by Muse, M. W.
She leaned closer to him, their sides touching. She tilted her head down some more.
“Old Navy,” River said quickly, glancing at Kate as he let go of Legacy’s shirt and moved away, almost too quickly.
She grabbed the front of her shirt and readjusted it, trying not to smile.
“I need to go see if they have anymore,” Kate said, slightly amused.
Legacy wasn’t sure what to make of her tone, but she figured it had something to do with what River had just done.
“I’ve had it awhile,” she said as they pulled into the parking lot. Duh, if she’d just bought it, she would remember where she got it.
River got out, and Legacy slid out of the same door. They walked in and were guided to a booth. Legacy stifled a groan. The booth was small, so she’d be sitting just as close to River as she had yesterday.
He waited for her to slide in first, and then he slid in beside her. Their legs touched, but at least she wasn’t wearing a skirt today.
They all continued to talk before and after the orders were taken. River and Seth gabbed about sports while she talked to Kate about whatever trivial topic they could come up with. It almost seemed as if River was trying a little too hard to keep talking to Seth, but Legacy was pleased, regardless of his reason.
When they were about halfway finished eating, Kate broached the uncomfortable topic that she knew would have to be addressed eventually. Uncomfortable because she had purposely kept this news to herself—only River and Calli knew.
“Is Adin coming with you to the first basketball game?” Kate asked.
Legacy’s eyes flashed to Kate, and she could feel River’s eyes penetrating her. She kept her expression smooth as she willed herself to answer as calmly as she could. “I doubt it.”
She looked down as she took another bite of her food, but no one else moved. All eyes were still locked on their target.
“Why do you say it like that?” Kate asked, concerned.
Legacy swallowed her food and cleared her throat as she put her fork down. “We, er…aren’t together anymore.”
“What?” Kate asked, barely a whisper.
She could hear River’s breathing spike. When she glanced up at Kate, she could see Seth was no longer looking at her. He was looking at River. Staring at him. There was no telling what Seth was thinking. Though, she could guess. Seth and River were becoming friends. He was probably thinking this was a lucky break for his new friend.
“I broke up with him.”
“Why?”
She sighed. “We’re just too different. Um…” She glanced at River while she searched for the words to explain, and he was watching her protectively. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she whispered.
He gave her a soft smile while he slid his hand along her arm. “She had a tough time with it, but she’s doing better,” River said, looking over at Kate while he rubbed her arm reassuringly.
“Sorry, I-I didn’t know,” Kate said.
Legacy took a deep breath and looked at her. “I haven’t really told anybody yet. It’s not something I feel comfortable announcing to everyone.”
“Who all knows?” Kate asked.
“River and Calli were the only ones that knew before.” She looked down. “Um, Lissa told Calli because I wouldn’t answer my phone. She came over and visited with me. Then River came over, and I told him.” She glanced at River, and he reached up and stroked her hair briefly before putting his hand back in his lap.
Kate gave her a gentle look. “Um, we can sit together at the game then,” she said. “Calli will be cheering, and River and Seth will be playing. Ellen will probably be going out with Thad.”
She smiled up at Kate, grateful for the subject change. She knew she had to show up in support of Calli. At least now she didn’t have to sit alone. “That sounds like fun.”
They started talking about the game when the waitress brought the ticket to the table, but since it wasn’t separated, Seth and River looked at it to figure out who needed to pay for what.
“How much is mine?” she asked, digging in her purse.
“I got it,” River said, and glanced briefly at her.
Hmmm. Should she allow him to pay for her meal? It wasn’t the first time he’d offered to pay when they’d been out, but putting up a little bit of a fight wouldn’t hurt.
“That’s okay.” She shrugged, still digging and then pulling out her wallet.
River looked over at her in amusement. “Put that back up,” he said as he took a twenty out of his wallet.
She reached for the ticket, so she could see how much she owed, but River snatched it up.
She giggled, reaching across him to snatch it, but he held it away from the table.
He chuckled, watching her face while she watched his hand, trying to find an opportunity to grab it.
She leaned over farther. “You are so stubborn,” she said with a laugh, making another ill-fated attempt to grab the ticket.
“Me?” River chuckled. “You’re the one who’s being stubborn.”
“Fine,” she said with feigned annoyance as she moved away.
“Now was that so hard?” he said as he turned to face her. He was inches from her now.
“No,” she whispered. Shock tore through her. It wasn’t hard. It really, really wasn’t. She couldn’t believe how easy it was for her to let go of her deep-rooted anger and be genuinely playful with him. She didn’t know what to think about that.
River stared at her for a few seconds before looking away. He dropped the money on top of the ticket and so did Seth. They left and headed back to the SUV. They all talked on the ride back to school, but River looked at her much more this time. A few times, she stared at him, but only briefly.
The rest of the day was a breeze again, thank heavens. She talked to Calli during English about lunch, informing her about her flirting with River and about the fact that she’d told Kate and Seth about Adin.
“You realize as soon as Kate tells Ellen, this will be all over school,” Calli said.
