Hades Legacy (Hades Series #3)

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

"Ellie!"

I look up from my book when I hear my name in time to see Eric crossing the campus quad towards me with a determined look on his face. Immediately I break eye contact and duck my head, dropping my book on the ground and switching on my invisibility. Jasmine laughs at my reaction.

"You do realise he saw you, right?" She says bemusedly. "You might be able to escape me by turning invisible, but I don't think you'll be as successful with him."

"I wasn't trying to escape you." I retort lamely.

"You were so!" She exclaims, laughing. "You literally turned invisible the moment I tried to ask you last night what that text message meant! You couldn't have made it any less subtle that you were trying to avoid having to tell me what it meant. Which is exactly what you're doing with Eric right now." She gives me a look. "He knows you are here and you pretty much confirmed to him that you're ignoring him."

"Well he'll definitely know I'm here if you keep talking to thin air Jas."

"Oh well then, I'm sorry for talking to you, Thin Air." She jokes, and I smack her. "Seriously though El. How much longer are you going to ignore him?"

"I'm not ignoring him. I'm avoiding him. There's a difference."

"Fine, Miss Particular. How long are you going to avoid him?" She presses, giving me - well, my general direction - a look. "It's been four days. I'm pretty sure you've punished the dude enough for standing you up; just forgive him already so the next three days of your time up here aren't awkward for us all."

"It's not just because he stood me up, Jas."

"Okay fine, because he stood you up and because you-" I elbow her hard before she can say anything else. She winces, looking up at Eric just as he comes to a stop in front of us. She throws him a pained smile. "Eric! Hey! What's up?"

Eric doesn't reply to her, picking up my book and throwing it at me. It hits me with such force that I'm literally smacked back into view with a yelp. I throw the book back at him and give him a dirty look. "What was that for?"

He juts his chin out, folding his arms over his chest. "Why are you ignoring me?"

I don't reply, glancing over at Jasmine. She holds her hands up in the air. "Don't look at me. I'm not about to get in the middle of your domestic dispute."

I glare at her to disguise the way my cheeks heat up at her remark. Funnily enough, Eric seems to have the same reaction as I do. "This isn't a domestic dispute."

"Sure it isn't." She drawls, pushing herself up to her feet. I frown up at her, slight panic zipping through my veins.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to go and distract the gang for a bit so we can all avoid being a part of what I'm sure is going to be an incredibly awkward conversation." She tells me brightly. "Please don't call me over until you're finished grumping at each other."

"Jas wait-" I start to call after her but she completely ignores me, skipping over to talk to Otti, Ria, Josh and Alex. The latter grins and waves when he notices me, causing a small smile to spread over my lips in response.

When I reluctantly turn my gaze back to Eric, the frown on his face has deepened even more. The smile drops off my face. I draw my knees up to my chest, avoiding his gaze.

Eric picks up the book again and throws it at me, repeating his earlier question. "Why are you ignoring me?"

I catch the book before it hits me this time. "Would you quit throwing that at me?"