The next morning at breakfast I see as Karai has trouble eating her breakfast.
-Karai?
K-Hmm.
-Are you okay? Do you need any help?
She shakes her head and I continue eating my breakfast in silence.
K-Everything hurts.
-You did fight a strong opponent and you also went all out.
Ha-Where does it hurt exactly?
K-My arm, mostly.
Hades stands and goes to the kitchen and he comes back with an ice pack on his hand. He passes to Karai and she takes it.
Ha-This should help a bit. Put it where it hurts the most.
Karai puts it on her arm and then she stands and goes to the living room and turns the TV on. She puts her favorite channel on and she looks at the screen as the show plays but she doesn't really pays attention to the show as I see her frown and curse under her breath. I watch as her aura starts flowing out of her. I stand and go over her side. I sit at her side and I put a hand on her leg.
-Karai.
K-Hmm?
-Your aura, call it forth.
K-What?
-Is coming out.
When she realizes her aura is showing she stops what she's doing and she takes a deep breath and her aura disappears inside her.
K-Sorry.
Ha-What were you thinking about? What got you so mad?
K-Just remembering something that happened yesterday. Something that I wish it hadn't ever happen. Not like that at least and certainly not with him.
Ha-Are you referring to.....
K-Don't say it. But yes it is what you're thinking about. Oh how I wish he would just disappear.
-That's enough, let's stop talking about him and focus on something else. Why don't we speak about your fighting skills? We can certainly give you some tips.
K-Yes, especially when I have to use a weapon. I never feel comfortable when using those. I prefer to do a hand to hand combat. Swordplay is, it doesn't feel as natural and thus it doesn't feel comfortable in the least.
Ha-That is something we can work on after you're good.
K-But I can do it today, we can start today.
Ha- Not today you're not. You're hurt and you are not at your best right now.
K-But I'm fine now.
She stands and she groans as she holds her arm in pain. Hades puts her down on the couch again.
Ha-Don't force yourself, your arm is still hurt which reminds me, you haven't told me exactly why your arm hurts. I f it was him or a bad movement.
K-Rigth, well after he, you know, well the only reason he overpowered me there for a moment was because my arm started hurting from a bad hit. I did kept fighting just to wrap it up as soon as possible so I could stop and rest but to ease you it doesn't hurt because of a hit from him but for my carelessness during the fight. I have to keep training.
Hades ruffles her hair a bit and she growls a bit frustrated.
K-Hey, you're messing my hair.
Hades ruffles her hair a bit more laughing as he gives her a kiss on the cheek. She pouts crossing her arms but ends up smiling anyways.
K-You meanie. Can we go out?
Ha-Where?
K-Here.
She scrolls through her phone and pulls up a picture of a flyer for an air dancing show.
Ha-Should be fun, what do you say dear?
-I say what are we still doing here.
Ha-Then let's go. Go get dressed.
Karai smiles and she jolts up from the couch giving us a kiss each before she storms off to her room giggling as she goes. We go to our room and get changed as well. When we go out Karai is waiting for us by the door and she has dressed in all black.

K-What took you so long? Let's go.
Ha-Not just yet.
She groans tilting her head to the side and Hades goes over to her and puts her skirt a bit lower and gets her loose tie tight around her neck.
Ha-There you go. Now we can go.
Karai loosens her tie a bit as she passes by his side. She opens the door and goes out and I notice how she pulls her skirt up a bit to where it was before. Hades closes the door and when he turns and he sees Karai again he frowns.
Ha-Karai.
K-Yes?
Ha-Fix your clothes.
K-What's wrong with my clothes?
Ha-You're showing too much.
K-You know I'm not. Besides that's how this clothes are supposed to be wear.
Ha-Karai.
She groans and she unfolds a bit of her skirt. She looks at Hades for his opinion and she growls as she lowers it a bit more. Hades smiles and she rolls her eyes as she starts walking down the hallway.
Ha-Karai, wait for us.
K-I can't hear you.
Ha-What did I do?
-Really? She wanted to dress like a lady and not a little girl anymore. She's been saving that outfit for today. She was so excited saying that she could at last dress like a teen. I told her that you would react that way but she didn't believed me and now she's mad at herself.
Ha-How do I fix this?
