mind, as usual, was making up a new scenario every few minutes and each one ended up with Eden in tears. It was pessimistic of me, sure, but it was how my brain worked.

I was ready to walk out the door, dressed in a pair of black dress pants and a simple cream colored, cable-knit sweater. I had showered and hoped that I smelled well enough for the fancy dinner we were attending. I had used the cologne that I knew Eden loved because... Well, I didn't really have a reason, I just wanted her to be as relaxed and optimistic as possible. How did my cologne help do that? I have no idea.

Staring at myself in the dusty mirror, I sucked in a deep breath. My hair was messily gelled and my face, for the first time in a long time, looked clear– healthy. The scarring on my bottom lip from the constant chewing and breaking of skin was gone. The pale color that shrouded my face had lessened, my skin swirling underneath with heat and blood– with life.

I stared at the orange bottle that sat on the wood of the dresser. The words ATLAS M. FOREMAN seemed to stand out the most on the bottle, taunting me, baiting me. Every day, it was a back and forth between my consciousness of "Take the medicine," and "Don't take the medicine."

Take the fucking pill, it'll make the irrational hate you have for yourself go away.

Don't take the pill, all you're doing is filling your body with fake feelings.

I squeezed my eyes shut with hopes that the thoughts would go away too. My breathing grew heavy and before I knew it, I was unscrewing the cap and downing a pill dry.

Heaving a sigh, I stared at myself in the mirror, the dark circles under my eyes deep as chasms. I ran a hand through my hair and sighed once more. Eden needed me. She needed the stable Atlas. The Atlas that held her when she cried and squeezed her hand under the table. She needed the dependable Atlas; the Atlas on pills.

She didn't need the Atlas that couldn't get a wink of sleep. She didn't need the Atlas that fevered up and threw up and cried when he refused to take his medicine. She didn't need the Atlas that let himself fall asleep with dreams of never waking up again.

Right now, she needed the Atlas that wasn't really me.

My eyes focused on the clock that sat on the wooden table, the red numbers shining 6:03. I inhaled through my nose and exhaled through my lips, before pushing off the table and grabbing my things. I shut off the lights and walked out my bedroom door. As I walked down the hall that led to Eden's room, I wondered as to what she was thinking right now.

She was probably pacing her room, panicking about the outcome of this dinner. Whether she was dressed or not, I wasn't sure, but she had told me that we needed to be ready by six o'clock. Downstairs, Jude had made dinner for everyone and they were getting ready to eat and play a few games afterwards. The sound of music floated through the house and made its way upstairs, but I steered closer to Eden's door.

I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. Quickly, like she was expecting me to knock, she swung open the door. Her hair was pulled back in a half-up, half-down updo and her makeup was fierce, but natural. Her navy dress looked to be made of satin or silk, but wasn't completely on her, the long sleeves slipping down her shoulders. She let out a small sigh and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. I watched her hands tremble before she hid them behind her. "Hey,"

Before I could respond, she turned around and walked back into her room. I stepped in, slowly closing the door behind me. I watched the whirlwind that was Eden spin around the room, applying something new on her face before fastening a necklace around her neck. She'd move to the mirror and stare at herself a moment before cursing to herself fastening on a pair of earrings.

I moved towards her and once I was close enough, she let out a breath. "Nothing is working. My hair won't stay the way it is. My makeup feels weird on my face. I can't find my black heels. My head hurts so fucking bad and I–"

"Hey, hey," I shushed her, taking her face in my hands and making her meet my eyes. She let out a quick, nervous breath that seemed to taper off to normal breaths as I ran my thumb over her cheekbones. "What's going on? You're okay."

She visibly swallowed, shaking her head, "I feel like I'm going to throw up and my body is shaking like crazy." And she was. Under my fingers, her body was vibrating and shaking with nervous energy.

I pulled her towards me, fitting her body against mine and brushed her hair back as she rested her face against my chest. Her arms wrapped around my torso and she held me close, breathing in and out and in and out. Her shaking body seemed to calm after a long while.

She took in a deep breath, "You look really nice,"

A small smile pulled at the corners of my mouth and I nodded softly, "So do you, my love."

