charm(less)

quattor

—— q u a t t o r ——

DINNER WAS A sordid affair, as it usually was in the Amoretti household.

It was usually just Korey and his dad, sat opposite one another at the huge dining table that was far too large for a family of two, the only time he really got to speak to his father. He tried to make those conversations stretch because then he felt like he actually had a parent rather than someone who simply paid the bills for his education. Recently, he hadn't even been seeing his dad at dinner. Julian Amoretti was composing and producing the soundtrack for a new film and was working in the studio around the clock. He'd leave early in the morning and only return home late into the night, long after dinner.

It wasn't that Korey's dad was dismissive or didn't care about him. He just didn't have enough time for his music career and his son, something Korey was still struggling to accept.

A small, somewhat pathetic part of Korey had spent the past week hoping his father would come home in time for dinner, just like he did every time his dad worked a new job, but that had been the last thing on his mind today. Even after his dad texted him to say he wouldn't be coming home tonight. It was still a two person dinner but with Park instead if his father. Today it was heated up pasta and sauce and cheese, a bowl for each of them sat on beanbags in Korey's room, his new pet dove having nestled into the blankets on his bed. Korey found it bizarre that this bird he'd been avoiding for fear it meant he was crazy was now apparently living in his bedroom.

The other bizarre part of the night, besides discovering his long absent mother was in fact a Goddess, was Park. Even freshly washed, in borrowed clothes and with food, there was something tense and on edge about him. Like a livewire seconds from sparking. There was this wall around him, an aura that warned people to back off and keep their distance, that only made Korey more curious about him. Where had he come from? Had he spent his entire life running alone? But no, he'd mentioned his mother. Where was she? But any questions wouldn't be appreciated and it wasn't any of his business either way.

Korey showed Park to one of the spare bedrooms after they'd eaten. It was fairly early, only nine in the evening, but he looked dead on his feet. Korey, on the other hand, didn't know how he could possibly sleep. He'd woken up this morning believing he was a regular normal person and now he had to lie in bed with the knowledge that he was a demigod. Whatever that really meant. In an attempt to distract himself from those circling thoughts, he tried calling Angelica. Multiple times. He'd already tried a few times earlier, to have the call cut abruptly after two rings, a sign that she was making it clear he was being ignored. Korey couldn't even text her to explain the situation because his phone was dead from the dunk it had taken in the Hudson so the only way he could attempt to contact her was with the home phone.

He didn't blame her for being annoyed that he'd ditched their date and he wasn't even sure what excuse to give her, if she ever decided to finally pick up. When Angelica was pissed, she was pissed. He was certain she wouldn't pick up this time either and he'd have to leave it until tomorrow which was why, when someone picked up on the fourth ring, he was caught off guard for a moment.

"What?" Angelica snapped, before he could even consider what to say. "I don't know why you're calling from your home phone and I don't care why, Korey."

"Ang, wait," Korey said hurriedly. "I'm really sorry about — "

"Do you know how long I sat there alone in that restaurant waiting for you? How embarrassing it was to have to get up and walk out after being ditched by my date?"

"I know but let me explain — "

"All it would have taken us one text to tell me you decided to ditch me. One text!" Angelica's voice was getting more shrill as she continued and Korey winced. "You're such an asshole, Korey, constantly having a go at me for being late to everything and then standing me up. Way to ruin the start of summer."