The Hunters of Artemis

Chapter 14: Anger

Rhea and I had a good talk about the events of the night, with her threatening to kill Liam. Of course, even though my thoughts were going in that direction as well, I told her that we couldn't kill him... yet.

The next morning, as I was coming out of the room with Rhea, I saw Atlanta, Lyra, Emma and Liam come out of their room. I learned later that he had healed overnight. Surprising, even with nectar. Before I could stop her, Rhea stomped over to Liam and smacked him right across the cheek. Hard. 

"You little worm!" she screamed at him. I gaped at her as I watched my best friend assault the boy who had... expressed his affection to me in an inappropriate manner. For a Hunter, anyways. 

"What? What'd I do?" protested Liam. That snapped me out of it. 

What did he do? What did he do? 

Rhea expressed all my anger and frustration in words and large arm movements. "You KISSED a Hunter and you ask what did you do?" 

Atlanta got into the conversation as well. "Wait, he did what now?" 

As Rhea explained, I saw Liam look at me with an apologetic expression on his face. He mouthed: I'm sorry. I slapped him (hard, very hard) and turned away. 

"I'm going down for breakfast," I announced. I left Rhea to rant to Atlanta and Lyra and headed down the stairs to the breakfast hall. I heard footsteps behind me, and turned, thinking it was Emma, who had wisely avoided being dragged into the argument that wasn't really an argument. It was more of a blame-game type yelling... thing.

Sadly, it wasn't Emma, it was Liam. With the slap mark I gave him, his right cheek looked like it had been out in the cold. I turned away again and started back down the stairs with a stony look on my face. 

"Kat!" he called out to me. 

I whipped around. "What? What could you possibly say that would make me ever forgive you?"

He sighed. "I don't want you to forgive me, I just want you to know that I'm sorry. I... I didn't think of the effects it would have on you and your friends. And, I guess, I thought that if you were voluntarily trying to help me, then that meant you..." He paused. "I guess I thought it meant you liked me."

I laughed. "Liked you?" I turned and started back down the stairs with Liam right behind me. "I am a Hunter, for the last time, and I can't fall in love, or have a crush, or even be attracted to the opposite gender. 'Kay?"

We entered the breakfast area and I spotted Olivia, Noah, Hannah, and Robyn sitting down at a table. I left Liam and went over to the buffet table, which was somehow stocked each morning with all the breakfast wants and needs. How one lady can make this much, I don't know.

I loaded my plate with bacon, eggs, strawberries, grapes and toast before going and sitting at my own table. Robyn waved me over, but I shook my head. I needed to clear my thoughts. The kiss totally threw me off last night... But what really scared me was the fact that I wasn't as repulsed as I should have been. I hadn't struggled as much as I could have. It was disgusting, but one can't control their feelings the same way one can control their actions.

I shook my head. I took my fork and stabbed a piece of strawberry. I imagined the red fruit was Liam. I imagined all the food I stabbed was Liam. My table shook as someone sat down. I looked up and rolled my eyes. 

"Listen, Kat," Liam started.

I put my hand up and waved my fork in the air. "Whatever you have to say, I don't want to hear it, Liam."

"Please. I need to explain."

I glared at him. He seemed sincere, and while I didn't want to say anything to him, to finish this quest, I had to. "Fine." I sat back and crossed my arms. "Talk."

He put his elbows on the table and ran his hands through his hair. "Okay. So, you know how I... you know. Kissed you last night?" I said nothing. "Well, I only did it because I really like you. Like, really, really like you. I knew that would be my only chance to do it, because there probably wouldn't be another moment like that, so I went for it. I... I'm sorry."

Hearing him pour his heart out made mine melt just a bit. But only the littlest bit. 

He continued. "I really am, Kat. I... I shouldn't have, but I did anyways."

I looked at him for a minute. I mean, really looked at him. He was attractive, sure... but now that I'd gotten to know him a bit more, he was nice, and I guess... kind of sweet. But these were the same attributes of the boy who broke my heart. 

I uncrossed my arms and leaned forward, my forearms resting on the edge of the table. "Alright. Let's say I believe you. Let's say I forgive you. What then?"

"Well, nothing, I guess. We'd just go on the same we always have. I mean, you could maybe call off the attack squad over there," he said, motioning over to where Atlanta, Rhea and Lyra were all glaring daggers at us. 

I laughed, surprising myself. "I'll make sure Rhea doesn't kill you, but I don't think I can hold her back from slapping you again."

Liam laughed with me, and it felt normal again. Not all hey!-you-kissed-me-without-permisson. I smiled at him and he smiled back. It got awkward, so I started eating again. My food had gone cold, but I ate anyways.

"Hey, Kat! We got to go get ready for school!'' called Rhea, getting up to go.

I sighed and rose as well. Liam grabbed my wrist and I froze. He did the same thing last night. "What are you doing?" I asked quietly.

"Meet me behind the sports equipment shed at lunch break," he ordered, and let my wrist go.

As I walked away, I rubbed my wrist. Why on earth did he want to meet me? My eyes widened. What if he... Nah, he wouldn't do that. Not with Rhea on the prowl.

I joined up with Rhea and we linked arms and went back to our room to get our bags and school stuff. 

I shook my head in disbelief. Liam actually thought that after last night I would meet him. Alone, in a private area. Please. I'm not stupid. Obviously he thought I was.

The idiot.