What Happened That Summer

Chapter Eight

Ares had been successfully avoiding the topic of death with his cousin. At least in the first five minutes, they'd been talking.

It was a story that was too long for explaining.

Sure, he'd slept with Madelyn Graphter for a week, but then, like always, he'd cut ties. She'd gone missing a few days after, but how was that Ares' fault?

According to his parents, it always was.

"So, you faked your death. How did you manage to do that without a body?" Brayden questioned, breaking the ice.

"With parents who didn't really care, and a bathtub." Ares retorted shortly. Oh, he was so stupid for coming to Melody's today. Brayden was sure to be there.

"That's too easy. You would have had to fake a body." Brayden countered, his business sense kicking in.

"My parents told me to pretend I died or they would put me away themselves." By parents, Ares meant his father. His mother was a good woman, but who'd been forced to go along with the plan. Fuck, Ares missed her. "So, they said it was suicide." Ares finished, spreading his hands in a 'there' gesture.

"I always knew there was a reason I didn't particularly get along with your parents."

"Yep, me too, cuz. Guess that's why I got into that gang fight." Ares mused.

"So, you came to live with me because they live in Arizona, and I live up here."

"Last I checked, you have a huge house on the rich side of town, not behind the counter at Melody's," Ares remarked with a straight face.

"You know what I mean, asshole." Brayden replied, smacking Ares's shoulder.

"I have delicate skin, Brayden. Ow." Ares j0ked.

Brayden rolled his eyes. "Oh, is that why there's still anti-wrinkle cream in my bathroom? It's yours, not Amelia's?" He inquired.

"Actually yes, that is mine, and I want it back," Ares stated with a completely straight face.

Brayden opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again.

Ares smirked at him. "Brayden, you look like a fish."

***

"Tori, I really can't talk right now," Darcy said, holding the phone with her shoulder and rolling pastries with her flour-covered hands.

"I don't like the fact that Ares is still rooming with you, that's all." Tori fumed.

Darcy shrugged. "I don't see the problem with it."

"Um, he's slept with every girl he comes into contact with, like, come on, Darcy! Man-whore alert!" Tori ranted.

"I wouldn't sleep with him even if he was the last man on earth. Plus, he was always like a brother to me. That would be like incest."

"I just want you to kick him out," Tori whined.

"I'm not doing that, Tor."

"But I don't like him!"

"Tori, I don't see how this is any of your business. I'm not going to leave you hanging for a dude, but I'm not gonna leave my brother-figure hanging for you." Darcy explained sternly.

"You're not being reasonable, Darce! Don't you see him as I do?" Tori hissed into the mouthpiece.

"Tor, I'm done with this conversation, I'm busy at the moment. No, I don't see him as you do, and no, I'm not kicking Ares out, end of the story. Call me when you're not acting like this. " she hung up, and plucked the phone gingerly off her shoulder, placing it on the wooden cutting board.