Amber & Ice

Chapter 6: What did you do to this one, Dyo?

There was a hum in the meeting tonight, the hushed rumble of fifteen voices, muttering words like “vote”, “choice” and, quietest of all, “explosion”.

Dyo lent back against the old stage, taking it all in. Students and adults, shunning pink in favour of blacks, blues, greens and reds, were stood in small groups, heads together, hands animated as they discussed the events of the past few days. Their ‘fearless leader’ Briseis, with her blue hair and lilac dress, was at the head of one of the larger groups, her head bend towards her neighbour’s as they debated heatedly.

Dyo didn’t feel like joining any of the groups himself. A single image had consumed him for the past few days, occupying his thoughts even now, in the place that was usually his safe haven. Try as he might, there was a pair of grey eyes Dyo just couldn’t get out of his mind.

“I didn’t see you in my lecture yesterday,” Ajax told Dyo as he walked towards him, breaking him out of his daydream. The pink sweater was gone, replaced by a burgundy hoodie and jeans.

“Really?” Dyo asked, his voice carrying a tone of surprise. “How did you miss me: I was the one in the front - in the pink shirt?” His face remained deadly straight

Ajax cocked an eyebrow. “Ah yes, and the ridiculous canvas shoes that offer no protection against the winter weather?”

“Of course. Then again - you may not have spotted me among the flock of girls thronging round me.”

“True - I would have expected to find you with Ariadne and her new friend, the pretty brunette.” Dyo’s face twitched, ever so slightly, with interest and Ajax knew that he had won. He winked at Dyo, adding “I’ll see you front and centre next week,” before moving on.

At that moment, a chill blast of air burst through the room as the door opened once more. The noise level increased three-fold as Ariadne entered the meeting. “Good evening, comrades! Jeez it’s cold out there!” she announced, stamping snow off of her boots and pulling her dark military-style coat around herself more tightly. Orion came in behind her in his grungy leather jacket, a ridiculous bobble hat perched on his head. Behind them was another girl, with bobbed brown hair - the brunette Ajax had mentioned? Maybe Dyo wasn’t going to have to venture out to next week’s lecture to meet her after all. Unfortunately, it didn’t look as though she would have been worth the effort anyway: she was wearing a fuchsia pink ski-jacket and a soft, rose-pink hat and gloves. Even her white snow boots had pink pipping on them. Dyo was about to turn away in disappointment, when he noticed her glance nervously around the room before quickly removing her hat and gloves and shoving them into the pockets of her coat, which she unbuttoned and took off, despite the chill in the air. Beneath, she was dressed ordinarily, in a worn out pair of grey jeans and a purple vest top. Emblazoned on the top was a golden owl; quirky, Dyo thought. She shivered, but kept her coat in her arms; now there was a girl desperate to fit in. Dyo found his interest piqued ever so slightly again.

Then she turned to face him, revealing dove-grey eyes. They were mesmerising: intelligent, vulnerable and… familiar. Dyo had come inches away from those eyes before and they had been haunting him ever since.

She hadn’t seen him yet and he had no idea whether she would recognise him when she did. He wasn’t sure that he was ready to find out, so he watched from a distance as Ari walked her around the room, introducing her to everyone.

Briseis - blue as her hair, as always - wore her customary frown as she took in the new arrival. Briseis didn’t like anything new; particularly people. She was naturally disposed to be suspicious of everything and had only just stopped scowling at their previous new arrival, Ismene. Ismene was stood with Briseis now. In her checked shirt, jeans and natural red hair, she looked less intimidating. She smiled at the girl encouragingly and stepped forwards to shake her hand warmly. Don, on the other hand, looked every bit as sceptical as Briseis, although that wasn’t the least bit surprising. Whatever Bree felt, Don made sure he felt it too. Dyo knew from a conversation with Don when he had been quite drunk, that Don was certain this was the key to Bree’s heart. Given enough acquiescence, he was sure she would see how compatible they were, how perfect they would be together. Dyo, however, felt that, if anything, it had the opposite effect. Bree was about as likely to notice Don as she was the colour of the walls; she would be far more likely to glance in his direction if he disagreed with her. Don eyed the new girl with such scepticism that Dyo was surprised she didn’t leave immediately.

Instead, she let Ariadne steer her on to the next people in the room: the inseparable duo of Penelope and Thalia. Penny had just come from a lecture and was actually wearing pink, which ought to have made her less intimidating than the others. Her flawless olive skin, silky black hair sultry Italian accent had the opposite effect, however. Thalia was wearing just about every colour going in her long beaded skirt. Grey-eyes smiled at them nervously, shaking one of Thalia’s bangle-strewn hands while Ariadne introduced them with a grin, before moving onto the next group.

She already knew Ajax, greeting him with a shy smile. He was stood with Hermes, a Masters student who was working in the polling centre, and Ares, the group’s biggest and strongest member. Ares grunted in the girl’s direction by way of a greeting before switching his attention to Orion and engaging him in an animated discussion.

Orpheus was, as usual, sat on the stage, strumming on his guitar, while second-year medic Ino and business student Perseus danced in time. Ariadne twirled herself between them, joining in for a beat before introducing them to her new recruit. Orpheus gave the girl a wink which made her cheeks colour. Ino shook her curly blond hair and told Orpheus to stop being a tease.

The other University workers were stood closest to Dyo: Hera, the University librarian with her hair pinned back in a tight bun and cliche glasses framing her eyes; Artemis, a justice lecturer with short black hair and skin the colour of coffee. Lastly, there was the ancient Nestor. He surveyed the new arrival over his glasses, looking her up and down before nodding slowly in approval. Across the room, Dyo could see Bree visibly relax; the new girl had passed the Nestor test. She could stay - for now, at least.And then, all too soon, Ariadne steered the girl towards Dyo. 

"You!" Well, that answered that question. The anger was clear on her face; her grey eyes narrowed and nose wrinkled adorably.

"Oh dear, what did you do to this one, Dyo?" Orion asked, rejoining them, with a slight frown on his face.

Dyo shrugged nonchalantly, determined to keep his cool. He paused for a moment, leaning back against the stage once more and running a hand through his hair, as though trying to wrack his brains. Finally, he brought his gaze back to Orion and exhaled slowly. "Can't remember; she's going to have to remind me."

Ari lowered her face to her hands in despair, which caused Dyo to grin.

"Now, where was it that we met?" He avoided meeting her eyes, which seemed to swirl like smoke after a fire.

"Last week. The Health Vote results. You ran into me then left me on the floor." Dyo let his eyes widen, feigning surprise.

"Well that wasn't the answer I was expecting. Sorry, Honey, but I think you've got me confused with someone else. I would never abandon a damsel in distress."

"Or a girl alone on the floor," Ori quipped, which earned him a swift whack on the shoulder from Ariadne.

"It was definitely you," Athena said, although there was a slight waver in her voice, a chink in her resolution. Dyo heard it and knew that he had won.

"Why are you so sure it was me?"

"Because I recognise you…” She trailed off before continuing, more quietly, “Your eyes - they're so familiar."

Relief flooded through him; she was making this too easy. "Oh if I got a pound every time I heard that one. Look, I'm flattered, really, but I'm not interested."

Her cheeks coloured a fierce fuchsia and Dyo felt a momentary stab of guilt. But it wasn't as though he could tell her the truth. He pushed on. "Really, Ari, where do you find them?" He pushed off from the stage and past the girl, making his way over to Briseis. "Come on Bree, everyone's here. Why don't we make a start."