Inhalt

Chapter 1~
He sat on the steps off the large white mansion’s porch. The paint had been peeling for years and the place looked like it was going to fall any day now. But he didn’t seem to take any notice of the mansion’s horrible condition. He’d lived there for at least five years now; he was eleven when they first moved in. He and his mother had always loved the cold weather; even if he felt like he was deeply connected maybe even like his soul was attached to the snow and the sleet. Since he was born, his skin had a natural blue tint, and the same with his icy lips. His hair had been white as snow until a few years back when it gradually changed to the bright blue it is now. His eyes were piercing blue, like Kool-Aid blue and his temperature never went any higher than 60 degrees. He would always ask his mother if that was normal, she’d nod and it was expected for her to switch the subject immediately.
Kids at school would wonder why he was so different; he’d wonder that also. Kids would ask if he dyed his hair, he’d only agree not to draw attention to himself; but that happened anyway. He was gladly accepted by the ‘scene’ crowd and was tagged as a ‘scenester’. He never understood the style quite that well but he would do his best to fake through it most of the time.
Now, he blow cold wind through his lips and out into their front yard. He swirled it around with his fingertips and little specs of ice would spin around intertwined with the gust of wind. He was something different, alright. He knew this was true, but he had ignored it all this time; until he realized what he could do that is. Like now, he could start a full-blown snow storm if he wanted to.
The mansion was secluded in the dark woods away from any nearby houses or cabins. No one knew but his mother that he could perform such acts. She had even told him before he discovered he could, that he would most likely develop the power to enslave the weather. Just yesterday, he sneezed causing icicles to shoot out and break the window in the kitchen door. Of course, it was really no problem since most of the time he couldn’t control these outbursts of ice.
A rustle caught his interest and he dropped the snowy wind and looked off into the trees. A deer timidly walked onto the dead lawn. He turned away from the animal and continued with his tomfoolery. After perfecting the small flurry, he brought his hands down into his lap. The front door creaked behind him and he whipped around quickly. His mother stood in the doorway with her dark brown hair pulled back into a bun at the back of her head. He pushed up on his knees and turned to her with a smile.
“Jack, what are you doing now?” He shrugged and rubbed the side of his neck with his left hand and looked at his shoes.
“Jack…what are you doing?” She repeated herself, a little annoyed now.
“I’m just messing around, Mom.”
She nodded lightly and looked out onto the lawn seeing the deer and turning back to Jack.
“Putting on a show for the woodland creatures?”
She said with a light laugh covering her mouth with her palm. Jack smiled and turned to the deer as it ran back into the thick trees.
“Maybe.” He let a chuckle escape his lips before his mother continued.
“Would you like to come inside now? It’s quite cold out…”
“Naw, Mom, I’m fine thank you. You can come out here with me if you’d like to though.”
She smiled excepting the offer but first going back inside for her coat. Jack was sitting on the steps again when she emerged from the big white doors. She sat down beside him pulling her skirt down over her knees and fixing the sleeve of his shirt. He gently pushed her hand away and her cheeks flushed to a light pink from the weather. He looked forward watching the nomad clouds in the sky and the leaves whirling in the wind.
“Jack?”
He looked at her and raised his left eyebrow into an arch as she proceeded.
“Well, you know how you’ve wanted some of your friends to come over?”
He nodded lightly listening carefully now.
“Well, I’ve decided you can do that now. The house isn’t that bad and you’ve done fairly well with keeping your powers to yourself so this weekend you may invite a friend or two but no more than four.”
Jack swooped his mother into a tight hug; she hugged him back while shivering and smiling.
***

Chapter 2~

Chapter 2~
He woke up in his queen sized bed to the bright white light shining in through the dark blue curtains. He rubbed his big sapphire eyes and sat up brushing back his disheveled hair. He pulled on the covers and swung his legs over the edge of the mattress. A little shaky, he stood and walked over to his dresser. Tugging the drawer open he glanced in the mirror, noticing how pale he truly was. He ran a hand across his chest touching the pale blue surface. He lifted the left side of his mouth into a half grin and turned back to the dresser pulling out a navy and white striped polo and a pair of black jeans. He threw the clothes across the room onto his bed and he pushed the drawers back in.
He walked over to the balcony doors and pulled them open letting the cold rush in freely. He smiled letting it run through his hair and brush against his stomach and chest. He walked over to his clothes and got dressed. After he was done dressing he walked out into the hallway leaving the balcony doors open and soon filling the hallway with the cold wind. He opened the door to the bathroom and switched the light on. Fluorescent light flooded the tiled walls and floor as he stepped in. He brushed his teeth and hair and sprayed cologne everywhere. He was ready for the day and whatever it decided to throw his way.
He walked into the hallway after turning the light off and closed the door. His mother stood at the end of the hallway tapping her slipper with her arms folded across her chest. He stood there clueless until she spoke,
“Jack, next time please don’t forget to close your balcony doors. The wind blew into my bedroom and I don’t want to crank up the heat for your sake.”
Jack nodded lightly and returned to his bedroom. He walked to the doors and closed and locked them tightly and securely. His mother, from inside the doorway nodded and thanked him. She walked down the hallway into the kitchen as he shoved his books into his knapsack. He slung it over his shoulder and walked down the hallway into the kitchen greeting his cat, Whisper, with a pat on her back. She purred as he dropped his bag on the counter. Jack’s mother cracked some eggs into a pan and he listened to the sizzle.
“Jack, do you want any breakfast?”
Jack shook his head and rested his chin on his wrist.
“Jack?”
“I shook my head, Mom.”
“Well, I can’t hear your head rattle.”
He smiled lightly as his mother laughed and slid the eggs onto a plate. She sat next to him at the counter with a glass of orange juice.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything? Not even a glass of milk?”
He hesitated then asked for a glass of milk. His mother stood, scooted in the stool and walked to the fridge. His cat climbed into his lap and he stroked its long white hair until his mother set the glass on the marble counter and Whisper jumped out of his arms and onto to the tile. He gripped the glass in his grasp instantly freezing the liquid. As he tried to take a sip nothing poured out. He slammed the glass down in disappointment.
“Calm down, Jack.”
He sighed and leaned back into the stool in frustration. He shook his head as his mother laid a hand on his shoulder. Sometimes he despised this lifestyle, this difference in him compared to others. It drove him insane most of the time. Hiding it from his closest friends and not being able to be himself most of the time. Since he has to conceal such a big part of himself from others a lot of the time he has guilt that he has this secret. But he always learned to deal with it with the help from his mother.
Jack tossed his pack over his shoulder and kissed his mother goodbye. He walked out of the door without a jacket and letting Whisper creep out and follow him to the bus stop. He walked out down the long pathway up to the road which took at least five minutes and stopped at the mailbox. Every morning the bus would stop at his mailbox and pick him up. He had a deal with the driver to pick him up there instead of the neighborhood stop so he wouldn’t have to walk so far. He was some swindler; he could really get anyone to do anything for him if he put enough effort.
The bus came rolling down the hill to where Jack now stood. He boarded the bus and walked down the aisle avoiding the occasional foot to tip him. He sat down in the back where no one seemed to sit surprisingly. He bounced his leg until his friend Barnabas loaded on the bus. Barnabas came trudging down the aisle with his big onyx army boots. Jack smiled lightly and cleared a place for Barney. He plopped down beside Jack with a sigh and a glance at what Jack was wearing. Barney threw his bag in the aisle and tugged on Jack’s shirt.
“What the hell is this? You look like a sailor.”
“Thank you.” Jack said with a smile and slapping Barney’s hand away.
Barney smiled lightly and turned back forward straightening his shirt. Barnabas was an odd young man with jet black hair and emerald green eyes that changed from green to deep blue randomly. He had his own style of bright colors and different patterns, but he didn’t care what anybody thought. That’s why he was friends with Jack; Jack was truly different in all ways.

