Amber & Ice

Chapter 23: I would have to really hate you to send you back to Crazy Cassy

Two days later, Ariadne still wasn’t speaking to Orion. He had send her plenty of messages, but she refused to read any of them. For the first time since her first few weeks at LUP, she was forced to stay in her apartment in Downing Street.

But, unable to face her empty room and obnoxious flat-mate, who had grown lazy in her absence, having grown overly accustomed to having the flat to herself, Ariadne was spending a lot of time with Athena.

That morning, she was sat on Athena’s bed, complaining once again about her ‘former boyfriend’. Athena herself, was trying desperately not to think about that night anymore and was instead attempting to focus on a World Vote essay she had due in the next week. Ariadne had the essay due in too, but attending lectures was one thing, it turned out, actually completing work was another.

“I should have known,” she told Athena for the hundredth time. “The signs were all there. He never really trusted my judgement. Ever. I should have realised he would assume that I was wrong. But did he have to side with her so publicly? It was humiliating.”

“I’m sure he realises that now, Ari,” Athena said, giving up on her essay and turning to face her friend. “He’s probably apologised thousands of times in those messages you have been deleting.”

“A message won’t cut it. I’m waiting for a grand gesture.”

“And if he had tried such a ‘grand gesture’ how would you know about it? You won’t go home!”

“I’m sorry, do you want me to leave too?” she looked so sad that Athena instantly felt guilty. She crossed to the bed and put her arm around Ariadne.

“Don’t be silly. Of course I don’t. Besides - even if you were driving me crazy, I would have to really hate you to send you back to Crazy Cassy.”

Crazy Cassy was Ariadne’s flat mate. As well as moaning abut Orion, Athena and Ariadne had been following Cassy’s public feeds, on which she mostly posted about voices in the walls and the fairy who stole her food at night.

Ariadne shuddered. “I can’t go back there! What if she thinks I’m the fairy and tries to kill me in my sleep, in revenge for her missing food!”

Athena laughed. “You should ask Ajax to pull some University strings and get you a transfer. There must be somewhere else available.”

“I was going to ask to move at the beginning of the year. But then I met him and it didn’t seem so necessary…”

Ariadne’s glasses flashed red as another message came in.

“Go away!” Ariadne shouted, as though she thought Orion could hear her. She was about to delete the message when Athena snatched the glasses from her face.

“No! Read this one. I would read it for you, but I don’t think I can convince your glasses that my eyes are yours…”

“I don’t want to read it.”

“Yes you do, you’re just being stubborn. Give him a chance.”

“I don’t know why you’re on his side. He implied you were a spy!”

“But you and Dyo were on my side, which is all that matters to me. The others will come around soon enough. In the mean time, we should be trying to uncover the real spy.”

“My money is on Don. That kid is annoying.”

Athena was pleased she had managed to distract Ariadne, no matter how temporary it may be and spun her glasses round by the frame. “Annoying yes, but loyal to a fault. Why would he betray Bree?”