Roman Flames

Chapter Four: The Flirtation

Chapter Four: The Flirtation

Sanctius

“Gods, Sanctius, you’re always working,” said Maria, leaning against the bar as I was cleaning. I paused to look at her.

“It’s the least I can do for Antonia,” I replied. “She’s done so much for me.”

She sighed. “Come on, just take a break with me for a while,” she begged. My shoulders slumped. It could take away some stress. I was still very upset about losing my father’s necklace yesterday.

“Where do you want to go?” I relented. She grinned.

“Thank you,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “Come on.” She grabbed my hand and started pulling me away from the counter.

“Hold on, let me at least tell Antonia that I’m leaving for a while.”

“Right,” she said. “I’ll wait here.” I left to find Antonia, who was bringing some dirty plates to the back so Phaedra could wash them.

“Antonia,” I said. “Could I—”

“Go, Sanctius. You’ve been working since dawn. You’re making my son a lazy cow!”

I laughed. “I don’t think Decimus will appreciate that.”

“Tough for him. Now go! Go have fun with”—she turned to give me a smile—“Maria.” I rolled my eyes at her implications.

“I’ll be back soon, Antonia,” I said as I left to meet with Maria again.

“Is everything okay with her?” she asked. I nodded, and Maria smiled in return. “Good. You need a distraction.” She grabbed my hand again and led me out of the tavern.

Maria is like me—like Antonia, Phaedra, Decimus, and my parents. She shares in our secret. She’s seventeen, a year younger than me, and lively and pretty, I suppose. The other youths always looked at her, and I’m sure they thought about her a lot. Her long, light brown hair curls at the ends, and she rarely wears it up. She comes from a good family—well, as good as it could get when you were like us. And she is very pious. If I should remember only one thing about Maria, it’s her piety.

We’d been friends as long as Decimus and I had been friends. Through him, actually, is how I met her.

She led me down a lightly trodden path, and I knew immediately where she was taking me. Decimus, Phaedra, and I went there often when we weren’t working. It was a warm spring, hidden from the rest of the world. It was one of the few places we could be ourselves.

I laughed. “You wanted to take me swimming?”

She shrugged. “Sure. Plus, you know this is the best place to talk.”

I tensed when she said ‘talk.’ Usually, nothing good ever came from ‘talks’ and I knew that very well.

“Ah…what needs discussion here?” I asked, probably a little roughly. I distracted myself by pulling off my tunic and taking off my sandals. I straightened the kilt I wore underneath (It was getting cooler in Rome) and I stuck my feet into the warm water. Again, I felt very empty without my—

“Your face is bruised,” she said. I sighed and shook my head.

“I’m not talking about that, Maria. Not today.” I jumped into the water, which was about waist deep, and I could feel her eyeing me. I was starting to feel very uncomfortable, something I rarely felt around her. I knew she was staring at me, at all my scars I had earned from fighting. “Are you going to get in?”