New York, September 2226
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Eden Balev
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I got home from my weekend with my family feeling exhausted. With the distance, my sister and I learnt to separate our minds and emotions but being with her again brought it all back and watching what she went through, I felt like I had been hit by a bus. I was never close to Lucan, in fact I always found him a bit too much and rather annoying, but I will never ever forget the sight of him through my sisters mind and the pain and grief Nova went through. I'll never forget that feeling, even if it wasn’t my own. It felt like it was and as much as I loved my family, the intensity of the weekend only made me want to get away. I wanted to go home, my home, New York.
It had been an interesting weekend to say the least and I was grateful that we had a full week of auditions and practice for the nutcracker season coming up and then on the Friday would be a fundraiser for the company something we were obligated to go to. It was just a flamboyant party with very rich people where the company showed us off. There would be a small demonstration and then we were free to mingle and socialise with the rich. It made me feel gross really, we were paraded around in front of rich old men to show off the merchandise and beg for money so we could continue doing our jobs. I would happily out myself as a Cullen if it meant I would never have to do it but equally I knew there was a small chance that Nicholas Disney would be there so I couldn’t help the anticipation I felt as Friday came around.
“Are you ready?” Lara asked on the other side of my door. I downed a flask of blood I kept in a mini fridge the back of my closet and closed the door. I double checked to make sure I hadn’t spilt any before calling out a yes and grabbing my bag.
I very rarely used the stash in my closet. I tried to hunt as much as I could when I could get away with it and savour the blood in my closet for emergencies, but this had been one of those times. I had been so busy this week I had barely got a chance to go out for the fresh stuff. My grandfather set me up with a delivery monthly from the local Cullen hospital for my blood supply. It wasn’t human. But he had a handful of 2 litre flasks delivered for me to collect if I ever needed sustenance in a pinch. Carlisle had ambassadors, at least that’s what he called them. They knew of the supernatural but only a select few hospitals actually had them. Luckily, I lived in a city that had one. The ambassador of the local hospital accepted the delivery of my blood and stored it for me to pick up every month.
Although I didnt rely on my family for other things, the supernatural part of me wasn't something I could run from so I gladly accepted the help in that department. It was also nice to know I would never accidently rip my best friends throat out in a fit of hunger that was for sure.
Lara and I arrived at the venue for the fundraiser and headed backstage to get ready for the performance. I performed methodically a variation I had done a hundred times before. The audience clapped and we all exited the stage. We redressed into our cocktail dresses and got to work on the rich families in the crowd.
“I hate this dress” Lara uttered, pulling the tight material down so it wouldn't expose anyhting indecent.
“If you had just let me talk to my aunt, you could be wearing Mary Alice right now” I raised my eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes.
“I will not sponge off your wealth Eden. I promised you that and I intend to stick to that promise” she said as she gave a delightfully fake smile to the person walking towards us.
“It’s not sponging if I’m offering” I mentioned as her fake smile turned into a glare. I already knew who it was.
“Mr and Mr Disney,” she said with a small curtsy. I turned to see both Nicholas and William Disney behind us. My eyes caught the sight of Nicholas first, of course they did. He was wearing a very well-tailored grey suit. He didn’t wear a tie like his father, his top button was open casually. He held a drink in his hand and a smile on his face.
“Ladies” William Disney said but a look of distain came over him. “You are the sister of the scum that married my daughter, yes?” he asked looking at Lara. I could literally feel Lara recoil.
“Father” Nicholas scolded instantly, he looked horrified.
“Yes well, it’s no shock that she’s here begging us for money.” He said sipping his expensive wine and walking away.
“I apologise for his behaviour” Nicholas said, I could see he was ashamed. “I wanted to introduce him to you, he mentioned how beautiful you were on the stage. He noticed you specifically, I figured he would be more polite when I told him who you were” Nicholas explained to Lara, but I knew the hurt was already too deep for her to notice his kind words.
“Whatever” she sighed. “I have money to earn,” she said sarcastically with a well-rehearsed curtsy, and she walked away.
“I am really sorry,” Nicholas repeated turning to me.
“You are not your father,” I said looking up at him. His lips twitched as if he was about to smile but he stopped himself.
“I hope not to be,” he sighed, and I was sure if I wasn’t a part vampire creature, I wouldn’t have heard it.
“I’m surprised you’re here. Didn’t you just donate a few million?” I said trying to change the subject with a light joke.
