~ Don't trust everything you see, even salt looks like sugar
Chapter Seven
"What do you mean she doesn't know anything?" An unfamiliar voice boomed with anger. It was deep and foreign accented. "Do you not see how dangerous that is?"
"We're protecting her. She doesn't need to know anything that does not concern her," my mother replied in confidence. She hinted no fear from the harshness of the other person. Even I twitched in bed.
"Of course it concerns her. Look at what's happening and she's completely clueless to it," the male spoke, outraged by her comment. To be honest, I was on this guy's side at that moment. I understood very little but as far as I knew, they were talking about something I should have known.
"We've had no signs," Mum grunted and I pictured it to be accompanied with a shrug.
"No signs? What about the incident almost ten years ago, was that not a sign?" I didn't realise the man's voice could get any louder. There was clear snide in the tone.
The incident almost ten years ago... This time I visibly twitched in my bed. As the memory flashed through my mind, I felt my breathing restrict from the lump in my throat, my heart beat picking up and my chest ached. Ten years ago... That was my fault. I'm a monster.
"She's awake." That was Dad's calming voice. I felt a hand touch my forehead, and knowing it was my father's it helped my body to relax. It worked every time.
I opened my eyes instantly peering into his soft, hazel ones. They glistened with worry as he gently rubbed the side of my face and forehead repeatedly. He was sat on my bed, just hanging off the side twisted slightly so his hip touched my stomach. His warm hands were comforting, other than the few times they pushed into my eyelashes. I gulped as I continued to look into his saddened eyes. I hated seeing him like this and what made it worse is when I was the reason for it. I'm unaware of when my parents returned from their 'important' task because soon after Mike had left with Olivia, my head began to spin before I blacked out.
"You'll be alright. Can you sit up for me?" That was Greg, the doctor.
I scanned the room, surprised to see more people than I expected. There was Mum in black formal trousers, and a ruffled, cream sleeveless top that had a small collar. Her hair was in a high pony tail out of the way, light make up on her face and she wore pointed black heels. Wow, they must have gone somewhere important if she's wearing formal clothes and put on some lipstick. Her arms were crossed along her chest. She stood besides a man with short, grey infested brown hair, deep blue eyes and lips so thin. His nose was very straight and thin. He wore a black suit over a gold waistcoat and white shirt, accompanied with a light pink tie. Greg was stood just behind Dad, his black hair with rare strands of grey dishevelled. Weirdly enough, his eyes were the same shade as Dad's, only they also had specks of black dotted about. His bright lips were pressed together expectantly. His brown patterned jumper hung off his shoulders loosely and his black trousers were creased. I honestly don't know why Mum ever had a crush on him or, as I suspect, why she still does.
Then, there was Mike and two other men I didn't recognise. The two men stood by either side of my bedroom door, looking very out of place with black tinted sun glasses on and wires around their ears. Their arms crossed in front with one hand gripping the other. Mike was leaning on the wall opposite my bed, one leg crossed behind the other. His hair looked like he ran his fingers through them so many times. He wore a dark grey long sleeved cotton blend hoodie (only reason I knew about the material of the hoodie is because he told me once) with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his bulged veins as he had one hand gripping his arm. He wore dark blue jeans that gathered from the knees to the bottom. That was strange, he was wearing something different earlier. Everyone was staring at me. The calmness that Dad provided for me was replaced with nerves as soon as I realised that everyone had their attention on me.
I, slowly, sat up, surprisingly finding it easier than I thought. That short black out must have given me all my strength back.
"I'm the King's advisor." The man in the gold waistcoat approached me as Dad shifted out of the way. The man leaned forward, so close in fact, that I could feel his breath. The pool of blue looked straight into mine as he placed his fingers under my chin to look back at him. It was like he was inspecting my soul through my eyes or something. "Why are you taking so long?" It came out as a curious whisper.
"I don't know." I spoke in one rush since I was letting out the breath I hadn't realised I was holding. I flinched, releasing myself out of his grasp. I never liked being touched, especially by strangers.
The King's advisor, as he introduced himself as, straightened up, twisting in his formal lace up shoes, but not before sending me an inquisitive look as if I had all the answers.
"There's very little I or anyone else can do right now. Keep me informed if anything changes," he ordered, straightening his blazer, which I noticed had a blue lining inside when he bent towards me earlier, and pointed to the two men by the door to follow him out of the room.
"Wait, Mr Oakley!" Mum called after him, also exiting the room.
Dad gave me a nod and a look, which caused me to laugh. It was one where he looked at the ceiling then back at me, indicating that he better make sure Mum doesn't do or say anything crazy. He kissed me on the forehead before leaving the room.
"How are you feeling, pet?" Greg croaked. His voice always sounded like he was about to lose it any second. It was low and hoarse all the time. He smiled, creating wrinkles that connected from the corners of eyes to the edge of his lips.
"Fine, thank you," I smiled back.
"That's great. You've kept us all worried for a while there. Anyways, I better get going. Stay out of trouble, okay?" Without waiting for a reply, he sauntered out, his heavy footsteps making their way down the stairs.
"What could be so worrying? I was only, technically sleeping." I turned my attention to Mike, the only person left in the room.
