Chapter 5

"You what?! Say that again, slowly." Jen seemed to be utterly shocked by what I had said nearly a thousand times now.

"Marcus and I kissed. Did you get it that time?" I was becoming wary of her overly dramatic reaction.

"Yeah I got it. Wow, that's- um- really something. I didn't expect that. I didn't expect that at all." She couldn't seem to grasp that it had actually happened.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, you didn't seem to exactly like the guy since we've found him and now all of a sudden you guys are kissing in the closet." Jen elaborated on why she had sounded so shocked, helping me understand.

I understood why she said that. I couldn't really explain how I felt about him. It happened a lot faster than my liking and didn't know if what I felt when I did it was true, or just the heat of the moment plus the attention that felt so nice to receive. I knew I felt something for Marcus, I just couldn't figure out what that feeling was, friendship of something more. "Well, I just wanted to make sure to inform you of my first kiss and I understand, Jen. I can't really grasp how I feel towards him. I know something is there, I just don't know what exactly."

"Woah, rewind. Did you just try to casually slip by that he was your first kiss?" Jen recited what I had told her.

"Well, not 'casually,' I don't see why it would matter anyway, it's just a kiss." I tried to reason with her reaction.

"With a demigod! That is not 'just a kiss,' that is one hell of a first kiss, if I do say so myself. Quite the looker, too." I could hear her winking at me in her tone of voice.

She continued on about how surprising it was to her and how lucky I was. I didn't really feel "lucky," I felt queasy. I had to kiss him again tonight and I didn't know if I could pull it off again. I could feel my stomach turning with nerves. An hour or so later she claimed she had to start getting ready for the party and that Marcus and I should start as well.

After I heard the click of the phone, I walked over to my closet. I knocked, being sure not to intrude on him. He didn't reply so I entered. I called out his name to see if he was asleep, still no reply so I walked in. I turned on the light and walked to the back of the closet where my green dress was hanging. I pulled my top over my head and dropped my leggings around my ankles. As I bent down to pick up my clothes and put them in the hamper, I heard a male clearing his throat. I turned to see Marcus stood there, twiddling his thumbs as I stood before him in only my panties and bra. He averted his eyes and stuttered over his words.

"I- I'm really sorry. I d-didn't mean to w-walk in on you like-"

"Like what Marcus?" I stood there, my hands on my hips, bracing myself for some sort of embarrassment that was going to come for me at any moment.

"Like that. I didn't know you were changing. I- uh- I'm really sorry." His apology was awkward and adorable at the same time. He didn't seem to know where to look. He didn't seem so sure of himself at the moment.

I just rolled my eyes, not bothered by the obvious awkward situation. I couldn't freak out, we live together, he was eventually going to see something. Hopefully it wouldn't be anything more than what he was looking at now. I turned back to the dress, pulling it off the hanger. "Don't worry about it. We live together, you would have eventually seen something of the sort." He remained silent.

 As I walked out of the closet to lay the dress down on the bed I blushed as I thought more about what I had said. Blood flooded my cheeks, making me ears burn as I thought about the potential of me seeing him in the same state crossed my mind. I couldn't figure out if I was secretly hoping for that to some day happen or if I was praying it wouldn't. My mind seemed to be demanding both options. I stole a glance in the direction of the closet, where he still stood, his back still turned. "Where exactly were you? I mean it's none of my business, but there's not exactly a secret door in my closet that you can just walk in and out of to some other place." I began to apply my simple makeup idea and fix my hair, still in my underwear.

"I was speaking with my father. I have an ability just like any other god, to travel to and from the heavens within in a split second. I was just telling him how things were going for me here. I don't think he was exactly happy to see me." His voice trailed off, he seemed to have his thoughts trapped in an otherworldly place that I was simply too human to comprehend.

I took a deep breath, knowing I shouldn't help myself, but just couldn't resist the urge to ask, "Why wouldn't he be happy to see you? Is this the first time you've spoken to him in person since he imprisoned you in that statue?"

"Yes, I haven't spoken to him in many, many years. As for why I think he wouldn't be happy to see me, I cannot say because I do not know. It may involve me being freed from his punishment that was supposed to last an eternity in his mind anyway. He didn't seem to think that there would ever exist a person powerful enough to tame me and my ways." His tone became ore and more harsh as he came closer to the end of his statement.

I couldn't seem to fathom just how I was supposed to be the one who could change Marcus. I didn't believe in myself for one. Two, I didn't even know what to call what I felt towards him, but it was most certainly not love, was it? I couldn't understand my uncertainty at the thought. Of course it isn't love, it couldn't be. I simply am not capable of anything that involved associating with people, let alone being intimate with a significant other. I continued my thought process as I finished my swirling hairdo and simple makeup and slipped into the green dress. I finished off my new year's outfit with gold jewelry and heels. When I spoke once again it was merely a phrase of reassurance that I was fully clothed now. Marcus turned to see me, his breath hitching in his chest. My face flushed pink, worried that there was something I had done wrong. He continued to stare, his jaw dangling in the air. I gained control of my composure and debated whether or not to let him get away without being teased even a little. Of course, I knew how he felt about me, at least I thought he liked me even a little more that as a friend he was staying with. I decided I would enjoy myself a little and make him squirm in his formal attire just a little bit.

I walked up to him, slowly, leaving very little space between our torsos. I lifted his chin with my index finger, clamping his mouth shut for him, leaning up to his ear to so he could hear me when I spoke. "Close your mouth, Darling, you don't want to be catching flies with that handsome mouth of yours." With that, I left him stood in front of my closet, staring into my spine, and walked outside to Jen's waiting car. I only went a few steps down before I heard Marcus hurriedly shuffling to catch up with me. Once we were both in the car, Jen drove off in the direction of the first social event I had ever attended in my life.