Home Sweet Home -Eden & Open-

[Rachel Stone]

When Rachel had gotten the call to meet up with Eden at the Rivercourts, there was no turning it down. Unlike the cafe, the Rivercourt held that...Quiet, relaxing feeling. Sur the cafe was relaxing and quiet...At times, but the rivercourt was more of a home to Rachel than anywhere else, including her own home. When the 'gang' wanted to hang out without having to order a coffee, they'd come here. It was open, normally free of other people, and the perfect place to do anything. From shooting hoops, to having a conversation, to having a party and lastly, just laying on the court lookin up at the stars, the rivercourt was anything but her least favorite place in Crystal Falls.

Dressed in a pair of jeans, her purple and orange pumas, and a dark purple hoodie, Rachel stepped onto the tarmack at exactly quarter after two. It haden't exactly been the nicest week in Crystal Falls, what with the storm they had a few nights ago, and now the windy weather, it may not have been the perfect day to come to the rivercourts, but Rachel could never find the right time to come here. A call from Eden was all it took.

Seating herself below the basketball hoop, her back leaned against the tall metal pole holding it up, Rae waited for her friend to show up.

[Eden Marie Winters]

She smiled down at herself feeling good that she had been able to go a day without a beating. Her father was seemlingly in an upbeat mood he even hugged Eden. She was hoping that it would stay this way that would be wondering if life could stay this happy but she knew that it wasn't possible. All it took was one wrong move talk the wrong way smile the wrong way and she will remind him of her mother and the beatings will start again. At least she wasn't showing any signs of the bruising she had her stomach covered with a black long sleeved shirt and a blood red Hurley shirt over that. She had on baggy black pants something she usually alway wore but she was skinny that she needed a studded belt.

She continued walking thinking about what she said on the Time Capslute about her friends and asking for help. She really did need help the situation at home was getting bad but she wasn't going to do that. She was going to start forgeting about how she looks and focus on having fun. Something that she desperately needed to do. She needed to have fun and she knew that Rachel could do that. She was a great friend they have fun talking. They don't usually hang out at school but they always hang out at the Rivercourt that was something that she was looking forward to.

She walked onto the court and smiled when she saw the back of the head of her friend Rachel. Her Etnies covered feel tapped lightly on the ground. She was always a light step and she didn't usually walk loud ever. She walked over and sat down next to Rachel. "Hey Rae what's up?" She asked her. It had been a while since she had seen Rae she wondered what she has been up to.

[Rachel Stone]

Rachel'd always been one for small details. She could always pick out the tiniest of details and even hear the sound of a pin dropping. So when Eden walked up behind her, hearing the pitter patter of her feet, Rachel smiled and looked over her shoulder. Once hearing her greeting, Rae gave her own greeting, "Eden...Hey. Hows it going?"

Cliques were some what of a problem at Crystal Falls Academy. That and social status's. Somehow a person was defined by who they hung out with. What Rachel had been asking herself for the past four years was 'Why?' Just because you didnt have the same friends as someone else didnt make you any less human. It just notified people that you had different interests. Personally, Rachel didn't like labels. Things like 'everyones favorite blonde' was fine to her because it had been given to her by her friends, but any other name she had been given had been forgotten.

Moving over so there was room for her friend to sit next to her, Rachel waited for Eden's reply.

[Eden Marie Winters]

She smiled when she sat down and heard what Rachel said. She liekd to talk to Rachel it made her feel smart when she talked ot her. She liked feeling smart not very often does her father make her sound or even think that she is smart. Rachel was one of those girls that didn't let what people called her bug her. She never let anyone get her down and has even stood up for Eden once or twice at school when the Preps would pick on her. Rachel was one of those friends that if you ever told her a secret she would keep that secret till the day she died and even then she wouldn't say anything. She was the one to stick up for the lower people or what the Preps and Cheerleaders thought was lower than them.

She smiled at Rachel and looked over at her. "I am doing okay school is not getting any easier but that is to be expected. Danielle Durskby is getting on my very last flipping nerve. She doesn't know when to shut up." She said. "And I also did that Time Capsule thing. I hated doing that bearing my soul to a camera. I didn't say to much nothing to private what about you?" She asked her. Of course she was curious as to what everyone wrote in theirs it was only normal to be curious. "How have you been what have you been up to?" She asked her.

[Rachel Stone]

At times, Eden was a girl of little Word s, but when you got her to open up or had her alone, she was a girl of many Word s. Which didn't bother Rachel in the least, because talking to someone like Eden, you could get alot said in just a matter of time. She'd seen how people treated her around school, and it made Rae question what was going on through peoples minds. She wasn't any different then Rachel, Craig, Beth, Haley or Jeremy were. She may have dressed differently or acted differently but that didn't make Rachel think any less of the girl. Friends were meant to be friends, not some sort of punching bag for Word s.