“The ballet always catches my attention. My father didn’t want to be here tonight, but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” He said this time letting out his familiar side smile.
“Why is that?” I asked with a small chuckle.
“I’m enchanted by you and getting to watch you dance is one of the greatest pleasures in my life” he responded with a sip of his wine. I probably blushed; I wasn’t sure. I was too busy watching his lips on the glass.
“Do you get lessons as a kid on how to be charming or is it just in the Disney blood?” I asked him as a joke.
“It must come from my mother if its genetic. My father is anything but charming,” he said with a scowl as his eyes focused on the white hair of his fathers head a few meters from us. He was chatting up another dancer.
“You are nothing like him,” I said without realising. I knew he wouldn’t know the meaning behind this statement, but I had never been surer of anything in my life. I had seen William Disney’s soul and I had seen Nicholas’ they were nothing alike. He was good, deep down. The mask he wore with others was superficial, it was a surface of protection for the person he was inside and only I knew that.
“You know nothing about me,” he said with a frown.
“Maybe, maybe, I know more than you think,” I said, and he took this as flirting.
“Then come, little swan, sit with me so that this information can be more mutual,” he said offering me his hand. I stared down at it, and it took me a second to realise what I was about to do.
I was about to step over a boundary I wouldn’t be able to step back from. I was about to risk Nicholas’ life and probably my own for a chance that what ever this connection was, was worth it.
I took it anyway and he led me over to one of the empty tables. He called over one of the waiters and ordered us both champagne.
“You don’t have to talk to them like that, they’re still people,” I frowned when he demanded the drinks to be brought over to us immediately. His face flashed with shock as if he realised what he had done.
“I… I know,” he said bashfully. “I..” he tried to explain himself, but I realised that he’d never done that before. Never thought it was required for him to explain.
“It’s a mask, I know,” I answered for him. “You don’t mean it, you put on a show, a character, you’re who everyone expects you to be because that’s easier than letting them see you as a person. You’re the heir to an empire, you’re a Disney, that name is your identity, and you have to play by that identity. I get it.” I said and I realised very quickly that I wasn’t just talking about him. His face softened as he looked at me. It was like he was looking at a unicorn, but a unicorn disguised as a zebra. He couldn’t quite work me out.
“You’re very perplexing to me Ms Balev,” he said with a softness to his voice I have never heard from him.
The waiter came over hastily with the drinks and Nicholas took them immediately.
“Thank you,” I said after a moment when I realised he wasn’t going to say it. The waiter nodded and Nicholas reached towards the boy and handed him something in his hand. The waiter immediately scurried off and Nicholas turned to smirk at the reaction.
“You just enjoy watching people squirm, don’t you?” I asked realising his playfulness in his aura.
“I always give them a tip.”
“Humanity can’t be bought,” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“It can in my world,” he said and took a sip of his new drink.
“So, you really are an asshole when you want to be,” I commented taking my own drink.
“Who tells you that?” he asked cockily.
“Lara,” I responded, and he rolled his eyes.
“She only dislikes me because I wouldn’t sleep with her.”
“Excuse me?” I asked almost choking on the alcohol.
“The first time we met, she wouldn’t stop flirting with me. It wasn’t that she wasn’t my type, it was just one of those rare times in my life I actually had a girlfriend. I wasn’t interested and she took that personally. Then my sister met her brother, and the rest is history.” He explained and I raised my eyebrows. I had guessed as much but Lara never offered the story herself. She was too proud to admit things like that.
I managed to change the direction of the conversation away from my best friend and we began talking about rather mundane things. The topic of his wealth came up a few times and I noticed each time how uncomfortable it started to make him feel. I wasn’t quite sure why. I tried to avoid the subject in fear of him thinking I was flirting with him for his money, but it wasn’t the vibe I was getting from him.
“Talking to you is entirely refreshing,” he mentioned after a while. I realised it had been hours. I hadn’t spoken to a single other philanthropist the entire night. “I’m sorry I’ve been keeping you from your job. I will donate a sizable amount with your name as reference,” he smirked.
“Please don’t,” I laughed awkwardly. I'd had a few drinks at this point, and we had found a natural flirtatious banter that I was enjoying immensely. I didn’t want to feel like this was all for money. I didn’t want to be getting paid for talking to him. It felt all kinds of wrong.