Chapter 3~

Chapter 3~
About fifteen minutes later after chatting with Barney, Jack stood and got off the bus and walked to his first class, Trigonometry. He opened the door to the classroom and his teacher sat at her desk quietly reading a magazine and snaking on an apple. He greeted her and she smiled and did the same. He sat down in the back where he could see just fine despite the teacher’s accusations. He was always the first one to arrive at class. He didn’t enjoy Trigonometry or anyone in that class but he always liked being on time. That being one of the manners his mother had taught him as he had grown older.
He took out a book to read as students were steadily arriving through the door taking their seats. As he flipped through the book, The Tale of Two Cities; he looked up to see his friend Danni looking down at him. She took the seat beside Jack slinging her bag over the desk and crashing it onto the carpet. They both looked down at the satchel that was now throwing up books and crumbled up notes shared by them. Danni shoved all the contents back into the bag and slid it under the desk lastly getting it with her red Converse. Jack smirked and looked back up at her. She smiled back then popped her knuckles causing Jack to flinch. She laughed at him and yelled as someone fall over her desk,
“Hey, Buster, watch where you’re stumblin’!”
He only looked at her like she had lost her mind and scurried away. Danni was a loud mouth, tomboy who didn’t give a rat’s ass if someone didn’t like her; she preferred it that way. She smiled satisfied and turned back to Jack who was still a little startled by her rage. She snapped her boney fingers in his face and he only laughed. Danni turned to the front of the classroom and noticed a boy was asleep in the front row. She pulled out a notebook from her bag, ripped out a sheet of paper and crumbled it throwing it directly at his back. He sprung up cussing loudly and turning around red faced. Danni smiled and pointed at Jack who was now reading his book.
“Hey, Bastard!”
Jack looked up helplessly and big eyed to find his classmate was now in front of him.
“Me?”
He questioned receiving a nod from the much stronger student.
“Yeah, you. Who do you think you are throwing shit at me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jason.”
Jason sighed very loud getting frustrated with Jack’s obliviousness. He slammed his hand on the desk and Danni shot up.
“Dude! Are you such a vegetable that you think that he would throw something at you?! You seriously have no brain if you assume that Jack would do that when I’m sitting right next to him, and may I add that I have perfect aim.”
She sat down smirking causing Jason to get even redder in the face. Jack confused as ever, just continued reading his book. Danni caused so much unneeded trouble and conflict in Jack’s life. But he never really seemed to mind.
“Jason, please get back in your seat.”
Jason turned around to see the teacher had been speaking to him and he did as asked. Danni leaned back into her chair and smiled triumphantly. The teacher had begun teaching and Jack put his book away to give his full attention. Jack was the average student, nothing below nothing above. He made As and Bs, he did his best in music than he did his academics such as Math and English.
Soon class had ended and Jack was invited to skip second and third with a few friends. He felt guilt as he made his way to the courtyard on the side of the school. He sat down on a concrete bench beside the small garden that had been neglected over the years. Jack plucked a dead rose from its stem and looked at it closely. He looked around him to confirm no one was watching and he blew through his frosty lips causing small ice particles to form on the brown petals. He twirled the rose between his index finger and thumb covering the entire surface with frost.
He heard a snap of a branch behind him and brought the rose down in his hands towards the ground. He dropped the rose as he saw the face of Chastain, a long time friend since he’d moved here years ago. She smiled showing a faded dimple on the right side of her mouth and walked towards Jack slowly. She sat beside him on the bench and handed him a sucker. He took it gladly and started taking the wrapper off.
“So, how have you been?”
She questioned as Jack popped the sucker into his mouth.
“Not bad, you?”
“I’ve been better, but today has been the best day since last Thursday.”
She dropped her glance to the ground beneath Jack’s feet as he nodded. Chastain leaned toward the ground picking up the frosted rose. Jack’s hands got warmer with anxiety as she inspected the flower.
“Looks like Jack Frost has been here.”
She smiled lightly as the ice started melting in her hand. Jack only nodded and turned to the decayed garden.
“Jack?”
He turned back to her and raised an eyebrow.
“Have you ever met your father?”
This was a sore topic for Jack considering he had never even seen a picture of his father. He had no clue what he was like or if he looked like him in any way. All he knew was that he was named after his father, Jack.
“No, why?”
“Have you ever wanted to?”
He hesitated looking down at his hands. Of course he wanted to know his father, even if he was a terrible man or he had left because he didn’t want him. Every child wants to know their father, deep down inside they all yearn for that.
“I guess so.”
“You guess?”
Jack nodded wanting the topic to change soon. Chastain just let it slip away as she held the now completely melted rose. Someone jerked Jack back by the shoulders causing him to fall off the bench and onto the frozen grass. As Jack struggled to get back on his feet, Danni’s step-brother laughed at him now taking his seat beside Chastain. Jack got up leaving his grass covered lollipop on the ground and brushed grass off his clothing. He took the other bench across from the one he had been sitting on as Chastain slapped the back of Jeremiah’s head hard causing him to yelp in pain. Jack smirked and laughed at Jeremiah’s pain.
Jeremiah is an arrogant egotistic jerk who always picks on Jack. Like an older brother but he doesn’t care as much. Jeremiah wrapped his arm around Chastain’s shoulder and pulled her into his side causing her to drop the rose. She, like everyone else detested him. She pushed him away but he only came back. Danni emerged from the trees and pried Jeremiah off of Chastain. Chastain thanked Danni and she acted like it was nothing. Jeremiah now took his place on the ground beside Jack’s legs.
“So, beautiful how you been?”
Danni spoke to Chastain with her cheeks lightly reddening from calling her beautiful. They all knew but Chastain that Danni had a thing for her.
“Oh, I’m fine, thank you. How have you been?”
Danni shrugged thinking of something to say as Jeremiah tugged on Jack’s shoelaces.
“I’m okay, other than living with Jeremiah. It’s all good.”
Chastain laughed lightly into her hand and looked back up seeing Barnabas come tumbling down the hill from the 400 building screaming his head off. Everyone stood looking at him run so fast. He tripped over his feet and fell on his stomach hard. A girl with fiery orange hair ran over the hill down to him kneeling at his side. She caught Jack’s eye and he watched her as she helped Barney up off the ground.
“Who’s the beauty?”
Jeremiah was the first to speak inferring the girl with the orange hair. Jack looked at him envious and looked back at the girl. As Barney brushed himself off he introduced her,
“Her name’s…I forgot how to say it.”
He looked at her pleadingly and she spoke with her words soft and delicate,
“Hestia, my name’s Hestia Brooklyn, it’s nice to meet all of you.”
She shook each of students’ hands lightly. She shook Jeremiah’s hand him smirking and calling her gorgeous, she didn’t show any blush from his sweet talk. Then Danni’s hand, her kissing Hestia’s hand ever so stupidly. Hestia smiled and laughed from that than shook Chastain’s hand. Chastain smiled her bright smile causing Hestia to smile just as big. And last but not least she shook Jack’s hand. As their skin touched a shock went through causing both of them to pull back. They looked at their hands and then each other like a connection was made.
“Whoa.” They spoke simultaneously. Everyone looked at them confused.
“What happened?”
A voice came from behind them and they all looked in the direction the voice came from. Blaine London a popular scene queen pushed through branches and looked at the new girl smiling. Hestia held out her hand trying to forget the weird incident that just happened and shook Blaine’s hand calmly.
“My name’s Hestia, nice to meet you.”
“Same to you, I’m Blaine.”
They pulled their hands back and Chastain questioned Barney,
“Why were you two running?”
“Oh, I was being chased by some jocks and I smashed into her” He gestured toward Hestia and continued, “And our bracelets got linked until I started running down the hill. And that’s when I fell and here we are.”
Hestia looked at her wrist realizing the missing jewelry.
“I’ve seemed to have lost my bracelet. Could someone help me-
“I’ll help you find it.”
Jack offered before she could finish her sentence. She smiled at him and nodded leaving her bag on the bench and walking back up the hill with Jack following. They searched in the grass in silence until Hestia spoke timidly,
“Jack was it?”
“Yes, that’s my name.”
“Um…did you feel that…shock…when we shook hands?”
She lifted her head up looking at him as he looked for her bracelet. He nodded to her question knowing she was looking at him.
“Okay, I thought I was going crazy.”
“It was probably just static, nothing big or anything.”
She nodded in agreement and went back to hunting for her wristlet. Jack stood holding a small silver chain.
“Is this it, Hestia?”
She looked up and nodded smiling big. She stood almost tripping and ran to him grabbing it from his hand. As she locked it around her small wrist Jack smiled. Hestia wrapped her arms tightly around him thanking him. That same shock went through his skin the exact way it did before with her. She pulled back feeling it too and looked down at her sandals. He lifted her chin up with his finger and looked into her eyes. They were a light orange color with flecks of bright red he hadn’t noticed before. He pulled his hand back as she noticed his ice blue eyes.
“We should probably get back to the gang, right?”
Hestia nodded and he grabbed her hand pulling her along with his walk back to the rest of their friends.

