Chapter 5

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Finally, everyone had bid their farewells, and the house returned to blissful silence—well, almost. Everyone was gone except Evander. Of course, he had to be the last one lingering.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. Great. Now I have to figure out how to politely escort him out.

As I walked into the living room, I spotted him lounging comfortably on the couch, flipping through a familiar book. My heart sank. Of all things, he’d picked up my favourite book—a collection of Greek mythology.

Evander glanced up, catching my expression. “You’re obsessed with Greek mythology, huh?” he asked, his tone teasing yet curious.

I folded my arms. “Since middle school, actually,” I said, keeping my voice neutral. “Even my history teacher thought I’d wandered into the wrong class because I kept quoting myths during lessons.”

He smirked, holding up the book. “Figures. Let me guess—your favourite is either Athena or Hades, right? You give off those vibes.”

I raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. “Hades? Really?”

He shrugged. “Smart, mysterious, and surprisingly misunderstood? Yeah, sounds like someone I know.”

I rolled my eyes, snatching the book from his hands. “Wrong. It’s Artemis, actually.”

“Ah,” he said, leaning back with a knowing grin. “The independent goddess who doesn’t need anyone. Makes sense.”

I ignored his comment and placed the book carefully back on the shelf. “Anyway, you should probably get going. It’s been a long day, and I’m sure you’ve got things to do.”

“Actually,” he said, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “I don’t.”

I groaned internally. Of course, you don’t.

“Well, I do,” I said pointedly. “So, come on. I’ll walk you to the door.”

Evander stood up slowly, his grin never wavering. “Alright, alright. Don’t worry, Cal. I’m not planning to move in just yet.”

“Good,” I shot back, heading toward the door with him following behind.

As we reached the entryway, he paused, turning to look at me. “You know,” he said, his tone more serious now, “it’s not every day you meet someone who can geek out over myths and handle all this chaos.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. “Thanks… I think?”

He chuckled, slipping on his shoes. “I’ll see you around, Cal.”

With that, he finally stepped out, leaving me standing there, staring at the closed door. I shook my head, letting out a sigh of relief. The house was finally quiet again. But as I glanced back at my bookshelf, I couldn’t help but feel like the chaos wasn’t quite over yet.

I opened my Greek mythology book, the familiar pages soothing me as I sank into the stories. Just as I was getting lost in the tales of gods and heroes, my mother knocked gently on my door and peeked inside.

“Dear, are you free to talk?” she asked softly.

I nodded, patting the bed beside me to invite her in. She stepped inside and sat down, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

“So, what is it, Mom?” I asked, closing my book but keeping a finger on the page to save my spot.

She smiled, her expression warm but slightly serious. “Dear, I want you to follow your heart’s desires,” she said, her tone thoughtful.

I tilted my head, curiosity sparking. “Why would you say that?”

She sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Because I’ve seen you put so much effort into making everyone else happy—your work, your family, your friends. But I don’t want you to lose sight of what makes you happy in the process.”

I blinked, taken aback. “Mom, I’m fine. I love what I do, and I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing anything.”

She placed a gentle hand on mine. “I know you love your work and your friends, but love isn’t just about passion for a career or taking care of everyone else. It’s about allowing yourself to be vulnerable, to let someone in, and to trust that they’ll cherish your heart as much as you do theirs.”

I frowned slightly, a thought already forming in the back of my mind. “Is this about Evander?”

She chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling. “He seems… very fond of you, dear. But this isn’t just about him. It’s about you knowing that it’s okay to let someone in, whether it’s him or someone else in the future.”

I looked down at the cover of my book, tracing the embossed title with my fingers. “It’s not that easy, Mom.”

“I know,” she said, squeezing my hand. “But nothing worthwhile ever is. Just promise me you’ll think about it. You deserve happiness, Cal. In every form.”

I nodded slowly, the weight of her words settling in my chest. “I’ll think about it, Mom.”

She smiled and kissed my forehead before standing up. “Good. Now, don’t stay up too late reading, alright?”

I watched her leave, the room falling silent once more. Picking up my book again, I stared at the page but couldn’t focus. My mother’s words lingered, intertwining with thoughts of Evander and everything else I’d been carefully avoiding.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure what my heart’s desires truly were. Or it is?

