The hot water washed away her problems like magic. She hummed softly as she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. The lather washed down her long, silver hair.
"Selene, you've been in there for hours!"
"Tough luck, Andre."
Selene turned the tap so that the water grew hotter. Outside she could hear her little brother growl and storm off. Selene shrugged and continued her shower. When she was done, Selene turned off the water and grabbed a towel. She wrapped the towel around herself and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped another towel around her hair and changed into her pajamas. Selene rubbed the bridge of her nose as she felt a headache coming along. She picked up her silver charm and slipped it over her head. The headache vanished.
"Selene, honey, supper's ready."
"Coming."
Selene finished dressing, quickly braided her hair and headed down to the dining room. Her stomach growled when the smell of her mother's curry reached her. Selene walked into the dining room and sat down. She glanced out the kitchen window. The moon shone through the thin clouds. A plate was set before her.
"Eat up. There's plenty there."
"Thanks, Mom."
Selene began to eat her supper. She could help glancing at the moon every now and then.
"Selene, is something wrong?"
"What? Oh, no. Everything is fine," Selene replied.
"You've been awfully quiet," her father pointed out.
"I think she's love sick."
"Jesse!" Selene scowled.
Her little sister smirked.
"Did you meet someone?"
"Yes, Mom, I did. But, I'm not in love!" Selene said, directing the the last words to her two younger siblings.
Andre and Jesse giggled. Selene sighed. Another typical night at the Ylva house.
"Neil, you have to get your head out of the clouds and back to earth," Jay said.
"Oh, so you and Theresa are allowed to act all mushy around each other but I'm not allowed to think about the most amazing girl who ever lived?" Neil asked.
Archie and Odie looked up from their video game tournament. Jay and Neil had been at each others throat ever since the team got back to the dorm.
"You hardly even know the girl," Jay pressed.
"Her name's Selene Ylva. Her favorite color is silver. Her favorite animal is the wolf. Her family lived in Athens for six years. They moved here last week. And I could go on," Neil said.
"Neil, those are basics. What about her family history? What about that?" Jay asked.
"Because she'll tell me if she wants to," Neil replied.
"At least he's courteous," Archie whispered to Odie.
Odie nodded his agreement. Neil yawned before Jay could say anything else. It was the Charm's way of cutting people off before they had a chance to make a retort.
"Well, I'd love to stay and chat but it's a school night and I need my beauty sleep."
Neil made his way up to his room. Jay crossed his arms and flopped down on the couch.
"Relax, Jay. He's just being Neil," Odie said.
"No. 'Being Neil' means Neil always looking in the mirror at himself, being arrogant and conceited. That was not Neil," Jay explained.
"So, he likes a girl. Big deal. It's weird, yes. But, isn't Neil allowed to like a girl?" Archie asked.
Jay shrugged. "I don't know anymore," he whispered.
The next day, Selene didn't show up for school. Jay said it was suspicious. Neil said she was probably just sick. Everyone else said that Jay and Neil needed to calm down.
"Jay just doesn't want you to get hurt," Theresa said.
"How?" Neil asked. "It's not like she's working for Cronus."
"She could be hypnotized," Archie put in.
Atlanta jabbed her elbow into his ribs. Archie winced in pain and glared at his girlfriend. Atlanta returned the glare.
"Selene doesn't even know about Cronus. She just thinks that he's a myth along with all the other gods," Neil explained to his friends. "Her mother is Greek so she knows all about Greek mythology, but nothing along the lines of them coming to life."
Herry looked around the gym. "Where is Jay?" he asked.
"Library," Archie and Atlanta answered in unison.
Just then, Neil's PMR rang. He walked out of the gym as he answered it.
"Hello?"
"Neil, are you doing anything?"
"Selene? No, I'm not busy. Why?" Neil asked.
"I'm not feeling all that great and I need some company. Do you want to hang out?"
"Sure. Where do you want to meet?"
"How about at the front of the school?" Selene suggested.
"See you there," Neil replied.
He hung up and headed for the portal. Just as he was leaving, Jay came out of the library. He walked into the gym.
"Where's Neil?"
He only received shrugs.
"I think he left," Atlanta answered.
Jay groaned.
"Relax, Jay. Neil's a big boy. He can take care of himself," Odie pointed out.
"It's not Neil I'm worried about. It's Selene," Jay answered.
"Selene?" Theresa echoed.
"I just don't trust her," Jay said.
"You don't even know her," Atlanta put in.
"I don't have to know someone to not trust them," Jay noted.
"You're one to talk about trust," Archie muttered.
Jay looked over at the Warrior. Archie got up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Jay sighed. He felt like he was losing his team again.
What do you think? Does this chapter seem forced, or is just me? Maybe I'm just tired. Anyway, let me know what you think.
