Serena
It’s finally the last period of the day. Mr. Labeau had been staring daggers at the Kings the entire period. None of them looked phased by his glares, but the warning bells in my head were ringing. Something is going on, but I don’t know what.I hate not knowing what is going on around me.
The bell rings, signaling the end of the day. Odin grabs my books from my desk while giving me a playful wink. Zeus wraps an arm around me and walks with me to the door.
“Ms. Gold, do you have a minute?” Mr. Labeau asks.
I look up at Zeus. I can’t tell what he thinks, but he doesn’t like the idea. I didn’t want to stay behind anyway. I can’t put my finger on it, but something about him that creeps me out to my core. Then again, I have had that feeling about a few people in this town. Mainly the guy”s dads.
“Not happening.” Midas barks out from behind me, placing his hand on my hip. Mr. Labeau’s jaw is thrumming, his body radiating anger. He doesn’t say anything else as Midas escorts me from the room.
We walk down the hallway towards my locker. Everyone’s eyes widen when they see Midas’s arm around my waist and Odin and Zeus walk beside us. I can hear the whispers.
Looks like she got all of them.
What a slut.
Couldn’t leave one for someone else.
She is so lucky to have all of them.
I smugly smile as I walk with the Kings. Let people talk their shit, I don’t care.
“Midas!” A shrill voice screeches behind us, breaking the happy bubble I was in. I turn around and see Valerie with her hands on her hips, looking wildly pissed off.
She storms over to us, and both Zeus and Odin block me from her. Midas steps out from beside me and pulls Valerie away from us. They argue in a hushed tone, and the other two drag me away to my locker. I put my books away and grabbed my bag. Evie comes bouncing over.
I haven’t spent much time with her today, but I decided at that moment to remedy that. She is still a little uneasy around the guys, and I don’t blame her. I still feel a bit anxious around them, too. They have never really given me a reason to worry about them, but it’s just a gut feeling.
Maybe I am a little broken after Evan when it comes to relationships. I don’t know how you should feel or act when with someone you like. Evan taught me all the things not to do, but I am still trying to figure out the right stuff. After last night, I”m starting to think the guys are the right option.
”Are you going to the Halloween party?” Evie asks me.
”Of course she is, and we are doing a couple”s costume.” Odin pipes up.
I look at him quizzically. He never asked me if I was going and if I would dress up with him. I mean I want to go, but I was thinking of going with the girls.
I shove his shoulder playfully, calling me an idiot in the process. He smiles like a lunatic at me. I roll my eyes and turn back to Evie. She and I continue our conversation, but I can’t help but look over my shoulder at Midas and Valerie. She doesn’t look happy about what they are talking about.
Odin follows my gaze and looks back at Midas. Odin doesn’t look happy about their interaction either.
Odin kisses my head before he and Zeus walk over to Midas. Valerie is still bitching at him about whatever, occasionally staring daggers at me. I turn back to a stunned Evie.
I see Midas say something to Odin and Zeus before he wraps an arm around Valerie’s shoulders and pulls her away with them. Evie’s hands turn to fists by her side as we watch the four of them walk down the hall. Odin and Zeus don”t look back at me, their heads down.
“Looks like I just lost my ride home.” I watch them walk out the doors.
“Don’t worry, I’ll give you a ride home.” Evie offers to me. I nod my head while closing my locker.
We walk out the front door. My jaw drops, and my heart breaks when I see Valerie kissing Midas. Odin and Zeus are standing beside Midas, looking surprised that this is happening. My heart snaps in two. The tears threaten to fall, but I refuse to cry where they can see. Evie grabs my hand, and we walk past them.
Valerie laughs as we walk by, her hands all over Midas. He looks shocked as he sees me. He opens his mouth, wanting to explain. I walk past without waiting for him to explain. They all yell my name as I walk with Evie to her car. I slide into Evie’s car and stupidly look at the Kings. Midas climbs onto his bike, and Valerie tries to climb on with him. Midas tries to push her away, but she doesn’t budge.
