Dionysus (Hades Series #1.5)

Chapter Four - Kenzie

Chapter Four

'Kenzie!"

I slip my headphones out of my ears and pause the video lecture I'm watching. "It's open."

My seventeen-year-old sister pokes her head through the door, frowning a little when she sees what I'm doing. "Seriously? You're still studying?"

"I couldn't go to uni yesterday Grace." I reply quietly, leaning on the back of my chair and swivelling around to look at her. I don't even realise that I'm self-consciously pulling down the sleeves of my light-grey sweater until she stares at my wrists. "And I needed to catch up on the lectures. My psych finals are in two days."

"Kenzie..." She bites her lip, but I shake my head.

"Don't involve yourself Grace. What did you want?"

"Dad wants you."

Slivers of fear trickle down my spine at those three words. I swallow, slipping on the expressionless mask that I've spent years mastering. "Ok. Is Jasmine-"

"She's out the back playing in the garden." Grace nods, knowing exactly what I want her to do. "I'll go distract her."

"Thanks."

I don't say another word, so she slips out my door again. Even though Grace is my sister, our relationship has fizzled out into one that's purely platonic; now, the only interactions we have with each other is either warning the other or protecting Jasmine from growing up the way that we did. It's been like that ever since our mother died.

The world is oddly black and white when the only familial bond you're familiar with is the bruises and occasional broken bones of supposed 'parental love'.

I slip out out of my room and down the stairs, pulling the sleeves of my jersey down and over my hands again; something I've always done when I'm nervous. I hear muted noises coming from the tv and swallow again, clenching and unclenching my fingers.

If he's watching tv, then maybe he's in a good mood.

"You wanted to see me?" I speak up hesitantly, standing hidden in the doorway.

He barely turns his head to acknowledge me. "Why didn't you go to university today Makenzie?"

"I didn't have any lectures today." Inwardly I curse at the way my voice squeaks.

"Why not?" He slowly turns to look at me. That's when I see the beer bottle in his hand.

Crap.

"I-it's so close to finals, some of my lectures were canceled."

"That's complete bullshit Makenzie!" He explodes, and I flinch. "Why are you skipping lectures?"

"I'm not!"

"Stop lying to me!" He slams the bottle down on the table and stands up. "You are not being a responsible adult Makenzie! You disgrace my expectations!"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" He snaps, backhanding me. I bounce off the doorway so hard that I'm a little surprised I don't see cartoon stars spiraling around my head like a demented halo. "This is not who I raised you to be! What kind of example are you trying to set for your sisters?"

I blink back the tears pooling in the corners of my eyes and stare out the window behind his head so I don't have to look him in the eye. "I-I don't know."

"And you won't know if you continue to skip your classes and set such a bad example for your sisters!" He growls. "You're dishonoring the family name!"