Chapter 4~

Chapter 4~
They walked hand in hand back to their friends. Danni smirked at their hands and turned back to Chastain.
“You wanna blow this popsicle stand?”
Danni questioned Chastain and they walked off after Chastain nodded her head in reply. Barnabus followed them saying goodbye to Hestia and Jack with a wave. Blaine and Jeremiah were there now with Jack and Hestia. Jack still held Hestia’s hand feeling the little sparks that ignited. It was something he could get used to.
Jeremiah broke through the two and wrapped his arm around Hestia’s shoulder. She closed her eyes and faced the ground. Jack pulled on his arm to get him away but it was no use. Hestia stood there uncomfortable and Jack getting upset. Hestia pushed Jeremiah away and walked over to her bag and slinging it over her right shoulder and she strolled down the sidewalk. Jack scurried to catch up with her tripping over twigs and rocks. Jeremiah soon gave up and went back to class along with Blaine.
Jack reached for Hestia’s bag strap but she was going way too fast for him. She stopped in her tracks all of a sudden and turned around to Jack. She looked up at him sternly,
“Please don’t follow me; I have to get to…”
She trailed off and continued after pulling a sheet of paper out and reading something,
“Third block lunch.”
“But that’s when I have it.”
“Oh…well then alright.”
She turned on her heel and made her way to the cafeteria. He ran after her as she speed walked. As they made their way into the lunchroom Jack had to stop and catch his breath. He leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees. When he looked up Hestia had been waiting there for him. He smiled and she mustered up some sort of grin. He stood as she started to walk off again.
They got their lunches and made their way to an empty table near the back. Jack took his seat beside Hestia and she started arranging her lunch into neat positions. Jack watched her nimble fingers tear a piece of pieta bread and slip it into her mouth. As he caught her attention he looked away quickly hoping he had not been seen looking at her.
“You should probably eat that popsicle before it melts.”
Jack looked at his tray which held the popsicle still its wrapper. He shrugged and she raised an eyebrow.
“But it will melt. Then it’ll just be a puddle of gross blue slush.”
Yet again Jack just shrugged; you could see the frustration in Hestia’s expression. She pouted as she turned back to her food. Soon as Hestia predicted the popsicle was halfway melted by the time Jack got to it. Jack unwrapped the dessert and the blue ice cream ran down the sides of the stick and onto Jack’s fingers, instantly freezing. The rest of the popsicle near the top and middle was runny. Jack pursed his lips and blew a small wind in the dessert’s direction chilling the entire surface. Good for Jack, Hestia hadn’t noticed. He bit into it as Hestia turned to him.
“Hey, it’s not that melted.”
“Guess I’m just lucky.”
“Yeah, a lucky boy you are.”
“So, where did you come from?”
“Orlando, Florida.”
“Why would you move from Orlando to Winnipeg?”
Hestia shrugged with a smile and questioned,
“Why wouldn’t I? I met a lot of nice people today including you.”
Jack smiled lightly. If he could blush, he would be blushing the darkest shade of red at this moment. Hestia’s naturally red cheeks deepened in color and she turned to Jack.
“Would you like to come over some time?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing, I’m allowed to invite like three friends to my house this weekend.”
“Oh! Well, that would be nice too! “
She smiled big showing the brightest teeth Jack had ever seen causing him to smile just as big.
They finished their lunch and walked together to last period which they had together.
“If you want me to introduce you I can…you seemed awfully shy when you told us your name.”
“No it’s fine. Thank you though.”
She pressed her warm lips against his chilly cheek causing that zap sensation yet again. The teacher looked through the window in the door the exact moment that had had happened.
“You two, no public display of affection! Now, get in here!”
As they both walked into the classroom Jack had a huge smile on his face that Hestia threatened to smack right off.
After class, Jack guided Hestia to the bus waiting area and they waited for their buses together sitting on a bench in front of the school. Jack twirled Hestia’s hair around his fingers in little orange ringlets. She smiled as she rustled his hair in her hand. Jack began to play with her bracelet; the one he had found for her. They were both frightened as Jeremiah pried them apart ever so rudely.
“Hey, beautiful.”
Hestia crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from Jeremiah. Jack spoke up which he never did with Jeremiah,
“The lady clearly does not like you, Jeremiah.”
“And who said she liked you?”
No one had said she liked Jack, it was just kind of noticed between Hestia and him. Hestia looked from the corner of her eye at Jack and smiled lightly. He was defending her; no one had ever defended her. She turned to Jeremiah and thumped him in the back of the head.
“You should really chase some girls you have a chance with, maybe those school whores I’ve been hearing about? Actually I bet you can’t even get with those sluts.”
Jack let a guffaw escape his lips before Jeremiah shot him a glance that just said ‘shut your trap’.
“Whatever, Miss Brooklyn. And to you, Mr. Wrenchy.” He gestured to Jack using his proper name only used by his teachers and continued, “Good luck getting this girl to squirm, seems like those legs won’t ever open.”
He left with a smirk and a hurt expression on Hestia’s face. Jack petted Hestia’s back comfortingly.
“Don’t listen to that jerk, he shouldn’t even be classified as a human…more of a worthless germ in the forth bathroom stall.”
This made Hestia laugh making the hurt go away. Maybe she could get used to the idea of spending more time with Jack.
Hestia’s bus came rolling around the corner and as she stood Jack did the same. She smiled, thanked him for being so nice and then finally wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders tightly. He scooped her up off the ground and swung her around slightly until she begged, laughing, to be put down. He did as told and with one final peck on the cheek she left him alone on the bench.

