CHAPTER SIXTEEN

HADES

The bench we usually hung around was quiet except for Marcus, who was leaning against it, his arms crossed as he studied me. The guy barely talked most days, but his silence could be louder than words. Today, though, it wasn’t silence—it was that sharp, knowing look he had.

“You gonna tell me what’s going on, or do I have to keep pretending not to notice?” Marcus finally said, his voice calm but pointed.

I sighed, adjusting the sleeve of my jacket to cover the bruises creeping out from under it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Hades, don’t give me that. I’m not blind. Every other day you show up with a new bruise, and you’re limping half the time. Don’t expect me to ignore it anymore.”

“Let it go, Marcus,” I muttered, leaning back on the bench and staring off into the distance. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“Like hell it’s nothing,” he snapped, straightening up. “You think no one notices, but we do. Even Lara. She just doesn’t want to push you. But me? I’m not gonna sit here and watch you pretend everything’s fine when it’s obviously not.”

I clenched my jaw, the tension building in my chest. “It’s not your problem.”

“It is when you’re my friend,” Marcus said, his voice steady. “You’re walking around like you’ve been in a fight every other night. I’m not stupid, Hades. You don’t have to tell me everything, but at least be honest.”

I glared at him, my fists tightening at my sides. “You don’t get it, Marcus. You don’t know what it’s like—”

“Then tell me!” he shot back, cutting me off. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re letting someone beat the crap out of you and doing nothing about it.”

I didn’t say anything, the words caught in my throat. Marcus was right—I hated how right he was. But what could I say? That my father was the reason behind every bruise, every scar? That my mother tried to protect me but ended up suffering for it, too? The weight of it all felt like too much to share, even with Marcus.

Before I could come up with a response, Lara and Gianna appeared, their voices carrying through the air as they approached.

“What’s going on?” Lara asked, stopping short when she saw the tension between me and Marcus. Her sharp eyes flicked to me, then to Marcus, as if piecing together the situation.

“Nothing,” I said quickly, hoping to shut it down.

“Doesn’t look like nothing,” Gianna said, crossing her arms as she glanced at Marcus. “What’s going on?”

Marcus gave me a pointed look before turning to the girls. “Ask him. He’s the one walking around with bruises like they’re a fashion statement.”

Lara’s eyes widened, her gaze immediately locking on me. “Hades... is that true?”

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” Lara’s voice rose, a mix of concern and anger. “You’ve been showing up hurt, and you think that’s not a big deal? Hades, talk to us!”

Gianna nodded, her expression more serious than usual. “Lara’s right. If something’s going on, you need to let us help.”

I looked away, the weight of their concern making it harder to breathe. “I don’t need help. I’m handling it.”

Marcus scoffed. “Doesn’t look like you’re handling much.”

“Marcus,” Lara said, her voice firm but softer now. “Give us a minute.”

He hesitated, his jaw tightening, but he nodded and stepped back, muttering something under his breath. Gianna followed, giving me one last glance before trailing after him.

Lara stepped closer, her eyes searching mine. “Hades... please. Don’t shut me out.”

For a moment, I thought about telling her everything. About the nights I came home to chaos, about the bruises I tried to hide, about the anger that sat heavy in my chest. But the words wouldn’t come. Instead, I just shook my head, looking away.

“You wouldn’t understand,” I muttered.

Lara reached out, her fingers brushing my arm. “Then help me understand.”

Her voice was so quiet, so full of genuine concern, that it made my chest ache. But even as I stood there, wanting to let her in, I couldn’t shake the fear of what would happen if I did.

Lara didn’t move, her hand still lightly resting on my arm. Her gaze didn’t waver, and it made me feel like she was peeling back layers I’d spent years trying to keep intact. “You think I don’t care, Hades? That I’m just going to walk away and pretend like this doesn’t exist? You’re wrong.”

I turned my head slightly, meeting her eyes. “You don’t get it, Lara. It’s not that simple. Some things… some things can’t be fixed just because someone cares.”

Her expression softened, but there was still a quiet determination in her voice. “Maybe not. But that doesn’t mean you have to deal with it alone. You don’t have to keep carrying all of this by yourself.”

I wanted to believe her, wanted to trust that someone could shoulder this with me without breaking under the weight. But I couldn’t take that risk. “I’ve been doing it alone my whole life,” I said, my voice low. “It’s easier that way.”

“It’s not easier,” she said firmly, stepping closer. “You’re just used to it.” Her voice dropped slightly, almost a whisper. “And I can’t stand seeing you like this, acting like you’re okay when you’re not.”

Her words hit something raw inside me, something I didn’t know how to handle. I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. For the first time in a long time, I felt completely disarmed, standing in front of someone who wasn’t going to let me keep hiding.

Before I could figure out what to say, Marcus called out from a few feet away. “You two good, or should we give you another hour?”

Lara rolled her eyes, breaking the heavy moment between us. She glanced back at Marcus and Gianna, then looked at me again. “This isn’t over,” she said softly, her voice laced with both care and frustration.

I watched as she stepped back to join her friends, leaving me standing there with the weight of her words lingering in the air. And for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure what to do with the pieces of myself she’d managed to crack open.