Hades' Lost Daughter

Chapter Seven

Having Andrew here was beginning to bother me. I didn't know why his presence made me tick off like it did but I couldn't help it. There was something about him that put me on edge. Maybe it was the way he seemed so cool and confident about anything. Maybe it was the way he looked at me as if he knew everything about me when it was obvious he didn't. Or maybe, just maybe, it was due to the fact that Alex seemed to be mesmerized by him. Her eyes glowed every time they spotted Andrew and that made my stomach churn in an uncomfortable sensation I had never felt before.

I had never been attracted to boys or girls. Not in the way I had seen Alex be throughout the years. It was something I had always been curious about. What would it be like to have a crush? To feel attracted to someone? But by watching Alex turn from a serious, independent girl to a giggly school-girl, I didn't want to find out from firsthand experience.

But since I first set eyes on Andrew, I couldn't get him out of my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about the way he had looked at me back in the infirmary when I had sneaked up on him. But I couldn't say I had a crush on him. Did I?

I quickly shook my head, returning my attention to reality where Alex was giggling at something Andrew had said. My teeth clenched together tightly but I didn't say anything as I walked in front of them, pretending not to listen.

We got to the common area where there were board games, a pool table, and an air-hockey table, along with a couple of couches and puff chairs around the fireplace. It was the only place boys and girls could spend time together since the rooms were strictly prohibited. I sighed in defeat, this birthday was definitely not going as I planned.

I quickly reached a puff chair and let myself fall on it as I waited for Alex and Andrew who were still very immersed in their conversation. They took a seat on different couches which made something inside of me sigh in relief.

Around us, the boys were hurrying towards the door, wanting to leave as soon as possible. Some of them turned to Andrew in confusion since he didn't seem in a hurry to leave, but none asked if he wanted to join them. I wondered if Andrew had even considered talking to the other boys.

"Don't you feel bad about not going on the trip? I mean, it's not every day you get to go out of this place," I said. My tone was colder than I had intended.

Andrew didn't seem to mind as he chuckled and shrugged. "I'm new here. I come from the outside world and there's not a lot of interesting things out there. At least not for me. Besides, I don't like football and I asked Barbara if I could stay here today." He explained nonchalantly and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You know Barbara?" I asked slowly.

Andrew turned to look at me and smiled. "Of course, she's the one who found me. I don't think I would forget the person who offered me help."

Right, Barbara was there the night Andrew came to the manor. You don't have to be so untrustful, Aileen. Andrew is just a guy. I told myself as I forced a small smile.

"Where is Barbara, anyway?" asked Alex as she looked around. She seemed on edge and I raised an eyebrow at her which made her cheeks flare-up.

"She was in the kitchen the last time I saw her. Why?" I said slowly to which she only shrugged.

"I thought she'd be here, considering it's your birthday and all," she said before quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, let's play a game! I'm sure Barbara will be here soon but in the meantime, we should do something fun." Before either Andrew or I could say anything, Alex was already on her feet rushing towards the stack of board games.

She quickly analyzed each one and then her eyes settled on her target. She came back carrying an elongated box that I knew too well and I couldn't help but groan as I recognized the Jenga stack.

Alex gave me a look and I rolled my eyes. She loved that game because her precision was dead-on and she had the pulse of a surgeon. Me, on the other hand, was clumsy and impatient, qualities that weren't a good combination when you played Jenga.

"Come on, Aileen. Let's just play a couple of rounds and then we can do something else," Alex said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. I gulped, unsure if I wanted to know what that something else was.

"Okay, fine. Only 8 rounds max. Then we go outside. I need to stretch my legs," I said in defeat. Alex cheered and quickly built the tower.

Across from me, I could feel Andrew's eyes fixed intently on me but I made sure to ignore him. I knew that if I looked at him then, I would get lost in his gaze and Alex would notice.

"All set. Who wants to start?" Alex said as she looked at Andrew and me excitedly.

...

As the rounds passed, I realized that Andrew also had a perfect pulse. He was putting up a good fight against Alex as they fought for the most victories. I had given up after a couple of rounds and neither Alex nor Andrew seemed to notice since they were so caught up on the game.

I watched as Alex leaned forward nervously as she watched Andrew intently. The spark of attraction was gone and replaced by a determination to win. She watched him like a hawk, daring him to move.

Andrew tried to keep himself calm as he reached for a piece on the tower. The structure was only holding on by a single piece in the middle. It swayed back and forth with any sudden movement. Andrew's hands were very careful as he picked the piece he was going to grab, the sweat on his forehead only grew as the tower began to unbalance.