I give him a kiss and a hug before I answer.
-You'll figure it out eventually. Just give her space and time and let her come to you. She's not a little girl anymore, and if your worry is because of boys, I'm sure you can scare them off with a look and Karai is more than capable of taking care by herself. She showed us that yesterday on her party.
Ha-So, leave her alone?
-Only for a couple days until she cools down.
He nods and we get to the car and go off. Karai doesn't speak a word in all the way there and when we get there she smiles knowingly. She takes my hand and pulls us inside as I take Hades's hand with my free hand. When we get to the seats she sits in a corner and pulls me to her side putting me between her and Hades. I look at Hades and he looks so down that I can almost feel it too. I look at him and then I look at Karai. I turn Hades to look at me and I whisper on his ear.
-Look at this.
I give him a kiss and then I kiss Karai's hand and I look at him with a smile and he passes his hand by the side of my face.
Ha-I love you. You're the best with your ideas.
-I know, I love you too. Now, can I have a kiss for myself?
He smiles knowingly and he gives me a kiss before we separate by the sound of the show starting.

After the show finishes we go back home. Karai keeps silent and when we get there she runs back to her room and locks the door.
-Karai, can you unlock the door?
K-No.
-Karai. I just want to talk to you.
K-You're talking.
-OK, what about this, you unlock the door but I keep out until you let me in. How about that?
K-Only if you stay out with the door closed?
-Is that fair?
There is silence and I hear as she unlocks the door.
-Thank you.
I give it a slight knock before speaking again.
-Can I enter?
K-You said you would stay out even if I unlocked the door.
-Then why don't you tell us exactly what's bothering you?
There is silence and I'm about to speak again when she speaks.
K-Is just, I don't understand why can't I use cute clothes like other girls my age. Why can't I choose how to dress without you hovering over me.
-Can I come in now?
K-Fine, come in.
I come in and she's reclining on top of her stuffed tiger playing with its tail and she's looking down. I sit in front of her and look at her.
-Hey.
K-Hi. I know you're there too dad, come on in.
Hades comes in a bit of shame reflected on his face. Karai stretches a hand without looking up and Hades takes it with hesitation.
K-You know I'll be fine. You can trust me. Can you let me dress a bit from time to time at least? I promise I'll keep it decent.
Ha-I know you will. Maybe just a bit wouldn't hurt as long as you ask first for my approval.
K-So you'll let me dress up a bit?
Ha-As long as you keep it decent, yes.
She hugs him with a smile on her face.
Ha-Does this mean you'll talk to me again?
K-Yes. Thank you.
She laughs and hug him tighter before asking him again.
K-So, did you guys enjoyed the show?
Ha-Yes, spectacular. The main dancer was very cute as well as she was talented.
I nudge Hades on his arm and he looks at me a bit hurt.
Ha-I said she was cute and talented. But you're even better. I love you.
K-Yeah mom. You know he loves you, a lot and I do mean a lot.
I cross my arms and look away and she nudges my side playfully.
K-Mom, come on. Say it, I know you want to say it. Mommy?
-I guess I could.
I look at Hades and he smiles at me with the same smile that stole my heart when I met him.
-Come here you.
I give him a kiss and we are pushed down by Karai as she celebrates our kiss. We laugh together for a while before getting up. Karai checks her phone and she smiles turning to us.
-What got you so happy?
K-You'll see.
With that she jumps out of bed and she goes to her closet and hangs her jacket on the door as she sits on front of her mirror. She fix her makeup and then she arranges her hair for a moment before her phone rings. She checks it and then someone knocks at the door and she jolts up and out of the room to answer it.
K-I got it.
We go out after her and she's about to open the door when she turns to us.
K-I invited a friend over dinner. I promised I would let him come after I turned sixteen. Behave.
We look at each other and then we nod at her and she opens the door and we see is a guy standing there. He's fixing his sleeves and when he sees Karai he smiles but when he sees us he turns afraid.

K-I'm so glad you could come, come on in.
Karai pulls him inside and he follows with uncertainty. She closes the door and turns to us. She puts an arm around his shoulders and shakes him presenting him to us.
K-Mom, dad, this is my friend, Edward. Edward, my parents.
