The Lies Of Dawn

C H A P T E R 1

Celia realized she had drifted away from the lecture once again and so she turned her attention back to the professor. "The next five lectures are going to be about difficult situations people keep getting themselves into and we are also going to have five different speakers coming here to talk to you about each situation so you better prepare yourselves. Class dismissed."

She got up slowly, still a bit dazed, and shrugged on her black leather jacket before throwing her books messily in her backpack and heading outside.

She started walking along the crowded streets, with no specific destination in her mind, letting her hazel eyes scrutinize some shops and their windows for a few seconds before moving once more.

She couldn't have been walking for over five minutes when she found herself outside of her favourite tattoo parlour, Olympus. She pushed the door open and walked inside. Deafening silence filled her ears. It can't be, she thought with a confused frown on her face, Apollo always puts music on when he works.

She walked to the receptionist, Rachel, and explained that she wanted to finish her half sleeve.

Rachel looked at her with surprise. "Sorry doll, the bossman isn't here today. You haven't heard?" Celia shook her head. "Oh, well his brother is coming home today and he took the day off."

"Brother?" Apollo would have told her that he had any other siblings besides Eros, wouldn't he? They were friends after all.

Rachel's eyes twinkled with a gleam that could only be described as naughty and smiled. "Oh, yes the almighty Ax, such a handsome lad. I'm surprised you've never heard of him, he is quite famous around here." Rachel replied. "Or it would be appropriate to say quite infamous." She added in an afterthought.

Celia didn't know what she should say to the redheaded receptionist, she seemed to be in a dreamlike state, thinking about that Ax most likely.

Celia had to resist rolling her eyes, she found it incredibly idiotic when women were fawning over men. He can't possibly be that fucking special.

She cleared her throat, trying to regain Rachel's attention. The receptionist rewarded her with a startled yelp as if she had just noticed Celia's presence. "I'm sure he is great, Rachel. Could you tell Apollo that I want an appointment to finish this?" She gestured at her covered left arm. Rachel nodded. "Sure doll, I'll tell him once he comes back."

Celia smiled in gratification. "Thank you, I'll see you later." She waved at Rachel before stepping towards the exit. She did not even spare a glance at the interior of the shop, she knew every little detail by heart. She knew how there were paintings decorating the hallway, courtesy of one of Apollo's fellow art classmate in college and worldwide famous painter, Miguel Velasco. She knew how Apollo loved the old vinyl records he kept scattered all over the room in which he spent most of his time. She also knew how each tattoo he ever created was recreated on a canvas, left in the attic.

"Any time doll," Rachel yelled, hoping her voice had reached the young woman before she left. Rachel was aware that it was not highly possible for Celia to have heard her, the woman must have had already put in her earbuds. She had a love for music, that one, to the point where she couldn't leave her house without grabbing her old mp3 player, it was more of a necessity to her than any other thing people might value.

And of course, Celia hadn't heard a word. She continued to stroll, tearing through the people that made her feel incredibly small. She, eventually, reached her neighbourhood but before she could cross the road, a bike came out of nowhere and almost hit her. The street was practically deserted yet the driver of the vehicle acted like he was running from someone, or perhaps towards something.