Monday, February 10th

After finishing dinner and insisting on washing the dishes, Eden found himself back in the car. It was dark, already late evening, and the lights reflected off the window as they drove through town in silence. Each quiet block gave him more time to think about what had happened over the past week.

It was a bit surreal, but he didn’t feel angry or embarrassed anymore. Everything that was bothering him, everything that had been weighing him down, had been released in one giant explosion of fury and passion. Finally, he felt like himself again, and he smiled watching the buildings glide by.

“You have a nice smile,” Kell commented gently from the driver’s seat and Eden snapped his head around. “Until now, I’ve only seen it from a distance.”

Eden sighed and turned to look out the windshield. “You know that’s your fault, right? Are you aware of how flirty you are?”

“Are you aware of how cute you are when someone flirts with you? If you weren’t interested, you should have said something. And if you were, you could have just flirted back.”

He was right. Because of their initial meeting, he had put Kell in some separate box in his mind, and he lost it whenever they were close. He was attracted to every part of him, but he still judged him. He wanted him, but he was afraid of him. Instead, he should have just treated him like any other man showing interest.

“Sorry.”

Kell chuckled as he turned the corner. “You don’t need to apologize. Our first meeting was... unorthodox. That was my fault. But maybe we can put that behind us now?”

“Yeah.” Eden didn’t want to dwell on it anymore either. He liked this grounded, comfortable version of himself. And while Kell was certainly not normal, he wasn’t the person he had created in his head.

Turning another corner, Eden smiled out the window again, but that satisfied feeling only lasted a few seconds until he recognized the street.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m taking you home.” Kell didn’t seem to understand the question. “Did you want to go somewhere else?”

Eden swallowed hard, the nerves returning. “How do you know where I live?”

“I’m your instructor. I have access to your student record.”

“What?” He twisted sideways to stare, grabbing at his seatbelt in shock. It was said so calmly, as if there wasn’t a single thing wrong with that. “You looked at my file? That’s stalking! Or invasion of privacy! Or... something!”

Kell chuckled and Eden felt the heat in his chest. “There’s that temper again. It’s just basic contact information. All of your instructors have access to it.” That didn't make him feel any better, so Kell continued. "I can't NOT see it. As soon as I pull you up in the computer, it shows at the top. I promise I didn't go searching."

“But...” But I never tell the guys I’m sleeping with where I live. Or anything about myself.

“You know where I live,” Kell said matter-of-factly, then took a small breath. “And apparently, he knows where you live too.”

“What?” Eden turned back to the window and saw Dean standing on the sidewalk outside of his apartment. “But I didn’t tell him...”

“Well, someone did.” Kell’s voice was light and teasing. Eden wanted to punch him.

“Pull over,” he demanded.

“Here? Why?”

Eden glared and Kell raised an eyebrow, slowing pulling up to the curb.

“This is complicated enough without adding you to it.”

Kell huffed. “Thanks.”

“You know what I mean.”

Eden was focused on Dean, who couldn’t see him through the car windows in the dark. He opened the door, grabbing his bag, but didn’t step out. Then, a hand was on his arm.

“It’ll be fine. Just be honest with him.” The charisma and charm was suddenly calming. Eden nodded. “I’ll see you in class Thursday, if not before.”

Another nod and he stood, shutting the door behind him. Without hesitation, Kell drove off, leaving him staring at Dean, who was now staring back.

“Where were you?” Dean cried out, racing down the sidewalk to his side. “Alex was frantic looking for you. She said you wouldn’t answer your phone.”

Eden continued to stare. “How do you know where I live?”

“What?” The question confused him, something completely unrelated to the current situation. “I’ve known awhile, actually...”

“You didn’t tell me?”

“You didn’t tell me, so I figured you didn’t want me know...” Timid and sweet. Eden had no idea how he was going to deal with this man. “And I didn’t go in. I didn’t think you would want me to, so I’ve been waiting out here for you...”

“Alex called you?” He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel right now, so his voice came across cold. It was too much to process on top of everything else. “She has your number?”

“Yeah, for emergencies.”

What the fuck?  “Emergencies? Are you my parents?”

“No, of course not. It’s just...” Dean shook his head and took him by the shoulders. His hands were freezing, even through the coat. “None of that’s important right now. This is an emergency!”

“What?” Alex calling Dean, who she didn’t particularly like, and Dean standing in front of his apartment – he quickly switched his mood. “What happened?”

“You wouldn’t answer your phone, so-”

Eden didn’t wait to listen. Dean followed him as he sprinted up the steps, hesitating at the open door. Alex was pacing when he ran in and she halted at the sight.

“Where the hell have you been?!” she screamed, her normal, fiery temper exploding at him. “We’ve been texting and calling all day! What have you been doing?”

Shit.

He hadn’t bothered to check his phone at all, too distracted by his own situation. Pulling it out of his pocket, he tried turning it on, but the screen was black. “My battery died, apparently.”

“How is that even possible?” Alex growled, her face red, and Justin hurried over, wrapping an arm around her to calm her.

“Can someone just tell me what happened?”

“Emily called. Auggie’s missing.” Justin wasn't crazed like his girlfriend, but Eden’s heart stopped. He stumbled into his bedroom, grabbing for his charger as Justin called after him, “She said she couldn’t reach you, so she called Alex.”

He wasn’t listening, frantically mashing his power button, staring in a panic at the blank screen. He couldn’t wait the second it took to fill enough battery. Rushing back to the kitchen, he snatched Alex’s phone from her hand.

“Hey!”

Justin hushed her as Eden dialed, his foot tapping impatiently, teeth chewing on his bottom lip. Finally, there was a connection, followed by a woman’s light voice on the other end.

“Oh, Alex. Did you find him?”

“Em. What happened?” Eden choked the words out, a million terrible possibilities running through his head.

The response was a sigh, the woman not nearly as agitated as him. “Eden, where were you? I left you multiple messages.”

“What happened!?” he shouted, slamming a hand on the counter. Both Alex and Justin jumped at the unexpected force and Dean shrunk further back into the hall.

“Calm down. Auggie and I got in a little fight and she hasn’t come home yet. I called Madison’s house, but her mother said she isn’t there. I thought maybe she sent you a message.”

Eden let out a breath, hanging his head and feeling his heart rate calm slightly. “My phone died.”

“Oh, I see.” Emily sighed again. “Well, when you can, check and see if she’s contacted you. It’s not the first time, so I’m not going to worry yet. Just let me know if she sends you anything.”

“Yeah. I’ll check and text her if she hasn’t sent a message.”

“Thanks Eden.” She sounded tired and he felt a little guilty for yelling. And even guiltier that wild sex had made him completely forget about his phone. “I’ll let you know if she comes back.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

He hung up and handed the phone back to Alex with an apologetic half-smile. “Sorry. I may have overreacted...”

“No way,” Alex said with a shake of the head. “Is Augs okay?”

Eden shrugged. “She ran off. But she does that sometimes, so it might be nothing.”

Justin reached out to pat his shoulder, flashing him an encouraging smile. He was always the optimist. Then his eyes drifted to the open apartment door and Dean, still waiting shyly in the hall.

Eden followed his gaze. Seriously Dean. What am I going to do with you?