……

That night, as I drifted into sleep, my dreams carried me to a place I’d only ever read about—Ancient Greece. The marble columns, the flickering torches, and the crisp night air all felt hauntingly real. I wandered through a grand hall, my sandals clicking against the polished stone floor, yet an unsettling sensation prickled the back of my neck.

Someone was watching me.

I didn’t turn around, forcing myself to stay calm despite the unease coursing through me. My eyes fell on a sealed envelope lying atop a marble pedestal. Curiosity outweighed my fear as I picked it up, breaking the intricate wax seal.

Inside was a letter, written in elegant, flowing script:

“My dear Calista, I have come far to see you, but I will bide my time to meet you soon. My dear Calista, we shall be together again soon.

Love, Agamemnon.”

My breath hitched as the words sunk in. Agamemnon? My mind reeled. The name itself brought shivers down my spine. Why was he addressing me like this?

Before I could make sense of it, the unsettling sensation of being watched grew stronger. A shadow moved in the corner of my vision, and I froze. Then, I felt it—a faint, icy touch brushing against my shoulder.

Panic surged through me, and I spun around, only to see nothing but darkness. My legs trembled, and I let out a blood-curdling scream. “Ahh!”

Suddenly, the world tilted, and I jolted awake, gasping for air. My heart raced as I sat up, clutching my blanket. The familiar surroundings of my bedroom grounded me, but the fear lingered like a heavy fog.

I ran a shaky hand through my hair, trying to catch my breath. “It was just a dream,” I muttered to myself, though it felt more vivid than any dream I’d ever had.

But then… I felt it. A faint, cold sensation lingered on my shoulder, exactly where I’d been touched in the dream. My eyes darted around the room, searching for an explanation, but it was empty.

My chest tightened as my mind spiralled. Am I hallucinating? I wondered, gripping the blanket tighter. The words from the letter echoed in my head: “We shall be together again soon.”

Desperate to shake the unease, I reached for the lamp beside my bed and turned it on, flooding the room with light. But the shadows in my mind refused to vanish.

I couldn’t help but wonder—was this truly just a dream? Or was something else reaching out to me?

Shaking off the remnants of the dream, I reached for my Greek mythology book and flipped through its worn pages until I found the section on Agamemnon. The familiar smell of the book’s aged paper helped calm me as I read.

“Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, was the commander of the Achaeans during the Trojan War. A man of immense power and ambition, yet entangled in the web of fate and deception. Known not only as a leader but also as a figure of both deceiver and deceived; both a knowing perpetrator and an unknowing victim of ‘evil deception’ (ἀπάτη).”

The words struck a chord, echoing the unease lingering from my dream. I frowned, tracing the text with my finger. The dream had felt far too real—the letter, the shadow, the touch. My mind replayed every detail. Agamemnon, addressing me as if we were connected. It didn’t make sense.

“Deceiver and deceived,” I muttered, closing the book and resting my head against the pillow. The phrase gnawed at me. What was he trying to tell me? Was it a warning? Or a message cloaked in riddles?

A chill ran down my spine as I glanced at the window. The night was still, but the shadows seemed darker and heavier. I shook my head and stood, pacing the room. “It’s just a dream,” I whispered, though I couldn’t convince myself entirely.

I returned to the book, flipping through the pages of Greek tragedies. The story of Agamemnon’s betrayal by his wife, Clytemnestra, and his tragic fate played out in my mind. His arrogance and thirst for power had led to his downfall. A man blinded by his own ambition, unaware of the traps laid for him.

It was then that I realized something—his story wasn’t just about war or betrayal. It was a cautionary tale about balance and consequences, about how one’s choices ripple far beyond what they can foresee.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. The dream was trying to tell me something, but what? Could it be a reflection of my own life? Or was it something more sinister?

A knock on the door startled me, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Cal? Are you okay?” Carl’s voice broke the silence.

I hesitated before answering. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… couldn’t sleep.”

The door creaked open, and he stepped in, his brow furrowed with concern. “You’ve been acting weird all day. Is something bothering you?”

