What the fuck am I doing here? On a real note, what the fuck am i doing in a bar with my brothers? I look down at my drink, and around the bar to see women staring at the five of us. Adrian's arms grabs me by the neck as they shoot a basket, everyone jumps up and screams. This man is physically strangling me. For a score.

Prick.

When the game finally finished, we pay-I pay the bill and we make our way out back into the fresh air. The boys were celebrating with their screams, I unlock my car door. "Hey Ares, whose bags this?" I look up and see him holding out a familiar MARVEL bag. Adonis raises a brow.

"Do you have a kid or something we don't know about?" Adrian chuckles, slipping inside the front.

"Hey! It's my turn at the front, you fat fuck." Atlas rushes towards him and drags him out of the car, I shake my head. Adults acting like fucking kids.

Ali's bag. She must have forgotten it. I walk closer and grab the bag from Adonis, I shove it into the back of my car. I open the back of my car, staring down at my phone as they continue fighting and arguing. I swipe down my contacts and see her name.

Ali

I press onto it and message her:

"Get in the fucking car, I have shit to do." Atlas sticks his tongue our and kicks Arian in the nuts before closing the door and making sure it is locked. Adrian bangs on my window and pulls up the middle finger. Classic. My phone vibrates.

I switch my phone off and begin driving our onto the road. My elbow leans against the window as I keep one hand on the low steering wheel. "So, dinner at mine tonight?" Atlas suggests.

"Can't Michelle wants me to take the kids tonight." Adrian groans.

"You're the one that got her pregnant, deal with it." Alastair mumbles, covering his eyes with his forearm.

"I did not ask for four of them, do you know how crazy they are? They scare me!"

"Adrian?"

"Malika wants me to watch The Missing with her, so no, and thanks for taking the front seat."

"Why not! I hate living alone. It's boring." Atlas moans.

"I said that and got married, now I need a time machine." Adrian whispers, traumatised.

He did not bother asking Adonis because he knew the answer already. So, for the time being, he looked at me as if I were his final resort. I tilt my head to the side, and there he is. I shake my head as an answer, giving me puppy dog eyes.

"I have things to do today." I say the actual truth, like to go give Ali her bag back. But the way he is looking at me, as the second eldest brother in the family. I could not say no. This clever mother fucker knows how to get under my skin. "Fine. Let me drop them off home and you can join me for the day." I look through the rear-view mirror and see them both staring at me.

"What?"

"Nothing." They both say.

I shake my head and pull into the driveway of their homes, and now on my way to her school. I put her location on my navigation system and start my journey. "Why are we going to a college?" Atlas asks.

"You shut your mouth if you want to hang out with me." Atlas closes his mouth with his fingers and throws the key out. It is implying it. How did I get to be with him? I have no idea. When I arrive in the school's parking lot, I notice a swarm of students outside, each in their own small group. "Remain in the car." I exit the car, closing the door behind me while I text Ali.

I open my boot and take out her MARVEL bag,

I lean against the front of my car, noticing several of the girls snickering and winking at me. They all have blonde hair, blue eyes, and appear the same. When I turn around, Atlas, the fucking prick, is winking at a few of them. Can never keep himself together.

"Ares." Her voice tasted like caramel. Silky and smooth. My gaze was drawn to her, like if the sun were a professional actor or something. It only shone on her.

Her long brown hair was tangled in an untidy knot behind her head. Her freckles were softly placed on the bridge of her nose, and she had two strands of hair on either side of her face. I push myself of the hood of my car and make my way to her.

She smiles softly as I hand it over to her. "Thank you so much, you are an angel." She hugs me tightly, and I did not want to embarrass her, so I press my arms around her neck due to her height. "I'm actually going home now; the art teacher isn't well."

"I'll drop you off."

"No, it's fine."

"Get in the car Ali."

"Okay." She instantly says, I turn to Atlas whose eyes are widened. I shake my head and point for him to get out the front, and for once. He listens. "Can Cathy come too?" My body feels another presence besides me, and I look down to see a smiling Cathy. My jaw tenses at the sight of her face, I then look at Ali and she gives me that fucking smile.

I nod my head. And they both rush into the backseat, Atlas stares at me in utter shock.

He knows.

He knows.

Atlas walks towards me, "what the fuck Ares?" He whispers, anger in his face.

"Enough Atlas."