Chapter 5~

Chapter 5~
When Jack arrived home all he could think about was Hestia. As he strolled through the house to find his mother at the kitchen table he thought of the orange ringlets that hung at the sides of Hestia’s face.
“How was your day, Jack?”
He shrugged slinging his knapsack onto the counter and walking over to the fridge.
“Anything interesting happen today?”
He hesitated debating whether or not to tell his mother about Hestia as he grabbed for a soda.
“Well, there was a new girl at school today.”
“Oh, is she nice?”
“You’re asking so many questions today and yes she is wonderful.”
His mother turned around resting her forearm on the back of the chair and smiling at her son. He turned to her opening his drink and taking a sip.
“Do you like her?”
“Mom!” His eyebrows furrowed and he took a long sip from the bottle.
“Well, you can’t yell at me for just asking.” She turned around sheepishly and continued reading her novel.
“Aw, Mom.”
He set his drink on the counter and walked over to his mother. She shook her head and fixed her reading glasses. He rested a hand on her shoulder and sighed,
“Yes, I like her.”
A squeal echoed the room, bouncing off the walls and filling Jack’s eardrums. He jumped back a little startled from his mother’s reaction. She sprung out of her seat wrapping her arms around her son’s shoulders. Jack awkwardly returned the hug while feeling confusion.
“I almost thought you were gay!”
“What!?”
He jumped back looking at his mother like she had lost her mind. She then realized what she had said.
“Oh, I’m sorry; you just never showed any interest in girls…ever.”
“Girls are wonderful, and no I am not gay, guys are not attractive in my eyes. Ladies are and I’d tell you more on what I had on that thought but you’re my mother and I don’t wish to tell you.”
She gave a muffled chuckle behind her raised hand and then smiled at Jack. He smiled back and she hugged him again.
“So now that we got all that cleared up, you wanna invite this girl over?”
“Already got it covered, I invited her over for this weekend.”
His mother smiled one big smile before walking into the living room, popping in a video and plopping down on the couch.
“Want to watch a movie with me?”
“Sure, what movie?”
“James Bond.”
“Oh, yes.” He made a gun out of his fingers and somersaulted over to the couch. His mother laughed at him and told him to get his butt on the couch.

