In the Land of Gods and Monsters

Chapter Four

A/N: Short update, but hoping to have the next part up soon! Thanks for reading! 

The next day I again woke up with a pounding headache in a heap with Scarlett and Gwen. Scarlett snored loudly and Gwen seemed peaceful as I got up and went to get some Advil and toast. As I was swallowing the pills, my phone started to buzz in my pocket, where I had apparently put it last night.

"Who is this?" I said, picking up.

"Poppy, where are you? I said I would pick you up at twelve and you are not here." I recognized the voice immediately and took another gulp of water.

"Well, first, I never agreed to that plan. And, second, its not really any of your business where I am or what I'm doing," I said, putting my hand on my pounding head. I heard him breath deeply into the phone.

"I need to speak with you," he said.

"Well I'm hung-over as fuck so it will have to wait," I said, laying down on the couch and closing my eyes.

"Alright. Call me when you can talk," he said. The line went dead and I closed my eyes again.

When I opened my eyes for the second time that day, Gwen and Scarlett stood above me.

"Thank god you're okay! We freaked when we didn't see you upstairs," Scarlett cooed, patting my head. Gwen looked slightly less worried, but still annoyed.

"Its three o'clock," she announced. I sprang up, the pounding from before having lessened greatly.

"I have to get home!" I cried, quickly running up the stairs to change.

"Your mom has already called twice. We told her you were still asleep, don't worry," Gwen called up. I breathed out a sigh of relief. At least my mom knew I was okay. I still needed to make it home before it was much later though. I jogged down the stairs, hugged each girl, and waltzed out the door.

"Meet at Cook's at seven!" cried Scarlett as I left. I shot her a thumbs up and got into my car.

When I got home, my mom was in the kitchen, starting our Sunday dinner. My older brother, Harry, stood beside her, cutting up bread. He had graduated college last year and lived in an apartment closer to the city for an easy commute. He grinned at me when I walked in.

"Crazy night, Pops?" he said wryly. I scowled at him and my mom laughed.

"I told you to be careful!" she called as I hurried up the stairs to shower. Within thirty minutes I walked back down, clean and refreshed. Dinner was on the table, as it was every Sunday at five o'clock.

"This looks amazing Mom," I said, sitting down. Harry and Mom began to reach for the food and I followed suit.

"Your brother helped too," she said, smiling and patting his arm. I laughed and rolled my eyes. Cutting up the bread didn't count for much.

"Are you doing anything tonight?" asked my mother.

"Just Cook's with Scarlett and Gwen," I said, shoveling spaghetti into my mouth. My mom smiled.

Suddenly, we all heard a knock at the front door. This was unheard of during Sunday dinner and I was about to simply ignore it until I spotted a familiar car in the driveway.

"I've got it!" I cried, sprinting out of my chair and toward the door. I opened it slowly and slunk onto the front porch, carefully closing the door behind me.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper yelled at Ezra.

"I told you to call me and you never did so now I am here," he stated matter-of-factly.

"My family is inside. This is seriously not cool," I said through gritted teeth. He just grinned.

"If only you had returned my call like I asked," he said.

"You're psychotic!" I cried.

"Poppy, who's at the door?" called my mom from inside.

"No one!" I screamed back, pushing Ezra off the porch and back toward his car.

"Cook's at seven. Don't come here again without my permission," I said. He nodded and retreated back to his car, waving largely at me. I rolled my eyes for what must have been the hundredth time in the past twenty-four hours.

I watched him drive away and then sprinted back inside to join my family for the rest of dinner. My mom and Harry eyed me suspiciously.

"Who was that? I didn't recognize his car," my mom began.

"It was nobody," I sing-songed back.

"It didn't look like nobody," said Harry, grinning.

"Who is that boy Poppy?" asked my mother again.

"Mom, he is a nobody, just this kid I met at the bonfire. Trust me, he means nothing," I said. She narrowed her eyes at me, but accepted this answer.

"Be careful," she warned.

"Trust me, Mom, I'm watching out," I responded, sipping my water and looking out the window toward where his car sat just a moment ago.