"If it weren't for my dad, I wouldn't be here," Hedith said as she leans on the wall of Teri's mansion. Almost a week and a half since the soul snatcher incident and Hades had sent Thanatos as a representative in of the Underworld to the trial. Maleficent was also invited to come — more like demanded to come — because of her involvement.

It was alright for Hedith to take Thanatos place, but Hades had told her to enjoy her remaining time upworld with other people her age instead of worrying about Underworld business for a while.

So right now, Hedith attended and accepted Teri's inivitation to his party. He officially became a god a few days ago after proving himself. Unlike his father before him, he didn't refused Zeus' offer. He also invited some of her friends. Mal was also invited but being the queen and also pregnant, she decided to let the invitation slide.

"Don't say that. I know you love me," Teri said, smiling charmingly with his new halo.

She glared at him and crossed her arms, "I'm not one of Aphrodite's people. You won't fool me."

Teri laughed at her words and raised his hands in surrender.

"I'm just kidding. Even if I wanted to, we had an agreement that I won't go after you," he said, earning a scoff from the fellow Greek royalty.

"I'm glad we see eye to eye," she said.

"Also, I have a feeling that you're in a bad mood because Mavros isn't allowed to come," he pointed out. He knows how much she loves her hell hound, "I have a few animals in my yard. Maybe you'd like to met tham."

"Maybe later," after saying that, two people approached them. And Hedith can't help but feel moodier.

"Teri!" Jay greeted and greeted him with a manly pat on the shoulder. Beside him is Carlos who also greeted the host of the party with a friendly gesture, "Congrats. You are lighting the whole room. Literally."

"Not as much as Apollo will," Teri said and side glanced towards Hedith. Carlos finally noticed her silent form against the wall and smiled. Hedith looked away.

It has been weeks and Hedith hadn't given Carlos an answer on his confession. He was willing to wait, but Hedith seems to be dragging it longer than it should.

"Hey, Hedith. You look beau—"

"Excuse me. I'm going to find Evie," she quickly said and pushed herself off the wall and left. The trio watched her retreating form walk away. Graceful in her flowing blue dress, but tense around the shoulders. Subtle, but Carlos noticed it.

"Don't be dishearted, bro," Jay said, clapping him on the shoulder, "You know how Hedith is. She's a runner."

"I agree with Jay," Teri said, and wrapped one arm over his shoulder, "But honestly, if she dump you, can I be her suitor?"

Carlos made a face and both of his friends laughed, "I'm just kidding! Lighten up!"

Meanwhile, Hedith found Evie, Celia and Dizzy. Uma had also found her way to the gang. They were also accompanied by another woman. Someone with long blond hair and forest green eyes. She wears a greek-inspired dress with a touch of Evie 4 Hearts. Artemis, one if the few gods that Hedith befriended. When they saw her approaching, they stopped on their conversation.

"Glad to see you in the moonlight," Uma grinned.

"It's a wonderful night, how can she not?" Artemis asked. Dizzy and Celia gawked at her dress and smiled widely.

"I always love designing dresses for you and Mal," Dizzy said as she marvel on the dress that Hedith is wearing.

A long royal blue gown with a touch of Greek. It sparkles a little at the skirt and skull patterns accessorized the entire dress.

"I'm just a little sad we can't use it on the next runway," Celia said as she looks into her phone, "It will surely make a really good cut. But then again, how much more reputation will we get to know you wore Evie's 4 Hearts on a god's party? Sales will skyrocket!"

"Always for the money, huh?" Hedith laughed and Celia smiled proudly.

"She is my Marketing Direction," Evie stated.

"Almost half of the party attendants here wear your work," Artemis said, fiddling with the skirt of her own dress, "And I would not doubt why."

"Stop. You're making me blush," Evie joked and the group laughed.

"Oh please, Evie. Stop being so modest. You are one of the few designers I know that use eco-friendly fabrics on your clothes. As a nature goddess, I absolutely love your Earth fashion line," Artemis said.

