Chapter 11 - Luca
The quaint little town recently began to erupt in activity during the calm misty dawn. At six in the morning the rusted red snow plow came rumbling down the slope of the one road town. We all were sprawled out inside the heated studio apartment. I arose from the pillowed covered floor, to observe the roaming townsfolk through a foggy window. Sleep had not come easy since the burden of leading a quest had been given to me. I somehow managed to gather two female companions, and journey out with little to no trouble. I fear this is where my luck will begin to turn. Cautiously avoiding the girls on the floor, I managed to reach the table and find some parchment. I scribbled a note from the newspaper we collected from the night before, "Went out for coffee and breakfast. Bringing it back. -Luca".
As the clock ticked on and golden sun climbed into the sky, I managed to throw on some dark jeans. After digging around, my shirt was uncovered by removing a pillow off the cold wooden floor. Unlatching a lock on the door, I fully zipped my purple down jacket walking along the fresh snow towards the center of the hamlet. The crunching continued as I passed some boys, younger than I, transpiring from their cottages blanketed in snow, clearing paths to their streets. Some gave me strange glances, people say in a small town everybody knows everybody. But here I'm a nobody.
Barney's Breakfast was the hip spot of the morning inside this remote icy town. The aroma of grounds and milk smacks you in the face as you open the door to the 71 degree cafe. The whole place was abuzz with news of the storm last night and clearing the piles of snow.
"So what'll it be?" A perky blonde almost skipped towards the register once she spotted me enter. The cafe had some early risers in the back of the store, but I was the only one standing. I still hadn't responded to her, I kept gazing around the building. Framed pictures of the town's famous and greatest moments covered the oak walls. Banners from the local colleges were strung up along the crowning of
"Uh..." I couldn't find the words.
She waved her hand in front of my face and snapped her slim fingers. "Hey there bud? You want something? Coffee, eggs?" I stepped towards the counter and moved my focus onto her. My eyes met hers, she instantly blushed.
I leaned forward and placed my hands on the granite right before the sales register. Her bright blues eyes followed my hands from my lined pockets to the counter.
"I have to order for more than one so...uh I guess I'll take three coffees, and half dozen bagels," She punched in the order, almost hesitantly. Her head snappe up as a bright smile came across her face.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Straight to the point, no gimmicks, no tricks. I was taken aback, this girl who definitely was at least three years older than me, I wasn't expecting such an abrupt question. I obviously didn't have a girlfriend. Although I had a special girl in mind.
"Uh...not per-" The door opened briskly and a brown haired, blue eyed girl waltzed right through and put her hands right on my shoulders. I turned, stopping the conversation with the waitress. Lydia now faced me and stood on her tip toes and gave me a short, but tender kiss on the cheek. The poor server behind us face went completely dark losing all positivity and radiance.
"Don't think you can sneak out on me," Lydia interlocked her hand with mine and gave the now sullen waitress a wink. I was still in a trance over the whole girlfriend question, and Lydia bursting through the clouded door. The whole ordeal caused quite a ruckus amongst the truckers in the back of the resturant. Apparently these mountain towns aren't used to having teenage love triangles in the middle of their breakfasts.
"You're cute what's your name?" Lydia moved towards the stunned woman, and rested her elbows on the countertop. As if giving off a lesbian vibe. But I could tell she was just screwing with her. Giving her a look of genuine curosity. My fingers still intertwined with hers, dragging me back to my original spot.
"Vanessa, and I'm gonna finish (his) order. You want that to go, I assume?" Lydia's eyes narrowed as she glared at the snappy waitress. Lydia's right hand which was free, reached towards her dagger. Of course, violence over brains. I pulled her arm toward me while she shifted her hands around my neck. It looked like we were going to makeout in the middle of Barney's Breakfast.
"We're not dating. News flash," I whispered and gave her a pearly white smile. Her smile never wavered but she managed to pull away. Not releasing my hand.
"Cmon sweetie, lets wait in a booth," The girls gave one another deathstares and we sat in the nearest booth. We sat opposite and she instantly struck up the conversation we began last night.
