“WHAT’S THIS RUBBISH I heard?”

I strained to look at Sofia who has been standing behind me. I was sitting in this obscure cafe that Sofia and I often hang-out in, which is I guess the reason how she quickly found me. I have been staring at Eden’s gates–a stone throw away from here–for so long I didn’t even notice her come near.

“Which one? There are lots to enumerate; be specific.”

She made her way in front of me and sat on the empty chair. She propped up her chin on her palm after slowly placing her arm on the table, then pouted thoughtfully like she often times does.

“That you wanted to change your name?”

I snorted. News does fly fast. “Now where did you here that?”

“Eden.”

“Really now? My life’s popular in the shores of Eden?”

Her hand left her chin for a moment to scratch a reddish blot on her arm. “Well, I didn’t hear the worms talk about you yet, so don’t flatter your self. But I did see Reality in there, and she told me aboutit herself.”

“Which Reality? There are thousands of Realities in here, you have to be specific on which one I’d kill later.”

She grinned. “The one who resembled you most.”

I paused for a while. “Since when has she been visible inside Eden?”

“I didn’t mean exactly that she was inside. She was loitering outside the gates looking for you; she didn’t know you were here obviously.”

“Good thing you didn’t tell her.”

“I know you wouldn’t want to be disturbed with your thoughts. Been to Eden lately? It’s a circus. Lots of people lost in their own fantasies again.”

I shrugged.

“So,” Sofia said softly while she slowly traced the design of the glass table “why would you want to change your name?”

Again, I shrugged.

“Come on. Your name’s perfectly fine.”

Ditto.

“Why would you want to change Hades to Eros? Your name’s already beautiful as it is.”

“If you want it too much, you can have it.”

“Ah, and I see you’ve been fooling around with Sarcasm again.”

“We’re also bestfriends, what do you know.”

Sofia sighed. “One of the things I greatly lament. You’re hanging around with him too much.”

I watched Sofia rise up from her chair. She made her way near me.

“I still think you shouldn’t change your name. It’s lovely, really. And people wouldn’t want to call you Eros. They might scoff at you for that.”

She slowly walked away. I looked at Eden for a split second but somehow it seemed sad.

“You don’t realize it, Sofia,” I whispered as I watched her disappear from my eyes. “I only want to be called Eros by you.”

I sadly gazed at the Garden of Eden again. I know sooner or later Reality would find me hiding in here.