E-Is a pleasure to meet you at last. I have heard so much about you. Especially you, she really admires you. I hope we can get along well.
Ha-Likewise, so you're here for dinner. Then let's eat.

At dinner
Ha-So, tell us about yourself a bit.
E-What do you want to know?
Ha-Do you work? Study? Where are your parents? How old are you? What do you want to do for the future?
E-I study in the day from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon and I work from five until ten, midnight when I don't have class the next day. I'm seventeen and for when I grow up I want to open up a restaurant that serves food from all over the world.
Ha-What about your parents?
E-I'm orphan. They died when I was born.
-Sorry about that.
E-Oh no, I'm thankful just to be alive. Everything I do, I give it my all to honor their names.
Ha-That's very honorable of you. Now why don't you tell us about that restaurant you want to have.
-Yes, all the dishes of the world, sounds intriguing.
E-Yes, I plan to basically become first a chef of my own food and then open up a restaurant expanding it bit by bit until it has every dish from every part of the world. Is a bit ambitious but I really hope I can do it.
Ha-Perhaps a bit ambitious yes. But there's nothing wrong with having big dreams and expectations.
We keep eating and sharing stories until is time for him to go home. Karai walks him to the door and she goes with him to the elevators. When she takes too long Hades goes to the door and I stop him.
Ha-That farewell is taking too long.
-Hades, is her first love, she's just enjoying him a bit of alone time with him. Probably just a kiss or two.
Ha-She wouldn't. She knows she's not supposed to have a boyfriend.
He opens the door and we see that they're kissing and he closes the door silently and turns to me.
Ha-I hate when you're right about these things.
-I know but that's what you love about me.
Ha-Indeed.
-So, what do you say if we do like them? You and me we can go away for a couple of hours and enjoy ourselves.
I pull him down just enough to tempt him with a touch of our lips against each other.
Ha-That sounds so tempting. Perhaps we can escape for a few hours. Maybe even the whole night. No one to disturb us.
-Let's leave our phones too. Give it here.
I put our phones on the table and write a quick note to Karai that we would leave for the night. I turn to Hades and he smiles knowingly. I wrap my arms around his neck and he takes my waist and asks as he pulls me closer to him.
Ha-Where do you want to go? No matter how far or how close I'll take you there. Perhaps Paris or Hawaii. Or perhaps to a deserted island.
-Let's see, how about we go to the Niagara Falls?
Ha-Your wish is my command.
He snaps his fingers and in a second the quiet of the condo is replaced by the loud waterfall at our feet. I look down and I hold tighter to Hades as I get a bit dizzy at how high we are.
Ha-Is this a good spot?
-Perfect.
He bows down to kiss me but I stop him putting a hand over his mouth. He looks at me confused.
-Now now, you can't get the prize without doing some merits before.
Ha-So you want to play a game?
-Now, this is what we'll do. I'm going to jump from here to the waterfall and if you manage to catch me without me having reached the bottom one piece of clothes flies away but if you don't make it, then I just show you for a few seconds.
Ha-I so like this game. When do we start?
-Right now. Try and catch me.
I jump down the waterfall and I see as Hades tries to catch me a couple times but fails and when I'm about to reach the bottom he makes a fast move and disappears from my sight. I look around and when I next see him he's holding me with a smile on his face. He takes us to the edge and I take off my shirt as I promised him. I take his face on my hand for a kiss and as I draw closer at the last second I turn his face away and kiss him on the cheek instead. He looks at me beggingly and I take his hand and give it a soft kiss before he does the same smiling. I laugh as his cuteness and I look at him smiling. I close my eyes for a moment and he cheats and gives me a kiss. When we separate I look at him as he blushes.
-Cheater.
Ha-I need you. I love you.
-I love you too. Come here.
I pull him down for a deeper kiss and I start undressing him enough so I can sense his bare muscles under my fingertips. He laughs as I start to pass my hands down his exposed chest. I bite down on his collarbone earning a moan from him and then he purrs on my ear driving me crazy. I feel as his hand travels up my leg to my thighs and then he passes the back of his hand by my face before he pulls me in for another kiss. We get lost in between caresses and touches and make love all night until we exhaust ourselves and fall asleep right there on each other's arms.