I hesitated, debating whether to tell him about the dream. Finally, I shook my head. “No, just… reading too much Greek mythology, I guess.”

He chuckled. “You and your myths. Don’t let them mess with your head, okay? It’s just stories.”

“Yeah, just stories,” I echoed, though deep down, I wasn’t so sure anymore.

I sat there, lost in my thoughts, staring at the closed book in front of me. Maybe I should start a journal, I mused. Writing everything down might help me make sense of these strange dreams and nagging feelings. Or it might just remind me of how crazy I was starting to feel. Either way, it was worth a try.

“Cal? Cal?” Carl’s voice cut through my daze, snapping me back to reality. He waved his hand in front of my face, smirking. “Hello? Did you gaze into another universe or something?”

I blinked, realizing I’d been zoning out for too long. “Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just… thinking.”

“Thinking so hard you left Earth for a moment?” Carl teased, folding his arms. “What’s on your mind? Let me guess—Greek mythology again?”

I rolled my eyes. “You act like that’s the only thing I ever think about.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Am I wrong?”

I sighed and stood up. “No, you’re not. But still, I need to clear my head. I think I’ll go buy a notebook or something for journal entries. Maybe writing things down will help.”

Carl shrugged. “If it works for you, go for it. Just don’t fill it with ancient Greek love letters or something weird.”

I shot him a glare. “Very funny.”

As I grabbed my coat and bag, Carl followed me to the door. “Want me to drive you? Or are you planning to wander off and stare at notebooks for three hours while you debate which one is ‘worthy’ of your thoughts?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “First of all, I don’t take three hours. Second of all, I can manage on my own, thank you very much.”

He laughed. “Alright, suit yourself. Just don’t get lost in the stationary aisle.”

Shaking my head, I stepped outside, feeling the cool evening air hit my face. Maybe this was what I needed—a little fresh air and a new notebook to help me untangle the growing mess in my mind.

As I walked down the street, I couldn’t shake the lingering sense of unease. Agamemnon’s letter, the shadow in my dream, the cold touch on my shoulder—it all felt like a puzzle waiting to be solved. And for some reason, I had a sinking feeling this wasn’t the last time I’d feel that creeping dread.

I glanced down at my phone, and my eyes widened. 10 p.m.?

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, scratching my head in frustration. “Did I seriously just leave the house at this time?” I could almost hear Carl’s sarcastic remarks already.

This was so like me—getting lost in my own thoughts, only to completely lose track of time. I sighed, ruffling my hair in exasperation. “Good job, Calista. Truly a genius move. Next time, maybe check the time before running out like a maniac.”

Realizing the streets were quieter than I was comfortable with, I quickly turned back the way I came, pulling my coat tighter around me. The crisp night air nipped at my cheeks, making me walk faster. What was I even thinking? Going out this late for a notebook?

As I hurried home, I couldn’t help but laugh softly at myself. “You’re really losing it, Calista. First weird dreams, now wandering the streets like a lost character in some Greek tragedy. Hilarious.”

The warm glow of the house lights finally came into view, and I let out a relieved breath. I stepped inside, closing the door behind me as quietly as I could.

And, of course, the first thing I heard was Carl’s voice. “Well, well, look who decided to come back. Did you solve the mysteries of the universe, or did you get stuck in the notebook aisle like I predicted?”

I glared at him as I slipped off my coat. “Don’t start.”

He leaned against the doorway, smirking. “Did you at least find a notebook worthy of your oh-so-profound thoughts?”

“No,” I snapped, kicking off my shoes. “I didn’t even make it to the store.”

Carl raised an eyebrow. “So you just… went for a nighttime stroll instead? At 10 p.m.? Alone?”

I groaned. “I didn’t realize what time it was, okay? Can we drop it now?”

He chuckled, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. “Next time, try checking the time before you leave. Just a suggestion.”

“Thanks for the life advice, Carl,” I said dryly, heading toward my room.

As I closed the door behind me, I leaned against it and sighed. I really needed to get my act together. Maybe tomorrow I’d try again—with a little more awareness of time and place. For now, though, I just wanted to crawl into bed and put this ridiculous night behind me.

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