She pulled back, blinking up at me for a moment before running her fingers against my cheek and down my jaw. My senses and nerves seemed to burn brighter and more alive under her touch. I starved for moments like these and I hoped she knew.

Her smile faltered a moment as she glanced at herself in the mirror. I gently pulled her face back to mine, "You almost ready?" I asked.

She shook her head, "Almost,"

I nodded and let her pull away from me, watching her turn around and baring her back to me. "Can you zip me up, please?"

I sucked in a breath through my nose and moved my hands to her back, brushing her hair to the side and letting out a sigh at the jolt that crackled under my skin at the contact with her back. Eden visibly took a stabilizing breath and I was happy to know that I wasn't the only one feeling it.

My fingers skimmed down the length of her back and my body grew hot at the action. When my fingers gripped the thin zipper at the very end of her back, I placed my other hand on her hip. A shiver ran down her back and goosebumps littered her skin. Just to see how she'd react, I brought my lips to the burning skin of her shoulder, trailing my way up her neck.

A heavenly sound that could've been both a gasp and moan escaped her lips as she trailed her hand up my neck, pulling me impossibly closer. The blood in my body roared in response to the way she pressed her body to mine. With each agonizing moment that passed, I pulled her zipper up an inch.

Her voice barely above a whisper, her hand pressed over mine, she sucked in a breath, "Atlas,"

An embarrassing, trivial feeling was released in the pit of my stomach and I held back every urge to strip her to nothing and memorize every inch of her body. Finally, I placed a slow kiss on the soft skin by her ear and pulled away. "We'll be late," I said, my voice thick with lust. I quickly cleared my throat.

She nodded and as she added the finishing touches to her face and outfit, I looked for her shoes. When I had finally found them strewn under the dresser, I moved towards her and showed her the shoes. Her eyes lit up and I moved to my knees, placing her feet in the shoes and tightening the straps around her ankles. Her silence and deep breaths stirred a deep need inside of me.

I moved to my full height and smiled at her, watching her take her bottom lip between her teeth. I took her chin in between my fingers, brushing my thumb over her lips. Her lips pulled into a small smile, "Thank you, Foreman."

I smiled, winking at her, "Always, Firecracker."

The whole ride there, Eden's leg bounced and as we walked into the restaurant, she nervously twisted her rings around her fingers. I took her hand in mine and led her down the aisle, following the waitress to our reserved table.

I pressed my lips to her temple, "You'll do great, Ede."

Her lips pulled into a small smile and she squeezed my hand in thanks. When we neared the said table, Eden visibly stiffened. At the table sat three people. The guy closest to us had hair as dark as coal that curled around his head. His eyes were bright with laughter, focused on the guy who sat next to him. Keldan, I thought.

That guy, who I assumed was Ethan, Eden's brother, had light brown hair unlike Eden, but a lot like Lydia's. His eyes crinkled as he smiled and talked to Keldan about something. I watched him wrap his hand around the lady that sat next to him. His wife, I assumed.

I moved my hand to the small of Eden's back, circling my thumb in a calming manner. She sucked in a breath, "I can't do it, I can't do it."

I took her chin in my fingers and moved her face towards mine. I pressed my lips to hers in a warm kiss and held her as she melted in my hands. When I pulled back, I fixed her with a reassuring look, "I'll be right here the whole time, okay?"

She blinked before nodding and turning around and fitting her hand in mine. I smiled and followed her to the table. When we were a mere three feet away from the group, their eyes lifted and fixed on me for a second before meeting Eden's. Her hand clamped around mine and I watched as Keldan's mouth split into a wide smile.

"Eden," His voice soft and enraptured by her. I watched him stand up and move towards her for a hug, but her eyes were on Ethan. Ethan didn't get up, but he sat up, his eyes never leaving Eden's for a moment. Just like her, his hand was wound tight around his wife's hand and his breaths were deep.

She made no move towards him and he made no move towards her. They were stuck, staring at each other for what felt like a lifetime to the rest of us.

Ethan's wife brushed her hand reassuringly over his hand and he seemed to finally breathe. Eden's hand twitched in mine and I squeezed her hand in reassurance. She finally moved and pulled a smile onto her face, her eyes focusing on Keldan and faltering a little.

