Zodiac

Chapter 6

I woke up with the sun shining through the glass doors to the balcony, I walked out of my room to go to the cave, the wind was blowing hard and the leaves in the trees had turned yellow, orange and red. Autumn was coming soon, when I got to the cave, Sammy wasn’t there yet. It was still pretty early in the morning and Sammy, well, doesn’t wake up early. I heard faint stomping, seconds later Sammy came in, puffing and holding a bag and a box.

I smiled at him, “You’re late,”

“Ha ha, very funny. The sun isn’t even up yet.” He walked over and sat next to me, placed the box down and opened it to reveal a small sponge cake with whipped cream icing and strawberries, “Happy Birthday Tess,” and planted a kiss on my cheek.

“Wait-what?” I totally forgot that it was my birthday, since so much had been going on and that the King of Heaven (Jupiter) is trying to kill me, I guess that my own birthday slipped out of my mind, “Oh, right, thanks, I completely forgot.” I grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss, we stayed like that for a while, I pulled away from him and buried my face in his neck, and whispered, “Gods Sammy, I love you,”

“Yeah, I know you do,”

 The cake was delicious, “Okay, I really should go, I have to help them set up,” tomorrow we get to meet our families again since the day we left, “I’ll see you tomorrow after dinner?”

“Okay.”

Setting up took forever, Aquarius went way overboard. But in the end everything was perfect, or as perfect as it can get. I walked over to my room and flopped down on my bed and fell asleep.

***

KNOCK! KNOCK!

 I woke up to knock, I hauled myself out of bed, I know today my parents were coming to visit me, but its only six, and they were meant to come at nine. “Ugh, coming!” I shouted. The knocking stopped.

I opened the door and found Zach staring down at me, like most boys my age, they are always taller than me, “Hey, can I talk to you for a second,”

“Uh, sure, come in,” I put my hand on his shoulder when he walked in and sat on my bed, “Hey, you okay?”

He said nothing for a while, “Yeah, no. I don’t know anymore. My parents are coming to see me today and, let’s just say they hate me. If you’re wondering why I didn’t tell Emma, it was because I didn’t want her to think that I’m weak especially that I grew up in Aries.”

“Oh, come on Zach. Em, she loves you, yeah anyway, go on,”

“I don’t want to see them, who knows what they might do to me,”

“Wait, what do you mean do to you?” I asked, and looked at him worriedly, maybe the all friendly, goofy, funny Zach, had a different personality behind that wall.

“They, shout at me all the time, beat me up when I do something that they don’t like, embarrass me in public.” He caught my eye, “Yeah, that kind of stuff, I know, they really hate me.”

I didn’t know what to say, “Oh my gods Zach. I-if you don’t want to see them, then don’t.”

“But I promised Emma that I’ll introduce my parents to hers.”

“Look, why don’t you go get ready, just in case, and I’ll talk to Emma for you.” I went over a hugged him, “Hey, hey, it’s okay. It’ll be fine.” He got up,and walked out of my room. Oh, wow, my day just got a lot harder. I went to the wardrobe and found a top, thankfully, didn’t have such a low neck, if my parents saw what the Aquarius’s had in stock for clothing, oh boy, I cannot imagine what will happen. I knocked on Emma’s door,

“Who is it?” it sounded like she just got up, it sounded like me when Zach knock. But I promised him.

“Um, it’s Tessa. Sorry, but I really need to talk to you, like now.” The door creaked open, she was wearing a white bra and panties, she smiled at me and said,

“Hey, remember you barged in,” she was quoting what I said on the morning before the festival.

“Ha ha, very funny.”

“Yeah, well, come in,” her room was painted a dark black-blue colour. And the ceiling decorated with stars. “So, what happened?”

“Did you make Zach promise you that he will introduce his parents to you?”

“Yes, why?”

“Look, his parents really hate him, like they beat him up, embarrass him in public hate. You have no idea how scared he is,”

“Then why didn’t he tell me?”

“Because he loves you and doesn’t want you to think that he’s weak, for a boy who grew up in Aries,” she looked at me and nodded.

“Tell him that he doesn’t have to come, besides, it isn’t compulsory.” I waved goodbye to her and walked out of the room, it was already 8:30, and I needed to be there at nine.

The room was already filled with people, I saw my mom and she waved to me, “Mom!” I rushed over to her and gave my parents both a hug.

“Hey honey, how’s everything?” my dad asked me and smiled.

“Okay I guess,” I hugged them both again, “Gods, I missed you so much,”

They laughed, “Good job for winning the Competitions by the way,”

“Thanks,”

My mom looked at me with a grin on her face, this is probably a topic that was going to embarrass me, “So, are you and Sammy a couple now?”

I could feel my face turning red again, why do people always bring this up, “What? No, we’re not a couple, no, where did you get that idea from?”

“I saw you kissed,” I was completely speechless, and she, my own mom was standing there grinning at me, “Well?”

“Yeah, fine. We’re kind of a couple now.” She laughed and kissed me on the cheek.

“Oh~, I’m so happy for you!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” It was time to them to leave now, “Bye mom, bye dad,” I gave them both a hug, “I’ll miss you so much,”

“Don’t worry, we’ll see you again next month,”

“Okay. Bye, I love you,”

“We love you too honey.” I guess it wasn’t that bad, I mean I’ll see them next month again, wouldn’t I? Considering that Jupiter doesn’t blast me to ashes before then.