“Yeah, I know. I couldn’t help it, though. Kate brought it up, and River was right there.”
“Why did it matter that River was there when she asked about Adin?” Calli shook her head and frowned.
“Because River knows how I feel about Adin, and I need him to think I’m somewhat interested in him.”
She sighed. “Legacy, I really wish you wouldn’t do this.”
“You’ve already given me your opinion on this. You know why I have to do it.”
When school finally let out, she went straight home and did what little homework she had. She put on some yoga pants and a tank top since Lissa was cold-natured and kept the temperature in the house a toasty seventy-nine degrees, and then she played on the Internet. She felt agitated and needed the distraction. Otherwise, she would think about Adin—or River. Neither was a pleasant thought for different reasons.
She heard a knock on the door, and her heart fluttered. She knew it was just out of habit because Adin wouldn’t actually be coming here. He told her yesterday his fraternity would be busy doing stuff tonight. It almost seemed as if he was telling her in a reassuring manner, so she wouldn’t wonder where he was—or who he was with.
She opened the door to see River standing on her porch. He had on the same clothes from school, but his hair was slightly damp. He must’ve showered after practice and come straight over. She shouldn’t be surprised to see him. He knew he was free to come by anytime. Of course, that offer had been extended before she realized he was the one who’d ruined her life. If she wanted this plan to work, though, he’d still need to feel welcome here.
She smiled softly at him. “Hi.”
“Hi. Er, can I, um, come in?”
“Yeah,” she said as she stepped away from the opening.
River walked in behind her and followed her into the living room where they both took a seat on the couch. He wasn’t as close as he’d been sitting next to her at lunch. He hunc
hed over and rested his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands.
“How was practice?” she asked after she realized River wasn’t going to jump right into a conversation without coaxing.
“Good. We, umm, went over some new plays.”
“Do you think you’ll be using those plays this Friday?” she asked to keep the conversation flowing, light.
River sat up and rubbed his hands on his legs and looked at her. “Yeah, probably. It’ll depend on how the game’s going. Basketball isn’t like football or baseball. It’s fast paced the entire time. You have to be able to think and react quickly.”
“I don’t know much about basketball,” she said with a half-smile.
River turned toward her and put his hands in his lap. “I can explain it to you.”
“How?” She laughed. “You’ll be playing. You can’t explain it to me while I watch the game.”
River chuckled. “You can come over tomorrow, and I’ll show you how to play. That way, you’ll understand some of what’s going on Friday night.”
Her over at River’s house? She wasn’t sure how she felt about that happening so soon. As she thought about that, her smile faded.
“My mom’s out of town,” River said softly.
He’d misinterpreted her reaction—and with good reason. What she didn’t expect, though, was that she didn’t even think about Medusa being a reason to avoid River’s house. She was thinking entirely of River. She was already losing focus on her ascension, and that was not a good sign. She could allow herself this revenge against River, but she could not slip up and get killed by Medusa or taken by Hades. She had too much to focus on, but she needed to keep her objectives clear. All of them.
“It’s not that,” she murmured, looking away from him.
He sighed and folded his arms against his chest, looking up. “I’m making you uncomfortable already,” he muttered.
Uh-oh. She didn’t want him to think that. “Why do you think that?” If she knew his reason, then she’d be in a better position to discredit it.
“Because your energy is all over the place.”
Her energy? Crap! She totally forgot he could feel her energy. River was a god, for crying out loud. This was a major slip up. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Usually, your energy pulls me toward you. It feels so good, inviting,” he breathed. “But lately, it almost feels like you’re repelling me. Your energy is conflicting with your words and actions. I don’t know what to make of it.” He looked up at the ceiling.
This was not good! Of course she wanted to repel the monster. Each encounter was a struggle to sell to herself. Apparently, it was an even bigger struggle to sell to River than she had realized. She’d have to figure out a way to keep her energy from betraying her interests. In the meantime, she could confess some truths that’d hopefully match the energy she was projecting.
“You’re not making me uncomfortable,” she whispered, looking at him. Then she looked down. “But I’m still in love with Adin, and I know…how you feel about me too.”
“Which is why I think I’m making you uncomfortable.”
“Well, maybe you are then, but not because how you’ve been acting. If I am uncomfortable around you, it’s because my emotions are so confused.” She couldn’t even make eye contact with him. She felt her face flush. She took a deep breath and tried looking at him. He was looking down. She kept her gaze away from him while she mustered the strength to continue. “When you kissed me…” She paused and saw River’s head pop up from the corner of her eye. “It stirred something unfamiliar in me.” She met his gaze. “And I don’t know how to deal with that,” she whispered.
This was true. She knew she grabbed him and pulled him closer to her when she wanted—or she thought she had wanted—to push him away.
River scooted closer to her, and she shut her eyes. He brushed his hand along her hair, not saying anything.
“I don’t know what’s happening between us,” she murmured.
“Believe or it not, this is confusing for me too.”
