Hades | ✓

Chapter 18 (unedited)

She's dead. She can't be dead. The one thing that I could count on all the time whenever I needed was just gone in the blink of an eye. My body and heart felt numb. I felt exposed in every way possible. Nana had always been my safe haven, my shield. Now she was gone and I was never going to be able to see her again.

A thought bounced into my mind. Wouldn't Hades have known she was dead? I mean, he works all the time and he knows when people die and whatnot? He should've known, right? No. I'm not going to put thoughts like that in m head. He wouldn't have taken me here if he knew she was dead.

I was currently in the car, half in Hade's lap, and crying my eyes out. We had parked at the McDonald's nearby and we were waiting for me to calm down. We've been here for twenty minutes already and I'm still here. Still crying uncontrollably and literally shaken from my head to my feet. Hade's kept trying to console me but it only made me cry harder and harder. He learned his lesson and stopped by just holding me and letting me cry into his chest.

I was a mess to be reckoned with.

I slowly sat up and took calming deep breaths. I wiped at my eyes and tried to not imagine what my raccoon face must look like. Curse you mascara! I was able to get myself to calm down and felt my body relax a little bit from exhaustion. I still felt a few tears fall, but I quickly patted them dry.

"Are you okay, Princess?" Okay. It was a dumb question because I was not okay. But, I knew he was just being sweet and I thanked him for it. Even though it wasn't true, I nodded my head anyway.

"I'll be fine. I just have to remember that she is in a better place now," I froze and then realized who I was talking too. "Or.. um, she might be in a better place."

"Are you ready to go to Naomi's? We don't have to do it today." I shook my head at him.

"No. It's alright. We already came all this why, so why not just continue? Anyway, I am going to be the Goddess of the Underworld tomorrow. We need to do this today." Woah. I am going to become a goddess tomorrow? That's nuts. I never thought anything this would happen to me. Heck! I didn't think this could happen to anyone!

Hades looked at the driver and he pulled back onto the road. Hera, mom, continued to look back and forth between Hades and me. She hasn't said anything to me since I was at Nana's hou- old house.

I sat in silence the rest of the way as the driver continued to drive to Naomi's house. I tried to keep my thoughts off of Nana. Even though it's a hard task, I am able to succeed. I try to keep my thought's on tomorrow. I don't really know how the whole thing works, but I only imagine a crown being placed on my head as I kneel on the ground. I'm sure that's not how it actually works.

We pulled into Naomi's two story house. It didn't look like either of her parents were home. They were probably at work. Her house was white and had a very modern family home. Large bay windows and a big door with a lot of flower plants in the front. I walked up the front steps and felt butterflies fly in my stomach, yet again.

I put my hand in a fist and gently knocked my fist on the door. I felt a hand on my lower back and leaned into it for support. I hear footsteps pound softly to the door and then the door handle twists opened. And there, in front of me, is my best friend in all her glory.

"Camry? Is that really you?" I wanted to roll my eyes at her. She could be so ridiculous at times. I nodded my head. "Yes, it's me you dufus."

A big smile appeared on her face and she jumped up and pulled me into a big hug. I felt tears pierce my eyes as I think about how much I had missed her. Still hugging, she says, "Where the hell have you've been!? I've been going crazy looking for you! Even the cops are looking for you!" I felt a slap on the back of the head and knew she didn't use any real force.

I pulled back and quickly wiped my eyes before explaining. "Look. I can't explain much. But, I came here to say... I came here to say goodbye." Confusion flashed across her face and then it seemed to hit her that I wasn't alone. She looked at Hades behind me, at his hand on my waist, and back at me.

"Camry, I don't understand. Who is that guy?" She had the tendency to talk about people like they weren't even there. Even though they are. I wanted to answer her, but I didn't know how much I could say. We really should have planned this. I looked back at Hades and I knew he saw me asking for his help.

"Hello, Naomi. It is nice to meet you. I have heard so many great things about you. I'm Hades." Hades held his hand out to shake. His face held a pleasant smile and I thought it was really funny how he introduced himself. Naomi reached out cautiously and shook his hand.

"Um, hi. May I ask, how do you two know each other?"

I nearly choked on my own spit when he said, "She is to be my queen, the Goddess of the Underworld, tomorrow." Way to be subtle, Hades.

Honestly, I've never seen Naomi so scared out of her life. "Camry. You need to explain what's going on and you need to explain it now." I shut my eyes tight and nodded.

"Can we go inside? This may take a while."

An hour later I am sitting on the living room loveseat with Hades next to me. I was watching as Naomi paced up and down the lengths of the room.

"Will you sit down already? You're really freaking me out." She stopped and looked at me. Tears were in her eyes as she said, "I'm never going to see you again am I?" I wanted so desperately to say that we would see each other, but I doubted it.

"No. I will not be able to leave the Underworld or Olympus unless it's an emergency. Going to, um.. the human world is not something that we can do a lot."

"The human world, right." Naomi paused and patted the tears from her blue eyes. He mouth opens in an 'O' shape and her eyes widen. "Did you go and try to see Nana?" Yes, even Naomi called her Nana. I gave her a sad smile and nodded. "Oh, my gods. Camry I am so sorry you had to go through that. I didn't want them to sell the house. I mean, it was supposed to go to you, but everyone thought you died or were kidnapped. They saw your bike abandoned in the middle of the road and.. I thought you were gone." I was about to say something when she continued on, "Do you have to leave now?"

I looked at Hades questioningly. He would know when we had to leave. He looked at the clock on the wall and back at me and nodded. I understood what that meant.

"Yeah. It looks like I do have to leave now." Tears rush to my eyes and I don't even try to hide them anymore. I pulled Naomi into a hug as we cry together. "I am going to miss you so much. I am not going to lose hope, though. There could be a chance we could still see each other. Okay?" I felt her head bob.

I pulled away a grabbed Hades hand in mine. Naomi looked to it and I swear I saw a smile on her face. She looked at Hades and her voice became rough. "I swear to all the, however, many gods there are if you so much as hurt her by stepping on her toe I will find you and I will hurt you. Got it?" I've never seen Hades as scared as he was in the single moment. With wide eyes he nods his head and walks out the door, giving me a minute alone with my best friend.

"I love you Camry."

"I love you too, Naomi."

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A/N~ Ah! Only a few more chapters and then this book is done! I am so excited to finish it that I will try and finish it this week! When I finish this I won't go into the second book right away, but just know that there IS gonna be a second book. I will begin to work more on Kiss Cam and get that one going. I'll let you know when I think I'll start book 2!

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