Minor

Chapter 3

Work. Work, and I knew he was coming. The knot of dread in my stomach grew tighter and larger every second of school. Raven and Kimon stayed at my side, as we hurried to the cafe. I stepped in and smiled nervously to Semestra, she smiled reassuringly. I pulled my apron over my head and leather sigil covered jacket. Kimon and Raven strode over to a secluded table in the corner of the shop and waited. I waited too, but I was definitely more anxious. My hands trembled as I busied myself with everyone's coffee.  And as soon as I thought I escaped Brennan Sullivan, a wave of hushed whispers swept across the shop. I turned and my face paled, and an inferno of anger blazed inside me. He looked very similar to me, the same black hair, lightly muscled stature, and radiation of anger. Everyone in line let him pass through and move in front of them. His hazel eyes bored into me. "I would like t' speak wit' her," He pointed to me, his voice heavy with an Irish accent. "I'm sorry sir," Smestra said, "If you want a drink I will take it." I whipped around and kept working trying to ignore my father. "Do you know who I am!" Brennan snarled. Semestra glared at him, "Sir, the only reason I'm not letting you talk to her is that I do know who you are." I sighed and stepped up to the counter, "Order, and maybe I'll talk to you," I whipped back around and continued the drink I was working on. Brennan snarled his order and backed away from the counter. I sped through it, not bothering to fix my mistakes. I walked slowly over to the pick-up counter, the pit of dread growing deeper and stronger. I placed the drink on the counter, and called, "Brennan," He stomped up to the counter, and gripped my wrist so I couldn't escape. My hands began to sweat as he pulled me towards him, "Alyx," He said formally. "Father," I growled. There was a collective gasp within the cafe. His grip tightened on my wrist, "You're coming with me," I glared at him to hide my fear, "No, I'm not." I cried, "I'm not going to be your someone to parade around for your image!" I ripped my wrist out of his grasp. "You are an abusive father and maybe the world should know that!" It was only when I yelled that did I realize people were filming the whole thing. He didn't though, "Listen, you ungrateful daughter!" "Sir," A strong authoritative voice interrupted his cries. I turned to see, no, Colson. Kimon and Raven were right behind him giving a very surprised look. "Please stop harassing this barista, or I'll  have to forcefully remove you from this establishment." His winter blue eyes bored into my father. "Sparky?" I murmured. He didn't look at me but continued his stare match with my father. Brennan relented and strode out of the cafe, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Thanks," I said through clenched teeth, but he was already gone. "Wow, didn't know he had that in him," Kimon said in awe as he leaned against the counter, "Does anyone else suddenly find him attractive," I shook my head, "I need to go," I ripped my apron off and dashed through the door. "Alyx!" I heard Raven call, but I barely was conscious of what I was doing. I just kept running. I eventually collapsed on a hardwood floor. On my knees, I buried my face in my hands and began to silently sob. I then soon realized where I was. It was dark, no one was here either. I recognized the punching bags hanging from the ceilings, the large windows filtering in the pale afternoon light, the corner of locker rooms, and the rings drawn on the floor. I collapsed in the gym. I don't know why, but I was here, and circling me was Colson. "What do you want?" I growled as I wiped my tears, "Why did you follow me?" He shrugged. "Why were you there in the first place anyway?" His face was expressionless, but it felt like his eyes were burning a hole in me. "You're my main opponent I was looking for weaknesses, I guess." He shrugged again. I whipped around and stalked off, "Well I guess you found one," He ran and grabbed my wrist, "Wait," I started breathing heavily the sensation was too similar. He let go immediately, "Sorry," He muttered as the door slammed behind me.