Odin and Zeus start walking over to Evie’s car. Pain etched on their beautiful faces. I shake my head no to them, not wanting to hear anything right now. I ask Evie to go, and she pulls out before they get closer. They yell my name as we drive away. I look in the mirror and see the Kings yelling at Valerie while she wears a smug smile.
We leave the school and go to Evie’s house. She knows the Kings live around me and offers to hang out at her house. We stopped for a quick coffee at my favorite café in town. The feeling of eyes on me the whole time we are in the cafe creeps me out, but I ignore it.
I’m just paranoid over nothing.
I spent most of the evening at Evie’s house. We never talked about the Kings except for their upcoming Halloween party. It’s still two weeks away, but it’s the talk of the school. They throw a party every year, and it’s massive. I agreed to go with Evie. We discussed our costumes, and Evie picked the perfect duo costume.
“Do you know what’s going on with Valerie and them?” Evie cautiously asks me.
I shake my head no because I don’t. Things had been going so well between the four of us. Or at least I thought they were. I start to question if this is about the bet again. They won their bet, so they don”t have a reason to stick around. I don’t want to believe that, especially after what Odin said last night. He told me the bet was over, and they wanted me. There is more to this story than meets the eye.
Evie and I spent the night doing some homework while I attempted to make sense of everything going on.
My mom picks me up on her way home from work. She didn’t ask why I didn’t take my car today. She probably knows that I rode in with Zeus this morning. His motorcycle is anything but subtle.
When I walk into my room, my curtains are open, and I can see right into Midas’s room. All three are sitting in front of his TV, playing video games. I keep the light off in my room, hoping they don’t notice me watching them. They look like they are having fun together, but I can see the tension between them. A part of me longs to go over there and demand answers.
I turn the light on in my room, and the three instantly swivel their heads into my room. Odin’s face lights up when he sees me. I give him a tentative smile, happy to see him too. I walk over to the window. The three of them follow. We all stare at each other until Midas’s door opens, and Valerie walks in. I shake my head, disappointed that I had convinced myself it was nothing. Odin’s eyes widened, shaking his head, begging me not to go. I grab my curtains and close them.
Odin and Zeus were at my door, offering to drive me to school again. They tried to explain what happened, but I wasn’t ready to hear it.
It”s been a week of low contact with them. They still try to talk to me. Not that I have responded. I have seen them close to me, always keeping a watchful eye. I haven’t had any more of my things stolen, and no more creepy notes or texts. I am starting to think that they were the weird stalker I have had, but it doesn’t make sense to me at the same time.
I can admit I still have feelings for them. They may all drive me insane in various ways. But they also make me feel things I never have.
Odin gives me this sense of freedom and craziness.
Zeus has a sense of calm.
Midas challenges me and lights this fire in me that was dormant for years.
Why do boys have to be so complicated? Why can’t I have all three of them? Because that would be wildly selfish and stupid. Things like that only happen in romance novels. Since I am not a character in one of those, I’ll dream about what can never be.
I’m walking down the hall to my next class. It’s my last class of the day with Mr. Labeau. It’s become a little awkward in his class after everything that has happened, but it’s only for the semester. It won”t be long before I won’t be in his class every day.
I take my seat in the front row next to Evie. I place my books on the desk and gander around the class. Almost everyone is here, including the Kings. Odin winks at me, instantly making my cheek rosy. I never thought someone, let alone three guys, could make me feel this giddy.
I turn away from their all-consuming gazes and lock eyes with a couple of football players. I think their names are Kirk and Ryan.
One of them- I think Kirk- notices me looking and taps his buddy until they are both looking over. The first guy winks at me. He is your classic all-American pretty boy. Blonde hair cut short, and bright green eyes. His face is cute but not memorable. He could blend into a crowd as easily as he could stand out in it. I smile back at him.