Either Keldan missed it or he didn't care, he moved towards her and wrapped his arm around her. "You look as beautiful as ever, love." My free hand balled into a fist and I took in a calming breath. The anger seemed to ebb when he finally let her go.

Next, Ethan's wife stood up and walked over to Eden, her smile bright and warm. "It's so good to finally meet you. Ethan and Keldan talk about you all the time."

Eden's shoulders sagged in relief at that and accepted the hug she offered. "Thank you," She murmured into the embrace.

When we finally sat down, I moved to release my hand from her, but when she shook her head, I let it be, dropping our entwined hands on her lap. Her breathing evened out eventually and Keldan started to speak.

"How are you?" He asked, his question aimed at Eden. "You've changed so much,"

She finally lifted her eyes from the cutlery on the table and met Keldan's eyes, "I haven't changed that much." Her lips quirked into a small smile.

Ethan's eyes focused on me for a while and Keldan's eyes flickered from me to Eden. Finally, Keldan let out a small laugh, nodding to himself, "Well, you look different– A good different."

Eden smiled softly, "Thank you," With those small words, her eyes were back on the cutlery. Next, Ethan's wife spoke up. I couldn't remember whether her name was Arienne or Renee.

"You look amazing, don't mind Keldan." She laughed, slowly releasing the tension that was growing on the table. Her eyes focused on me and she pulled on a small smile. "And who's this?" She finally asked.

Eden's hand tightened again around mine and she looked up, meeting Ethan's eyes briefly before focusing on his wife. "Uh, this is Atlas. He... uh– He's my—"

I squeezed Eden's hand before saying, "We're friends,"

Nobody on the table seemed convinced and Ethan's wife snorted before catching herself, a horrified look on her face. "I'm sorry," She paled, "Nice to meet you, Atlas. I'm Renee."

Friends? Where did the idea that we were friends come from? Fuck, we were so much more than that. I could've shouted it off rooftops and off balconies for the rest of my life. Instead, I chose the term friends because making Eden uncomfortable right now was the last thing on my mind.

"Nice to meet you, too." I said, forcing a smile onto my face. Eden's hand was sweaty in mine, but I didn't mind at all. I brushed my thumb over the soft skin of her hand.

The waiter stepped up to our table asking us if we'd like anything to drink and whether we wanted to start on appetizers. Around the table, everyone quipped the drink of their choice and when it was Eden's turn, she paled. She took in a deep breath and muttered a ginger ale. Renee proceeded to order three appetizers that she claimed she swore by.

Looking around the place, I wondered if they came here often. The dome ceilings were high and the windows were tall. Chandeliers hung from every fixture on the ceiling and expensive marble covered almost every inch of the place. Out on the terrace, a glittering view of the water stretched by and the rest of Italy bustled by. The Santa Maria Della Salute loomed over us, tall and grand.

Keldan spoke to fill the silence, "So, how are you both enjoying Italy? Isn't this place fantastic?"

I balled my fist and forced the urge to punch him away. I smiled, mentally willing Eden to say something. Anything. I nodded, a bright smile on my face, "Yeah, this place is beautiful."

"Have you guys done anything since you've gotten here?" Renee asked, leaning forward, her eyes bouncing from mine to Eden's.

I glanced at Eden, "We haven't really seen anything,"

She glanced at me in confusion, "You took me to the Uffizi last night,"

Renee gasped in wonder, "It's beautiful, isn't it? The sculptures and paintings are marvelous."

Eden's hand loosened and she smiled, nodding, "Yeah, we saw dozens of paintings, but my favorite was the one of the cherub playing the lute." I watched her get sucked into the conversation with Renee much to my pleasure. She talked about the Medici vase and the Birth of Venus, her eyes glittering and her smile wide.

I picked up my drink, bringing the straw to my lips. My head was starting to thrum and pulse, but I swallowed more, ignoring the pain.

Renee focused her next question at me, "So when did you two meet?"

I saw Eden turn her head and look up at me. I aimed a small smile at her, my heart fluttering as her pink lips pulled into one that matched mine so perfectly. "Our parents set up this trip to Europe for a month for us both. We met at the airport, but she didn't like me much by then."

