“Adrih? Are you listening?”

His calm voice and hand on my shoulder made me feel more relaxed. As I looked into his concerned eyes, I began to realize the truth.

“I’m happy for you Ajax. Do you guys have a set date?” I gave him a nonchalant smile as I began to talk with him. There was no reason for me to feel upset over this. We were just friends, that’s all we've ever been.

There was no way for me to change how things have gone, and there was no need to. I’m happy with where our relationship has gone since we first met. There was absolutely nothing wrong with what was happening.

One of my closest friends is getting married. I’m elated. In all the years that we’ve been friends, I’ve met his fiancé several times. He’s a great guy and is fun to be around. I couldn’t help but feel my heart pang as I thought about how great his fiancé is.

Ajax deserves a great guy like him. A guy who would do anything for him. I felt my smile falter for a moment but Ajax was so enamored with his engagement that he didn’t notice.

Ajax was there for me when I was at my lowest. When we were just 17 and my closest friends had left for bigger things. John left me to raise his baby sister. Abi left me to explore the country.

Ajax’s friends had left for similar reasons. They had grown older and wiser and had their whole lives in front of them. We were both alone, so we drifted toward each other.

That was when it started. I began to miss my friends less as I got closer to him. The intimidating son of war with a merciful heart. He was a living oxymoron, and I loved being with him.

I smiled as I thought back to the first time we talked. We were young and sitting on the dock at camp. He was smoking a cigarette and laying on his back with his legs hanging in the water. It was a truly serene moment in time.

The moonlight majestically hit his stoic face. He looked like he came straight from a runway. I felt a surge of courage and walked up behind him.

“You know those things kill you, right?”

“You don’t say.”

I couldn’t stop staring at him when I sat next to him. His sparkling brown eyes looked at me in an annoyed manner. I put my hands up in surrender.

“Don’t shoot the messenger ‘Jax. If it gives you any comfort, I won’t tell anyone what I saw.”

He rolled his eyes and my smile grew wider. This was the start of our long relationship. Even years later, I remember this moment exactly as it stood. It was when I fell in love with him.

Our relationship stayed the same for a few months after this. Then everything changed when he started dating his fiancé. The same day I left home to expand my horizons.

I got into a relationship shortly after this, but it wasn’t any good. I don’t like remembering this part of my life. It changed me completely.

However, it did help me to get over my feelings for Ajax, so some parts were good. I never did tell him about my feelings, but I have a feeling that he’s known for a while. As I said before, he has a merciful heart, and wouldn’t want to damage our friendship over it.

Now as I sit in front of him as he flaunts his engagement ring, I couldn’t help but feel a pang in my chest. I’m no longer in love with him, but I can’t help but notice the way his eyes light up when he talks about the future wedding. The thought that his fiancé had put into the ring.

He had made it himself. I guess even Hephaestus has his perks when it comes to love. I could feel my fake smile drop as Ajax checked his phone. I could see the contact name. It was his fiancé.

Ajax’s beautiful yet rare smile warmed my heart. In some parts of me, I wished that I was the one making him smile. Not because I’m still in love with him. Reminiscing over the past can cause these things to happen. Feelings arise that should be pushed down.

His beautiful brown eyes looked into mine when he placed his phone in his pocket. They were somehow more handsome when he smiled.

“I have to go, I’ll send you more details about the wedding soon.” It felt like a small part of me died when he packed his things and walked towards my door with such a lovely smile.

I decided to suck up my feelings when I bid him farewell.

“Bye Ajax. I can’t wait for the wedding!” My smile made me feel slightly nauseated. His smile widened as he turned to me, and my heart almost skipped a beat.

“Thanks. It means a lot coming from you.”

As he left my apartment, I felt a surge of dread. I had to go to his wedding. Ajax Kravetz, the merciful son of Ares, was getting married.

Aphrodite must truly hate me.