Chapter 2

2 - Apollo Castiello

There are pains impossible to ignore.

- Savage Instinct 2

The snow beneath my feet caused my steps to be short. The early afternoon, blanketed in ice and cold, drove me back home again.

I had gone out to meet my friends, but on the way, I simply gave up. I always did that. I didn’t like going out much because I knew that when I got close to them, no conversation would involve me, and I’d end up excluded. And I didn’t care about going out on weekends. Lately, I didn’t care about anything.

By the time I reached the door of my house, the boots on my feet were covered in ice. I stomped my feet on the mat and went in. The small, well-ventilated house was silent. An almost destructive silence. The kind of silence that had settled in since a month ago, when my mother decided to leave. When my mother abandoned my father and me, leaving us lonely and almost strangers inside our own home.

I took off the gloves and hat that had been protecting me from the cold outside. Thanks to the heater, I was no longer trembling, and my breathing was calmer.

“Dad?” I called out as I passed through the living room. The silence continued. “Dad, I’m back!” I called again, this time feeling a slight worry.

I climbed the narrow stairs and checked his room. The door was ajar, so I quickly went in when I saw his hand dangling off the side of the mattress. I swung the door open completely.

“Dad.” I ran to him.

“What do you want, Apollo?” His voice was drunk as I slipped his arms over my shoulders, lifting him off the floor and putting him back on the bed.

I quickly grabbed the bottle of bourbon from his hand, along with the other two he had drained earlier.

“Weren’t you going out with your friends?” His voice, laced with the stench of alcohol, followed me as I gathered clean sheets and a quilt to cover him.

“Yeah, I was,” I replied, out of breath. “But I kept hearing a voice inside me saying I needed to come back.”

My dad smirked with disdain. I closed my eyes tightly and opened the windows and curtains.

“Seriously, Dad, what are you thinking? Are you trying to die too?” I huffed as the cold wind from the second window swept into the room.

“If she could, so can I.” His voice was bitter as he spoke of Mom.

“But she didn’t want to!” I shouted and clenched my temples, regretting it immediately. “Dad, just rest.” I let out a long sigh. “Get the alcohol out of your veins and bundle up.” I pulled the white quilt over him.

I was already leaving his room when his calloused hand grabbed my arm. I turned to look at his face. The man with pale skin, an unkempt beard, disheveled light hair, and eyes so blue and devoid of kindness reminded me of every time I had thought of him as a hero. Now, I was looking at him, lost and with no reason to live anymore.

“I’m trying, Apollo.” His choked voice made my eyes falter. “I want the best for you, and I wish she were here to help me.” Then my dad started crying. Again.

Not a day went by without him talking about Mom and crying. And every time I witnessed that scene, I felt as if I were dying along with my mother. My heart shattered, seeing the state my dad was in. Seeing the state both of us were in.

“Rest,” I said, kissing my dad’s forehead before grabbing the bottles of bourbon and leaving his room.

As I closed the door behind me, I shut my eyes and desperately thought about locking myself in my own room, drinking until my blood turned to alcohol, and having hallucinations of my mom again, imagining our dinners and movie nights. But reality crashed into my consciousness.

She was gone.

My mom was gone.

Lily Castiello was gone.

She was dead.

No matter how much I wanted to accept it, it still hurt.

As I went downstairs, I headed to the kitchen and tossed out every bit of alcohol I could find. I knew it was just an outlet my dad used to fill the void left by my mom, but I didn’t want it to be this way. He had to find another reason to live. And so did I.

Then, the landline phone in the living room rang, snapping me out of my thoughts and away from all that alcohol in the trash. I walked over, picked up the receiver, and held it to my ear.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Apollo Castiello?” A formal male voice said my name.

“Yes.”

“Hello, Apollo. We’re calling from NewScene with all the usual spiel you already know. We just wanted to let you know that you’ve been chosen for the role of a character in our new movie.”

No… No… It couldn’t be.

“Are you sure?” I heard myself asking, as I sank into the couch.

“Talent is your middle name, Apollo.” The director’s voice sounded enthusiastic.

Man… How long had it been since I last acted? How long had it been since I’d felt so much excitement?

“Yeah, thank you,” I said, a faint smile forming on my lips.

“You’ll be acting alongside Mia Lauren Hudson. We’ve already contacted her some—”

“No, no, wait,” I interrupted, too confused. “Mia Lauren Hudson? But isn’t she married to a competing director?”

She was. Mia Lauren Hudson had been married to Bradley Hudson for about two years. Married to the biggest cheating son of a bitch. It was strange that someone like Mia Lauren would have a relationship with someone like him.

“NewScene never lets talent slip away, Castiello,” the voice said, buzzing with excitement. “There’s a meeting at 5:00 PM today.”

“But why...” I shook my head. “Never mind. 5:00 PM, I’ll be at your office.” I hung up.

I ran a hand through my hair, messing it up, and another short smile curved my lips. The first thought that popped into my head was to tell my mom.

Yeah, I wasn’t used to it yet.

But I was happy to return to the screen, even though I knew working with Mia Lauren Hudson would definitely bring me a headache.