Not That Evil

Chapter Eighteen

  "What do you want, Jon?" I huffed.

"Wow, what's with the hostile energy? I thought we were friends."

"'Friends' is not in my vocabulary," I sighed, frustrated. "Now tell me what you want."

"I guess this isn't really a favor. It's more of something I've wanted to ask you for a long time."

Oh great, I thought. Here we go...

"I was wondering of you maybe wanted to be my date to the coronation. I could have a nice dress made for you, and.. well, I want to make up for suddenly springing that whole 'dating' thing on you the other day."

I sighed. Every part of me wanted to say no. I mean it when I say that none of me wanted to say 'yes, I'll go with you.' Mal needed me to do this, though. If we wanted to get the wand, I had to say yes so that I would be close to it in case Mal's plan backfired. I let out a big sigh and swallowed down my disgust as I answered.

"Yes, Prince Jon. It would be my honor to accompany you to your brother's coronation." I forced a pretty smile, one that looked like it was made out of hope and love, when in reality it was just a mask hiding my hatred and disgust for this boy. Since he was up there with the popular kids, something told me that he was one of the people bullying Aline. Whether he realized it or not was out of the question if he was bullying her.

"Oh my god, thank you so much, Hera! This is amazing!" He leaned over and kissed my cheek, then got up and walked away. I sat there, disgusted and angry at what Mal was making me do. This wand has caused all sorts of horrible things to happen to me, and this was just another thing on this list. I sighed deeply as Carlos came and sat back down next to me. Dude began licking my face, a call for attention, and I responded by petting him on the top of his head.

"What happened, Hera?" He asked, focused on my red eyes.

"Prince Jon asked me to be his date to the coronation. Of course, no thanks to Mal, I had to say yes..." I chuckled a little bit. "Now I'm going to have to wear a fancy dress."

"I'm sure you'll look pretty," Carlos assured me.

"Thanks," I smiled.

"Hey, listen..." I looked up and met his brown eyes. "When you're upset... just remember that you're too good for him. There's someone out there that will love you more than he ever will. Remember to be strong and that, okay?"

"Yeah, Carlos. It's just going to be a little difficult when Prince Jon is constantly invading my personal space, you know?"

"Hera..." Carlos turned me to face him and put down Dude. I could tell he was serious now. "...you are so smart, and pretty, and amazing, and interesting. Deep down, I know that there's affection in you. You just need someone that you can trust so that you can take down the barriers in your heart and know that you're safe."

"Wow... thanks Carlos..."

"I know the people you love are... mean and cruel to you. Your mother never really showed you any love..." he took my hands and I looked into his eyes, everything starting to click. "...and you need someone to do that. I... I want to be that person..."

"Carlos..." I was really touched. I was worried I would start crying. "...I-"

He cut me off by pressing his lips against mine. I sat there, shocked, for a minute, and then I decided to kiss back. It lasted a few more seconds after that, and then he pulled away. I felt... warm and happy inside. I liked this feeling a lot.

"Carlos..." I smiled, and I could tell he was relieved I was happy. "You better not let Jon see that," I joked. "Otherwise there's a chance he might kill you." Carlos laughed, too.

"I'm so sorry you have to have a date with someone you don't love. You really shouldn't have to do this."

"But I do have to. If I don't want my head to be my mother's next prize, then we have to get that wand."

"Yeah... it's horrible. Why do we have to live like this?"

"Well, I thought it was because we were evil... but now... I'm not so sure anymore."

"What happened to the most feared youngster on The Isle?"

"She's still in there... somewhere. But there's another part of her that had emerged: a part that loves and cares, and wants to protect. Ever since I saw what people were doing to Aline... I changed... I guess she broke me." I chuckled at that last part.

"She didn't break you, Hera. She made you more human, and that's a good thing. Hera, it makes you even more beautiful than you were before."

I smiled at him. It was an actual smile, not my usual smirk. I could feel tears of conflicting origin biting at the back of my throat and welling in my eyes.

"Oh, Hera," Carlos whispered, "don't cry, please. You're too pretty to cry."

"I'm crying because I'm happy, Carlos. At least, I think that's why I'm crying. Thank you, Carlos. You've picked me up when my mother wasn't there to make me feel better. I'm so sorry I've never really been there for you."

"Never been there for me? What are you talking about, Hera? You've done so much for me! We've always been the youngest, and that's support enough. And don't forget all the games we played as kids, all the times we fell down and got all scraped up! Hera, you've been my best friend since the day I had independent thoughts and could comprehend what a friend was. Hera, you'll always be the person first in my heart."

"As will you, Carlos."