CHAPTER TWENTYTWO

HADES

The smell of breakfast greeted me as I walked into the kitchen the next morning, the sunlight streaming through the windows of Lara’s house—a house that felt impossibly warm compared to the life I was used to. Her dad stood at the stove, flipping pancakes with an ease that made me wonder if this kind of normalcy was second nature to people like him. People like Lara.

Lara was already at the table, her face bright and full of life as she sipped on a cup of coffee. She smiled at me when I walked in, and something inside me settled. My mom was seated quietly next to her, looking more at peace than I’d seen in years, but the dark circles under her eyes told me just how much the past few days had taken out of her.

“Morning, Hades,” Lara’s dad said, his tone casual and welcoming. “I was thinking we should all talk after breakfast.”

That put me on edge. Conversations like this usually led to something bad in my experience, but I nodded, not wanting to appear ungrateful.

After we’d eaten, her dad cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair, looking between the three of us. “I know things are a bit… chaotic for you right now,” he began, his tone kind but measured. “And I’ve been thinking. If you two—Hades, your mom—need a place that feels more stable, more private, I can help. I own an apartment building across town, and I’d be more than happy to set you up with a unit there. Rent-free. It’s a good building, secure, safe.”

I barely had time to process his offer before my mom began to shake her head, her face pinched with hesitation. “That’s very kind of you, but we can’t accept something like that,” she said quickly, her voice trembling. “You’ve already done so much.”

I didn’t even think. The words came out before I could stop them. “Yes. We’ll take it.”

The room went silent, and I could feel Lara’s eyes on me, surprised by how quickly I’d answered. My mom looked at me like I’d betrayed her, but I didn’t care. For once, I wasn’t going to let pride or shame stop me from doing what needed to be done.

“It’s not about me,” I said, turning to my mom. “It’s about you. You’ll be safe there. That’s all that matters.”

Her eyes filled with tears, but she nodded slowly, her hand trembling as she reached for mine. I felt Lara’s dad watching me, his gaze steady but full of something I couldn’t quite name—respect, maybe?

“Good,” he said, breaking the tension. “I’ll make the arrangements today. You’ll have the keys by tomorrow.”

Lara’s hand brushed against mine under the table, a quiet reassurance that I wasn’t alone in this. And for the first time in years, I felt like I could finally breathe.

Breakfast was surprisingly... normal. My mom looked more relaxed than I’d seen her in years, though she still glanced around like she was waiting for something bad to happen. Lara’s dad kept the conversation light, cracking jokes and telling a story about some client he’d dealt with recently. Lara sat across from me, her eyes bright, stealing glances in my direction like she thought I wouldn’t notice.

When we finished, Lara grabbed her bag and gestured for me to follow her to the car. “Ready to go?” she asked, her voice light but with an undertone of something deeper.

I nodded, trying not to think too hard about the fact that we were about to walk into school together. Lara drove us with the windows down, the cool morning air brushing against my face. It felt surreal, like I’d stepped into someone else’s life.

When we pulled into the school parking lot, it didn’t take long for Marcus and Gianna to spot us. They were standing near the entrance, Marcus leaning against the wall with his usual smirk, and Gianna animatedly talking about something.

As we walked toward them, Marcus's eyebrows shot up. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” he teased, his tone dripping with mock suspicion. “Did you two have a sleepover or something?”

Gianna gasped, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “Wait, are you guys—”

“No,” Lara and I said in unison, cutting her off before she could finish the sentence.

Lara rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that. Hades and his mom stayed at my house for the night. That’s all.”

Marcus grinned, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say.”

Gianna elbowed him, though she couldn’t hide her own amused smile. “Leave them alone, Marcus. Not everyone’s as nosy as you.”

Still, I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, and I kept my eyes forward as we headed into the school.

After classes ended, we all gathered near the front steps of the school, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the pavement. Marcus was the first to break the silence, turning to me with a grin.

“Alright, Hades, what’s the deal? You’ve been looking all serious since this morning. Something on your mind?”

I hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I need a job,” I admitted. “With everything going on, I just... I need to start pulling my weight, you know?”

Marcus raised an eyebrow, his smirk never faltering. “You, working? That’s a scary thought.”

“Shut up, Marcus,” Lara interjected, though there was a hint of a smile on her face.

Marcus laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, I’m just kidding. Actually, my dad has an accounting firm. He’s always looking for interns, and it’s paid.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the offer. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Marcus said, shrugging like it was no big deal. “You’re a math nerd, right? Should be a walk in the park for you.”

Gianna chuckled. “Oh, I can totally see it. Hades, the math genius. Marcus’s dad will probably make him his favorite intern in no time.”

I shot Marcus a skeptical look. “You’re sure he wouldn’t mind?”

“Positive,” Marcus said confidently. “I’ll talk to him tonight. You’ll thank me later.”

I didn’t say it out loud, but I was grateful. This was the first step toward making things better for my mom, for me—and maybe even for Lara.