Chapter 105 : Paint

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•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

In Greek mythology,

Iris was the daughter of the cloud nymph Elektra and Thaumas,

She's a minor god,

And was sometimes connected with the sea.

Her rainbow frequently appeared in the sky over bodies of water.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

"Penny, be a dear and get my laptop bag. It's in the back seat." Dad's head disappeared into the car boot as he shuffled through his stuff.

I walked to the side of his Hummer vehicle and opened the passenger door. I heaved out his bag and strapped it over my shoulder.

With the back of my hand, I wiped the sweat from my forehead. The hot sun beat down against my skin, gradually turning my shirt damp from the extraneous exercise.

We had moved from our old apartment -- since Zeus had wrecked it -- to a new one. Dad still thinks a bunch of robbers were behind our home's destruction. If only he knew.

Ever since that fight, Zeus hadn't bothered to show up. It made me wonder if he was doing it on purpose. Even with his absence, the god still managed to wreck my life. Because of him, we were moving into Sasha's home; the female creep who brings my dad happiness but hates me.

It was mutual. Either way, I couldn't give in to my contempt. I have to suck up to her for my dad's sake. She's his fiancée and he loves her. At least that's what I think.

After leaving star-crossed inc., Zion, Dimitri, Hunter, and I left for the Peterson's home. No sooner than that, dad arrived. He exchanged 'hellos' with the brothers before informing me of our relocation. I promised to tell Zion everything the moment we've settled.

Zion.

He was so disoriented at Pedro's absence that it made me worried. I bit my lip, remembering our kiss. His hands had tightened painfully around me like I would disappear just like Pedro. His lips bruised mine releasing sorrow and anguish. I accepted his emotions, buffering it with mine -- anything to lighten the burden on his shoulders. But it was still unexpected.

Zion never showed his feelings. But somehow, Eros saw through it. He was drawn to us just like he does with anyone who expressed his emotions. But there are different kinds of love.

A year ago, I would be squealing with excitement, knowing my crush likes me back. But now...I wasn't so sure. Dimitri has already formulated a plan to get Pedro back and it starts tomorrow after school.

Dad emerged from the car boot, balancing two boxes on both hands. His face scrunched in concentration as he tried to keep the heavy objects from falling.

"Do you need help with that?" I asked.

"Don't worry, Sport. I can totally--" he let out a string of coughs, doubling over. The boxes tumbled to the ground, spilling their content on the pavement. I rushed to him and knelt by his crumbled form. I touched his back. He stifled his cough with a handkerchief. It came out bloody with every second.

It's getting worse.

My heart constricted painfully behind my ribcage.

"Don't give me that look." He said in a hoarse tone. I helped him to his feet, hoisting him up with my strength. He wiped stray blood from the corners of his lips. "I meant what I said. Don't worry about me. I've been seeing the doctor while taking my medicines. You should be more focused on school."

How can I do that knowing he has only a few months to live?

I knew I had to do something. But I was still weighing my options; Liam was out of the question and Eros can't meddle in my affairs because of his promise. That leaves only Hypnos, the god of sleep. But that won't happen unless I hand over Eros' blood to free him. In other words, I would be betraying the only god who saw me more as a friend than a threat.

When my dad got his footing, I bent over to pack the spilled contents back into the box.

"Is everything alright?" A woman walked onto the front porch. Her auburn hair was dyed brown at the edges. It matched the brown simple dress which hugged her chest.

I glanced at the white box in her hands. Written on one side with a permanent marker, were the words;

Welcome.

I knew the recipient.

"Nothing's wrong, honey. It's just my weak muscles. I keep growing older by the minute." He laughed at his joke. When he was met with silence, he cleared his throat and glanced at the white parcel. "Who's that for?"

Sasha brightened up, her caked makeup stretched over her face. "It's for our new neighbors. They moved in yesterday."

My dad watched the box uncertainly. "So did we. How come we don't get a cake?"

There's one thing about Sasha which I find tolerable; she likes to bake. Anything and everything. Even with a flourished bakery shop, she shares her gifts with close friends. Free of charge.

She leaned towards dad and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry. I have a parcel made especially for you. It's in the bedroom." She brushed her fingers under his goatee. "Speaking of the bedroom, the doctor said you need to rest. Why don't you go in? Penelope and I will take care of the rest."

He released a deep sigh. "I guess." He turned to me. I knew he wanted to help, but his health was more important. "Will you be okay, Sport?"

I nodded and managed a smile.

With heavy footsteps, dad walked towards the house, pulling the red door shut behind him. Sasha's home wasn't so bad. It looks like a building made of cake; the walls were decorated in pink, cream, and white paint. A cream-colored fence surrounded the entire place while pink plastic flamingoes stood on the front lawn.

"Here you go." She thrust the cake at me.

I rose an eyebrow.

Sasha rolled her eyes. "I'll pack the boxes, you send this to the neighbors. It's not so hard." She taunted.

