{-} Wow. I underestimated you, angry boy.
{•} Something I never thought you'd say. And besides, I did say that I would find them all. I'm smarter than you think.
{-} Yeah yeah. Anyway, I heard that you're planning to see me?
{•} Yes. To get this curse abolished.
{-} And what makes you so sure that you will?
{•} Oh please, I know we will.
{-} Well, I'd like to see you try. And by the way kiddo, I'll give you some credit, you're heading to the right place.
{•} What? To Zeus' Temple?
{-} Yes indeed.
{•} Ahh So you are Hades after all.
{-} I didn't say that. I could just want you to go there because I wanted you to. Doesn't necessarily mean that I'm who you're claiming I am.
{•} Yeah, okay.
{-} Also, angry boy, I've got a bone to pick with you. Doing what you call "slagging me off" I hope you liked the lil presents I gave you when you did.
{•} I don't care. You deserve it. For punishing us.
{-} You really don't get it, do ya? Keep talking like that and I'll make sure you don't do it again.
{•} I'm not afraid of you, unfortunately for you.
{-} I see that. Anyhow, I'm getting tired of you now. Just jump over the barricades and stand in the middle of the temple. I'll get back to you then. Til then, do one.
~
Today was the big day! The clock struck half six in the morning of our judgment day. I was about to place a kiss on Gia's messy bed head but there was only one problem, she wasn't even snuggled into my side anymore, which made me fear my worst fear. Please tell me that I haven't lost her again. But, I was still tangled in her bed, however, so she must've gone to the bathroom or something.
I threw my head back in relief, completely blocking off my fearful thoughts. Well, I guess this was the day. Our lives were on the line, however, we didn't fret. Our bond was so strong, it was a feeling of integrity and powerful strength that a positive outcome was at the end of this stomach-churning tunnel.
Footsteps came from down the hallway, as well as the clanking of cutlery. Then came the young woman I was longing for, hands full with a tray full of food and a tall glass of orange juice. I sat up, wiping the sleep from my heavy eyes.
"Good morning, my handsome Ely." She chirped, doing her absolute best to think positive through the negative pain she was thinking about, I could tell. This mission was making her shiver with abhorrence. Placing the tray on my lap, I was granted a warm kiss to awake me.
"Morning, my little Kitten. Is this all for me?" I looked at her, flattered.
Her bun bobbed up and down on top of her head as she nodded, climbing over my legs to get back to her spec, slotting herself perfectly back into where she belonged, right beside me.
"You are, just perfect. Thank you, beautiful." I placed a peck on her cheek, as she began to be exposed to rushing violent red cheeks. Digging into my bacon strips, I noticed that both mine and her clothes were already prepped, washed, ironed and hung on the doors of the wardrobe.
"You want some?" I turned to her in which she shook her head lightly, plunging herself back into my cosy side.
"I've already had some. But thank you." She replied politely.
"The Creator got back to me this morning."
"What did he say?" She asked, intrigued, sitting up.
"Oh other than threatening me, telling us that we have to stand in the middle of the temple and wait for him to call us." She was alerted when I said that I was threatened however, I insisted that she didn't worry one bit, as I was sure that, that wasn't happening.
"So it's actually happening." She said under her breath, her eyes travelling onto my empty plate, taking it away from my lap and replacing it with herself instead.
"I guess it is."Even though she was briefly shaking, she was ready, prepared. However, for the first time, we'd see all of our sins in action once in the public eye. That's the only thing I was fearing, and I bet everyone else too.
"I'm gonna get ready. Time will go fast so I'll see you in a minute." Gia exclaimed, bending down to peck my lips, disappearing into the bathroom. As she stood on her tiptoes to reach the clothes hanger from the wardrobe door, I spotted that she decided to wear one of my articles of clothing, which was a bit of a turn on, I must admit. But she wasn't the only one swapping clothes, she had given me her chain bracelet that I knew she never dared to take off.
Right, Ely Roselli. Let's do this!
"El? You dressed yet, bro?" There was a shout from the other side of the door, as I was strapping the velcro on my distressed trainers. I was about to step out of Gia's room when all of a sudden, I noticed that I now had four holes in my ears. Great. I bet Eron or Rani's done it.
Guess we had too much to drink.
"Yep! Where you at, Ron?" I responded back, straightening out my hoodie and ruffling out my bangs in her mirror that was decorated with fairy lights and ripped out pages of romance novels. I stared at myself whilst I had the time, having mixed feeling about the lad I saw looking back at me. I just couldn't seem to bring my stubborn body to smile back.
"Oh, I thought you would be ready." That faint delicate voice came from behind, making me instantly turn around.
"Sorry." She apologised.
"Hey, don't be. I wasn't doing anything, I'm ready now." She made her way to where I was standing blankly, stealing a quick glance at herself in the mirror. Her expression became more solemn, sprinkled with disappointment as she pulled the sleeves back of my jumper that was hanging over her arms.
"Gia. You're beautiful. Scars or no scars, sin or without sin. Please keep telling yourself that." I grabbed her coat whilst she was smiling ever so softly at my command and placed it on her.
"Guys! Just to let you know, we're ready but we're only waiting on you two and Rani." Eron informed us as we were just about to head out through the door. Gia halted, turning back towards the mirror.