"Yeah, for about two days, maybe? Not quite two days but give it another ––" He checked the watch on his wrist. "thirteen minutes and it would be, assuming you blacked out as soon as I left." He stood up straight and headed towards me.
I had disregarded his comment when I had realised something. I stretched my arms in front of me and widened my eyes to stop him from coming any closer. He halted when he was half way to my bed.
"What?" He raised an eyebrow
"You can't be here! You're a boy." Mum's strict orders of not allowing the opposite gender into the house has intended into my brain. It shocked me that they left him here alone with me. I mean, hanging outside was one thing but in my room... it was a completely different story. Maybe Mum was in such a hurry to talk to that man who claims to be the King's advisor (we don't even have a king) that she'd forgotten what leaving me here would mean. That's a possibility.
"Great observation, Foyles," Mike laughed, making it onto the empty side of me bed. He replicated my position, our shoulder touching and he backed against the headboard. We were sitting on the pillows. "Just chill."
"Wait, what do you mean that I've been out of it for two days?" His words finally made it into my brain. My voice was a very high pitch from the shock of what it had just processed. "Two days?!"
"Woah, Hes, calm down. I don't want to lose my hearing!" He commanded as he slapped his hands over his ears, causing his elbow to poke my shoulder.
I rubbed the spot on my shoulder that he had just poked, shuffling to the right slightly, so that none of our body parts were in contact.
"Sorry," I mumbled quietly, feeling guilty for shouting so loud.
"And, thirteen minutes short of two days, but yeah, that's what I mean. There's no hidden meaning behind that," he repeated sarcastically.
The repetition didn't ease any of the shock. How does someone even sleep for two days straight?
"I... uh, am I alright?" I questioned, not sure how to even respond.
"That's a question you should be answering yourself," he chuckled lightly, shaking the bed and brushing his shoulder against mine slightly. "You make me laugh, Foyles."
Although, I knew it was an accident, I shifted more to the right so that his shoulder was no longer brushing against mine as he continued to laugh. I frowned, patiently waiting for him to finish his little outburst.
"Mike?" I interrupted when he still hadn't calmed down. He breathed in deeply and out again before he murmured for me to continue. "What's going on? Who was that guy with the shiny waistcoat and what does he want from me?"
He mumbled something under his breath, which I didn't catch before turning to me. The rays from the sun shined through the window and danced on his face as he did so. One eye was caught in the way of a stream of ray and appeared lighter than the other, where it came out more golden. I noticed before his eyes met mine, he gritted his teeth but the minute they peered into mine, his expression softened. His eyes were rather mesmerising. They were so unique. He didn't say anything for the longest time ever.
"Your eyes are like the inside of a volcano. Sometimes, your pupils are surrounded by the red of lava and then around that the brown of the rock outer layer." His voice was soft and warming. I didn't realise Mike had paid attention to my eyes before. He made me, somewhat, like it with that description.
I reached up to touch my cheeks, all without releasing my gaze from his. Was I blushing? Well, that's embarrassing. I was hoping that it wouldn't be visible on my cheeks. Suddenly, a light thud, which jolted us backwards a little, broke the intent gaze. Mike found interest in his watch, fiddling and staring at it. I looked down to see my cat had head butted her way between us. She sat in between, licking her left paw, staring up at me with those big green eyes full of innocence.
"That guy is who he says he is. The King's advisor, Mr Oakley," Mike continued the conversation as if nothing had just happened. Maybe it was all in my head?
"We don't even have a king?" It came out more of a question. If someone says it enough, you end up believing it. Was the queen of England, the king all along and I was just in my own world all this time? I picked up Shelly Squared and placed her on my lap, stroking her for comfort.
He ran his fingers through his hair, a sure sign of frustration. He inhaled deeply and exhaled. "Look, Hestia, I think you should ask your parents any questions about anything you're confused about. They only wanted to protect you and they have that right. If there's anything else after they have spoken to you that you're still confused about then I'll answer it."
"Promise?" I asked in desperation.
Finally, he turned from his watch and made eye contact with me again and cupped my face.
"Promise." He let go of my face, as if my skin was on fire, and stepped off the bed. "You're all okay, right?"
"I guess so."
"Let's go downstairs and see what's on TV or something." I noticed his hands were in fists and he let out a sigh as he exited the room.
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A/N ~ Thank you all for reading this chapter! It means so much to me that you all have made it this far with me through the story and living Hestia's journey with us both (Hestia and I haha).
Well, I definitely think this chapter was slightly more interesting than the others. More information was revealed and we touched her past slightly... what do you guys think happened 10 years ago? Do you think her parents are going to tell her the truth? What do you think of Mike now? And what do you think of this new character that has been introduced? Haha, I'm so intrigued to know what thoughts are going through your minds upon reading this chapter.
I hope you enjoyed it and that the grammar wasn't too bad. Let me know if things don't make sense or if there are any errors please.
One last thing before I sign off - myobers is thinking of writing a story, head over to their profile and give a message of encouragement until it's uploaded! And of course read it once it is up. I'm sure there's a cool idea brewing up in myobers brain and we're all for love and support here!
Anyways, that's me for today. Thank you again for giving my story a chance.
~Zana