Possession < Spider-Man • Book 1 >

- 2 -

“. . . It’ll be in the office tonight,” he grumbled, and hurried out of the room before Caelum could ask anymore questions.

Caelum didn’t need to, he smirked to himself and picked up the box, continuing to walk down the hall, cutting across the main floor and depositing it in the back. He rolled his shoulders when he was finally able to be rid of it, before turning to repeat the process.

° · ° · ° · °

Caelum didn’t make it back home until late that night. He was certainly cutting it close too. His parents didn’t get back home until 9 or 9:30, and he arrived back at 8:55. He shoved his key in the lock, finding his two younger, twin brothers watching the television dumbly. Caelum tossed his keys on the table, and the two boys hardly looked at him. He kicked his shoes off and went to the fridge, “Did y'all take out that meat like mom asked?”

“Yes,” The twins replied, not looking away. Caelum frowned, looking on the countertop, and finding the ground beef.

Caelum went to his room to change, then he came back, washed his hands, rolled up his sleeves, and began to cook. He pulled the meat into a bowl and began softening it, adding his own spices and flavours as he did so. Then, he began to section them off individually, and creating small meat-mounds. He turned the stove on, pouring a bit of oil and other seasonings in the pot, before dropping the meat mound on top. He did the same thing about a dozen more times, setting them out individually as he waited for the burgers to cook.

The door opened as Caelum pressed the meat down. He heard the high heels of his mother’s shoes on the wooden floor. “Are the dishes washed?” She asked the twins. From their silent reaction, she had her reply. They scrambled up immediately, turning the television off and going to the dishwasher, unloading it haphazardly.

His mother, Apolline Forest, came to his side as he cooked silently, dropping the cooked patties in a therma-glass pan. “How was school?”

She was a rather tall woman, even without her heels. Her hair was always relaxed and pulled back. Her skin was dark from her days under the sun in Northern France, where she grew up. Caelum sometimes wondered how his father and his mother ever found themselved compatible, but never asked her himself. It was unnecessary information.

“It was well,” Caelum replied monotonously. He cooked the last few patties and turned to go to the fridge. His mother barred his way. Caelum rose an eyebrow.

“The Principal called me,” she continued, and Caelum forced himself not to flinch as the name.

“I am aware,” Caelum replied. “The situation has been handled. It was an accident, the boy is fine.”

His mother rose a thick eyebrow to match his own. Caelum could almost see her glazing through his lie. Peter was fine, of course, but it wasn’t an accident. “You can’t afford to lose this scholarship, Algol.”

A frown pinched Caelum’s cheeks, “You know I don’t like that name,” He said clearly, trying to keep the irritation out of his tone. “And, I am well aware of the precarious situation regarding my stay at Midtown High.” He was more aware of it than his mother could ever dream of. “I won’t lose my scholarship.”

His mother smirked, “A full ride to a school like that isn’t easy to come by.” Caelum knew that as well, because he didn’t have the full ride. “What are you making?”