Darkness

Chapter 16

"Selene, I didn't know you were on this floor."

Ares lips tightened in a hard line and his eyes closed tightly; then the eyelids snapped open showing the irises turned scarlet, I put a hand on his chest to try to calm him. At my touch, almost like a command, the rings around the dilated pupils immediately became light blue, but they continued to tear through Richard's skin. In response, he studied him with an amused air and a derisive smile.

"Yes ... this is my class ... are you on this floor too?"

"Yes, my class is right next to yours. So this is the famous boy, I assume. "

He uttered his name derisively, fueling the hatred Ares felt for him and the disgust I felt.

"Yes I'm her boyfriend. My name is Are."

His words sounded like a kind of warning of something horrible that could happen if he got in the way somehow. Richard's ways were slimy and he looked at me in an awkward way that made me go all red but in a different way than how I blush for Ares, it's not a pleasant fire that colors my cheeks. Richard and Ares were very similar in reality: both beautiful, popular but Ares treats me in a way that no one had ever treated me, he treated me as a "person", as his only person, as a vital part without which he could not to live; Richard, on the other hand, sees me as a toy that after fulfilling his wishes he will throw away. I don't blame him. Many do this: perhaps because they are insecure, perhaps because they have fun with little, perhaps because I don't know true love, the visceral love that you can't live without, the one that ignores the bodies, takes the soul and engraves itself in the heart. Maybe because they don't find it or they simply don't care to find it but it would take so little to get it, just a few small attentions.

"Well it's late, are we going to the Selene's house?"

"I was really going with Ares since I sent him to lunch ..."

"Very well, all three of us go together. Come on!"

Ares pulled away from me and went down the stairs in annoyance as Richard approached me triumphantly. I joined him while he was waiting for me downstairs. Richard touched my hand with his and Ares promptly shook it, yanking me away from him. Richard did not give up and joined us immediately, licking my shoulder with his arm. I could feel Ares' body begin to tremble and quiver with rage. I saw his desire to skin him alive, his keen desire to hurt him was evident but Richard seemed not to care, continuing to pursue with annoying jokes and asking intrusive questions.

"It is a pleasure to be your roommate. You are very nice as well as pretty and you look great in a bra. "

Ares whirled around looking at me in amazement, freezing in place. I couldn't believe he could invent such things, I didn't think he would go that far. I looked at him with a deadly gaze, answering him with a voice drenched in poison.

"You've never seen me in a bra."

"Well you can imagine, you have nice breasts and I ... a lot of imagination."

He said shrugging with his usual hateful amused smile.

I felt like Ares was going to explode, do something he would regret for an idiot, and even though I would have liked it, I had to prevent this from happening in front of the whole school. When Ares was about to say something, we were interrupted by my savior from America.

"Hey Sele, he must be Ares, please, I'm Ginevra, his cousin."

He grabbed the hand she held out to him and squeezed it warmly.

"My pleasure. Where are you going?"

"I sent him to our house for lunch, so mom and dad aren't there and we can make do with what is there or I could cook."

"Yes great idea! Oh and I can help you out. Ares can't understand how good she is at cooking, she's fantastic. "

"Well then I can't wait to try your kitchen."

I smiled embarrassed at so many compliments that I was not used to.

"I'm curious too."

Ares rolled his eyes in irritation and pulled me even closer to him, I squeezed so tightly that my breath nearly stopped. All the way home, Ginevra tried to draw Richard's attention to her but it was all in vain: he was attached to me and wouldn't let me be. I think for him I was a kind of "trophy", he saw me as a kind of challenge that he had to win at all costs making Ares more and more nervous and, when we got to my apartment, the situation did not improve.

While Guinevere and I were preparing lunch they stayed in the living room and I prayed that nothing would happen but with Richard it was impossible not to want to throttle him.

"Hey Selene, are you listening to me?"

"That? Thing? Ah yes yes I was listening to you. "

"So what did I say?"

He asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"Um ... school?"

"Can you tell me what you have?"

I sighed sitting on the island stool.

"I'm afraid for those two."

"In what sense 'fear'."

"Well, as you can see, they don't get along very well."

"Yes, but what can ever happen, they won't kill themselves, right?"

"No..."

"Come on relax."

"...at least I hope."

I whispered the last words to myself as a kind of prayer useful to drive out my bad thoughts. I tried to do what he advised me but I was always afraid that Richard could take Ares to the limit.

We finally brought the dishes to the table and found Ares sitting on the sofa and Richard in the armchair at opposite ends of the room.

"Are you coming to the table? It's ready."

"Aren't we waiting for Marika?"

"No he said he goes to a friend of his, Rebecca."

I froze in place. I did not understand why all that friendship blossomed in such a short time when before they almost hated each other. Above all, why was that friendship born after the end between the one between me and her?

"Well, if we are all then let's eat."

Ares sat next to me instead Richard just across the way.

"Ah Selene, I heard mom and dad, they will be a few weeks late, do you think the uncles are sorry ..."

"But no, imagine."

"Even mine will be late." I felt the fork violently hit the plate next to me making me jump slightly. Richard looked at the scene with amusement as an outside spectator, paying no attention to the irritation he caused, it seemed almost natural. "Of course I'll ask your parents

but I don't think it's a problem since they said I can stop by you as long as I want. You know, they love me! "

Richard took the glass but as soon as he brought it to his mouth he dropped it and let out a small scream.

I got up and put my hands on the table and jerked them up when I felt the hot wet tablecloth. I turned to Ares who was looking at me with a grin as he leaned back in his chair. I saw Richard's lips swell quickly, I walked over to him and lifted his face to see closely the damage Ares had done to him.

"But how is it possible? I took it out of the fridge. "

"Ginevra, go get the sunburn ointment from the bathroom cabinet."

I could feel Ares' gaze scratching my whole body deeply but I was worried about Richard as numerous sores were appearing. When I gently stroked his lips Ares instantly stood up and walked out of the room. I wanted to run after Ares and hold him tight but something was preventing me and, strangely, that something was just Richard.