Hades

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

"Oh, this is bad. This is really, really bad. This is really, really really bad."

I pace back and forth, clenching and unclenching my fingers as I fret. The inside of my elbows are now littered with little red patches from where I've pinched the skin as I fretted. The three words that hit me like a bombshell an hour ago still circle my mind like frenzied hawks.

I like Hades.

I like Hades.

I, Evie Autumn, a human being, like Hades, a god.

What am I doing?

What am I doing?

What am I doing?

"Evie!" Spencer stumbles around the corner. A slack-jawed grin spreads across his lips. He throws an arm limply around my shoulders. "What're you doin'? Why are you hiding from everyone? Don't you like us?"

I stare at him for a moment, before shaking his arm off. "I'm not hiding from everyone. I just... needed some air."

"That's just a fancy way of saying you're hiding." Spencer grips my shoulders and stares deep into my eyes. "Talk to Uncle Spencey. Tell us your sadness."

"Don't ever call yourself that. Like, ever again." My nose screws up in disgust. "And I'm not sad. I just... need to process a few things."

"Well?" Spencer steps back, flinging his arms out to the sides. He grins at me. "I am your human sounding-board. Go for the best friend!"

Despite it all, I can't help but smile at his antics. "It's complicated."

"So was my relationship with Alexander the Great. You don't see me using that as an excuse to avoid having a heart-to-heart with my best friend." Spencer clicks his fingers repeatedly at me. "Talk talk talk talk talk—"

"Okay, okay!" I grab his hands and trap his fingers in a desperate attempt to stop the clicking. I sigh and rub my temple. "God, I forgot how extra-annoying you are when you're drunk."

"You're still avoiding the talking."

I sigh again. "Okay, hypothetically let's say I have this friend. And this friend of mine went on holiday to a new country. And at first, she was really upset about going to this new country because she left a lot of friends and family behind, and she wasn't sure she was going to survive without them, especially after losing her first family when she was younger. And this upset feeling didn't even take into account the fact that the guy she was staying with, well she basically thought he was the devil, because the deal he offered her for free accommodation was way too harsh in hindsight. But then, after she realised she judged him too harshly and he was actually kind of sweet, she got to know him really well and realised that she didn't want to leave when the holiday was up. And now—"

"You have feelings for Hades and you don't know how to deal with them."

"What?" I laugh nervously. "Where on earth did you get that idea?"

"I can read you like a book, Evie. You couldn't keep your crush on James Stone a secret when you were thirteen, and you can't keep your crush on Hades—"

"Spencer!" I slap my hand over his mouth. I stare bug-eyed at him. "Do you not know what a secret is?!"

"Aha!" Spencer points at me. "So it's true."

I whip my moist hand away from his mouth and shake it with a noise of disgust. "Yes, it's true, Spencer. Did you have to lick me when you said that?"

"I'm a licker, E. Accept me for who I am." Spencer boops me on the nose with a grin. His expression changes in an instant. "So you like Hades. Why does that make things complicated? When you like someone you kiss them. It's that simple. And let me tell you, kissing isn't that complicated."