I wondered why she travelled back to the unlocked portal that allowed her to delve more into the key to her insecurities. Yet something clicked as I spotted her lifting up her ceramic piggy bank, a shiny small razor blade appearing from it. She shook her head repeatedly as she charged to the bin.
Her hand that had the razor occupied in it, shook uncontrollably in an attempt to banish it from her reach permanently. The struggle of throwing away a razor blade? Beyond relatable in my case. My first instinct was to jog behind her to the corner of her grey bedroom, housing her hand beneath my own and bouncing her hand on the count of three to release it.
"Okay, one, two, three!" It was impossible not to hear the great breath she took as she dropped it in the bin.
"That's it." I comforted her as we headed for the door once more, in which we managed to exit it this time.
"Heyy~. Here they are!" Dion greeted us warmly, fastening his famous bag that was filled to the brim with junk food.
"Still waiting for Rani?" I inquired. Eron answered straight away like we all predicted.
"Yep. I'm gonna see if she's ready yet."
"Oh no, you're not. You're not keeping us behind." He was pulled back by the collar of his jacket by Mona, doing us all a favour.
"I'm here! I'm here now! I just needed to do my makeup." She came from down the stairs and stormed into the hallway. Of course, a certain someone's eyes were fast to ogle.
"Oh, baby."
"Forget it, Eron." She was on him like a hunter on prey. She knew exactly what he wanted, and it seemed even worse than we were heading out to the public. We had learnt by now that we just had to endure it. We were all in the same boat, so we were aware that the behaviour we were going to display couldn't be helped. But...I think it eased off a bit, considering that we were around each other. Whilst in each other's company, the insane became sane.
"Right you guys. You ready?" Mona stood in front of the door, fixing her hair before unlocking the door with the keys Gia handed to her. The seven of us were ready, prepared, organised to begin our journey to hell....literally.
The shut of the door made it all the more real and just as the innocent yet guilty ridden, our alter egos exploded immediately. Eron was even more lustrous. Mona, dug into her Gucci flower embroidered purse to flash more expensive jewellery. Ita, stuck out her mirror, scrutinising every feature on her face, double checking that every single nook and cranny was perfect. Dion, delved into his backpack to take a bite out of his snickers. Rani shot her head in the direction where two girls minding their own business strolled across the end of the street, beginning to strut her way to them to try and steal one of the many items she desired, however, Eron pulled her back. I immediately saw red when I just felt this sudden rush of dysphoria, plummeting a hand into my girlfriend's brick wall of her house. Whereas for Gia, her eyes fell heavy, exhaling a deeply disappointing and discontent sigh at the world. Also leaning on me as a sign of tiredness.
After my mini-meltdown, I snapped back to reality, my own version of reality and tapped her on the shoulder. It seemed like forever for her head to meet my eyes. It was like she was completely shut down, dead behind the eyes.
"Get on my back, G." She obeyed, lazily jumping onto my back. I hated to see us like this, as this was far from...us.
"Woah! Don't even think about it." As Rani was about to pounce on her victims, Eron still had a hold of her by her backpack, leering at the two girls, not moving an inch. Rani was quick to snap him out of his daze by none other than ragging him into a swift kiss, in which as expected, lifting him from his curse for a short while. Except, cackling under his breath for what he wanted with the Daughter of Envy next.
"Don't get any ideas. That was the only way to snap you out of your "wildest fantasies". I still can't stand you. Now come on!" The smirk on his face seemed hungry. That was until he was banished from the lustful thoughts completely...unfortunately only for a bit. And thinking about it, we all started to wonder if she really couldn't stand him like she said she did. I mean, there have been multiple occasions where they've ended up in the same bed intentionally. Describing Rani and Eron, the perfect phrase was 'Friends with benefits'. Most flipping definitely.
Now we had started walking to the airport, with Eron still averting his gaze onto his interests' breasts whenever she turned around, despite keeping quiet about any seedy plan he had in mind. Keeping at the back, minding his own business.
Gia remained mounted on my back the whole fifteen-minute journey, laying her head on my shoulder whilst still maintaining the effort to keep up a conversation with myself and others.
"This is probably the first time I've been out in what seems like years." Her voice was so exasperated, worn out. However, it somewhat seemed sexier. God, you sound like Eron, E.
"It probably is, to be honest." I chuckled lightly. But as I soon discovered that we weren't in the comfort of each other's private company, my lips seemed to be hammered together, making it impossible to show any sign of happiness. I should've been used to it by now.
"Remember when we wouldn't leave your house for days? Considering your so-called parents were always away."
"I know. But I remember those days well. And all you would do is just catch up episodes on Waterloo Road whilst filling my room up with shisha smoke." We both let out a strangled laugh together, taking a trip back into the good old days, where we'd just be the biggest couch potatoes ever.
"Haha, I know! But you were the one that always blew all the smoke in my face!" She retorted, a freed giggle escaping her lips. The time travel moment lifted quite a lot of weight off of our shoulders tremendously.
I did a quick overview of my friends. Mona and Ita were gabbing away, Dion scoffing his face away and Eron flirting away with his "doll" who now had fallen back behind walking next to him. The airport was in sight, making me alert. Time went by rapidly, probably because I wasn't keen to bore myself.
"Oh...we're..al..almost there," Dion spoke with a full mouth of sugary goods. Our messed up heads turned towards our destined venue. The journey was trailing to an end, with everyone becoming prepared for the flight ahead of us.