She chuckled, mainly as a distraction from his intimate touch. “I know you’re enjoying what this might mean for you,” she said with a smile. “I know you too well not to believe otherwise.”
River gave a short laugh while he dropped his hand back to his lap. “Yeah, I’m excited about what’s to come.” Then his mood turned somber. “But I love you, Legacy. I know you’re hurting right now. No matter how happy I may be thinking about the possibilities, I know those possibilities aren’t coming without a price—your pain. And I really don’t like that.”
She didn’t want to talk about the reason she was in pain, and if she didn’t know any better, she might actually believe his sincerity.
“I just think that I’m going to need some time, River. I-I can’t make any promises about what might happen. Right now, I’m still having a hard time letting go of Adin.” She sighed and looked away.
River stroked her face again and gently turned it to face him. “Baby, he was your first love. He’ll always have a place in your heart.”
“I-I know,” she said on the verge of tears. She didn’t want to cry about Adin in front of River. She took a deep breath and forced a small smile on her face. “You don’t know what it means to me, you helping me.”
“You don’t know what it means to me, you allowing me to help you,” he whispered.
The front door opened, and River took his hand off her face.
Lissa walked into the living room. “Hey, kids.”
They both greeted her as she dropped her briefcase and walked back out.
“I should go,” River said, standing.
Legacy walked him to his car and stood beside him by the door. He gently wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. She hugged him back, and he kissed the top of her head before letting go.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said as he opened his door.
“Not if I see you first.” She giggled.
“Oh, right. I forgot about our little bet.”
“Well, crap. I shouldn’t have said anything then.”
River laughed, shaking his head as he got in his car. She watched him drive away before walking back inside. As soon as she walked in, she saw Lissa standing in the hallway.
“What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?” Legacy asked timidly.
“You’ve been crying in your room for weeks. You had a dream that pointed the blame of your pain to River, and now—all of a sudden—you’re laughing and carrying on with him.”
“He’s my friend,” she said, shrugging.
“Legacy, you know I like River…but you were ready to rip him a new one just a few days ago.”
“I’ve decided there’s a better way to deal with him.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that it’s River’s turn to be played.”
Lissa expression became horrified. “Legacy! That is too dangerous. River is a god. A god! If you purposely defy him, he could, he could, I-I don’t know what he could do.” Lissa had stepped up to her and shook Legacy during her tirade.
Legacy crossed her arms as she stared at her. “He’ll learn never to double-cross me again.”
“Legacy, that is total—” Lissa shook her head and cleared her throat as she released her grip on her arms and gently caressed them. “Legacy, you may be a goddess one day, but you still have feelings. You getting close to River may have huge consequences when it comes to your emotion.”
“I’m aware of that, but this is the best thing for me to do right now.”
“I think you need to focus on your change and not this silly scheme. River may be the reason your progress is off, but you should be focusing on getting it back on track, not punishing River for causing this damage.” Lissa let go of her with a frustrated huff. “Quit acting like a spoiled little teenager and start acting like a goddess!”
In theory, she was right.
In theory.
The reality of it was that she was hurt, betrayed. She needed to punish River for what he’d done, but what she realized this afternoon was she couldn’t just put on an act and have him fall for it. Her energy would give her away if she kept trying that. If she wanted this to work, she would have to resort to taking drastic measures.
She would have to let go of her anger and really believe that she wanted to be with River, so her energy would not betray her. She wanted to hurt him like he’d hurt her, but what was even harder to accept was she’d have to let go of this anger and truly believe she was falling for him so that it’d work.
If she didn’t, her energy would hamper her goal.
She just couldn’t pretend that she was falling for River.
She had to really fall for him, and risk the consequences of knowing what hell was really like.
Chapter Four
After having gone to bed, Legacy had fallen asleep thinking about Adin and River. She’d experienced a dream where she sat in a field, meditating under a vibrant sky. As she meditated, clouds started rolling in, and she heard her mother’s voice.
“He lies,” she said softly.
Legacy had woken up the following morning thinking about this new dream. Since her mom had said, “he lies,” she’d obviously been talking about a man. There were only a couple of men in Legacy’s life. If the dream was about Adin, then she had no idea what the message meant. She knew Adin had kept things from her in the past, and she didn’t understand what he meant by having skills and things not being as they seemed, but she didn’t know if those things constituted as lies.
River, on the other hand, was a natural liar. The dream could have very easily been about him. It would have made more sense if she’d had that dream before she figured out he was a liar. If the dream was about him, then she got the feeling it referenced lies she wasn’t aware of, which provided another reason for her to get close to him.
Not wanting to lose the bet she had with River, Legacy got ready quickly for school, picking out another cute outfit. She ran down the stairs and jumped in her car. She was going to win this! Yeah, it might be silly on the whole grand scheme of things, but she was competitive. She quickly made her way to the campus and she actually squealed when she didn’t see his car in the parking lot. She parked her car and dashed to their regular picnic table, but as she rounded the corner, she saw River already sitting down, facing her direction.