Chapter 54 A Lie
A Lie
Theo
“You worried me,” Renji mutters, now observing me as we walk down the hall.
“Don’t, man, you know me, I’m always fucking messing,” I say lightly. “I got to go.”
“Theo!”
I wave him off as I shove through the crowd, as everyone rushes towards their next class. But even with the rush, the crowd parts for me, and I smirk when I glance back and see Renji struggling to get to me.
Adios, I say through the mind-link as I slip away, hiding my presence only to almost knock into none other than Heaven.
Her eyes widen as her back hits the wall, and I stare at her as I catch her elbow, although we both know she wouldn’t have fallen even if I didn’t catch her.
Trying to run, trying to hide from her, and here we are, once again colliding into one another.
“Really, Blondie, are you stalking me?”
She raises her eyebrow questioningly. You’re the one who bumped into me, she writes, pointing out the obvious.
Yeah… I still ain’t given her voice back yet… Since he made it so fucking hard, and I don’t really want her to know I’m the one who got it back for her… So, unless I kiss her like some creep whilst she’s unconscious, there’s no other way – really.
Hello?
She snaps her fingers, and I blink, shaking my head. “Sorry, I got distracted,” I say, resisting the urge to say anything else. I speak, and I fuck up.
She’s got long lashes. I’ve never noticed that before…
She raises a brow sceptically before shaking her head. Do you have a moment? she asks. Her face is emotionless, but there’s a glimmer of something in her eyes. Nervousness? Doubt? I’m not sure. Since that dance, I second-guess every interaction we have, even though they are becoming fleeting…
“I’ve got to get to class. You know me, straight-A student, who never misses-”
She grabs me by my jacket and looks down both sides of the corridors before dragging me to the nearest unoccupied room, only releasing me after she’s opened the door and shoves me inside with her powers.
“Seriously?” I say, fixing my jacket as I turn to face her. “Are you in that much of a hurry to get me in a room alone?”
Rolling her eyes, she shakes her head and shuts the door behind her, locking it.
You wish. Her words dance in front of me before she places a gift bag, which I didn’t even realise she was holding, down on the table. You never said no to meeting up with me before…
“Actually, I did, you’re the one who used to harass me about Hades, remember?” I taunt.
And yet, when we were in the Gods’ Realm, you were the one who would come to me when you were bored.
She’s not wrong… It seems I subconsciously have not minded spending time with her since then.
“Yeah, well, guess I’m not so bored anymore, init?” I ask.
This is fucked, man. I shouldn’t be thinking of her differently, and yet here I am.
Did I do something to annoy you?
“You ain’t done nothing wrong, I’m just busy.”
Fuck, don’t make me feel bad, man.
I’m not saying I did anything wrong. I never do anything wrong, she writes, with a flick of her hair.
I smirk. “Well then, no, you didn’t do anything to annoy me. As I said, we have a lot to deal with, what with the attacks and things are changing if you get what I mean.”
No, I don’t get what you mean, and I usually get you. Right now, all I’m getting is you’re avoiding me, she writes, her large eyes staring into mine.
I can’t do this, not with her trying to get the truth out of me, so I change tactics.
Sighing heavily, I sit on the table and grip my right hand with my left, staring at my knuckles, and hang my head.
“Fine, you got me.” I smile wistfully up at her, then shrug. “Swear you won’t laugh, or I will get revenge, Blondie.”
I won’t laugh, she answers as she perches on the edge of the table opposite me and crosses her legs. She’s in a skirt again, a tiny one.
Glancing up at her, I take a silent, slow breath.
Her reaction to what I’m about to say might just give me the answer to something I don’t really want to know… but something I do need to know.
She simply sits there waiting patiently for me to speak.
I smirk. “You know I’ll get my revenge if you laugh,” I warn. She nods, waiting patiently.
“So, there’s this kinda hot girl, you know, exactly my type?
Tall, athletic, dark hair, blue eyes… Anyway, she’s dating someone, and I’ve just been a tad fucking frustrated by that.
I mean, I don’t do relationships, but she’s the kinda girl I want to do, ya know?
And we’re discussing my sex life now. Great,” I scoff lightly, watching her, making sure to keep my face neutral.
Hating the guilt that slithers into my chest, I’m paying attention to every little thing, and I pick up on the slight change in her heartbeat as she looks at me with that perfect mask.
Or maybe it’s not a mask.
Wait… maybe I’m fucking wrong, maybe Allie’s wrong, and I’m avoiding her for no fucking reason.
I never knew you liked someone, but there are plenty of girls if you’re not looking for something serious, she states, shaking her head. Men.
She doesn’t seem bothered…
Yeah, maybe Allie was wrong.
I exhale, feeling a wave of relief and… but overall, I just feel worse.
“That’s the issue, Blondie. Every time I try to get it on with a girl, it’s like she’s fucking… hexed… and just bolts.”
Hexed… I narrow my eyes as Heaven raises both eyebrows.
That’s ridiculous. She shakes her head.
“Na, seriously, there’s got to be hexes like that, init?”
She shrugs, tossing her hair over her shoulder and raises a brow.
How would I know? I don’t have time for such things.
Anyway, I won’t take up too much of your time.
I wanted to give you this. I’m sorry yours took a little time.
The spells took a bit of time to perfect.