Chapter 6~

Chapter 6~
With light feet avoiding stones and stumps, Hesita dashed up her driveway to the front door. Quickly unlocking the door and running up the stairs her bag caught on the banister of the stairs.
“Dammitt, come on.” She tugged on the strap cussing heavily under her breath.
“Hestia!” She looked up to the sound of her father’s voice. She surrendered her bag to the stairs and walked towards the kitchen where his voice had come from. She peered around the corner to find her dad at the dining table. Trying not to make too much noise she tip-toed toward her father. He gripped a beer bottle in his left hand. She watched as the condensation melted down the sides of the glass.
“How was your first day at school?”
“It was better than expected; I made a few new friends.”
She smiled nervously as she rubbed the back of her neck. He nodded as he read an article in the newspaper.
“Do you go to school with that Jack kid?” Hestia froze.
“Yeah, what about him?”
“I heard he’s a bad kid and that you should stay away from him.”
Jack? I’m sure he’s mistaking him for someone else. Maybe Jeremiah. Hestia thought as her father looked at her.
“Yes, sir.”
“I don’t want you getting a bad reputation right off the bat, or at all for that matter.”
Hestia nodded and walked out of the kitchen.
“Wait, Hestia, can you get me another beer before you go?”
She sighed walking back into the kitchen opening the fridge and grabbing a brown glass bottle from inside. She handed it to him cautiously and stood there for a moment making sure that’s all he needed. Hestia went through the living room and to the stairs taking her bag and heading off to her bedroom. She opened the door throwing her bag on the floor and closing the door behind her. She leaned her back against it sliding down to the carpet. She crossed her arms across her chest and buried her face in them. Muttering under her breath there was a knock at the door. She looked up wiping her eyes from any uprising tears and stood opening the door timidly. Her older brother stared at her until he let himself in.
“Hey, I need to ask you a favor.”
She furrowed her eyebrows as he took a seat at her desk.
“What is it this time, Auburn?”
He smiled grimly and turned to her.
“You know that teacher of mine who always gives me bad grades no matter what?”
She nodded remembering last month she gave him a zero on a project he spent two months on. Hestia and her father moved to Winnipeg because Auburn had been attending college there. If his teacher gives him another zero, he’ll have to repeat the year.
“Well, it’s gone too far, I need you to-“
“Wait, on one condition…convince dad not to hit me for a month.”
“I’ll try but you need to do this for me anyway.” She sighed and agreed to whatever he needed her to do. She heard him out and they shook hands before Auburn hugged her tightly.
“I’m sorry, Hestia.” She flinched and nodded saying it was fine.
He walked out leaving her alone with her thoughts. She flopped onto her bed and soon fell into a blissful sleep.
Shaken awake she looked into the hazel eyes of her brother.
“Come on, we’re doing it tonight.”
“Aw, no, Auburn.” She rubbed her eyes before continuing. “Why can’t we do it tomorrow night?”
“Dad may be home tomorrow night; he just left for the bar. Come on get yourself together and grab whatever you need.”
She nodded getting up as he left the room. Pulling her orange tresses back with her nimble fingers she walked to her dresser. Pulling out a black t-shirt and black tight fit jeans, she got dressed quickly. Grabbing two pairs of fire-proof goggles she dashed out of the room downstairs and into the kitchen where she suspected Auburn was getting a snack. He sat at the counter with a sandwich in one hand and a beer in the other.
“I’m ready, come on.”
He turned around and looked at her hands holding the goggles.
“You’re clever, always thinking ahead of me.”
“Yeah, yeah, hurry up. I’ll be in the car.”
She grabbed the keys off the dining table and a walked into the garage. She unlocked the Sedan and got in the passenger seat and put the key in the ignition. She heated up the car and sat there until she heard the opening of the garage door. She looked around the car and Auburn pressed his face into her window. She let out a scream and grabbed her chest in shock.
“You dumbass! You almost gave me a heart attack!”
She yelled at him through the glass. He rounded the car and opened the driver’s side door.
“Holy wombats, why is it so hot in here?”
Hestia shrugged thinking the temperature was perfect.
“Turn the A/C on; I’m going to melt if you don’t.”
Auburn pulled out of the garage as Hestia sluggishly turned the air conditioner on. He pulled into the parking lot at his college.
“What exactly are we gonna do?” He sighed at her question.
“All I ask is that you do your best work.” He smirked and unlocked the doors getting out and slamming the door closed.
“Is anyone here?”
“Nope, teachers went home around five today.”
“What about janitors and people like that?”
“Shouldn’t be here, and if they are…we’ll deal with them.”
“I think you’re going a little overboard, Auburn.”
“Well, she did to.”
Hestia sighed as they both walked up to the back of the school. She handed him a bobby pin from her hair and he took it gratefully. He picked the lock and it opened with ease.
“I don’t know whether I want to know how you know how to do that.”
She said as she walked inside. Auburn closed the door behind them and started walking up the stairs to the second floor.
“Follow me.” He said as he walked down the hall stopping at a door.
“This her room?” He nodded and picked the lock again with ease and strolled inside.
“All I want you to do is burn the work she hasn’t graded yet.” He grabbed a pile of papers off the desk and threw them on the floor in front of Hestia.
“And what is the point for that?” Hestia said as she tossed a pair of goggles at him. He caught them pulling them over his eyes and continuing,
“She’ll be to blame for ‘losing’ the work and probably get fired.”
“Want me to burn them to ashes or to nothing?”
“Nothing of course.” He gave a smirk as she put the goggles on.
“Fine, fine. Stand back.”
She parted her legs getting leverage and held her hands out. Tiny sparks leaked from her fingertips that soon shot out flames of destruction.

Chapter 7~

Chapter 7~
Hestia shaped the fire into a dome to prevent it from spreading throughout the room or setting off the fire alarms. Soon, the papers had been burned to nothing and she extinguished the flames with a flick of the wrist. Auburn pulled the goggles down around his neck and smiled inspecting her work.
“Nice job, sis!”
He walked over to her and held his hand up for a high five. She lightly slapped her palm against his and walked out of the room. Auburn left the room locking it behind him and running after Hestia through the hallway. Her fiery locks had come undone and now flowed behind her as she paced out of the building. She grabbed the handle of the Sedan and tugged.
“It’s locked, you dipshit.”
She folded her arms across her chest silently and stood there waiting. Auburn unlocked the car and jumped inside. Hestia got inside slowly keeping her mouth shut and ignoring Auburn. Halfway along the ride back home Auburn broke the silence,
“Are you okay?”
She nodded her head lightly and leaned back into the seat and closed her eyes.
“Hestia…I’m going to try my hardest to persuade Dad not to lay a finger on you. I promise I’ll try, you deserve so much better.” She nodded scrunching her nose as she did so. He laughed lightly and pulled into their driveway finding another car was in the garage.
“Who the hell…”
Hestia sat up opening her eyes and looking into the garage. She unlocked her door and walked up the driveway into the garage and looked into the passenger seat of the black Camaro. She squinted trying to get past the tinted window when all of a sudden the glass rolled down.
“Hey beautiful.”
That voice, that voice she hated.
“How did you find out where I lived Jeremiah?”
“I have my ways, now get in babe I wanna show you around town.”
“Now tell me why I should go anywhere with you?”
“Cuz I’ll show you a great time.”
“Pssh, whatever.”
She walked up the steps to the back door and walked inside ignoring Jeremiah all together. Auburn soon followed her inside.
“So, why’s that kid in our driveway?”
“Some son of a bitch that won’t leave me alone.”
“Watch the language missy.”
He smirked following Hestia into the kitchen and directing himself to the fridge. He popped the top off a bottle of beer and turned to Hestia as she spoke,
“He’s just been getting on my nerves. Keeps calling me beautiful, and I sort of like someone else.” Auburn almost spit out his beer.
“Wait, what was that last sentence?” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and turned to her.
“Oh, nothing.”
“No, I swear I thought I heard you said you liked someone!”
“Well, you must be hearing things, bro. I didn’t say anything of that caliber.”
She smirked and turned on her heel walking out of the kitchen. Rounding the couch and settling down on it she grabbed the remote and flipped on the flat screen. Auburn came running out of the kitchen swing door and jumped onto Hestia. With a loud thud Hestia screamed at him.
“You could’ve really hurt me! You weigh like twice as much as me. What the hell?”
He laughed and rolled off of her. She jumped off the couch and tackled him. Auburn moaned in pain as she punched him in the arm.
“Stop it, Hestia!”
She gave him a noogie and slammed him on the carpet sitting on his stomach.
“Get off!” She shook her head laughing and put all her weight down on him. He grabbed her by the waist and threw her off. She landed on her side almost across the room.
“You bastard!”
She jumped up before he could even get to his feet and rammed into his side with her elbow.
“Oof!” He exclaimed before crashing into the pool table that lined the back wall of the living room. She climbed onto his back pulling his arm behind him and putting pressure.
“You surrender?” He nodded closing his eyes in pain.
“Now let go!”
He flung her off and she landed on her butt in front of the couch. He rolled over onto his back and pushed up on his hands. They sat there in silence until they both busted out into laughing fits.
They ceased the laughter when the front door crashed against the wall. They both turned to the door and their father stood in the doorway holding a vodka bottle in one hand while balancing himself with other.
“Some kid…was parked in our garage. I threw a bottle at his car…I left a big ass dent.”
He smirked drunkenly and looked at his children. Auburn and Hestia both stood up and watched as he wobbled through the living room grabbing hold of objects for leverage. He slipped and fell to the floor both Hestia and Auburn ran over to him.
“Daddy, are you okay?”
Hestia held her father’s head away from the broken bottle on the carpet and brushed his hair back. He struggled to get back up to his feet but he did it solo. He raised his hand and slapped Hestia across the face. She fell to the floor cutting her arm on the shards that lay beside her. Auburn shouted and punched his father; he fell to the ground hitting his head on the table behind the couch. Auburn kneeled down beside Hestia and gripped her hand.
“Hestia, I’m so sorry.” She moaned parting her lips lightly and looking up at him. Her cheek began to swell as she laid there in her brother’s arms.
“Come on; let’s put some ice on that.”
He helped her up leading her to the kitchen. He lifted her up by the hips and set her on the counter. Being too old for that she leaped off the island and walked over to the dining table. He grabbed a few ice cubes and got a plastic bag out from under the sink. He gave her the now filled bag and she held it to her cheek wincing from pain.
“I’m so sorry, Hesty-bear.”
“I know, it’s not your fault, Aubie.”
She smiled faintly as he hugged her tightly around the shoulders. She winced again and he pulled back. She flipped over her arm and Auburn saw the deep cut the glass had made. He rushed her over to the sink and rinsed out the gash. She screamed in pain as the warm water washed over her open arm. Auburn patted the wound with a wash cloth and bandaged it up. He took a final look at her cheek and told her it’ll be fine.
“I’ll just cover it up with makeup tomorrow, no worries.”
He gave her one last hug before she went off to bed.