“In Lara’s name then. That will piss her off,” he grinned as something caught his attention across the hall. It was getting late now; people were starting to leave.
“She’ll love that,” I agreed, and he stood.
“I shall be back in a moment; my father is calling my attention.” He said with a soft smile I'd only ever seen him give to me. I gave him a small nod and he disappeared.
I knew it was wrong, but I was very curious, so I homed in on their conversation with my vampire hearing. I seemed to have missed the opening lines of the conversation.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you with that girl. Don’t think for a second you’re going to do what your sister did. You are the heir. You will marry a woman that understands what that job takes. You will stay away from the riff raff.” His father’s voice was threatening, and I felt sorry for Nicholas. I saw the kind of person his father was, and I was surprised Nicholas had turned out the way he had. I couldn’t wait to meet his mother. I knew she had been at the wedding, but I didn’t care enough to seek her out then. Now I was very curious.
“Father, I am just bored. She’s a casual fling, as all the others before her, nothing more.” Nicholas responded and had I heard this as a human I would have felt hurt at the words, but I knew from his essence he was lying the entire time. This piqued my interest. So, he didn’t view me as a fling?
“She will never understand the pressure of your future or the money you control" -- Oh how wrong he was about that. -- "You are cutting it close my boy. There is no more time for dalliances. You are turning thirty next year. You need to think about settling down,” his father added.
“Yes father,” Nicholas said in a monotone voice and my heart kind of broke for him. I couldn’t imagine that kind of pressure. That was the one good thing about being a Cullen. There was no pressure or restrictions on who we fell in love with. Love was sacred and it mattered more than money or a name. Seeing Nicholas with his father I was starting to see it definitely wasn’t the same in the Disney family.
I thought after the scolding from his father Nicholas would avoid me or go home but he turned after saying goodbye to his father and headed straight back over to me. I could see the determination in his aura, the dismissal of his fathers’ words and his excitement to return to me. I couldn’t help the butterflies in my stomach at the sight of him making his way back over. Even after the scolding, he still wanted to get to know me. I knew it was all fake. He didn’t know who I was, not even the human version of myself. How would this ever be anything with his father breathing down his neck? Not only was there pressure from his side of this but there was also pressure from my side. The metaphorical sword hanging above my head. The supernatural. There is one rule when it comes to telling humans who we are. No one of influence. The kind of influence Nicholas possessed in the human world was unmatched. He was set to inherit all the world’s media. He could plaster the existence of the supernatural all over the world and there would be a horde attacking the Volturi within hours.
“Hey buttercup what’s up?” Lara sat next to me before Nicholas could reach me. “I see you and Nicholas are getting friendlier.” She said with a small disapproving tone to her voice. I smiled sheepishly at her.
“What if I told you he’s not what he seems? That he isn’t the arrogant heir of a multibillion-dollar dynasty and actually just a really nice guy hiding behind the mask?” I asked her with a sense of urgency.
“I’d think you were crazy, and I don’t want you to get hurt Eden. He just wants to sleep with you and dump you. he’s been doing that for four years since I’ve known him. His sister has told me a lot about him.” She said reaching across the table to hold my hand. “I’m sorry Eden, but please. I’m trying to protect you” she said right as Nicholas arrived back at the table.
“Protect you from what?” he asked concerned as he sat down.
“What’s your deal Nicholas?” Lara span on Nicholas. She was in mama bear mode. She reminded me of my sister. Growing up I was the quiet one, the passive shadow of my outgoing charismatic sister. She fought my battles for me as a child too. Moving to New York I'd learnt some independence but I hide behind my job and the only friendship I had, Lara.
“Excuse me?” He asked her, his mask firmly in place and I shook my head as I watched the pair stare each other down.
“She doesn’t have any family here. She’s alone in the city. She’s just here to live her dream at the company. She doesn’t need her heart broken by a big shot privileged crown prince”
“Have I done something to offend you, Lara?” he asked staring her down. From our conversation earlier he already knew he had, but he wasnt going to be the one to say it out loud; he didn’t want to embarrass her.
“Don’t come crying to me when he dumps you,” Lara said ignoring his question, looking at me and walking away. I sat with my mouth open in shock as my best friend walked away from me.
“Are you okay?” he asked, and I felt tears threatening to fill my eyes. I had no idea why she was acting that way. I knew she couldn’t see the kind of person he was like I could. I knew she believed his mask, his lie he had put up to protect himself for so many years but why was she being so damn mean about it? Why couldn’t she trust me to learn myself? Even if he was going to break my heart, isn’t it better that I learn from something like that?
