Darkness

Chapter 15

He gently pulled away from my lips and I slowly opened my eyes smiling happily. Marika stared at me with her mouth wide open and the boys who were outside started talking to each other. Ares, still holding me tight to his chest, whispered in my ear:

"Now we will be on everyone's lips."

"Their looks are already eloquent."

"What do you mean?"

He asked with a pitiful frown that appeared on his face.

"Well they look at you as if you had kissed an alien because this is who I am to them, the different, the strange of the situation ..."

"But it doesn't matter to me what you are to them, I know what you are and I know you are worth more than all of them put together."

I raised my head and met his reassuring gaze. They don't find me comfortable being in the eye of the storm, the center of attention. After a while Marika approached me with a deadly look that penetrated my bones, her hands were clenched in two fists at her hips and her whole body was shaking with anger. Thinking about it, it was also a bit funny, I had never seen it like this.

"How can you be with her?"

"Sorry why?"

"Why ... why ... why ... is she ... such a ..."

"As well as?"

Ares folded his arms across his chest visibly irritated as Marika continued gesturing like a drunken theatrical.

"One like this, there are no words to describe it, is a case entirely in itself. I can't stand it either. "

"Well this is completely mutual."

I muttered barely audible to herself as she looked at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Should I be with someone like you instead? What has the maturity of a five-year-old girl plus ... spoiled? But please Marika you have all bored me. "

"But..."

"Go away, I'm tired of talking to you."

Marika stood still for a moment not really knowing what to do then went snorting at her friends.

"I'm glad you finally got together."

I turned around and hugged her tightly. She has always been one of the few to be nice to me, not paying attention to the judgment of the other guys.

"Well let's say you hoped for it right away, dear sister."

"Yes, I have to admit, I've always hoped for it."

"I wanted to ask you... do you want to come to my house after school? Maybe Hecate and I finish designing the masks for the show and the two of us can spend some time together, what do you think? "

They looked worried and then lowered their gaze to the ground. It is not the first time they behave like this, even that time that Hecate was gone for that story of Robert and Ares he was tense. I didn't understand why they didn't want to share their problems with me and I knew I was hiding something else, something they didn't want to tell me.

"Then?"

"Um ... I can't come, let's have another day maybe."

"But did something happen Ecate?"

"No, don't worry, all right, I'll come then we'll organize another day."

"That is fine."

"Come on let's go in."

He smiled placing his arm on my shoulder and hugging me to him. A boy who knew him stopped him and they started talking. I looked around and noticed Rebecca and Marika talking to each other, looking towards us. I was amazed that they spoke. Rebecca always spoke ill of my sister to me, saying she was a stupid spoiled princess, goose and gossip, so I didn't really understand their sudden rapprochement. Rebecca forced a smile and nudged my sister who started laughing. I looked away embarrassed, fearing that the reason for their laughter was me.

"Hey are you alright?"

"Yup."

I replied trying not to meet his gaze so that he would not read my thoughts. She lifted my chin gently but before she could meet my black pupils we were interrupted by Hecate's voice.

"Guys, shall we go in? It's late."

We went inside the institute, each in their own class.

Sitting at the counter was Natasha who was looking at me with a bright smile.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Said what?"

I asked arranging the backpack and sitting next to him.

"Well you were dating Ares."

"Does it have to be a state thing that I'm dating someone?"

"Not someone but Ares. Come on, all the girls envy you, they all want to be in your place, you know, I envy you too, but I'm happy for you. "

He offered me a sincere smile and hugged me warmly.

"Then? Tell me! How did it happen?"

He asked me leaning his cheek on his hand and sighing dreamily.

"It happened. I don't even know how, something was born and then the feeling got stronger and then it grew every day. Both."

"Oh that's so romantic. But wait, how long has this been going on? "

She asked, jumping straight into her chair.

"Oh well ... maybe a few weeks?"

I replied looking away and scratching the back of my neck.

"What? And you didn't tell me anything? "

Fortunately, just at that moment the maths teacher walked in and pulled out of that uncomfortable conversation.

When class hours finally passed, skipping recess to do the science homework, Ares was waiting for me outside my classroom.

"How did it go today?"

"Well, to you?"

"The usual boring things: math, philosophy, English, Latin, history. The usual stupid things. " "Come on, they're not that boring, Latin can be beautiful and Plato is very interesting."

"You are such a geek."

"Thanks for the compliment anyway."

"It wasn't an insult. I don't know many girls like you. "

"Like me in what sense?"

"An intelligent girl, who does not focus everything on beauty, a girl who is deep and not superficial like most, a girl who managed to ... hit me."

I blushed embarrassed at that spontaneous compliment. It is as if with him everything that everyone saw as insurmountable defects he transforms them into unique qualities, just because they are part of my being. Never had anyone laid eyes on me, on the shy girl who doesn't wear fashionable clothes, who doesn't go out on Saturdays, who doesn't do what everyone does, who listens to old songs and watches films from the last century. He accepts myself more than I do.

He diverted my thoughts when he approached him, I could hear the beats of our coordinated hearts beating in unison an unknown, infinite melody originating from something greater than us, something that we do not understand but that our souls already knew.

His hands licked my back, my eyes imprisoned in his that lowered to observe my scarlet mouth, leaving behind a trail of chills that ran through my whole body, our lips brushed, a hot fire was born under my skin. Nothing mattered anymore, as if all the evil in the world had disappeared and all the good enclosed in him and wrapped me tightly to defend myself from that evil. Just when the immense distance that divided us was about to be annihilated, a voice destroyed everything.