CHAPTER SEVEN

LARA

I wasn’t sure what it was, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Hades. It wasn’t that I was staring at him—okay, maybe I was, but there was something about the way he sat there, leaning back with Marcus, both of them surrounded by that smoky haze, that made me feel... off. Not in a bad way exactly. Just, unsettled.

Gianna was talking my ear off about some ridiculous gossip from class, but my mind kept drifting back to Hades. Something about his presence was magnetic. I tried to shake it off, but it wasn’t easy. Every time I glanced in his direction, I saw him and Marcus—both of them leaning back like they didn’t have a care in the world, while the rest of us were caught up in the nonsense that surrounded Rockwell Academy.

“Lara, you’re not even listening to me again,” Gianna teased, a knowing smirk crossing her face.

I blinked, finally snapping back to reality. “Sorry, what?”

Gianna leaned closer, clearly amused by the fact that I had checked out. “It’s that guy, isn’t it? Hades?”

My face flushed, but I quickly shook my head. “What? No. I’m just… thinking.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Uh-huh, totally. You keep stealing glances at him. I see you.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, fine. Maybe I am a little curious.”

“Curious, huh?” she said with a grin. “Well, there’s definitely something about him. He’s not like the rest of these guys.”

I didn’t disagree with her. There was a cool detachment to him, like he wasn’t even trying to fit in, which was kind of refreshing, but also... frustrating. I didn’t know how to read him.

"Yeah, he's different," I agreed, glancing back at the pair. “But smoking here? Doesn’t seem like the best idea.”

Gianna rolled her eyes. “Are you seriously going full ‘mom-mode’ on me? You’re not their babysitter, Lara."

“Fine, fine,” I muttered. "But you know I’m right. It’s not exactly a good habit."

Gianna looked over at Marcus, who had just flicked his cigarette away, and gave a sly smile. “Not my problem. But that Marcus guy? He’s kind of... charming, don’t you think?”

I blinked, a little surprised by her sudden change in tone. “What? Marcus?”

She leaned in and whispered with a grin, “Oh, I can totally see him and me getting along. He’s got that bad boy thing going on.”

I followed her gaze to Marcus, who was still leaning against the stone bench, completely at ease. He caught my eye for a split second and gave me a wink before turning his attention back to Gianna. His confidence was hard to miss. And while I wasn’t exactly interested in him, I couldn’t help but notice the way Gianna’s playful energy seemed to draw him in.

“Look at you two, already flirting,” I teased.

Gianna shrugged, completely unbothered. “Why not? He’s not a bad guy. Just a little bit... wild.”

I shook my head, smiling. “You’re ridiculous.”

Before I could say anything else, Gianna started walking ahead toward the garden, glancing at me over her shoulder. “Come on, let’s go say something to them about the smoking.”

I sighed but followed her. When we reached the bench where Hades and Marcus were sitting, I didn’t know exactly what to say. I didn’t want to sound like a nag, but the smoking still felt wrong to me. It wasn’t the best way to start a conversation with these two, but I had to at least try.

“Hey,” Gianna called out casually as she approached the bench. “You guys know that smoking isn’t really the healthiest choice, right?”

Marcus turned his head slowly, a smile forming on his face. “Yeah, yeah. We’ve heard it before. But thanks for the concern.”

Gianna gave him a playful shrug. “No problem. Just looking out for you, I guess.”

I glanced at Hades, trying to read his face, but he didn’t seem bothered by us at all. In fact, he didn’t seem to care one way or the other. His eyes were cool, his expression distant.

“I get it,” I said, my tone a little firmer. “But this school has enough rules already. You don’t want to give them any reason to make your life harder.”

Marcus flicked his lighter and lit another cigarette, clearly unbothered. “You guys worry too much. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Gianna rolled her eyes, her voice teasing as she took a step closer to Marcus. “You should really stop. You know, there are better ways to spend your time than wasting it on cigarettes.”

There was a spark of chemistry between the two of them. It was subtle but undeniable, and I couldn’t help but notice how easily Marcus responded to her. He leaned in a little closer, that teasing grin still on his face. “Oh yeah? And what would you suggest, Gianna? You’ve got something better in mind?”

She didn’t miss a beat. “How about you stop being a bad influence and buy me a drink sometime? I promise, it’ll be more fun than this.”

Marcus laughed, looking her over with a glint in his eye. “You’re on. But you better keep up, Gianna.”

I watched as they exchanged that playful banter, and it was impossible not to see the chemistry between them. I felt a little awkward standing there, but I was glad Gianna seemed to be handling the situation with ease.

I turned my attention back to Hades, who was now staring at the ground, still silent, as if he was just waiting for the moment to pass. I didn’t know what to make of him. Was he always this distant? Or was there something else going on?

“Well, looks like Marcus and I are going to be best friends,” Gianna said with a grin, glancing back at me. “You okay, Lara?”

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure if I was. “Yeah. Just... it’s nothing.”

We stood there for a few more seconds, watching as Marcus and Gianna continued to flirt with ease, their dynamic effortless. Hades, on the other hand, remained detached. He barely even looked up when we turned to leave.

But as we walked back toward the school, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to him. There had to be. I just had to figure out what it was.