Pandora's Box

Chapter 12

The drive back was silent. But I didn't focus on it, as I leaned my head against the window watching the brightly lit city and the vibrant atmosphere, travel by while I had the feeling, a sense of jealousy and bitterness. They got to live freely without question. Barely controlled to an extent. Or, I was just making excuses for my frustration and anger. I had every reason to be angry. But I just felt subdued, quiet. Maybe too quiet. I'd always been a quiet person, even when I was a kid and would run with other kids through wheat fields, I was never loud and boisterous. I was...never really a child at heart for the most part.

My breath fogged up the glass as I sighed deeply but quietly so I didn't attract Warren's attention. I wanted to mope and curse alone in my own bubble. He didn't need to deal with my situation. I was just grateful for his sympathy and understanding silence. He hadn't asked if I was okay and I really appreciated it. I might've just screamed if he did. I am okay and not okay. There was nothing I could do about it at all. I just had to live with the fact that for almost an eternity I lived a lonely, painfully quiet life in nowhere for a game I did not want to play. Nor did I know the game had been played long before.

Those blasted Gods. How could they be proud of it all? How could they accept the worship and adoration of those that looked up to and prayed for them? How could they sleep with the realization of what they do?

My gaze following the streets outside, I was surprised to see a couple drops of rain hit the window until more followed, a shower surrounding us in the warm comforts of the car. Warren sighed, muttering about no news of any upcoming showers. As we stopped at the stoplights, the lights from the buildings around us illuminated the rain running down the windows. The flower designs on my dress shined different shades of colour than they already were. It was distracting to watch as I shifted my skirt watching the colors change slightly. It was a nice distraction. I could almost – almost – forget everything with a distraction of any kind. The kiss between Warren and I...what we did in the back of his car...His touch, his hand in my hair. The party. Dionysius. My origins.

So much for a distraction. Cold water dumped on me as the warmth of those memories faded and replaced with tonight's harsh wake up call. Listening to my origins from someone who was actually present and witnessed it...Already knowing everything doesn't make hearing about it make it any less horrible. It provided a strange perspective. A perspective that didn't hurt the witness but would indefinitely hurt me.

"It was like watching children stitch their own product and design onto a mothers quilt. Messy but once put together, it's quite a pretty picture."

Stitch. Quilt. Product. Design. A pretty picture.

All for the God's – no, Zeus's stupid petty revenge.

My hand raised to my throat where the pearls rested coolly against my skin. I played with the pearls between my fingers, feeling the smooth, flawless texture, smooth and pure perfection. Like I was made to be. The drive back to Warren's was quick and silent I didn't realize we had arrived back to Warren's until we pulled up on the darkened roads of his street and he soon pulled into his driveway. I had never really taken much notice of the actual structure of his house but it was quite beautiful. Homey it had definitely felt when I'd been through those doors.

Once I had the others saved and brought back, what do I then? Where do I go?

Shaking the thoughts from my head as I unbuckled my seatbelt, lost in thought until the cool air hit me when my door was suddenly opened. I glanced up at Warren who stared down at me with an unfathomable expression on his face, brow raised as I slowly slipped out of the car, awkwardly trying to keep the skirt of my dress above my ankles so it didn't drag against the wet ground. Thanking him quietly as I waited for him to lead the way to his front door. He never took his eyes from mine, his dark eyes flickered as they searched mine while he pushed the door closed. His lips twitched like he wanted to start speaking but he didn't and turned and led the way to the front door, opening it up and stepping inside.