With a laugh at the mention of Danielle's name, Rachel had no choice but to agree, "Tell me bout it. When her and I aren't fighting over who stole whos parking spot were fighting over whos more of a princess...And thats a war i'd prefer her to take the crown for. Shes such a princess." To fight with someone was one thing, but to fight with someone over something so stupid was another. Rachel didn't mind it seeing as she was the smarter of the two, but hey...What could you do about a girl like Danielle Drubsky.

Ah yes....The infamous time capsule.... Thought the senior at her next comment. "Hey...Well at least we won't be there to open it! What happens in the capsule...Stays in the capsule....Thank god." She said with a slight laugh and a weak smile. What she had said in her video wasn't exactly what you'd expect Rachel to say, but it was too late to fix it now. She'd already submitted her video and if there was any way of getting it back, it'd take alot of time to think up a plan, "About what im up to though....Nothing really. Just the usual. Coffee at the cafe, studyin...Hanging out. Nothing spectacular." Rae pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees so she was in a comfortable sitting position as she looked out across the courts and to the river flowing next to it, off to the right and down a small hill.

[Eden Marie Winters]

She nodded her head Danille was the thorn in herside. She didn't know how to get rid of her. She was impossible and she thought that she owned everything no matter what it was. She thought that she was the biggest thing that ever was at that school and that was something that just got on Eden's last nerve. She couldn't stand the way that she would walk around all high and mighty because her father. And how she walks around like everyone is below her. "I just want to know when reality is going to come and smack her silly to see that she isn't what the world revolving around. That there were others things in world more important than having the right lip gloss on or the right car to drive in. I am lucky to have the car that I have. Because I made enough money to get that stuff. I know that money doesn't grow on trees and she is going to learn the hard way when she can't rely on her Daddy's money." She said. "That girl is going to find one rude awakening when she finds out that not everyone hands you everything on a silver platter. She is going to find out that not everyone is going to bow before her like she is a freaking Queen or something." She said. She found that it was easy to talk to Rachel. She didn't know what it was but she could easily talk to her. Even though they weren't in the same clique or anything they got along.

She wondered what kind of secrets everyone else let out in the Time Capsule. She would be curious as to what everyone would say. She knew that half the people in that school especially her friends would be shocked from what she said on the time Capsule. She nodded her head when she said that they wouldn't be at the school when it would be aired which would be the best thing because so many people would be disappointed in her. She didn't want to see what they would say if they found out about everything. She watched her get comfy and she got into a comfy position to she crossed her legs and tucked her feel under her. That was how she was comfy most people thought she was weird. Most people thought she was weird and uncomfortable but that was far from the truth she was very very comfortable. She couldn't help but laugh some when she said what she had been doing that was typical Rachel though that was what she did a lot and that was what made Rachel, Rachel. She liked how Rachel was she was cool down to earth and Nice. She never judged anyone because of what they looked like or how they dressed. She befriended Eden when no one else did and that meant a lot to her.

She didn't want to accidentally open some old wounds that Rachel might have but she needed to ask. "Have you seen Craig lately its almost like he doesn't have time for me anymore. I haven't seen him in forever. I am just worried about him because I haven't seen him or Jer in like forever. I was just wondering how they were and what they were doing?" She asked her.

[Rachel Stone]

Trying to keep up with what Eden had to say about Danielle was like trying to keep up with a snail. Really easy. She didn't need to explain herself anymore than she had because Rachel knew exactly how she could be. Danielle and the senior haden't exactly met on good terms, and she was sure that they would never be on good terms. They were just too different and in her opinion, Danielle could get hit by a truck for all she cared.

Laughing almost hysterically at how deep into the conversation Eden had gotten, Rachel nodded in total agreement, "No worries...You dont have to tell me Eden. Shes the queen of the castle and one way or another...Shes gonna be decrowned sooner or later."

Rachel haden't seen Craig since their dinner at the cafe, and also wondered what he had been up to. When she saw him next, she'd have to tell him of the news between her and Luke. Craig was one of Rae's best friends and telling him she still liked him then telling him that she had moved onto someone else just wasnt fair to him. Especially the part about hiding it from him. "Jerry's the same...You know...Flirting and making out with girls like crazy!" Rachel said honestly with a roll of her eyes, "And Craig...Well...I'm sure hes been better. I dont know if you know, but him and Haley broke up about a week ago."

[Eden Marie Winters]

She looked very forward to when Dani was knocked off her high horse. She wanted to be the one to do it but she didn't think it was going to happen. She sighed and looked around. "Yea I can't wait to see that I will definitely be there to see and I will have my camera ready to take a picture of it." She said. She took her camera with her everywhere and would take random pictures of things. People thought that she was weird for it but she didn't She loved talking picture it was something that made her feel that she could actually do something right. She would take pictures all the time if she could she would have a camera memory put into her mind if she could and then she would take pictures all the time.