Chapter 8~

Chapter 8~
Rolling over in her small bed she slowly woke up from her slumber. Heat radiated from her cheek and she jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Flipping the switch she glanced in the mirror and sighed in relief. She looked at the light purple skin and opened the cabinet under the sink and grabbed a makeup bag that she hadn’t taken used in months. She unzipped the bag and placed concealer on the bathroom counter. Unscrewing the top off the jar she heard a knock on the door. She waited a moment before she heard Auburn’s voice to come in.
“Come in.”
She yelled from her bathroom and she began to dab the makeup onto the bruise. Successfully covering the entire wound she smiled into the mirror. She began to brush her hair as she heard the springs in her bed adjust from the weight of her brother.
“So, is it too bad?”
“Nope, not at all. I just covered it up, looks like nothing happened.”
“That’s great.”
She nodded knowing that he couldn’t see her through the closed door. Hestia applied some mascara and began to think of Jack. She sighed thinking of her father and decided to totally ignore his request for her not to hang with Jack. She brushed her teeth and exited the bathroom seeing her brother sleeping on her bed. She sighed again and went to her dresser picking out a white tank top, a purple and white plaid button up shirt and some dark gray jeans. She got dressed and got her things together for school and after shaking Auburn awake she went into the kitchen dropping her bag on the floor and making breakfast.
“Hey, sweetie, can I have some of whatever you’re making?”
She looked up to the sound of her father’s voice and nodded hesitantly.
“Thanks.”
“Sure…no problem.”
She made breakfast without ever turning around to see her father sitting at the dining table. Hestia heard footsteps come into the kitchen and then abruptly stop behind her. She turned to see Auburn staring at their father. He mumbled something under his breath.
“I have good sense to lay him out.”
“Calm down, Auburn.” Hestia spoke quietly and she gave Auburn a plate of toast and bacon to give to their father. He took it taking a piece and crunching it in his mouth before slamming the plate on the oak table. His father looked up at him confused and then soon began to eat his breakfast.
“Auburn, can you drive me to school?”
Auburn nodded going back to his room to get dressed and Hestia stood by stove eating a piece of toast quietly looking at her father with hatred. She whipped around when he looked over his newspaper at her. She grabbed her knapsack and left the kitchen and went upstairs to knock on Auburn’s bedroom door but he was already running past her down the steps and out the door. She sprinted after him with her hair flying behind her and she caught her breath when she got in his car.
“Thanks for taking me to school.”
“No problem, ‘least I could do.” He gave her a smile that she gladly returned and he soon pulled out of the driveway and drove to her school.
They were soon at the front of the school and Hestia was getting her things together and leaving before Auburn caught her arm. She turned back to him and raised an eyebrow.
“Keep away from that kid that was in our driveway, okay?”
“I was already planning to.”
“Smart girl.” She smiled before dashing up the steps of the school as he drove away.
She pulled out her schedule and glanced at her first class. She made her way to room 404 for Pre-Calculus. She opened the door to find Jeremiah sitting in her assigned seat. She walked over to him and commanded him t get up.
“Ah, beautiful, but I like it here.”
He smirked before standing up and leaning in for a kiss. As reflex Hestia slapped him in the face causing him to lose his balance. He gripped his cheek and looked at her with hurt eyes.
“Why’d you do that, beautiful?” She folded her arms across her chest and looked back at him with a stern expression.
“You have no right, to call me beautiful. It’s not your place to do so.”
“And who’s is it? Is it Jack’s right to call you beautiful?” She paused before raising her hand to slap him again.
“Okay! Okay!” He walked back to his seat and smiled at her. Hestia ignored him and sat down in her seat pulling out her papers from yesterday.
Soon it was time for lunch and she would be seeing Jack anytime now. She grabbed her things and walked to the cafeteria. Someone tapped her shoulder from behind; she turned around raising her hand anticipating Jeremiah. Jack covered his face with his arms as he flinched. She dropped her hand and instead hugged Jack tightly around the torso. He hugged her back just as tight and she pulled away.
“I’m so sorry, I thought you were Jeremiah.”
“That’s the rudest thing that has ever been said to me.” She laughed lightly as they got in the lunch line.
“Well, I do apologize. Will you ever forgive me?”
He shrugged playfully and she hit his arm jokingly. He only smiled at her and grabbed his food. They paid for their meals and went to the same seat that in the day before. Hestia neatly placed her foot in front of her as Jack had already begun gobbling down his food.
“Someone’s hungry.” She smiled sweetly as Jack looked up at her with a mouth full of sub sandwich.
“Sorry, I didn’t have breakfast.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin, then eating a bit slower for manner’s sake. Eating a piece of lettuce off her fork Jack asked,
“So, how was your night?”
“Oh, well I went out with my brother. Uh, he took me out to eat.”
“Where’d you guys go?” She paused trying to come up with something.
“Hello?” She sighed and looked at him.
“Can I trust you with something?” He nodded lightly. She stood leaving her food and walking right out of the cafeteria. He ran after to her following her closely. She stopped at the garden where they met yesterday. Slightly panting Jack touched her arm lightly.
“Okay, so I lied about my brother taking me out for dinner.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t want you to know what was really going on.”
And what’s really going on?”
Hestia sat down on the concrete bench with Jack sitting beside her now. She thought of how to put it into words what she was about to tell him. He wrapped his arm around her now looking at her with concern. She closed her eyes,
“I know we only met here yesterday but I have to say this. Okay, so my brother didn’t take me out to dinner. We set one of his teacher’s papers on fire to get her fired, and then we went home. My dad showed up and he hit me and under the makeup is a bruise. Oh my gosh, it feels good to tell someone.”
There was a long pause before Jack said anything.
“Oh.”
She turned him with a frown.
“That’s all you have to say?”
“No.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly breathing in her every essence.
“I’m so sorry that you have to hide all of that from everyone. I’m sure things will get better. And baby I’m always here.”
Hestia looked up.
“You….you called me baby…” He held her closer.
“Yeah, I guess I did.” Hestia pulled back and looked into his eyes. Next thing they both knew their lips were pressed against each other’s.

