The Ghost Queen

Chapter six: The New Restaurant

Faunus, a new vegetarian restaurant not far from the brownstone, just opened up. The couple who owned the place advertised their establishment as fusion Mediterranean. Although one of them was responsible for putting mostly Greek on the menu. The wait staff was comprised of students from Romulus high school. Seven of them happened to live with the owners.

The bell by the entrance rung. A group of teenagers walked into the restaurant. Atlanta and Theresa had wanted to check out the new trendy hang out spot they heard about. Neil and Herry were the only boys who were willing to join them. The girls' boyfriends found other activities to occupy them, to the frustration of both Theresa and Atlanta. Odie had an invention he wanted to run by Hermes and Hephaestus. 

"I'm surprised you wanted to come Herry " Theresa commented when their group sat down at their table.

Herry barely heard her. Neil found the opportunity for a joke. 

"You know Herry. He's always down for a good bite to eat."

Herry didn't respond. He stared at the kitchen entryway. One of the cooks caught his eye.

Atlanta grew concerned seeing Herry, preoccupied. He seemed off-almost like his mind was caught in a fog. 

Theresa tapped Herry's arm to snap him back to reality. She gasped. Herry's aura seaped into her. She saw the face Herry's mind fixated on. It was the magician girl they faught in France. Theresa's vision showed Herry talking to Pomelia Fuentes. 

"Theresa? You okay?" Herry noticed the expression she made. The mix of surprise and fear made Herry concerned for his friend.

"Oh um. Yeah. Just um. It's nothing."

The group's server showed up to their table just then. A tanned compexion boy with curls  in a dark green apron over his all black tshirt and jeans.

"What can I get you guys today?" The teenaged waiter asked the group. "I'm Hector by the way. I'll be taking care of you guys."

Atlanta asked for the veggie durum,a Turish wrap of sorts. Neil went for a medirannean salad. Theresa ordered a falafel bowl. Herry mispronounced a moussaka order.

"Where did you about this place?" Herry asked, eyes still glued to one of the kitchen staff visible from the dining area.

"Better question."Neil interjected. "Why did you ask for one of my fashion magazines yesterday?"

Both girls' eyes widened at Neil's question. 

"What?" they both uttered.

Herry finally looked back to his friends sitting with him. He asked them, "What is it?"

"You asked Neil for one of his magazines?" Atlanta asked.

Herry realized how weird that looked to his friends.

"Uh. I figured it would help to know about-"

"Here are your orders guys." Hector came back with the group's orders. "Veggie durum and falafel bowl for the ladies. A mediterannean salad for the cutie and the moussaka platter for muscles here."

Hector winked at Neil before he left. Neil smirked to himself. Theresa teased Neil. 

Atlanta urged Herry to continue what he was talking about before realizing that Herry already dived in to his moussaka, so his mouth was full. Hmm. Herry would talk to everyone when he was ready. Atlanta took a bite of her durum. Theresa started on her falafel bowl and Neil on his salad. The food was delicious!

In the kitchen, Komos ordered a group of teenagers around several kitchen stations while he himself manned the grill.  He glanced out at Erato in the dining area when he could to make sure his wife was doing okay as hostess. Their first week manning their new restaurant had been going well. Hectic and more crowded than expected, but well.

"Pomelia, you done with the other vegan shawarma orders?" Komos hollered.

"Ready," she stepped aside to let Komos inspect the work. Not bad she guessed.

"All right. Who's on salads?"

Enrico yelled, "Over here."

While Komos inspected the batch of dishes, Pomelia took this split second chance to glance out to the dining room for herself. She felt eyes glued onto her when she was making the swharwarmas.  

She saw Herry. 

****

The foursome of young heroes finished their lunch. Some of them were surprised to have enjoyed it so much. Atlanta commented on bringing other members of the green alliance here for some of their upcoming meetings.

Neil said it was okay, despite scarfing down his entire salad and ordering two of extra drinks to go along with it. Theresa teased his clear hypocrisy.

She looked up Herry. Asked him what he thought of Faunus and their food.

"Huh? Oh yeah, it was really good."

Atlanta steps in front of Herry-stopping him in his tracks.

"Hey," Atlanta's hands were on her hips, her eyes were squinted in a glare. A well-meaning glare though.

Theresa and Neil look at eachother. What was Atlanta doing?

"What's up with you Herry?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look distracted. You've been distracted."

Herry sighed. He didn't know what was wrong with him. This felt different from the song the sirens used on him before. 

"I don't know. I just got my report card and it's not looking too hot. Maybe it's that. I don't know. Maybe it's- "

Theresa's psychic power showed her the unease and wavering in Herry's aura.

"What is it Herry?"

Herry paused , avoiding making direct eye contact with any of his friends. Even Neil looked concerned. Herry wasn't acting like himself.

"Can we talk about this back at the brownstone?"

Herry walked ahead of his friends. Neil glanced at the girls. 

"What's up with him?" Neil had gotten into some friction with Herry before, remembering how angry Herry got when Neil's prank on Odie went haywire and their friends ended up getting embroiled with a sphynx.

Atlanta and Theresa couldn't tell. Neil went ahead to catch up with Herry. He hoped to cheer him up with his usual quips and jokes.

"Come on. We should go, "Atlanta told Theresa.

"Wait," Theresa grabbed Atlanta's wrist.

 "Could we talk for a bit?" Theresa glanced towards Neil and Herry to see how far ahead they were. "Alone?"

"About what?"

 "Herry."