She nodded her head. Yea she knew about the Break-up who hadn't. They had been a happy couple and then they split that definitely got people talking. She hated how people were talking about it. She didn't think that their business should be told around the whole school but she couldn't do anything about it. The ones saying things were the Seniors and she would be pummeled and that wasn't something that she wanted to have happen. "Yea that is Jerry for you he is always flirting with everything that's got two legs." She said. "I just hoped that Craig is okay I haven't seen him in a while and I am getting a little nervous." She said. She sighed and looked around.

[Rachel Stone]

"Craig seems to be taking it better than Haley is...Thats for sure..." Rachel said, the night of their dinner coming to mind. He had been a little edgy in the car on the way to the cafe, talking about how he hated to hurt Haley and all, but once they had seated themselves inside and ordered up their dinner, Craig seemed more than fine. What with telling Rachel that she was the reason he had broken up with Haley in the first place and mentioning the bit about his feelings for her, it was as if nothing had happened.

"I can't wait to get out of here..." Rachel mumbled more to herself than anyone, as her eyes scanned the area around them. Despite the rough surface of the basketball court, the river and trees around the two girls seemed almost serene. It had always been quiet around the river courts seeing as they were on the edge of town and people rarely thought of taking the time to get to know the place. What do you mean you ask? The rivercourt held more than just its relaxing scenery. It held momories. Some good, some bad, others...Ok you could say, but it was a milestone none the less. If Rachel concentrated hard enough she could look ahead to the other side of the court and picture her friends all sitting around the basket talking, laughing, you name it. But sitting here with Eden talking about Craig and Jeremy, seeing those people in her mind was the last thing she wanted to do.

For once in her life, Rachel didn't want to see anybody. She wanted to foget about everything and everyone.

[Eden Marie Winters]

She looked at her and nodded her head. Truthfully she knew about Craig's feelings for Rachel she had known for along time. She could see it in his eyes that he still had feelings for Rachel. She wasn't telling anyone that though because she knew that he didn't want anyone to know about that one until he was ready. She sighed and looked down. She knew that Craig would take it well beacuse that was Craig. He was known to get over relationships fast for some reason. She remembered when they had dated and when they had split. It hurt a little but they were still the best of friends so it didn't hurt that much. She was glad to have her friends though even though they were few.

She heard what Rachel said and she couldn't help but sigh. She wasn't getting out she knew she wasn't getting out. Her father was going to make her stay there and keep her trapped in that town. When ever one grows up and can get away she is going to be trapped there. Her father wasn't going to let her go without a fight. He was going to make life a living nightmare and there wasn't anything anyone could do about it. She knew that there wasn't going to be anything ever. She didn't mean to get all sad and upset but she couldn't help it. Rachel was going to get out of here she was going to go out and make something of herself and Eden was going to be trapped at home forever living at home with her Dad that beat on her every time she turned around. "At least you will be getting out" She said in a whisper. She didn't mean for it to sound upset and a little bitter but she couldn't stop it. She couldnt' keep from doing that. She hated that all her friends were going to leave her here all alone to her own devices. They didn't know about her dad and they would never know about her dad if she had anything to do about that.

She sighed and ran a finger through her hair and looked down. She remembered all the good times she had, had at this court and she didn't want to forget those times because those are what kept her going those are what kept her alive. The love of her friends are what kept her going.

[Rachel Stone]

It would take alot of guts to tell Craig how she was dating Luke, a good friend of Craig's and hers. Not only had she kept her feelings from him, but she'd put off telling him long enough. Her fellow senior was one of her best friends, and they told each other everything...That much was obvious when he told her how he felt about her. Keeping this from him any longer wouldn't help matters.

As her gaze turned from the area around her to the person sitting next to her, Rachel could tell that The tone of Eden's voice was far from happy. Rae was a smart girl. She did well in school, was involved with extra cirricular activities and was active around Crystal Falls, but just because she had alot going for her, and dreamt of leaving town as soon as high school was done, a dream was all it was and all it ever would be. Things in life wouldn't be the same if she immediatly left her best friends and family behind. Leaving just like that would seem as though nothing ever mattered. But it did.

Despite the fact that Haley and her basically hated eachother now, Luke and her's relationship was on the rocks and she'd drifted apart from her other friends, nothing would stop her from at least saying goodbye to them. No matter how bad her reputation was after senior year.

Nudging her friend gently in the arm with her elbow, Rae put on her best smile, "Everyones gonna get outta here at some point or another Eden. No matter how long it takes. I'll probably have to dream about leaving Crystal Falls for the next three years at the rate im going. Besides, I couldn't leave you guys behind if I wanted to."