Chapter 9~

Chapter 9
Tasting the sparks on Jack’s tongue, Hestia’s skin got hotter by the second. She pulled on tufts of his hair as his tongue danced with hers. Jack pulled Hestia up on him and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Encasing his neck with her arms, Hestia bit Jack’s lip causing him to moan into her mouth. She laughed as Jack lost his balance on the bench. They both fell into the grass giggling like mad people. Hestia rolled around in the grass with Jack like little kids. With a final kiss on Hestia’s forehead Jack spoke quietly,
“I wish I could freeze this moment and cherish it forever.”
He twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. She smiled kissing his nose and breathing in the scent of upcoming spring. They lay in the grass for what seemed like hours but were merely only minutes. Jack stood helping Hestia off the ground by pulling her up by the hands. She thanked him with a kiss and they went off to last period.
Ignoring the teacher’s requests they both worked in the same group and sat beside each other. Under their desks they held each other’s hand the whole time.
After school was out they both went to the same bench they sat on the day before waiting for their buses. Playing with Hestia’s hands Jack laughed and smiled. Neither of them had been so happy. They messed with each other like this until Jack’s bus arrived. He bid his farewell with a kiss on Hestia’s warm lips and as he pulled his bag over his shoulder she tackled him from behind. Laughing and almost falling to the ground Jack pleaded for her to get off. No matter what she clung to him as she laughed harder and harder. Soon beginning to hiccup Hestia was finally shaken off and Jack hugged her tightly around the waist kissing her cheek sweetly. She whispered in his ear,
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Can’t wait.”
She kissed his cold lips tasting every spark that produced in those few seconds. And soon that moment was left behind as Jack boarded the bus with Barney.
Sitting down on the bench waiting for her own bus, Hestia played with the buttons on her shirt. She sung a little tune her father used to sing to her when she was younger and waited patiently as the students thinned out.
“I must’ve missed my bus.”
She sighed standing up and throwing her bag over her shoulder. She strolled into the school and through the door of the main office. She sat in a chair soon finding herself being called up. She sighed once more before leaving her bag in the seat and walking up to the counter.
“Hi, I seemed to have missed my bus. May I call home?”
The woman at the desk smiled nodding and pointed over to the phone on Hestia’s left.
“Thank you.” Hestia walked over to the phone. She picked it up holding the receiver to her ear and in mid-dial she heard that voice she loathed.
“That’s a good friend of mine, I’ll drive her home.”
“She’s already calling home, though.”
“It’s really no problem.”
“Fine, then.”
Hestia hung up the phone and turned to find Jeremiah smiling at her. Her good day status just plummeted a good thirty feet. She rolled her eyes as he kept up the good guy act as they walked out of the school and into parking lot. He opened the door for her and she looked at him with confusion. Well, she hadn’t seen him since yesterday; maybe he was trying to be nicer. She buckled her seat belt as he got in on the other side and soon they were down the road and taking a right.
“I’m afraid to give you my address.”
Jeremiah laughed at her and kept his eyes on the road.
“You can turn the radio on if you want.”
Hestia slowly and carefully turned on the radio switching it to a heavy rock station. They sat there in silence listening to the heavy guitar solos. Jeremiah turned into a cobblestoned driveway and he unlocked the doors.
“I guess I’ll go to your house then…”
Hestia got out of the car and walked up the steps of the large house. No wonder he acted like he owned the whole damn town. She waited for him to come and unlock the door. He came up behind her wrapping his arms around her and slipping a key in the lock. She was pushed inside and almost fell onto the antique rug and dropping her bag off to the side of the door. Hestia started exploring the house with its many rooms and chandeliers.
Standing at the top of the huge white marble staircase on her tip toes she reached out to touch a crystal in the chandelier hanging in the foyer. As Jeremiah walked up the stairs Hestia sat down on the top step and watched him as he approached her. He smiled as he sat down beside her. He wrapped his arm around her and she soon felt very uncomfortable.
“So, beautiful, how was your day?”
Beautiful. I knew he’d never change.
Hestia thought as he asked once more.
“Oh, well I had an exceptional day…you?”
“It’s been good, and it’s only getting better by the second.”
Hestia couldn’t help it, her cheeks flushed to a darker red and she looked down. She could almost hear Jeremiah’s smile from her reaction.
“Want to go to my room?” She thought for a moment and only nodded. Leading her by her hand Jeremiah escorted her down the long hallway to the last bedroom. As Hestia walked inside looking at the many posters on the walls the noise of the door closing caught her attention. Jeremiah leaned against the door and looked to the ground.
“Are you okay?”
She ran her hand through her hair as she spoke. He nodded and walked toward her. She watched him closely. He sat down on his unmade bed and she sat down beside him. He looked at her and smiled.
“God, you’re so hot.”
“Excuse me?”
“Like temperature. I mean you’re really attractive too.”
He smirked that famous smirk and leaned into her.
“Remind me why I’m here again?” She said as she pushed on his chest to get the distance back between them.
“Well, I brought you here. You didn’t reject me, and here we are.”
She nodded and held her hands in her lap. Her palms were slightly sweating and her bottom lip was trembling. Jeremiah nuzzled his nose into her neck and kissed her neck lightly. She sat there motionless, it pushed him farther. He wanted her to squirm; he wanted her to fight back. He ached for her tears and the screams that he knew would soon escape her sweet m-shaped mouth.
Grabbing her wrists and pushing her down forcefully towards the bed he climbed on top of her and weighed himself onto her hips. She let out a shriek of pain and kneed him in the stomach. He yelled in discomfort and leaned down to her so their noses were almost touching.
“There’s no way you can get out of this, beautiful. I’m a strong man, you’re just a weak woman, and I can so easily overpower you. I bet you’ll enjoy this, though. Later you’ll be begging for more.”
Hestia spat in his face blinding him for a moment. He held her arms down with his legs with his crotch in her face. He wiped his face with the back of his left hand and slid down back to her waist. He unbuttoned her jeans sliding them off underneath him. Tears rolled down her face as he did so. He smiled licking the tears away. She closed her eyes tight shaking in disgust. She yelled once more before he got fed up and shoved a sock in her mouth.
“Someone’s got a big mouth; maybe you can use that later.”
He slipped his hand between two buttons on her shirt and popped his way through. He ripped through her tank top revealing her heaving chest. She cried harder as he unhooked her bra and gripped her upper body tightly in his grasp. The pain was too hard for her to take. He pulled his shirt off along with his pants and finally his boxers. Hestia didn’t look she knew it would only hurt more if she did. He slipped her underwear off and lifted himself up a little getting leverage with his hands beside her head.
He screamed in agony as the flames engulfed his face.