We waited in the firm cushioned booth, Lydia's eyes examining my jawline and other facial features. Her hands still grappled mine. The smell of fresh bread rose in the air, and after a couple minutes later the waitress dropped off our food and coffee without any words exchanged. I just saw Lydia's harsh eyes follow the women back into the kitchen.
"What a cougar. She's like 23 and you're almost 15. She's needs to get a grip," Lydia's hands immediately unlatched from mine once the food was delivered. She dug out a bagel and searched for cream cheese.
"Hey, lets wait for Maddie," She slowly rose her head and I found myself getting frowned at.
"What's your deal? I'm just taking my share," It felt weird. My face was getting hot, and I had butterflies in my stomach.
"Nothing...it's cool go ahead," She gave a puzzled look but nonetheless started to spread the topping on the bagel.
We sat and conversed for sometime, the quest so far had gone beautifully. Lydia wanted more action to start. Typical Mars' daughter thing to desire. Blood. I was thankful nothing was preventing us from moving towards the Midwest. Once we got to Chicago monsters would begin to catch a whiff of us and our smell.
Maddie came in to the shop as Lydia finished the half of her bagel. Up until now the girls didn't talk but also not a bad thing. They didn't really care for each other.
Vincent gave me the task of 'taming' the girls, since they had once fought publicly in middle of the street on their way to their separate barracks. Supposedly I was thought to be the next Praetor after Vincent and Julia retired and went on to adulthood and college. This seemed to be my inauguration into the big boys club. Hurray for me.
"Thanks for waiting," Her graceful body slid next to me in the booth. I earned a dirty look from Lydia. I might as well have been a piece of meat between two lionesses.
"Oh it's no problem. I was hungry. Don't be petty," Oh Gods, this wasn't the best time. We already made one scene already. Maybe Jupiter would strike me down and put me out of my misery...nothing? Typical.
"I was being rhetorical you weren't supposed to answer," Maddie took a short sip of her mocha. Lydia's eyes squinted in anger. I hate my life.
"Good for you. I wish I knew such big words, nerd." I kinda sat there, not my best decision but sort of amusing.
Although I had to interject before we had another verbal or physical brawl in the middle of this diner, "Both of you just calm down alright? Nobody is starving. Lydia just wanted to eat hers. You've got your order as well."
I looked at each one of my companions who now sat quietly. Why were these girls always picking on each other. I felt like I was holding two bombs each could blow setting the other one off. And I had to defuse them.
"Alright so from here we plan on taking that train down on Main Street, towards Kansas City. Then see where we stand?" Once we reached town we crashed before we thought of anything else. We didn't even lock the door.
"What about keeping south to avoid snow?" Maddie said in between sips of coffee. Lydia scuffed at her idea.
"Always her way..." She muttered.
"Then what's your plan?"
"Nothing I follow orders, not wiggle out of them," She huffed. Constant tension ever since this morning began. I wonder what's up with them. Maddie wouldn't meet my eyes.
"You can be your own person," Maddie attempted to persuade her. But Lydia wasn't having any of it.
"I am." She said coldly.
"Right, cause you not like your sister at all..." Trying to look innocent was her gift. A flawless performance, but a shallow thing to do.
Prodding at each other like boxers at the start of a fight. Checking for weak points and Lydia repeating the gesture.
"Why don't we compromise and head towards St. Louis. But we have to go north. Eventually," I was trying to prevent civil war in my ranks.
"You see. Convinced him to change the whole plan with a flash of your smile. Whore." Chaos erupted right then and there. Coffee and pastries went flying onto the floor and the booth. Maddie stretched across the table and grabbed at Lydia. Who retaliated and judo flipped Maddie off the table. Straight to the floor. All around the room people stood up from their chairs and booths. The ruckus filled the air as well as the girls curses. It was duty to break up this skirmish.
I wrapped my arms around Maddie's waist and lifted her into the air. Freeing Lydia who was under her. Maddie's feet kept kicking, aimed at Lydia's midsection. While holding the aggressor with my right arm. I reached for Lydia and barely gripped her shoulder.
Fists, feet, and elbows were flying between the girls although most landed on my body. I managed to drag them out of the restaurant. Lydia still throwing punches and Maddie elbowing my chest.
"Break it up! Enough fighting!" It was a command. This ended now.