Not waiting for an answer, she picks up the blue gift bag and holds it out to me.
Thank you for helping bring Sienna back.
I take the bag, although I’m still trying to figure out if maybe she had something to do with it. But that would mean she definitely likes me, and we’re agreeing on the fact that she doesn’t.
My wolf stirs. He seems to disapprove, and I shrug internally.
I don’t get this attraction shit, so just deal with my doubts.
“Damn, Blondie, you didn’t need to get me anything…” I say as I look inside the bag. There’s a large box, and I take it out to see a row of small daggers.
They’re made of the finest metal, and they’re spelled to do more than just stab, easy to fit in your boots, cuff, or anywhere you can hide a weapon on your body, she states as I admire them. The weight is perfect; the hilts glimmer with blue and green stones.
“Nice… damn, you didn’t need to do this shit,” I say as I take out one of the daggers, feeling the power hum in it as I spin it and throw it across the room, where it slides into the wall like butter. I whistle.
Now, call it to yourself, she commands.
I cock a brow, but obey and stretch my hand out and imagine it in my hand. The knife flies back into my palm.
“Neat.”
You can call them to you without using your powers. They are infused with your blood, she explains proudly.
I narrow my eyes, leaning closer to her. “And where did you get my blood from?” I ask suspiciously.
She rolls her eyes. You don’t need to know. Now those vials, they’re… I swipe my fingers through the words, making them vanish, and she looks up at me.
“You know you really didn’t need to do this?” I ask softly. I know she gave my brothers a gift each, and I had genuinely thought she wouldn’t include me in that since we’re friends. “We’re mates, right, you don’t need to thank me.”
You being my friend makes it even more important, and I wanted to, she writes.
Those vials… they’ll help you sleep. Take one before you are ready to sleep at night.
I hope they work… I’m confident they should, but still, I’ve only added three.
If they do work, I can make more, so please… let me know. Ok?
My heart skips a beat as I stare at the vials full of a deep green liquid.
The thought of peaceful sleep feels… surreal.
“I will,” I say, realising she’s already gotten off the table, almost as if she’s in a rush to leave. “Thanks, Blondie.”
She nods, giving me a polite smile, not the kind she’s given me before.
You’re welcome, she writes before she turns to leave, her skirt twirling around her with the sudden move.
I remain where I am, holding the vial of liquid in my hand, watching her leave the room, shutting the door behind her.
I look down at the bottle, not knowing why I suddenly feel like shit. I pick up the bag, realising there’s more in it.
I take the items out slowly: my favourite chocolates, a velvet box containing a keychain, and another containing a skull earring with glittering black eyes.
She took it fine… right? She’s cool, she’s not into me, so I should be happy.
Right?
I take out the card and open it.
Theo,
Thank you for everything. This message will disintegrate once you have read it, as I don’t want anyone else to read this. Ever.
Going to the Gods’ Realm was more than just bringing Sienna back. Not many people understand me, but you do. And I’d like to think that I understand you, too. This journey gave me that chance to get to know you better, and I’m glad it did.
You probably don’t hear it often, and don’t let it get to your huge ego, but you’re incredible, and I admire you.
And I do not admire many people.
I chuckle, imagining her flicking her head.
Thank you for being the friend I never knew I needed.
Lots of love, Heaven
Heaven… I noticed she uses Aldona in most written stuff, so her using Heaven stands out.
I watch as the letters dance on the page before disappearing into a shimmering dust, and I drop the card into the bag, staring at the spot she was sitting moments earlier.
Friend.
Right.
My chest tightens.
What are we, Sweetcheeks?
Because whatever this is, it’s not just friendship.
Theo. Ares’ voice via the mind-link makes me snap out of it.
What is it? I ask
Did you know Jayce is leaving?
My stomach knots. What the fuck do you mean by leaving? I ask as I quickly put the items back in the bag before leaving the room.
Well, I just heard from Renji. Brock’s replacing him as Ninth Division’s Leader, Ares says, his voice tense.
But where is he going? Where are you now?
I’m with him. He’s packing, not listening, the fuckin’ dickhead. He said there’s nothing the Academy can teach him. He’s leaving for good.
My stomach twists as I race down the now-empty corridors.
No, not Jayce; he’s meant to be here. He’s meant to…
I slow down, a door bangs in the distance, and I realise this is it.
The first step to us all walking our own paths…
And of course, it’s only fitting that Jayce is the first to do so.
But it’s supposed to be me, not him…
I hurry down the hall, hammering on the door to the Ninth Division dorms, and it’s opened instantly by Renji. I can hear Carter shouting from Jayce’s room.
“Stop being so fucking selfish!” Carter snarls.
He’s not listening, Renji says through the mind-link, his face pale as he hurries back into Jayce’s room.
I stop in the doorway to Jayce’s room. He’s ignoring Carter, simply throwing his things into his bags.
“Right, so you’re leaving,” I remark, leaning on the doorframe, still holding my bag. The other three look at me, each one stressed or pissed.
“Yeah, I am, so don’t try to talk me out of it,” Jayce says coldly.
“Yeah, course not. Just one question. You marked Sienna. What’s going to happen when she goes into heat?”
Jayce stiffens, his eyes flashing before he turns to me, smouldering with rage.
And then he tells the biggest lie he has ever told.
“I don’t care. It’s not my problem.”