“She’s just being overprotective,” he said when I didn’t reply to him. I turned to look at him, his mask was gone, his face was full of concern. His eyes were soft as they danced over my face. His expression worried. Something like his sweet smile before, I had noticed that was only really reserved for me.
“Yeah” I mumbled looking away from him and down to my hands. All the dancers were free to leave after nine pm. I had stayed an extra hour because of Nicholas but I watched Lara leave and I knew I should follow her. “I should go.” I said standing to leave.
“Eden,” he said and reached for my arm; his fingers gently fell down my wrist to my hand. “Can I see you later? In the week sometime? Just for ice cream or something?” he asked, and I looked at where our fingers were touching and back up to his heart where I could see his aura radiating around him. He was nervous. He thought I was going to say no after what Lara had said. Maybe she was right. Maybe this was just too much baggage. I couldn’t even have ice cream with him. I couldn’t eat anything with him. He was going to notice eventually. I couldn’t have a normal crush and it turn into anything real. I had to lie and pretend. I couldn’t even tell him who I really was.
“I’m sorry” I said keeping my tears from filling my eyes. I was shocked at my emotion. I never got emotional like this. This was a Nova reaction. I was calm and collected. I didn’t let things overcome me.
But the words of his father, Lara’s reaction, the feeling in my gut that knew this couldn’t work and the supernatural sword above my head. The risk to his life. I knew already I cared for him too much. I wanted him too much. He wouldn’t survive loving me and I had to save him before it was too late.
He deserved better. He deserved someone good, someone he could change the world with.
“I can’t,” I said my voice broke, and I stood, turning my back to him, and walked away.
I hated the feeling in my gut on the way home. Lara remained silent at my side in the taxi and the second we got home she went to her room and closed the door.
I sighed and stood on the other side of the door.
“I said no Lara, are you happy? I’m not going to see him again.” I said and she swung it open at my words.
“You’re not?” she asked confused.
“No. You’re right. It’s too complicated. We both come with too much baggage. He’s probably only being nice to me to get in my tights. I know. I just. I liked being looked at that way for once.” I said with a small sigh. She dragged me into her room and sat next to me on her bed.
“Eden, dozens of men and women look at you like he looks at you. You could have anyone you ever wanted. I just don’t think Nicholas Disney is the way to go. He’s a player, he’s cruel and he uses and abuses girls. I love you too much for you to be one of them. This lust you feel for him will subside; I promise you.” she said reaching to hug my side. I heard her words and yet nothing about Nicholas told me he was that man. My entire body was screaming at me to go find him, that he deserved a chance. That all those girls just wanted his money and his name and because he was a hot looking guy. They were using and abusing him not the other way around. But I couldn’t say a thing, not without exposing what I was or what I could do, and I had already told Lara too much about my life. I couldn’t tell her anything else.
“I know. Thank you for looking out for me” I said returning her hug for a moment before I stood up. “I’m gunna go to bed early. We have more rehearsals early tomorrow” I said, and she nodded in agreement.
“Goodnight Eden” she said with a smile. I smiled back and closed my door behind me.
I couldn’t sleep. All I could think about was him. His hand in mine, his eyes, and his charming smile.
Surely he deserved the chance to decide for himself if i was worth the danger right? I thought of how my sister's life was controlled by her imprint, how they had little to no choice in their relationship and i was not going to be that person. I didnt want to be that person.
I went back and forth constantly, I had never felt a connection as strong as this with anyone I had met in my life. Do I risk his life to get to see what we were to each other with a chance of him being 'the one'? Or do I let him go?
The thoughts consumed me.
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I couldn’t concentrate the next day. My mind was else were and it was affecting my dancing. The director was noticing and so was Noah.
During our mid-morning break Noah pulled me aside rather than going to get his usual ‘go-go’ juice. Which was just a smoothie really, but he liked to pretend otherwise.
“Speak sissy” he said with a glare. I sighed. Noah treated me like his little sister, he was a good friend, but he was also the first one in my life to call me out on my shit. This was one of those times.
“My head is on a guy. A guy I really like, we get on really well and he asked me out. But I had to say no. Everyone thinks he’s an asshole, but I think he’s different” I sighed.