I watched Eden roll her eyes, "I didn't not like you. You were just unbearably quiet and I can't handle it when people are too quiet."

A small laugh escaped my lips, "Yeah, I know, love."

Her cheeks brightened at that and she rolled her eyes, looking away from me. Keldan fixed a hard stare my way before he offered a smile, "Yeah, I remember you always used to do this little laugh whenever you would be stuck in an awkward situation. It was funny watching you squirm and trying to fill in the silence."

Eden took her bottom lip between her teeth, pulling on a smile for Keldan. When Ethan finally spoke, his eyes were fixed on Eden. "Yeah, she used to have this small stuffed animal when she was 8. She used to drag it around everywhere and I remember she told me that as long as she had it, she was fucking invincible. First curse word she used, too."

Eden's face burned as Keldan and Renee laughed at the story. Ethan's eyes were transfixed on her, waiting for her to say something to him, mend the hole that was burning bright in the cavity of his chest. Eden pressed her lips together, keeping back the smile that was pulling at the corners of her mouth. "I'm pretty sure the first curse word I used was aimed at you."

Ethan frowned in confusion and Eden elaborated, "You were going out with your friends for a birthday party and I wanted to go, but you wouldn't let me. So, I called you a little bitch."

Renee burst into laughter and a small chuckle fell from my lips. Ethan seemed to remember the story, a smile shining on his face. When Eden started to laugh along with the group, Ethan's face brightened.

The group fell into small conversations here and there, talking about all the places in Italy, about how work was going, and how things were back home with Keldan. Eden leaned into me, a small smile playing at her lips. "Friends?" She asked, bringing a rush of heat to every corner of my body her warm breath touched. The hairs on my body stood on edge and the nerves under my skin hummed.

I tilted my head towards her. Her face was alive and bright, her eyes dancing under the warm lights of the chandeliers hanging overhead. Her lips were a mere inch from mine and I tucked away the urge to press mine against hers.

"Would you prefer if I had said acquaintances?" I asked, a taunting edge to my voice.

She rolled her eyes, slapping me against my arm and not removing her hand from the spot. Her eyes flickered to my lips for a moment before they met my eyes again. She let out a small laugh, "You wouldn't dare."

"Mm," I hummed, closing my eyes for a second. "Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't." Her lips pulled into a wider smile and I quickly winked at her before focusing back on the group when Eden's name was called.

"How's school going for you?" Renee asked, leaning forward, her hand tangled in Ethan's. Keldan leaned back, his eyes trained on Eden, but trailing back to mine every few moments.

She took a deep breath, "I honestly don't know. I'm excited to graduate next year, but I don't know what I want to do with my life. Mom and Dad keep asking me what I want to be, but they don't understand how loaded of a question that is."

Renee laughed and Keldan shrugged, "You'll figure it out, Eden. And switching majors when you get to college is completely normal. It happens a lot."

Eden nodded while I tried to ignore how closely Keldan was watching her every move. When she'd tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, he watched. When she twisted around the ring on her fingers or the stud in her ear, he watched. I sucked in a breath and focused on Eden's words,

"Yeah," She trailed off for a moment, "Lydia got accepted into this really prestigious school so we're moving when we get back." Her voice fell for a moment. "But that's okay, who doesn't love D.C.?"

Renee smiled, "That's exciting, but I bet you'll miss your friends."

Eden let out a small disheartened laugh, "Yeah, so much."

The smile on her face was stuck there, I could tell,but her eyes were sad. She didn't want to move away from her friends, from her home, but she had no choice. Just like I didn't.

Ethan spoke again, "How are Julia and Leah? Is Leah still causing trouble?"

The conversations continued and the food finally arrived at our table. Eden had become a lot more comfortable with the group and Ethan had started to talk a little more and more. Keldan would speak, his words mostly aimed at Eden's direction, but Ethan would deflect.

I watched for a while, contributing whenever needed. When Keldan asked his hundredth question to Eden, I felt her hand in mine tense for a moment. Ethan's eyes focused on Keldan for a long while and Renee rubbed her thumb over Ethan's palm.

Maybe Ethan was getting so annoyed at Keldan because he was still so obviously in love with Eden. Anybody on the table could see it except for him and Eden maybe.

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