To Hell With Us

Chapter 6

When I awoke the next morning the sun seemed to shine brighter on Olympus. Annoying. My mother's slaves rushed in with hot tea, crumpets, and loads of overdone, puffy dresses. They pulled open the curtains to make my room fill with unwanted light. I pulled the pillow next to me over my face and flashed them an unnecessary hand gesture then turned on my side.

"Oh, come on Nephele. We have to get you fitted for your mothers gala. You wouldn't want to miss it."

"Actually yeah, yeah I would."

"Now, I know your mother isn't the most admirable person but you got to work with us here."

"Fine," I said while getting out of bed.

I spent the next hour getting my hair yanked and brushed, my feet shoved in and out of ridiculously tall heels, and being thrown into dresses that were everything but my style.

"Oh my! That's it, That's the one!"

"You're kidding me."

I stood there in a hot pink dress that was covered in crystals, was so puffy that a mouse could get lost in it, and showed more cleavage than I thought was physically possible.

"You look so beautiful Nephele."

"I wouldn't say that but, uh, thank you?"

"Alrighty then! I'll make sure all your reservations are in place, tootles!"

"My own Mother's party and I have to make reservations," I said to myself, rolling my eyes.

I sat on my bed staring at the pink catastrophe on hanging on my door.

"I'm out."

I grabbed my paints once again and headed out. It was the only way I could cope with the pressure of being this person I'm not. Of course, I'm appreciative for being able to afford all of this and have a roof over my head, but I can't help but constantly wonder why I got stuck with her.

When I arrived at the old, rundown, forgotten town I went back to the shoe store I was at the previous night. I admired my artwork from yesterday and then, walked around to the other side of the building to examine the new, blank canvas. I was about to start spray painting the drab wall when a familiar voice whispered,

"Nephele? Nephele?"

"Declan?" I say, confused from the surprise visit.

"Hey! I'm over here" he responded in an uplifting tone.

I followed his voice back to the fiery portal I entered the night before. I saw his muscular silhouette leaning on the doorway. He flashed a bright smile when he saw me walk into the room. There was something about him that was so enticing. Veins ran down his toned biceps like water down a stream on a warm spring day. His jawline was so distinct and precise, it looked as if Poseidon had chiseled it himself.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"Huh?!" I said, snapping back into reality.

"I said I sensed a presence coming toward this realm again, I figured it might be you"

"Oh yeah, haha. Sorry, I'm not usually one to zone out and stare." I said

"Well I'm glad I gave you something to stare at," he said with a wink

"Oh as if!" I said, rolling my eyes.

He let out a laugh and took a seat on the first step. I got the hint that he intended on talking with me, so I took a seat on the floor of the doorway next to him.

"Ok, so you gotta tell me why you come here"

"To this part of Olympus?" I asked

"Yeah. Like what do you find so interesting about some old rundown, abandoned town?"

" I guess I like how it's forgotten and lonely. I mean, I know it sounds depressing but I appreciate the absence of all the fancy, overdone decor here. Olympus is honestly a try hard. Everyone attempts to make it look so lavish and hype it up but, behind all the glitz and glam the place is really messed up. After dusk, it's a bunch of screaming, yelling, and hate sex if you ask me. So, what I'm trying to say is that this place is just an outcast like me. It knows it might not look as good as the rest but in the end, it's what happens in times of darkness that shows real character. That's also why I do graffiti. It gives these unwanted walls character."

"Wow," he said stunned at my response.

"I've known you for about twenty-four hours and I've seen more personality from you than anyone I've ever met down here," he said, nodding at the steps.

"Thanks. The world is filled with plastic people so I try to be styrofoam," I replied, chuckling.

"What kind of analogy is that?" He said, laughing.

" I don't know. I told you, I try to be different. Thinking outside of the box never hurt anyone."

"That my girl is true."

"My girl?" I questioned, letting out a laugh

He had a different kind of smile when he said that like he'd been waiting one hundred years to call me that. I wasn't into the cheesy romance mojo, but he made it look kinda cute.

"What am I? Some girl that will just drop to her knees with the snap of your finger?" I said, making fun of his charming response.

"Of course not! I don't think of women like that. Never have, never will."

His response caused the corners of my mouth to turn up. He was gonna be trouble. Every time he said something his eyes lit up as if he always had a lightbulb going off in his head. The way he talked made my stomach go weak. I didn't know it yet but he was going to be a lot more than some stranger.

We spent the rest of the night talking about whatever came to mind. I told him about my mom and my stuck up siblings, how everyone thinks I need to change, and just my general everyday life. The best part about it all was that he sat and listened. He hung on to every word I said as if it was going to be the last time he heard my voice.

"Yeah she even has some dumb ball coming up and they're making me wear a hideous dress."

"I'm sure you'll look beautiful in it, but if you hate it so much, customize it," he said.

"What do you mean customize it?" I said, smirking

"First of all you're welcome for the compliment and, second of all just bring it back tomorrow night, with all your art supplies. I'll help you."

"You're an artist?"

"I've got a few tricks up my sleeves," he said, flashing a bright smile.

I realized how long we had been sitting there when the bright light of the sun rising behind the mountains shone through the cracked window.

"Oh no! I have got to go. I didn't know we were sitting here this long."

"No worries, get home! You will be back tonight right, with the dress?

"Yeah I think so," I said with a grin on my face.

"Till then fair lady," he said kissing my hand

"Till then," I said bowing.

We both looked at each other and laughed for a second. When caught my breath I sent him a wave, grabbed my spray paints, and headed back to Olympus.