Chapter 10

10 - Apollo Castiello

I feel better when you're around.

- One Day

I stayed up all night, as I had predicted, sleep refusing to find me, leaving me at the mercy of my own thoughts. The heat I felt in my body was intense, as if I were burning with fever, though the icy cold of the European dawn was enough to freeze anyone else. The combination of the external cold and the internal fire left me restless, tossing and turning, trying to find a position that would bring me some comfort.

When morning finally came, the contrast was evident. The sun shone high and strong in the blue sky, melting the snow that had accumulated overnight, but the cold still lingered, reminding me that the European winter, even with the presence of the sun, did not give up so easily. I stood for a moment, staring out the window at the world outside, trying to force my mind to focus on the simple fact that the snow was melting. I desperately wanted this to be what held my attention, to distract me from the turmoil that had formed within me.

But the truth was, no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts always returned to the same place, or rather, to the same person: Mia. Throughout the entire night, she invaded my mind, taking over every thought, every moment of silence. And as much as I wanted to push these memories away, it was as if Mia were an emotional quicksand, pulling me back every time I tried to break free.

"Don't do this," I heard my brain scolding me as my fingers already moved toward the phone. There was an internal battle going on, between the part of me that knew it was better to let all this go and the part that simply couldn't ignore it. With a heavy sigh, I ignored all my rational senses and searched through my contacts. I knew it was a foolish attempt, but part of me hoped that, somehow, she had saved her number in my phone when she took it.

I went contact by contact, my heart racing slightly with each name that passed. But, as expected, her name wasn't there. Damn! Of course, it wouldn't be. Mia was married and wouldn't put her number in the phone of a guy she barely knew. Reality hit me hard, and frustration grew within me. She was unreachable, and I knew it. Still, I couldn't avoid the wave of disappointment that washed over me.

I huffed, frustrated, and kicked my shoes on the floor before finally putting them on. I needed a distraction, something to pull me out of that spiral of thoughts that only seemed to deepen. I grabbed the phone again, this time with a different purpose, and sent a message to my only friend. I needed to see her, I needed someone to help me get Mia out of my mind, even if only for a brief moment.

When I came downstairs, my father was in the living room, sitting on the couch with reading glasses on his eyes.

"Apollo?" I heard his voice calling me as I walked in circles looking for my car keys. "Apollo!" My father called me in a deep voice again.

"Dad," I finally replied and forced myself to breathe again.

"You're euphoric." He observed me. "What happened?"

Nothing. Nothing had happened and nothing was going to happen.

"Dad, have you seen my car keys?" I asked, still looking around.

My father raised an eyebrow and shook his head, smiling.

"Raise your left hand." He exhaled and smiled, returning to his reading.

And then, miraculously, the car keys appeared in my hand.

"I'm going to see Kay." I announced and bent down to kiss his hair. "I'll be back soon, I... I need to..."

"I know." My father interrupted me. "And I remember the last time I saw you like this. Be careful, Apollo." His voice was serious.

"No way."

I got in the car, and in less than five minutes, I arrived at my friend's workplace. She was attending a table when I sat down at one of those small, hidden tables in the café. Moments later, she abandoned her bartender outfit and sat across from me.

"I know that look." Was the first thing she said before sitting down and snatching my phone from my hands. "I have a bunch of questions for you, but I think you need to talk first."

I huffed, rubbed my hands over my face, and stared into Kay's blue eye.

"I need to have sex." It was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

My friend stifled a laugh and nodded slightly.

"Go on!"

"I'm serious." I messed up my hair. "I can't stop thinking about a woman, so I need to get her out of my mind. I need to have sex." I felt like garbage confessing that out loud.

Kay flashed a huge smile, and my head was too full to care.

“And why do you think that’ll go away if you stick your dick in just anyone? I drummed my fingers on the table. Huffed. Covered my face.

"Because that's how it works." I replied, with no intelligent answer. "It doesn't make any sense, Kay."

"If you keep drumming on this table, I'm going to flip it over your head." She warned. "You really do need to have sex." She agreed with me. "However..." her phone started to ring. "This just keeps getting better." She talked to herself before answering the phone.

“Hi, Lauren... - She spoke cheerfully.

I remained restless, unable to be rational. Damn, I was really euphoric.

"Oh, my shift just ended, but I'm still at the café." Kay resumed talking on the phone. "Oh, come on! I'm waiting for you at one of the back tables." And she hung up.

Kay smiled and clapped her hands, celebrating something I didn't know.

"What happened?" I wanted to know. "Who was it?"

Kay threw herself back in the chair and ordered a bottle of wine from another waitress friend of hers.

"You were talking to me." She raised an eyebrow. "About your sexual abstinence."

I huffed. My fingers started drumming on the table again instantly.

"Kay? Damn, I forgot to tell you." I was still uncomfortable, but I didn't want to think about it anymore, about... Her. "New Scene called me yesterday. They want me for the lead role in their new movie."

"Oh my God!" Her eyes widened. "My God, Apollo! That's it!"

Happiness and pride seemed to radiate from her as she hugged me.

"Kayla?" A soft and deep voice called my friend.

Kay pulled away from me, and that voice...

‘‘Apollo!’‘

‘‘Mia!’‘

My heart skipped a beat the moment I heard her voice. My eyes faltered, and my mouth went dry. It was impossible not to notice how she looked even more beautiful under the daylight. The sun shining through the window softly reflected on her skin, making her seem to glow. Her hair, loose, fell perfectly over her shoulders, and the fitted checkered dress in shades of gray and black shaped her body simply but irresistibly. Mia took off her coat, her eyes still locked on mine, and I felt a wave of peace wash over my chest. All the restlessness that had consumed me up until then dissipated.

