Page 81 of Eternal

I feel like I’m seeing him for the first time as I look up at him. A scalpel has been taken to the cast of clay that hardened around him over the years, and I’m once more seeing the boy who spent that night talking to me in the garden. A boy with real feelings and vulnerability. A boy who told me his mother was the only example of love he’s ever known, even though she cared about his father’s money more than him.

He reminds me of the boy who pointed to a wilting sunflower and said to wait for morning because it would bloom and be beautiful again.

Before the twelve-year-old boy became the monster I’ve grown accustomed to dealing with. The one who took my sunlight away.

“Why don’t you let anyone know about this?” I ask, my eyebrows pinching. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s not for them.” He shrugs.

“It should be for everyone, Declan. You’re really talented.”

He smirks. “You think so?”

“Well, yeah, look at it.” I wave my arms out, and his grin widens. “Why do you look so surprised when I say that?”

“I’m just not sure what to do with the first compliment out of your mouth, Tealene. Maybe you should say it again so I can record it.”

“So you can post it on your socials or use it as blackmail?”

“And here I thought you didn’t follow me.”

“I don’t.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Patience showed me.”

He hums, not believing me.

It’s true that Patience is the one who first notified me that Declan was posting about me on social media, but that’s not how I know he’s continued to do it. I might not follow him, but it hasn’t stopped me from spending an embarrassing amount of time scrolling his page.

“You know you don’t have to stalk me to get a piece of your boyfriend, Teal.” He smiles, pushing his hair off his forehead. “I’m all yours.”

“And you’re a pain in my ass.”

“Can be.” He winks, and blood rushes to my cheeks, realizing what he’s insinuating.

“Not like that.” I turn away from him, trying to hide what the thought of Declan defiling me surely shows on my face. “So tell me about all this. What is it?”

“A mess.” He follows me as I slowly navigate through the studio again. “I had to move some of the pieces out of storage for the museum exhibit.”

“So you’re going to show it off now?”

“No choice. It’s part of the internship requirement.” He rests his forearm on a tall pillar in the center of the room, watching me.

“I guess you care about the internship for real then.”

“As opposed to…?”

“I thought you might just be going to torture me.”

He grins. “That’s just an added bonus.”

“Of course it is.” I roll my eyes, stopping in front of a figure that is half-human and half-shards scattering out like they’re breaking apart. “None of the people are whole.”

“No one is.” He hums.

I suppose he’s right; it’s just interesting to see it displayed in a way that actually makes sense to me.

“So why am I here?” I turn to face Declan. “You had the administration call me?”

“You wanted proof.” He walks over and takes my hand.