Love Me Crazy

7. Dwellings, Daughters, And Deities

Dwellings, Daughters, and Deities

"Your going to his house tonight…wow Mary, you are one brave girl."

I just shook my head as I shoved a spoonful of my strawberry yogurt into my famished mouth. Melody was in the process of lecturing me on my courage and honor. I suppose a girl being invited to the Welles house was a special occasion. I knew deep within the intricate hell of my soul, I was terrified. For today, this Thursday afternoon, it had just dawned on me that I would actually have to go see Bastion in his true environment.

I hadn't even known the true meaning of being invited until I told my friends. They all gasped at once, like a cold wind blowing through a narrow tunnel. Then they began to gap about the craziness of my decision and how I would end up homeless in some foreign country if I didn't decline.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to make a move on you," Harry murmured, struggling to catch my gaze, "You might want to tell him you have a boyfriend…you know, for protection. Just tell him you're dating Harry Butler."

"I don't think telling Bastion Welles that the new girl is dating you will scare him in the least," Ryan remarked with disdain, "It will probably make the hunt all the more riveting for him."

"Mary is not a dog, Ryan. Bastion is a creeper but I don't think…" Vida started before her voice trailed off into nothingness. I was pretty certain her point of view was changing rapidly.

"Maybe this is a hunt to him," she retorted instead.

My eyes were twitching as were my toes. All this talk of hunts and stalkers was starting to make me more angered than frightened. They didn't know anything about Bastion. Given, I didn't know one thing about him either but I decided to ignore that little fact.

"You should go…" I heard Leon whisper as the other four began to bicker about the "creepers" house.

I glanced up at Leon who was smiling. And yet, even though a grin spread across his face, I knew he was lying. I could tell by the way his eyes didn't crinkle in the corners. Or the way his nose was turned down instead of up. Leon was thinking the same thing everyone else was.

But I didn't say anything. I just nodded with a small beam before returning back to my yogurt in silence.

I had fought the entire way. When I told my mother I was going to "Beanie's" house, she did her little happy dance before telling me that I couldn't back out. I had to go. I literally wrestled with Oliver as he forced me into his car. I couldn't go to Bastion's house. I just simply couldn't. Oliver didn't care. He, being the social butterfly that he is, had already found himself a girlfriend in Phoenix and needed to get me off his hand. It was his duty to drop me off and that was just what he was going to do.

When we arrived to the address on Mr. Welle's contact information sheet, Oliver pushed me out of the car before quickly speeding off into the distance. I didn't even have a chance to make a stupid excuse.

I was stuck.

"Oh my…" I murmured as my eyes averted to the house before me. No, it wasn't a house. It was a mansion.

Four pillars stood valiantly in front of the three story manor. The dark brown paint that covered the whole shindig looked like dark chocolate melting down the sides of a graham cracker. Massive windows covered everywhere and anywhere you could imagine. Two large but rather short doors were planted directly in the center of the madness, huge brass doorknobs locking the whole world out of its beauty. Even the grass that was slowly turning brown looked beautiful. In the far corners of the front yard, I could still see flowers in bloom.