Chapter 10~

Chapter 10
While the flames singed his hair and started burning his flesh, Jeremiah swatted at the flames gathering on the rest of his body. Before jumping out of the bed grabbing her clothes and running down the stairs, Hestia couldn’t help but smile at Jeremiah’s pain. As she wiped her eyes from any remaining tears she ran down the stairs and got dressed in front of the front door. She ran out the front door down the street pumping her arms and breathing heavily from her mouth. There was no way she was going back, never. Someone would find out, his parents would be home, someone would call the hospital.
She stopped in the middle of the street as a car honked at her from behind. Hestia sighed as she turned on her heel and sprinted straight back to where she almost lost her innocence. Reaching the doorway and frantically looking for a phone she stumbled into a back room. She looked around seeing baby toys and stuffed animals lying all around the room. The walls were painted a light pink and there was a crib in the far left corner. She ignored her surroundings and finally found a phone.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
“A…friend of mine is on fire.”
“What’s the address?”
Hestia gave the woman the address and soon she heard the sirens of an ambulance along with a fire engine grow in the distance. She was taken with the ambulance to the hospital. Moments later after being shoved into the waiting room she called Auburn to come to the hospital no questions asked until he got there.
About fifteen minutes later, Auburn stood in the waiting area with his chest heaving.
“Hestia!”
Hestia looked up to find her brother standing in the doorway. She waved him over and he ran over to her picking her up and squeezing her tight.
“I thought you were in the hospital!”
Hestia struggled trying to get lose. He finally set her back down and he sat beside her.
“So, what happened?”
She breathed in rubbing her hands together producing a light flicker between her palms.
“You know that guy who was in our driveway yesterday…”
“Yeah?”
“Well, he was really nice to me today and I missed my bus, he ended up offering to take me home and I agreed.”
“Oh, Hestia.”
“Wait, it gets worse.”
Auburn sighed and listened carefully.
“He tried to rape me and I could’ve burned his whole face off.”
There was a pause before Auburn shot up out of the seat and pushed through doctors and nurses to the emergency room where Jeremiah was being taken care of. Pounding his fists on the double doors he screamed at the top of his lungs,
“That bastard deserves to suffer! He tried to rape my sister!”
Doctors pulled at his arms and tried pulling Auburn back away from the doors but it was no use. He was stronger than them. Hestia buried her face in her hands beginning to sob quietly as things started crumbling all around her. As her brother screamed and yelled Hestia cried harder causing the fire inside the burn and burn. That fire she couldn’t control began to leak out of her hands. She stood running out into the pouring rain. She bawled as the raindrops extinguished her fire and totally drowned her out. She stood in the street that led to the emergency room and stared up at the sky wanting to drown.
Slowly walking back inside she noticed a bright blue haired boy standing at the receptionist desk. She ran towards him crying again but smiling. She hugged him tightly around the chest from behind and wailed into his shoulder. Feeling him turn around she looked up at him with her makeup running revealing the bruise that her father had left. Jack kissed her cheek and spun around facing her.
“I hear what happened, I’m so sorry.”
He took her carefully and gently in his strong arms. She wept into his navy flannel shirt and he held her closely. She cried for a good thirty minutes. Jack held her in his arms as they both fell asleep in the main lobby.
Hestia woke up drenched in her own tears lying in Jack’s arms. As she began to sit up she was brought back down by Jack’s sweet grasp. She cuddled into him and smiled. She kissed his chest as he played with her hair sleepily.
“Hey, sweetie.”
Jack squeezed her lightly and pecked her cheek. Hestia blushed and buried her face in his shirt and mumbled something.
“What was that?”
She lifted up her head slowly and looked up at him.
“Thank you for staying with me. I know I’m a hand full.”
“Not problem at all, I should be thanking you for letting me stay.”
He smiled lightly as she kissed his nose. Their moment was broken the instant Auburn walked into the room. Hestia and Jack both scooted to opposite chairs and looked away from each other.
“I brought coffee. And you know I’ve walked through this area about a ga-zillion times, I know you guys were cuddling.” Auburn laughed as he handed them cups of coffee.
Hestia blushed again and took a sip of her coffee. Jack held his coffee in his hands sitting there. Auburn sat down beside his sister and gulped down half of the large cup. He looked over at Jack and questioned,
“Dude, why aren’t you drinking that coffee? I’ll be happy as ever to drink it myself.”
Jack looked at the cup then handed it over to Auburn. Auburn thanked him and drank the rest of his first cup and started on Jack’s.
“What? You don’t like coffee?” Hestia said as she wiped whipped cream off of her top lip.
“I don’t like hot drinks.”
“Oh, well I do.” She smiled and leaned over and kissed Jack’s lips instantly producing sparks. Auburn leaned over them and slapped Jack’s arm.
“No! No, smooching my sister right in front of me!” Hestia and Jack laughed at him and with a final peck on her cheek Jack stop the public affection.
“So, there’s good news and bad news.”
“Bad news first please.” Hestia demanded after another sip of her coffee.
“Jeremiah’s not to burned up but you’ll have to come up with a story how it happened. We can’t really tell them what actually happened.”
“What really happened?” Jack arched one of his eyebrows and looked at Hestia. She sighed and turned to Auburn ignoring Jack’s question.
“Why do I need to come up with a story?”
“Because we’re going to court next week about this and you can’t just tell the judge you have pow-” Hestia slapped him before he continued. Auburn yelped and cupped his left cheek nodding.
“Sorry, and that was the good news, you know the going to court thing. But I don’t know if we’ll win since you didn’t get raped…But it’s still against the law even to attempt.”
Hestia nodded as Jack shifted position in his chair.
“He got burned how?”
Hestia paused.
“There was a lit candle in the room and his clothes caught fire.”
Auburn pointed at her and smiled.
“That’s the story! Good job, sis!”
Hestia did a miniature bow in her it and laughed lightly. Jack still looked very confused.
“I’ll tell you some other time.” Hestia said as she patted Jack’s leg lightly. He nodded and kissed her cheek.
“What did I say about smooching Hestia in front of me?” Jack shook his head smiling and kissed her again this time causing her to giggle.
“Well, you’re going to have to deal with it!” Hestia snapped playfully.
They all laughed. The nurse gave them an update on Jeremiah’s condition. At this point none of them had any sympathy for him. Except deep down inside, Hestia felt the stinging guilt of what happened.

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