"You bought the entire line."

"You know what? How about we get something to eat? I'm starving," Uma said, pointing over to the buffet table.

"And have my dress stretch out?" Celia asked and hummed in thought, "Nah, I wouldn't mind. Food is life."

"Among other things," Hedith grinned as they started to walk over to the table.

"I.e, Money?"

"Hey!"

As they talk and eat, Hedith can't help but overhear the discussion of the people in thr party. It made her uneasy. Too uneasy that she wanted to walk out of all of it.

---

Sighing, Hedith sat down in the garden as the party inside continues. Everyone keeps on assuming things and will believe what they would want. Teri and her had an agreement that she won't be one of his target of maiden to woo. And to think that he already have someone in mind and everyone just can't see the obvious makes her blood boil.

"What are you doing way out here?" Uma asked her. Behind her followed Evie, Dizzy, Celia and Artemis.

She just left without a word so of course they'll follow.

"Escaping society."

"Okay, does this have anything to do with the buzzing discussion about you and Teri?" Artemis asked, raising an eyebrow. Hedith rolled her eyes and stood up even almost tripping on her dress.

"I don't care anymore. People would just believe what they want unless they see the truth with their own eyes," she crosses her arms over her chest, a scowl forming her face, "Especially Zeus."

All five girls exchanged knowing looks before smiling to themselves.

"Does this also have something to do about the tension between you and Carlos lately?" Evie gently asked.

"Ooh! I also saw him and Teri talking earlier," Dizzy giggled as Celia grinned.

Jane had already told them that there is no strings attached between her and Carlos when they broke up so even if Carlos go after Hedith, Jane would fully support them. And the tension is pretty obvious. No one can deny that. Well, maybe except Hedith.

The only problem is Hedith's denial of any relationship.

Hedith glared, "That is none of your business. Seriously, I can't believe you are still talking about that."

She walked off once again and the four decided to let her a head start before following later.

When Hedith finally had a safe distance from peering eyes, she growled and paced around. Her mind have been plagued by Carlos lately. It wasn't like when she just had a little childhood crush on him. This feeling is different. It's evidently stronger and it keeps her awake at night. Whenever she closes her eyes, she can see his face. The face he made when they almost kissed in the bridge.

"Urgh! I hate this!"

Her head went aflame with anger and annoyance. She never liked feeling confused and conflicted. She never liked having deeper connection besides her family. A reason why she denied any form of romantic approaches from anyone. Because she is afraid to actually fall and regret it later.

Carlos had already broken up with someone....what more if she accept that?

She looked at her feet and saw her reflection on the pond. The reflection that depicts her angered side that she obviously inherited from her father. She is daddy's little girl. The blue flames were extinguished the next second as she sighs. Pushing a stray hair behind her ear, she inspects her pale face that looks paler due to the moonlight. She pushes away the strayed bangs and her fingers slowly grazes over her skin up to her lips.

The thought of what Carlos' lips would feel like if it did touched her. Then she glared at her own reflection and grunted.

"If there's a prize for rotten judgement,
I guess I've already won that."

Hedith walks around the side of the pond, before sitting down. She grazes her fingers across the water and the ripples deforms her reflection.

"No man is worth the aggravation...
That's ancient history, been there, done that!"

She swatter her hand against the water and aggressively walks away. Unbeknownst to her five friends followed her.

"Who d'you think you're kidding?
He's the earth and heaven to you
Try to keep it hidden,
Honey, we can see right through you"

Now, Hedith just thinks she's hearing things and took a deep sigh, "Oh no~"

"Girl, you can't conceal it
We know how you're feeling
Who you thinking of~"

She saw the animals that Teri said he owned and they ran over to her direction. One was a little poodle and her eyebrows creased together.

"No chance! No way! I won't say it! No, no."

