Paranormals

Every high school friend group has a dynamic. Still, ours felt like a chaotic solar system, with everyone orbiting around each other in a messy web of secrets, unspoken crushes, and fierce loyalty.

First, there was my older brother at twenty, Modeus. At twenty, he was the group's self-appointed bodyguard. He was broad-shouldered, quiet, and usually looked like he wanted to fight the world—unless he was looking at my best friend, Angel. Modeus had a protective streak a mile wide, drove a beat-up car that smelled like gasoline, and took his job as my keeper entirely too seriously.

Then there was Angel. True to her name, she was the sweetest person I knew, the kind of girl who blushed if you looked at her for more than three seconds. She was seventeen, turning eighteen next month, and completely oblivious that my terrifying older brother was hopelessly in love with her. Whenever Modeus was around, she practically swallowed herself in his oversized jackets, pretending she was just cold, though everyone else in the group knew better.

Nyx was our breath of fresh air. He was seventeen, unapologetically himself, and the only one of us who actually knew what he wanted. While the rest of us were trapped in high school straight-culture drama, Nyx was busy scrolling through his phone, tracking down cute boys from rival schools, and giving us dramatic updates on his latest unrequited love interest. He wore oversized thrift-store sweaters and had a smile that could get us out of almost any trouble.

And then, there was Poseidon. He was eighteen, a star on the football field, and the exact reason my heart did a dangerous, suffocating flip every single time he walked into a room. To the rest of the school, he was the cool, unshakeable athlete. To me, he was the guy who remembered exactly how I liked my food, the guy whose shoulder always seemed to brush against mine a little too long when we sat together. I was completely, deeply in love with him, and I was terrified he only saw me as Modeus's little sister.

Finally, there was me—Hermosa. Seventeen, stubborn, and completely unaware that the comfortable, sweet world we had built in our small town was about to be violently ripped away from us.

It all started on a crisp autumn night, right after the Friday night football game…

I am sitting atop Modeus’s car in a nearby parking lot close to the field next to me. Angel looks mindlessly at the stars, her ginger hair blowing behind her in the cool wind of the night. Inside the car, Modeus is on his phone, scrolling through Angel's social media.

“Hey guys!” Poseidon says, jogging towards the car in his football uniform and climbing up onto the roof, making the car shake.

“Watch it, jock,” Modeus says, looking out his open window with a playful smile.

Angel and I laugh, my gaze following Poseidon as he shifts near me, my smile fading and becoming a flustered look as the car shifts slightly under Poseidon’s weight as he settles in beside me, his shoulders still radiating the heat of the game. Up close, the faint scent of grass and sweat clings to his uniform, contrasting with the crisp, cool night air.

Angel doesn't look away from the stars, but a small, knowing smirk tugs at the corner of her lips. Down below, the glow of Modeus’s phone screen illuminates his face as he chuckles softly, hitting a like on another one of Angel's old posts.

"Man, you missed a hell of a game," Poseidon says, bumping his shoulder against yours playfully, completely oblivious to how much your heart just spiked. "We completely shut them out in the fourth quarter."

He turns his head to look at you, his eyes catching the dim light of the distant stadium lamps, waiting for your reply.

“That's good, Poseidon,” I say softly, looking him in the eyes before my gaze shifts down to my lap, my fingers fidgeting nervously.

I hadn’t realized he was staring at my face, scanning my features; the sudden quiet between us makes the cool night air feel even sharper. Poseidon doesn't look away; instead, his gaze lingers, quietly mapping out the expression I'm trying so hard to hide.

“Hey Her-” “Guys, it's getting late; about that time I take ya’ll home. Where's Nyx?” Modeus interrupted, jingling his keys as the car engine suddenly roared to life beneath me.

I hopped off the top of the car, looking around to spot Nyx standing near the gate with his 4th boyfriend of the month

“Oh my god… Nyx!” I yell in his direction. His eyes immediately land on me, a familiar twitch appearing at the corner of his lip—the same look he always gives whenever someone interrupts him.

“I'm coming!” Nyx yells back, speed-walking toward us with that usual, confident sway in his hips.

Before he can even complain about being rushed, Modeus hits the horn, the blare cutting through the air. "Get in, losers!" Modeus shouts through the open driver's side window, slapping the side of the door. "I don't have all night to be your personal taxi service!"

Nyx rolls his eyes but quickens his pace, sliding into the backseat alongside Poseidon with his usual effortless grace. I climb into the passenger seat, instantly hit by the familiar scent of cheap air freshener and old fast-food bags.

“Get in the back, I want Angel up here,” Modeus says with his usual smirk, looking through the rearview mirror at Angel.

“Of course…” I sigh, getting out of the car and switching with Angel.