"Ares, what are you doing?" Atlas drags his hands down his face, I did not say anything. Because I knew he had a point that I just could not swallow down. I turn to see Cathy and Ali talking whilst holding their phones. And i stare at her.

"There might be a chance." I whisper.

"No, there isn't, and you know that." Atlas makes his way back to the car and slams the door, I rush my fingers into my hair and follow after him.

"Hey Ares," I hear her soft voice from behind me, nearly whispering above the racket Atlas and Cathy were creating to make their point.

Obviously, neither of them will back down. Atlas, in particular. I feel her hand tap me on the back of my shoulders. I come to a halt at a red light and carefully turn my head "Not to be a bother, but could we please get me some pomegranate seeds before I leave? Please."

Anything little one.

"Sure."

"Thank you." She settles back down and plugs in her headphones; I stop by to the nearest supermarket. And exit the car, the others follow along as Ali slides out of the car. Her vans making contact with the floor, she looks up and gives me a tight smile as we make our way inside.

Ali and Cathy make their way to the fruit section, and she grabs a few pomegranates, "her friend is so fucking annoying." Atlas growls angrily.

"Just because she beat you, doesn't mean she's annoying." I correct him, typing onto my phone.

"Shut up! You're meant to have my side." I look up and see them gone, my eyes trail the market.

"I'm done." I look down and it was almost like a jump scare, she is fucking tiny. I did not even fucking notice her; I look down to see her basket filled with takeaway noodles and pomegranates.

"Is that everything?"

"Mhm." She hums and begins walking to the cashier, why does she need that many takeaway noodles for? I ignore the question and she scans it; I slip my wallet out and see Ali doing the same. I tap my card before she could, she gasps and looks at me. "Ares, I have money. I'm not broke."

"Never said you are, but I do remember saying when I'm around that card stays in the bag." She shakes her head and hands me a twenty dollar note, I rose a brow. Walking away without taking it.

"Ares! Take it now." I hear her voice; she tries so hard to shout still has the mindset that she is in public. I hear her little footsteps running after me, then the moment she reaches me. She huffs out of breath; I look back and see her bent over with her hands on her knees. "I-"

◻◻◻

It was very tempting; I have to admit. Her offer to take me to the club seemed about as appealing as remaining at home and watching Friends episodes. I am in the midst of the final season! She rushes into my cabinet, glancing over my things, looking for anything to wear. I told her I would not be there, but she did not listen.

I continue eating my pomegranate seeds.

She misinterprets my no for a yes, so I keep typing. I have to figure out who Diávolos is, no matter how difficult it is. I go through the cameras on my streets, I scroll over the videos from the night he was standing outside my house, thanks to my father who taught me his software jargon.

And the moment i catch it, I zoom into the video until suddenly my laptop is ripped out of my hand by Cathy.

"What are you doing?" She looks down and I try to grab it from her, she sighs and closes it before throwing it to the side. "Seriously Ali?" She whispers.

"What?"

"You know what? When is this obsession going to stop! Have you see your paintings, your sketch books? And don't get me started on that."

She points to my cupboard doors where lies a whole pinning area of Diávolos, from where he has been caught to kill to where I saw him. Pins and ribbons are all over the place, article pictures. Ripped magazines. Posters. I know I can find out who he is, I know I can.

"It's not an obsession."

"No, it's stalking. Leave the man alone and focus on me. He's a fucking myth anyways." She drops onto my bed; I shake my head standing up.

"He is not a myth Cathy, look, all this evidence. And he was in my bedroom Cathy! He kissed me." She scoffs, throwing the pillow she was resting on her lap to the side. She makes me feel crazy, she makes me feel wrong.

"Look, you are a virgin, you imagine these things because you're horny." She squeezes my shoulders and looks me into my eyes.

"I am not horny; I know what I saw. I know what i felt. He kissed me."

"Diávolos is a fucking myth, get that in your brain. You have been looking for him for two years." She walks towards the balcony doors.

"Ares believes me, he says nothing is a myth."

"Ares just wants to get into your pants Ali, when are you going to realise?" That hurt me a little bit, is that what Ares wants? "You're innocent and look, a lot of people fantasise about Diávolos, have you not seen the pictures and TikToks people make of him? Ali, you have to stop." She makes her way out my room, and I turn my head. He is not a myth. I know he is not. There has to be something about Diávolos.

I stare at the board. And sigh to myself.

I have to prove it to her, prove to her that he is real.