Everyone was hitching their breath, even me. If Andrew lost, Alex would have won the most games, but if my friend lost, then Andrew would take the victory.

The tension in the room was obvious as we watched in complete silence. Andrew's skillful fingers were slowly pulling the piece out of the tower and when it was finally released, the tower swayed dangerously before stabilizing. But the job wasn't over yet. He still had to place the piece at the top of the unstable structure.

I watched as he pushed the hesitation aside and took a deep breath before moving to place the wooden piece on top. He quickly pulled his hand back and watched as the tower trembled slightly and then... nothing. The tower stood upright for Alex's turn.

I looked at my friend and noticed her face had paled. She had been counting on Andrew to lose on his last move and she still had to choose her piece. With a deep sigh and a gulp, Alex hesitantly moved forward and reached for a piece closer to the middle where she thought gravity and stability were going to be on her side.

She slowly pushed the middle piece back but that soft movement was enough to send the tower splattering down on the floor with a loud bang. "No!" I heard Alex cry as she watched the tower fall in horror. Disbelief covered her face and her eyes slowly turned to Andrew in surprise.

"I can't believe it," she whispered.

Andrew smiled and extended his hand towards her. "It was a good game. You are very hard to beat," he said nicely.

Alex blushed and quickly reached out her hand to shake his. "You too. It's nice to have someone around hard enough to beat."

Andrew laughed and shook his head. Before he could respond, a clap sounded from the door and all our eyes turned to the entrance. Barbara was leaning against the doorframe with a surprised look on her face.

"Wow, you guys are really intense with that game." She walked inside and smiled as she leaned against one of the couches. "Sorry for not saying anything before but I didn't want to distract you by coming in."

"That's alright. This was the last game. I think we should go outside to the backyard," I said as I got to my feet and looked out the window. Thankfully, it was cloudy which meant I wouldn't have to worry about the sun prickling at my skin.

Barbara smiled and nodded. "That's a great idea. In fact, I know exactly what we could do," she said with a gleam of her eyes. "Come on guys. Get your swim gear and meet me in the backyard."

The three of us shared a look of confusion. The manor didn't have a pool we knew of. Why would we need our swimsuits?

"Just trust me and don't be late," Barbara said with a wink before disappearing outside.

We walked our separate ways to get our things. I walked out of my room wearing my one-piece swimsuit under some shorts and a worn-out white shirt. For some reason, even though it was chilly out, I felt too warm and I feared I was getting sick again. Shaking my head, I pushed the thoughts away and headed out.

By the time I got to the backyard, Andrew and Barbara were there. Something about the way they were talking intently and seriously made my curiosity spark, especially when I noticed they stopped talking when they saw me coming closer.

"Great. Now we only need Alex to show up," Barbara said just as Alex's footsteps echoed in the manor as she hurried towards us.

"I'm here!" she cried out. I chuckled as I saw my friend rushing towards us. She was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a black shirt and a big blue hat over her head. On her shoulder, she was carrying a bag filled with towels.

"Woah, hold on. What is all of this?" I asked as I pointed to the big bag on her arm.

Alex was panting, she must have come running all the way from the third floor where her room was. "You know I always come prepared. I didn't know if Barbara had everything we needed so I grabbed us some towels, sunblock, and a couple of snacks I had hidden."

Barbara laughed fondly and shook her head. "There was no need, Alex. But, it's the thought that counts so thank you."

Alex blushed and nodded her head. Out attention turned back to Barbara who was closing the manor's door before turning back to us.

"Let's go. There is a place I would like you to meet." She walked ahead of us and began to lead us inside the forest. I hesitated, knowing we weren't supposed to go in.

I looked at Alex who only shrugged and walked ahead. I stayed back until I felt Andrew's presence next to me. It was strange. He irradiated a confident, calm vibe that made me instantly relax and at the same time, feel uncomfortable. "Have you never gone through the forest?" he asked softly. In his voice, there was no tone of mockery or judgment, only interest.

I shook my head and shrugged before turning to him. "No. But I guess there is a first time for everything."

I walked ahead and when I didn't hear him walking behind me, I turned and saw him standing where I had been a couple of moments ago. Lost in thought.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked. To both of our surprise, my voice was welcoming and nice. That was enough to startle him back to reality.

With a soft smile, Andrew nodded. "I'm right behind you."