I slide into the backseat, settling in right next to Poseidon as the doors slam shut. Modeus immediately shifts into gear and peels away from the curb, clearly amused by his own seating arrangement. The backseat is suddenly very crowded, and with Poseidon on my other side, the tension in the car is palpable and suffocating.

Finally, Modeus shifts in his seat and starts driving out onto the road, one hand on the wheel and his other slowly creeping towards Angel’s thigh, Angel’s breath hitched. She froze, her gaze darting from the dark asphalt rushing past the windshield down to the heavy warmth of Modeus’s fingers settling against her long white skirt. A spark of electricity shot up her spine contrasting sharply with the freezing aura radiating from the man sitting directly to her left

The silence in the back seat was absolutely deafening. I pressed my back hard against the leather, acutely aware of Poseidon’s broad shoulder brushing against mine. The physical proximity alone made my heart do a traitorous, frantic flip, but the sheer fury radiating off him quickly snapped me back to reality

I cut my eyes toward the front seat. Modeus was still smirking, though his eyes held a rare, genuine warmth as he looked at Angel. I held back a massive sigh. It was agonizing watching my older brother try to flirt. He was completely infatuated with my best friend, but Angel was hopeless and utterly blind to it. Right now, she looked too terrified to even breathe, entirely missing the fact that Modeus’s heavy hand on her skirt was his incredibly "smooth" way of trying to comfort her. As his sister, I just thought he was lame.

Finally, after dropping off Nyx and Poseidon, Angel and I decided to have a sleepover since it was the weekend. Modeus pulled into the driveway and turned off his car while Angel and I hurriedly jumped out, pacing toward the house.

Inside, my room was a mix of aesthetics—the walls were lined with creepy, paranormal posters, and astrology balanced out by pops of purple and teal decor. Even though I dressed like an absolute sweetheart, my style didn't stop Angel from teasing me. She immediately jumped onto my bed, giving me a knowing look with a raised eyebrow.

"So?" Angel asked in a playful, teasing voice. "You and Poseidon... how was it in the backseat?"

"Well, you wanna play that game?" I shot back, a smirk tugging at my lips. "How was it with my brother in the front seat as his passenger princess?"

Angel’s smug expression instantly vanished, replaced by a sudden rush of pink that colored her cheeks. She crossed her arms defensively and looked down at the comforter, picking at a loose thread to avoid my gaze.

"Shut up, he was just being nice," she muttered, her voice dropping its playful edge. She rolled her eyes, but the nervous fidgeting gave her away. "He only held my skirt because I looked like I was about to pass out from panic. It didn't mean anything. Why would someone like Modeus ever actually want me anyway?

I rolled my eyes affectionately and sat down next to her on the bed. Pulling her into a warm, reassuring hug, I let her rest her head against my shoulder.

"Angel, you're an absolute idiot if you think he's just being nice," I murmured gently, rubbing her back to comfort her. "He's completely crazy about you. Let's just put on a movie to take your mind off things, okay? You can pick."

Angel quieted down for a second, soaking in the comfort, but then she abruptly pulled back from the hug.

"Actually," she said, her stomach letting out a perfectly timed, loud growl. "Before we start anything, I want to go down to the kitchen and grab some snacks."

Angel headed down the stairs to look for snacks while I stayed in my bedroom, scrolling through a streaming app on my phone to find the perfect horror movie.

Down in the dimly lit kitchen, Angel stood on her tiptoes, scanning the top cabinet shelves. She spotted a bag of chips just out of reach, stretching her arms as high as she could, completely unaware that Modeus was already standing in the room. He had been quietly grabbing a glass of water in the dark.

As Angel strained to reach the snacks, a tall, heavy shadow loomed over her from behind. Before she could even process that someone else was there, a large hand easily reached past her head, grabbed the bag from the top shelf, and held it out to her.

Modeus closed the last remaining inch of space between them. The bag of chips fell forgotten onto the counter as he brought his hand up, his large, warm fingers gently catching her jaw. His thumb brushed firmly across her lower lip, his dark eyes tracking the movement with absolute, possessive focus.

"You look so beautiful when you're caught," he murmured, his voice dropping into a low, rumbling whisper meant only for her. He leaned down, his lips brushing the sensitive skin just below her ear, sending a fierce shiver straight down her spine. "Remember whose passenger seat you belong in."

Angel’s breath completely hitched, her hands clutching at the edges of the counter just to stay upright. The sheer dominance of his touch left her lightheaded, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs as she melted into the overwhelming warmth of his shadow.

"Angel! Did you fall down the stairs or what?!" my voice suddenly boomed from the top of the stairwell, cutting through the heavy, suffocating silence of the kitchen. "The movie is starting!"

