Finding Atlas

I drove home in half the time it would have usually taken me. Mostly because Atlas would be coming over, and Dad would be at work, and Grace would be the only one there. Besides Atlas and myself, of course. My heart was beating out of my chest as soon as I opened the front door.

"She has a right to know!"

"Sophia, this is not a good time to tell her,"

"You always say this! How long are you going to keep hiding this from her? This is her grandmother, for Christ's sake, not some childhood pet!"

I froze when I heard the voices. Mom and Dad were home together. Mom and Dad were home. Together. I pulled apart and pieced together their words, feet still planted in the threshold, door still wide open behind me.

I could almost imagine my father rubbing his forehead out of frustration. Since when did my mother know what rights I did and didn't have? She hadn't even been around me for most of my life, always busying and distracting herself with city council meetings and throwing herself into work. But when the word grandmother came out of her mouth, my interest was piqued. Mother never mentioned Nana.

"Hey, hope I didn't keep you too—" The door slammed creaked shut behind him. "—long," Atlas trailed off, seeing the expression on my face. The arguing upstairs stopped, everything stopped, everything just stopped when the door shut.

"What's going on," Atlas asked slowly, lowly, right before my name was called.

"Andromeda? Is that you?" My mother's shrill voice sounded stiff as she called for me. I heard the sound of hurried steps coming down the stairwell as my mom came down the stairs, my father following in suit.

"Who's this?" Pop's voice was gruff and stiff as well, contrary to the relaxed tone his voice usually held when he addressed me.

"Uh, Mother, Papa, this is Atlas. He's a, uh, friend of mine."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs., er," Atlas trailed off before I mentally smacked myself on the forehead. Of course Atlas hadn't known my last name, we'd only really known each other for two or three days! After a few moments, I realized neither my father nor my mother would answer him.

"Theriot," I blurted, and Atlas repeated after me with a soft lull in his voice. Atlas's hand went forwards, perhaps expecting to be met with another hand, but was left hanging before it awkwardly fell back to his side.

"Maybe I should, ah, tell you some other time, then?" Atlas stretched his arm behind him, his hand scratching at the back of his head.

"Um, sure, I'll see you later then." And with that, Atlas left, and I turned to my parents with a deadly glint in my eye.

"What is going on?"

"Nothing." My father replied just as my mother said, "More than you know." They turned to glare at each other before Grace shuffled into the room with a mug of steaming hot chocolate for me. Bardia's hot chocolate was unbeatable, especially Atlas's, but if anyone else's hot chocolate could compare, it'd be Grace's.

"Thanks, Grace," I mumbled before she gave me a soft smile and left the room.

"One of you tell me what is going on right now," I said, my mood turning more sour by the second.

"Excuse me," my father retorted, "but I don't think that's your call to make." Mother shot him a burning glance before she turned to me.

"Honey, maybe you should sit down." For the first time in my life, my mother had used a term of endearment with me. For the first time in my life, my father treated me as if I wasn't an equal. For the first time in my life, I was scared of what my parents had to say.