During this I probably had taken seven punches from each girl. Maddie caught me in the jaw with one of them. And Lydia kicked me in the leg to break free of my grapple. I dropped Maddie in the fresh snow once we got outside. She tumbled and landed on her back. With my free hand I had to wrestle Lydia to the ground.
"Get off you dumbass. Oh my hair!" So now I was playing dirty because I was pissed off. I reached for Maddie's hair and pulled the ponytail.
"Ow you fuck! Stop!" She reached for my hands but I just moved my hair higher, pulling her hair more.
"You two need to calm down. Now." My voice was stern and face emotionless.
"Then let go of our hair genius. I can't. Ow! Focus." We went back to the apartment, with whining and pleading all the way. Once we got to the stairs leading to the loft. I let Lydia 'a braid free.
"Go cool down. We'll be in there soon," I commanded I was done with this bullshit for the day.
"Watch her, Centurion. She uses her tits against you," Her dark hair came flowing down as she undid her braid. Her warning left Maddie almost shaking.
"Upstairs now legionnaire!" I shouted. Her March followed, quick and rhythmic. I waited till her steps died and turned toward Maddie. She fought one last time to get free. I released her messed up ponytail.
"Why'd you do that? My head is going to be sore for like a day. Ow...gods," She rubbed her head and took her hair tie out.
"You're asking me what I'm doing? That's rich. You just fought an ally in the middle of a fucking café. You better explain. Now."
"That's not fair. She started it."
"I don't know what to believe you guys were at each other all the time we sat in that booth.
"Exactly she hates me cause I sat next to you." What? This didn't seem promising or helpful.
"I don't follow." She crossed her arms and glared.
"Don't be ridiculous. Lydia is hardcore crushing on you. It's like so obvious I thought you already knew." Great. Lydia thinks I'm attractive but I wanted to ask Maddie out after this quest. There goes my plan. Now I have to fix it. Tamed, by the end of this quest.
"I was not aware." Honestly. Not a clue she ever had feelings for me.
"Well. What are you gonna do about her calling me a whore, huh? She's just jealous we're such good friends." I felt like I had been sucker punched in the back. The wind being taken out of me. But I couldn't let it show on my face. I put on my Centurion face, disciplined and stern. We moved inside at the bottom of the staircase, but still out of earshot of Lydia.
"She's shouldn't have said that. But don't use her feelings against hers. It's not right."
"So sitting next to you isn't right? You think I wanted to set her off?" She asked me.
"Lydia's not used to questioning orders. And when you go off and do it, she thinks you need to be called out."
"That's bullshit. You know it. She just said I use my tits against you. What's that even mean? I don't flash my boobs at you." My face was feeling hot even though it was snowing outside. This talk was getting onto sensitive topics. Maddie had a tendency of getting her way when I'm around. Seth has talked to me about it...I still can't help it.
"No. You don't." She scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Is that all you can say. No, I don't show you them!..Cmon Luca." Her voice was tender. She reached and put her hand on my forearm. Right on my dove tattoo. Goosebumps popped up where she placed her hand.
"Right there I think is what she meant. The touching and soft, sweet words. They can be persuasive..." I cleared my throat and pulled away from her touch.
"I umm...sorry, it felt...right." Right? It felt right? What the hell does that mean? Girls are so confusing.
"Uh just lay off Lydia. I'll talk to her, we can't fight if we wanna complete this quest. We're all going to be pushed to our limits. Dismissed."
"Yes, sir." She trudged up the stairs. Once she was gone I took a huge breath. I rubbed the tattoo.
"Mom, give me guidance. I have no idea what to do," I prayed. I slumped against the wall and slide down. Sitting on the first stair, back resting on the wall. I sat there for sometime. Contemplating how to get the girls to cooperate. Also what Maddie meant by it just felt right.
A cold wind blew down the hall, as if someone opened the windows. There were two screams. And the breaking of glass.
(A/N) Hey guys and gals. The chapter had some fluff, and tension. Not going to lie it's weird to write but, I love it. Just give it time plot coming. Then canon with my own little twists. A little spoiler for next chapter...Percy gets mischievous. Till next time. R/R. I love you all.
-SG