Every pair of eyes was tuned in on me the next day. People were watching the video of yesterday, my father and me yelling at each other too. Which was uncomfortable to hear my voice yelling from people's phones. I kept ducking through the halls and speeding past people. I never realized how much I loved seclusion. Classes were complete torture, I was called on 24/7, my teachers asked about how I was doing, and I felt like I couldn't escape. I felt so numb as if the shock was masking over the inevitable pit of fear I was going to fall into. I've never told him off, I've been afraid of him since before I could talk. I was very quiet during the start of lunch, my siblings didn't pry, they knew not to. Then Kimon slipped in, "So you told him off, I'm so proud," His eyes shimmered with pride. "I did," I said. "Wait, I told him off!" it finally dawned on me, all the warmth drained from my skin. "Oh no!" I cried and ran my fingers through my hair, "I did! I told him off!" "Whoa," Kimon reached over and put a hand on my arm, "Hey it's ok, he can't get to you anymore," I shook my head, "It's not him I'm worried about!" Raven slipped in at some point during my freak out, "It's the press, the video is all over the internet, and the monsters that are going to be led over here!" I began to go on a rant of mumbling and worrying, until Alice leaned over and hit me in the arm, and hard. I snapped out of my mumbles and gave her a confused look, "Ow!" Alice gave me a scolding look, "You, my sister, are the freaking strongest person I know, you will not give in to your stupidly famous father!" I jumped back with a wide-eyed expression, "This is not going to beat you, ok, if anything is going to beat you it's going to be a Titan!" Alice smirked when my face resolved into a defiant look. Cedric, Draco, and Sabrina burst out laughing, "Never thought Alice was going to be the one who beat some sense into you!" Raven laughed with them. "Haha," I growled sarcastically, "All of your parents aren't abusive," I added quietly. Kimon gave me a reassuring smile, "Well now you won't have to deal with him," He reassured. I smiled back, I'm glad he didn't know about Colson, I didn't even know how I felt about it. Semestra slipped into the seat next to me, "I watched the video multiple times, the comment box on it was an absolute madhouse!" Cedric nodded, "Yeah, I heard your dad kept making accounts to comment that it was a fake video!" Sabrina chuckled. I began snickering too, "I wouldn't be surprised," I chortled. Raven raised an eyebrow and smirked evilly, "So, Colson," She looked down. I paled. "What about him?" My siblings chimed. Kimon smiled again, "The video cuts off before it happened," He smiled at me again, "Sparky came in and kicked Brennan out before he could actually hurt her," I began to shrink against the prying looks, "He didn't save me, he just interrupted," I growled. "Right," Semestra smiled into her drink. I glared at her through narrow eyes. "Can we talk about something else, like the tournament!" I shrugged and widened my eyes, "It is tomorrow," Kimon smirked into his hand, "You're going to win," he said confidently. Raven rolled her eyes, "Not if I beat her first," I smiled smugly, "Don't be so sure," Sabrina's eyes widened in realization. "What?" I asked. Worry began to grip my stomach, "What!" I repeated with more urgency. " I saw a note posted on the office bulletin, it was the updated rules for The Tournament." I gave her a stern look, "and?" "They changed the rules!" She cried, "You aren't allowed to use outside magic anymore!" I jumped up, "What!" I shrieked. I slowly sat down as Sabrina nodded, all I could do was shapeshift, and use my chakram. I mean I could use pure Hecate magic, but that was hardly an option. Raven gave me a nervous look, "If it helps I won't summon skeletons," I shook my head, "I'm heading out," I got up and fled the cafeteria. I stopped in the hall and leaned against the wall. When I had my magic I would've had a chance, but now? A creak of the door shocked me out of my thoughts, and sure enough, there was a golden-headed Sparky. I glared at him, "What do you want?" I growled. He glared back, "I heard about the rule change, to be honest, I'm mad about it too," My chakram was out of my bag and poised in front of him before he could realize it. "Don't get familiar," I snarled. Colson leaned closer and sparks began to appear around my chakram and his chest, "I am telling the truth, there's no victory in beating you if you're at half your power," He said as his blue eyes burnt holes into me. I ripped my chakram away from him, "It doesn't matter, I'm backing out," He leaned away from me, "What, why?!" I rolled my eyes, "Did you read the rule change or not? With my magic, I had a chance! Now I'll be knocked out in the first round!" Colson shook his head as I turned around to leave. He grabbed my wrist and my throat tightened. He let go immediately, "Sorry," he mumbled. I kept walking. "Well, I'm disappointed," He called after me, "I thought you might have not have been just an underling!" I stopped so quickly my combat boots shrieked. "What did you just call me?" A deep growl escaped my throat. He cocked his head and smiled smugly, "Are you going to prove me wrong, or hide in your dorm?" I tore towards him and punched him square in the chest. He stumbled backward as he gasped for breath, "I meant in The Tournament!" If it was possible I glared harder, "That was a warning shot," I felt my eyes grow black, as well as my hands, "Trust me in The Tournament, I'll hit harder," A black mist swirled around my hands to intimidate him. I stepped away from him, "And trust me pure Hecate magic is painful,"