“Yeah, you and every girl he’s dated. It's Nicholas Disney, isn’t it? I saw you two talking last night.” he asked with a hand on his hip. I knew better than to lie to Noah. I nodded in response. “Eden, that’s low hanging fruit you’re jumping for. He doesn’t deserve someone like you. Why go after him? I mean apart from the obvious” he said.
“I don’t know Noah. I just… I have a feeling, a really good feeling about him. He isn’t who he pretends to be. I know he isn’t.” I said with frustration.
“So why call it off?” He asked.
“Because Lara told me too. She said I needed to do better than a zillionaire playboy”
“I mean I do agree with her, but if your gut is telling you
he really likes you then screw her. She’s not your keeper. You deserve to make
your own mistakes. What’s the worst that’s going to happen? You have a really
fun night and never see him again? So what? As long as everything is consensual,
I say go get it girl. I would if I could,” he said. I smiled at his honesty. There were so many more problems than just this being a fling but Noah's support set a light a fire in my stomach, I wanted to at least try. I had to. This feeling didnt come around very often. I needed to act on it.
“You’re the first person that’s told me that.” I said with a smile.
“Shield your heart, at least for a while until you know for sure if you are right or not,” he said with a warning. “Now can we please get some emotion in this dance. Pretend I’m him,” he said with a wink. I rolled my eyes but nodded.
“Thanks Noah,” I said, and he smiled widely.
“Girl, I didn’t say it for you. I want details afterwards,” he said with another cheeky wink. I playfully slapped his shoulder and we laughed at each other.
When the break was over, Noah and I performed our pas de deux perfectly and the director was almost crying with happiness.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur. The rehearsal was over, but I still had my usual classes after lunch.
As Noah and I walked to the edge of the studio someone caught my attention behind the glass in the hallway.
I would see him in a crowd of a million I was sure of it. Noah and I were just packing our things when he walked past the studio windows swiftly. He didn’t see I was in there, but I had seen him.
“What’s he doing here?” I asked with a frown. I swear this man was following me.
“The philanthropists have to make in person visits to the bursary for their donations after the fundraiser. I’m sure he’s just here to pay his share.” Noah answered. “Are you going to go for it girl?” he asked with a grin. My heart picked up at the words. “It's fate girlfriend. He’s here the exact second you have a break. Go for it.” he encouraged me, and I couldn’t help but feel the adrenaline course my veins at the words. I dropped my bag quickly and headed for the exit of the studio. We had called lunch ten minutes early so I was sure no one else would have left the other studios yet. At least I hoped.
I looked around quickly to see no one else was in the hallway, just him walking swiftly away from me.
“Hey charming” I called down the hall. Thankfully. He stopped and turned to look at me. I walked over to him, slowly so my pointe shoes didn’t make a loud noise in the hall.
“Hello Odile,” he said, and I could see his mask was perfectly in place. I also wasn’t oblivious to the fact he’d called me the black swans name instead of Odette.
“I was wondering if it was too late to say yes to that ice cream” I said nervously. His face flickered for a moment.
“What happened to me being a big shot privileged crown prince?” he asked.
“Those weren’t my words” I countered him.
“You still believed them” he responded.
“Forgive me for a second if I was naïve enough to believe the things people say about you. You don’t exactly make it easy” I snapped back, and his mask fell for a moment.
“I didn’t know you heard things about me.”
“I’ve heard lots of things” I remarked, and he softened even more.
“I… I don’t have any excuses for my past Eden. I know I’ve done things wrong before but you’re not one of those girls” he said as he searched my face for something. I didn’t know what.
“How are you so sure?” I asked.
“Maybe we could have this conversation over that ice cream” he said with a small smile.
“I finish at three” I said looking back at the door of the studio that was now open, Noah was motioning for me to come back.
“I have a meeting until four, but I could pick you up after that.” He suggested.
“I’ll meet you in central park” I said quickly. I couldn’t have Lara know I was agreeing to this date.
“Very well. I’ll see you later” he smiled back to me. I returned it and turned to head back to the studio.
“Bye” I said, and he waved as I followed Noah back into the studio. He looped his arm with mine as we grabbed our bags.
“Well?” he asked me.
“I’m going on a date with him later” I said, and he beamed a smile at me.
“Brilliant” he said, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
Aaaaaah! Nicholas seems so nice!
ReplyDeleteyipppeeee...its a date!!
ReplyDelete