Ill Appearances

Chapter 14: Andy

No matter how many times I closed my eyes and wished for my problems to go away, they were still there. It was childish of me to think that would work, but I really did wished I could just pull a blanket over my head and pretend there was nothing there.

I sat at Castar's kitchen table, not knowing what to do with myself. My wrist ached like hell from going at the punching bag, so I was miserable. I rummaged through the bag I put together when I'd gone back to my house.

We were allowed back there, but Mom didn't want to go. I assumed that once she gathered the money and found a place that we'd be moving out.

I pulled out a picture of my family. It had been taken two months prior at a restaurant. "How did my family fall apart so quickly?" I mumbled.

"I wonder that a lot myself."

I turned to see Mara's brother, Pablo, standing in the entrance to the kitchen.

He looked nearly identical to Mara, although his features were much harsher. He was tall and muscular, with dark, curly hair and dark eyes.

He took a few steps toward me and sat down. "I should apologize for the way I acted earlier," he said. "The things I had to go through were terrible, and I'd hate for you to suffer the same fate. Tío Louis is..." He shifted uncomfortably. "I've seen the way you look at my sister's friend. I once had a girl I felt strongly about too. I met her in high school, and we fell in love quickly. When we were twenty, I asked her to marry me. She agreed, but my father and uncle didn't approve of her. Tío didn't want me to marry her because I would be focusing on something other than working for him. Three months before the wedding, I went on a trip. When I came back, my fiance was dead." He stared at the table, his hands clasped tightly together. "That day, I used my power to lash out at my uncle. I swore to Mara that I would never use it, yet I was so blinded with rage that I forgot about that promise. I was gravely injured and, from that day forward, Mara and I began to drift apart." He sighed, looking down at his hands. "What I'm saying is, seize the opportunity to protect the people you care about. I know things may seem bad now, but they will get better." He put a hand on my shoulder. "And if you have feelings for her, you might as well say something. If you wait any longer, it might be too late." He stood up. "I'll see you in a bit."

I put my face in my hands after he'd walked away. "Do I have feelings for her?" I mumbled. "I mean...I can't get her out of my head..." I let out a long sigh. "But does she even feel the same way? Am I even justified in feeling this way?" I dropped my head onto the table. "Liking someone sucks..." I hadn't realized how mentally exhausted I was until I felt my eyelids start to droop. Unable to fight my sleep, I gave in and found myself in a vast field.

"Well, well, well," the voice of a young man said from behind me. "Look who finally showed up."

The scene shifted, and I was in a dark room. "Who's there?" I asked, whirling around.

He chuckled, again from behind me. "You don't recognize me? I guess I can't blame you. It's been nearly ten years."

I whipped around again, but there was no one there.

"You were a cute kid, Andy," he continued. "Now look at you, all muscular and tall. You're almost a real man. Except you haven't got any balls."

"Woah!" I exclaimed angrily. "Who do you think you are?!"

Suddenly, the scene shifted to a field again. Sitting in front of me was a half cat-half man. He had chocolate brown skin, green eyes with slitted pupils, and dark hair.

"Lion, actually," he grumbled. "I'm half lion."

I frowned. "How did you know what I was thinking?"