(You swoon you sigh why deny it oh oh)

"It's too cliche. I won't say I'm in love~"

She started walking away again, this time, thinking that she is actually being followed and the voices aren't really just in her head. She isn't exactly in the Underworld.

"I thought my heart had learned its lesson
It feels so good when you start out"

She pulls out a purple rose on one of Teri's garden bush, a subconscious smile showing on her face before realizing it and rolled her eyes.

"My head is screaming "Get a grip girl"
Unless you're dying to cry your heart out!"

She flicks her hair out of her face, the poodle's barking meets her ears. She turned around and saw that it's waggling its tail while looking at her.

"Girl, you can't deny it
Who you are is how you're feeling
Baby, we're not buying
Hon, we saw you hit the ceiling
Face it like a grown-up
When you gonna own up that you got, got, got it bad."

Uma, Evie, Celia, Dizzy and Artemis didn't bother hiding anymore and pointed at Hedith -- who's in obvious shock and embarrassed blush. The poodle went over the girls and started dancing with them. 

"No chance no way I won't say it! No ,no"

The daughter of Hades abruptly turned around from her friends, hoping to escape them.

"Give up, give in! 

"Check the grin you're in love," Uma sung, putting her hand on Hedith's shoulder to stop her from running away again.

"This scene won't play I won't say I'm in love!"

At this point, Hedith ran away into Teri's mansion and the girls all went looking for her. They didn't know she went to the highest floor of the mansion and into the veranda facing the front yard.

(We'll do it until you admit you're in love)

"You're way off base! I won't say it!"

"Get off my case! I won't say it," Hedith looked around if someone is still following her and sat on the chair by the ledge. She stares into the empty scenery until something caught her eyes and smiled.

(Girl don't be proud! It's okay! You're in love)

There was a pause in their search until Celia silently pointed to the veranda and saw Hedith sitting on a bench, looking over the yard with a fond smile on her face.

"At least out loud," She smiles as she stares at Carlos playing with Dude, together with Teri but her eyes is focused only on Carlos, "I won't say I'm in love..."

All five girls decided to let her be on her own. At least she ad admitted it to herself. It won't be a matter of time before she actually makes a move.

Meanwhile, Teri noticed Hedith from the veranda and his eyes trailed where she is looking at. She's staring at Carlos who is throwing a stick for Dude to fetch. The newly appointed god smiled and thought of a plan for the oblivious blond to look at the direction of Hedith. He did notice their awkward exchange earlier.

"Hey, Carlos. Is that a dragon?"

"A dragon? There's dragons he--" when he looked at the direction that Teri is pointing at, he stopped and caught the dark black eyes of the girl he had been having a hard time to talk to for a while now. Hedith immediately perked up and tried looking elsewhere.

Carlos grinned at the cute behavior and raised his hand.

"Hey, Hedith!" that caught her attention and by the time that she looked back him, she had him in a hard glare, "Let's meet up tomorrow here! Yeah?"

She stood up in her proud stance, not breaking the stare.

She puffed her chest and yelled, "You wish!"

And with that, Hedith left. Carlos chuckled before turning to Teri with a grin.

"She'll come. The girls will make sure of it," Teri said, nudging him on the shoulder.

"Thanks, man."

"It's a nice to have a godly wingman, huh?" Teri joked as Carlos laughed in agreement. Dude sighed once he puts the stick down.

"Ahh, young love. Don't mess this up this time, Carlos. Hedith isn't exactly the daughter of a sweet fairy," he pressured, "She's literally death."

Carlos sheepishly chuckled and bent down for the stick, "Dude...don't make me nervous."

"That's payback when you made me come to your family reunion. Your family's terrifying!"

---

FUN FACT:

I wrote this chapter way before the investigation arc. So...I mostly improvised the investigation arc to fit this whole chapter. I just really love the song so I just have to get this our of my system ASAP.

Also...I did my best. Please...Enjoy, I guess?