Who said I was complaining? It's the perfect opportunity to get rid of her. I grabbed the parcel and walked towards the next house.

I didn't feel prepared. My hair had been tied into a messy bun and Pedro's shirt was damp from our recent packing. I had washed the mud and dirt from yesterday. Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to part with it. Pedro's scent lingered in the material, giving me comfort even in his absence.

We'll get him back. I swear it.

Reaching the neighbor's home, I walked up to their front steps. I Propped the cake on one arm, knocked, and waited. Two minutes past and nothing happened. I rose an eyebrow and rapped my knuckle against the wood once more.

Silence.

What the heck?

Maybe they aren't home. Releasing an exhausted breath, I turned to leave. That's when the door creaked open. My eyes widened at the person in the doorway. His clothes were the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.

He wore red and white sweatpants with a grey apron over his bare chest. Almost every part of him was speckled with paint. A bucket hat sat on his head, probably to protect his hair from getting smudged. His feet were clad in black socks. Also covered in paint.

Okay...maybe he wasn't completely ridiculous. But it's hard to take him seriously when he's covered in colorful dots, like confetti.

"My eyes are up here?" He crossed his arms and watched me with a creasing frown. His eyes widened in recognition. "You're moving in with Sasha, right?"

I held the white parcel out, trying to get this done. "Yeah. She sent a welcome present."

He shifted his glasses. It made him look younger.

"Who is at the door!?" Someone screamed from within.

A head poked out from Glasses' side. He squeezed through the doorway and I caught a glimpse of the towel wrapped around his waist. The only clothing he had.

Do they always answer the door half-naked?

The second boy smiled at me. "Well, well, well. Hello, milady. Allow me to introduce myself..." He grabbed my free hand and kissed it. "I'm Vanni. Nice to meet your acquaintance."

I pulled my hand back and sighed. "Just take the parcel."

The second boy frowned, looking hurt. "You're meaner than you look."

Well, I wasn't having a great day either. Deal with it.

Glasses turned to me. "Forgive my cousin. He prefers to respect women when it's due."

I pursed my lips, suddenly being curious. "Do you have parents?"

Vanni scoffed. "Uh...duh. We have an aunt who--"

The paint dude clamped a hand over his mouth. "Just because she's female, doesn't mean you should bear out your secrets like a lovesick child."

Vanni shoved his hand away. "Fine, whatever. But she needs to hear this. She's new to the neighborhood. Just like us. And newbies have to stick together."

The paint dude palmed his face, smudging it with even more paint.

Vanni didn't seem to care. "Did you know there's an estate called The Freak Zone?" After noticing my confusion, he pointed to the red brick building beside us. "An old lady told me two weird people moved in recently. They look dark as hell." His lips stretched into a flirting grin. They were coated in lip gloss. "We could visit them. Face the danger together. Explore."

"Not in your life." I deadpanned. He sounded like a normal young adult looking for a friend. Unfortunately, I wasn't normal.

The paint dude was observing. His legs were crossed at the ankles as he leaned against the door. His eyes leered at me with a smirk. It was weird.

I frowned. "Could you quit staring?"

His smile widened. "Don't flatter yourself, hun. I prefer girls with more flesh on their bones."

Why did that statement hurt so much?

I gritted my teeth and shoved the parcel into his chest. He fumbled with it, clearly not prepared for the sudden transfer.

"Wait! You didn't tell me your name." He called out as I stormed down the stairs and towards my house. Why will I tell him my name when he clearly didn't say his?

Sasha wasn't by dad's car. It made me sigh with relief. Out of habit, I turned towards the red brick house Vanni indicated. A red sleek car rolled by just in time. It parked by the mysterious building before its door was pushed wide open. Someone in a dark hoodie stepped out with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

I watched as he walked to his porch and shoved the key into his door. Then he paused. His head snapped towards me and I stilled. I couldn't see his face 'cause it was shadowed by the hoodie. But I certainly felt his eyes on me. After a moment, he moved into the building and closed the door.

I let out a breath I didn't know I held.

That was...disturbing.

I shook out my thoughts and walked back to the house. For now, I shouldn't get sidetracked by the new neighbors. Pedro was missing but not for long. Zion and I will do whatever it takes to bring him back.

No matter what.

~~~~~π~~~~~

That's all folks!

The final chapter has been updated and as usual, I need your feedback. (It shouldn't necessarily be based on the chapter but the entire book. It also helps me with evaluation and things I should look out for in any of my upcoming works)

• Who is/are your favorite character(s) and why?

• Which character(s) do you hate? And why?

• What's your favorite scene?

• Who do you ship?

• Any thoughts about the neighbor in the black hoodie?

• What do you think about the current neighbors?

• What will you be expecting in the next book?

Is there any scene you hated or things you didn't like? (Structural criticism should be applied)

I'll be posting an author's note about the second book so please be alert.

I also want to thank every reader who went on this journey with me. If not for you guys, I wouldn't have the motivation to continue. Seeing all your comments and votes made me smile on my dark days. So thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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