The sudden sound broke the spell. Angel blinked, her face burning a violent shade of crimson. Panicking, she quickly ducked under Modeus's arm, her hands frantically scrambling across the counter to scoop up the chips and a handful of other random snacks. Modeus didn't chase her; he simply leaned back against the counter, a faint, deeply satisfied smirk playing on his lips as he watched her lose her composure.

Without looking back at him, Angel bolted out of the dark kitchen and sprinted up the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her, trying desperately to catch her breath before she reached the bedroom door.

Angel threw the bedroom door open, slipping inside and slamming it shut behind her. She leaned her back against the wood, completely flustered, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

I looked up from the bed, raising an eyebrow at her. She looked like she had just seen a ghost—or worse. "What is wrong with you?" I asked, eyeing the handful of snacks she was gripping like a lifeline. "Why are you panting like you just ran a marathon?"

For a second, Angel just stared at me, her face still burning a violent shade of crimson. She obviously couldn't tell me the truth. There was no way she was going to admit that Modeus had just been cornering her against the kitchen counter, smirking and flirting with her in the dark.

"I—I just got scared," Angel lied quickly, her voice squeaking slightly as she tried to sound convincing. "It was pitch black down there, and right when I grabbed the snacks, I heard something loud fall in the shadows. I just panicked and ran."

"Honestly, that kitchen gives me the creeps too," I said, tossing my blanket aside and sliding out of bed. I headed toward the closet to grab her a pair of pajamas. Since Angel stayed over almost all the time anyway, I kept a permanent stash of extra clothes just for her.

Once she changed, we wasted no time. We put on a horror movie, dove into the snacks, and ate until we were completely bloated. Minutes later, our eyes grew heavy, and we drifted off to sleep until the next morning.

The next morning, the smell of sizzling bacon, melted butter, and freshly flipped pancakes drifted under the crack of the bedroom door, waking me up before my alarm even had a chance to ring.

My stomach let out an immediate, demanding growl. For a split second, I completely forgot about the dark kitchen, the creeping shadows, and the weird tension from the night before. All I could think about was the fact that my kitchen finally smelled like a real home. With Mom always working late shifts or traveling for business, our stove was usually cold, and the house was usually dead quiet. Having the scent of a gourmet breakfast fill the hallways was a rare luxury.

I nudged Angel, who groaned and pulled the blanket over her face. "Wake up," I muttered, shaking her shoulder. "Someone is downstairs cooking, and it smells too good to be legal."

Angel bolted upright instantly, her green eyes wide with sudden realization. The sleepy daze vanished from her face, replaced by a flash of panic as she remembered exactly who was down there.

"Wait, Hermosa, hold on—" Angel started, her voice hushed as she scrambled out of bed to follow me.

But I was already out the door, and hurried down the stairs toward the kitchen. Standing by the stove, bathed in the morning sunlight, was Modeus. He looked entirely too comfortable in our space, effortlessly flipping a perfect golden pancake in the pan.

"Morning, ladies," Modeus said without turning around, a low, smooth tone to his voice that made Angel freeze right on the bottom step behind me. "Hope you’re hungry. Mom’s pantry was practically empty, but I managed to make do and head to the store."

"Oh my gosh, you’re a lifesaver. I’m starving!" I say, rushing to take a seat at the island. Angel follows close behind and sits next to me.

"We literally ate so much last night, Hermo—" Angel cuts herself off the moment Modeus walks near. She traps her lower lip between her teeth and stares straight down at her lap.

Modeus sets a plate down between us, the scent of fresh rosemary and sizzling eggs instantly filling the space. He handles the cast iron with an easy, practiced familiarity that feels entirely out of place in this kitchen. A faint smirk plays on his lips as he catches Angel’s stiff posture, but he doesn't call her out on it. Instead, he reaches across the counter, tapping the edge of her plate with a fork. "Eat," he says softly, his eyes lingering on her for just a second too long before he turns back to the stove. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Modeus slides a second plate to me this time, his fingers brushing against Angel's in the process. The casual contact sends a visible jolt through her, but Modeus doesn’t pull away immediately. He leans in slightly, his voice dropping an octave as he sets down a glass of orange juice. "You always freeze up like this when a guy makes you breakfast, Angel, or am I just special?"

Angel’s breath hitches. Her eyes snap up from her lap, locking onto his warm, dark eyes, searching for any sign of mockery. Instead, she finds a soft, deliberate intensity in his gaze that makes her chest tighten—not from fear this time, but from something entirely different. A slow realization washes over her as his smirk widens into a genuine, crooked smile. He isn't trying to interrogate her about last night; he is completely checking her out.