His friend, Ryan, is the opposite of him. Dark brown hair, just long enough to run your fingers through it. Dark brown eyes. He has more of a rough-and-tumble kind of look. His eyes look over my body. He seems to like what he sees. He whispers something into his friends’ ear, both looking at me.
They both nodded their heads and got up from their desks. They only took five steps before I felt the hand grip my shoulder slightly too tight. I looked up to see Midas practically snarling at the approaching guys. Odin and Zeus stand behind him, giving Kirk and Ryan equally pissed-off looks.
Kirk and Ryan instantly stop and stare, unsure if they should continue towards me or head back to their seats. I rolled my eyes and tried to remove Midas’s hand from my shoulder, but he only dug his nails in harder. I tried to hide the wince of pain.
“Everyone to your seats. Now!” Mr. Labeau barked.
My head shot over to him. His eyes darted between the three guys around me, not looking happy that any of them were disrupting class. His eyes catch mine, and he looks deep into me. A chill ran across my skin.
Kirk and Ryan raise their hands in defeat and head back to their seats, not before Kirk winks at me. I should feel something, but I don’t. I have seen that move many times, and it always makes girls swoon, but I barely felt anything.
Midas stares down the teacher for a few seconds before releasing my shoulder and heading back to his seat. I look over my shoulder and see all three of them looking at me. They still look pissed, but there is something else there, something I don’t want to see in their eyes anymore.
I turn back to Mr. Labeau. His eyes darted between the two groups of guys, never looking at me. The bell thankfully rings to start class. Mr. LeBeau calls for a pop quiz. A collective groan echoes through the class. He hands out papers, instructing us we have thirty minutes to finish.
I try to answer everything, but when the timer loudly dings in the dead silent class, I am only about three-quarters of the way through. Shit. I mumble to myself. He collects the papers from everyone, coming to me last. My test is at the top of his pile while he sits at his desk. He quickly goes through, marking every test. The room stays dead silent.
It doesn’t take him long to finish grading the papers and handing them back out. I don’t even want to look down at mine. I already know I failed that test. I look over at Evie and see her face blank. She doesn’t look happy or sad, so I suppose she at least passed.
I look down at my paper and see my worst nightmare. I got forty-five percent. Internally, I groan. I at least thought I would have passed. Guess I need to spend more time studying than focusing on my disaster of a dating life.
I stuff my paper into my books as the bell rings. The Kings get up quickly and stop at the door. I can feel their menacing presence like a second skin. I ignore them and walk over to Kirk and Ryan. They both smile at me when I approach them. I grab the pen from Kirk’s hand and write my number on his test. I have never been so bold, but the Kings need to know that if they moved on, so have I.
I push past Midas and leave the class. They quickly follow me out but keep their distance. Evie catches up to me as we walk to my locker. The guys are all whispering to each other. They are wearing varying looks of anger, but I ignore them.
My phone dings. I don’t recognize the number, and thinking it”s Kirk texting me, I open the message.
My jaw drops as I read the message. It’s not the same number that sent me the messages the other night. Only three people could have sent that message. I discreetly look over my shoulder, none of them on their phones. Then again, I have all their numbers saved on my phone- unless they have a burner phone. Now, I sound paranoid.
I look over my shoulder again, hoping to see one of them pull out a phone. All three are still locked in a heated discussion about whatever when my phone dings again in my hand.
I gasp while reading the message. I drop my phone onto the hallway floor and start to shake as I look around, trying to find whoever just messaged me. I feel a hand grasp my shoulder and turn me to face Zeus. His usual blank expression has turned dark and protective. He doesn’t say anything and bends over to grab my phone. I scramble to grab it from him before he can read the messages. I’m still not entirely convinced that one of them didn’t send the messages.
I take the phone from him, knowing he probably saw something. He continues his silence, but I can see the darkness swirl in his eyes. He must have seen the messages I had opened. I shake my head at him as subtly as I can. He gives me a quick nod before wrapping his arm around me. I jump out of his grasp and storm out of the school, leaving my stuff in my locker.