Sugar (Harry Styles)

18.

What do you say when someone comes at you with such earth-shattering information? When the things you thought were truth turn out to be false? What do you say? What do you do? Harry was in a daze, looking at Daphne with fear in his eyes. He looked around the kitchen before he backed up against the sink to support his stance.

Harry’s eyes drifted to the flour and egg covered floor, trying to process what had been said to him. Granted he wasn’t 100% sure what it was that she was trying to express with those words, but parts of it seemed to make sense. She was obsessed with love. She had a way with people that other’s couldn’t define. She was beautiful, but that didn’t mean she was some extraordinary creature from Aphrodite’s loins.

Daphne felt the silence weigh heavy on her. She felt like Atlas holding the world on her shoulders. She looked at Harry’s face and saw how lost he looked as if she had pulled the rug out from underneath him.

“My mother didn’t die,” she said quietly, desperate to break the silence. “She did leave me the day after I was born.”

Harry shook his head and closed his eyes, bringing his large hands to his face. He was trying to compute what was being said. He didn’t even think this was possible. Greek Gods and Goddesses were real and Daphne was a half god… a demigod.

“So you lied to me?” Harry asked in a hurt tone.

“I didn’t lie.” She defended with a weak voice. “I just didn’t tell you everything.”

“It’s just as bad, Daphne.” He snapped causing Daphne to step back from him.

“And you would’ve believed me if I told you that first day we met what I was? Who I am?” Daphne asked with a watery voice. “Let me tell you everything now.”

Harry wasn’t sure if he was ready to hear the whole story, he felt like he had enough on his plate that night but obviously this needed to get out. He needed to know who she was… or what she was.

When Daphne saw Harry’s nod slightly in agreement to hear her story she thought long and hard about what she wanted to say. She took a few deep breathes and began to wring her hands together in thought.

“Gods and Goddesses were married to each other, but they also had affairs. Sometimes they were with one another and other times they were with mortals.” She began in a soft voice; there was something about this story that made Harry pay attention, more so than all the others she had ever told. This time it wasn’t a myth. This time it was real. This time it was her story.

“When they had affairs sometimes they left children behind. Those children are demigods, mortal in all aspects except for some extraordinary gifts that plague them. Some children become famous and use their gifts and talents to push them into the limelight like Hercules had.”

Daphne gulped and looked at Harry whose head was bowed and he stared at her with skepticism through his dark curls. His eyes were dark and unfriendly, judging her.

“But then there were other children, ones who were different, ones who used their gifts for good. They’re names aren’t found anywhere in the history books, they aren’t in ancient scrolls, or oracles. They are forgotten, left on earth to figure out their life without guidance or understanding.” Daphne’s eyes watered with tears. “I’m one of them.”

Her breathing was ragged as she brought her hands to her face to brush away her tears. She wanted Harry to hold her and to rub her body. She wanted him to kiss her hair and tell her that it didn’t matter, that he would love her regardless. As she stood alone on the opposite side of the kitchen her hope for that to happen dwindled.