My breathing, once ragged, returned to its normal rhythm. My fingers stopped nervously tapping on the table, and her perfume remained embedded in my mind, like a memory I didn’t want to let go of.

‘“Since when have you two known each other?”’ - Kay's playful voice snapped me out of that trance. Her curious tone brought me back to reality, but not before I noticed just how much Mia had affected me.

Mia sighed softly and sat down next to us. The air around seemed to vibrate with her presence.

‘“I should be asking you the same thing.”’ - Mia responded with a touch of humor, looking directly at Kay.

I was still surprised, maybe even a little enchanted, by her unexpected arrival. My eyes couldn’t help but continue admiring her. There was something magnetic about that woman that I was still trying to understand.

‘“Okay.”’ - Kay restarted the conversation, clearly amused now. ‘“I met Apollo here at the diner many years ago. Our parents have been friends since we were kids.”’ - She explained, glancing back and forth between Mia and me before continuing. ‘“I met Lauren at my sister’s high school graduation.”’

Mia and I stayed quiet. There was tension in the air, a kind of silent expectation. Kay raised her eyebrows, clearly waiting for someone to say something.

‘“I met Apollo yesterday.”’ - Mia finally broke the silence, her voice a little softer than usual, almost shy. ‘“We’re going to be acting together.”’

‘“Yeah.”’ - I agreed, trying to sound more casual than I actually felt.

Kay grinned from ear to ear, as if she had just been waiting for this moment.

‘“I can’t wait to watch this unfold.”’ - Kay laughed and abruptly stood up from the table.

‘“Where are you going?”’ - Mia grabbed her arm, her gaze questioning.

Kay tossed her blue hair back and, with an exaggeratedly serious pose, shrugged.

‘“I’m off to perform community service.”’ - She said dramatically. ‘“Take care, Lauren. And Apollo... just give up on that thing. You’re screwed.”’ - She winked at me, a mischievous smile on her lips, before disappearing through the diner doors.

Mia watched Kay until she was out of sight. Then she turned to me with an amused expression.

‘“I think she didn’t realize I came here to talk to her.”’ - Mia made an adorable face before staring directly into my eyes. ‘“Why are you looking at me like that?”’ - Her voice was suspicious, but there was a hint of curiosity.

I smiled as I realized that, once again, I was lost in her beauty.

‘“You just look really beautiful.”’ - I admitted, feeling the weight of the words hang between us.

Mia blinked a few times, her face blushing slightly, and she shook her head with an almost incredulous smile.

‘“Wait, where’s Kayla?”’ - The waitress who had brought the wine for Kay interrupted our conversation, stopping beside us.

Before I could answer, Mia grabbed the wine glass from the tray and, in one quick and determined motion, brought it to her lips, drinking it all at once. The waitress chuckled and walked away, leaving us alone.

I watched as a rosy hue spread across Mia’s face, and an unconscious smile crept onto my lips. It was impossible not to notice how even more attractive she looked like this, vulnerable and natural.

‘“What were you saying again?”’ - She asked, without looking directly at me, as if trying to hide her embarrassment.

That moment was a gift to me. Knowing that, somehow, I was causing these reactions in her made me feel... powerful. No, it wasn’t power. It was happiness. Happiness at not being the only one vulnerable at that moment.

‘“Nothing, Hudson.”’ - I teased, waiting for her reaction. As I expected, the nickname provoked a slight irritation on her face.

Her jaw clenched, her lips pressed into a thin line, and the dimple that appeared above her right eyebrow whenever she was annoyed made its appearance. It was adorable.

‘“Apollo, my social name is Mia Lauren.”’ - She emphasized each word, her blue eyes flashing with slight irritation. ‘“So, I would appreciate it if you’d ignore my married name.”’

The smile I had been trying to hold back finally escaped. Knowing that she wanted to distance herself from Bradley, that she avoided her married name, gave me a sense of satisfaction I couldn’t hide.

‘“God, you’re annoying.”’ - Mia rolled her eyes and made a move to grab her bag and coat, clearly irritated.

‘“Wait.”’ - Instinctively, I grabbed her hand.

The touch between us seemed to ignite a spark. She looked at my hand over hers, and I felt her breath catch, just like mine did. There was something there, something warm, pulsating, that neither she nor I were willing to admit. But it was there.

‘“Listen, Mia.”’ - I said her name softly, and I noticed how her expression relaxed. ‘“I’m going to annoy you a lot more, and you’re going to have to get used to it. But I promise... I won’t hurt you.”’

I spoke with the sincerity that the moment demanded, and I saw her eyes widen slightly. There was a new sparkle there, something that gave me the certainty that she understood what I was saying.

‘“Okay.”’ - She relented, her lips forming an enigmatic smile. ‘“But know that this might have consequences.”’

The warmth that spread through my body at that moment was indescribable. I knew I was treading on dangerous ground, but for some reason, I wanted to face whatever came.

‘“You have no idea how well I handle consequences.”’ - I replied in a low tone, a smirk forming on my lips.

Mia blushed even more, and only then did she seem to realize that I was still holding her hand. Awkwardly, she pulled away a little, clearly flustered.

‘“Right.”’ - She said, trying to regain her composure, but failing.

And in that instant, the certainty that washed over me was overwhelming: I was ready to face whatever came, from the sweetest to the harshest consequence. I was willing to pay the price.