~Val's P.O.V~
I was pulled out of my thoughts by the dull thick monotone voice of my history teacher going on and on about Greek "Mythology", which obviously we already know everything about, and what's with humans talking about all the affairs? I mean seriously mind your own business. I mean, yeah, Ares could have had less... affairs, but oh well. He's learned his lesson.
The teacher was interrupted at last by the loud ringing of the school bell releasing us to lunch. I sigh in relief, and scoop up my stuff as I wait for Phoenix to gather her books. She and I walk to our lockers, place our books and bags in them, and then make our to the cafeteria like two starving krakens. We find our usual table in the middle of the room. Seraphina and I are the major extroverts while Phoenix is more of an introvert. You could consider us popular, I guess, but we have very few close friends. For me, my closest friend is Phoenix. Unexpected? Not really; we're the only ones who know our secret so we are very close.
"Have you heard the big news?" Seraphina asks as she comes up to the table with a huge smile on her face. Phoenix and I exchange a confused look, but after another glance at our sister, she rolls her eyes playfully, seeming to catch on to Seraphina's train of thought pretty quickly. I was not so fortunate.
"Nooo?" I say in a confused tone dragging the "o." She grins again just as a guy walks up beside her and wraps his arm around her waist, and she giggles.
"Mark and I are together!" she squeals and sits down next to Phoenix. Phoenix rolls her eyes again and goes back to eating. It's a little known secret between Phoenix and I that she doesn't like most of Seraphina's boyfriends, and I can tell Mark is no different.
"Congratulations Sera." I give her a small smile and turn back to my food, trying to suppress my laughter.
"Val?" a quiet and familiar voice says behind me. I flick my gaze towards the voice and see Garrett standing behind me shifting his feet nervously. I smile at one of my old childhood friends.
"Yes?" I ask politely.
"Um, may I speak with you? Alone?" he stammers nervously, running a hand through his shaggy blonde locks. Garrett is your typical football player. Blonde hair, blue eyes, sun-kissed skin, and muscles. Lots of muscles. Normally, he isn't nervous, especially around me. I give him a small smile.
"Of course. Nix, I'll be back soon," I say to my sister before getting up and following Garrett out of the lunchroom. I hear her mutter something that sounded like 'twitterpated' but ignored her. He kept running his hand through his hair which has been a nervous habit of his since we were kids.
"What did you need?" I ask and I watch as he bites his lower lip.
"I was wondering if you would... like to go to a movie with me this Friday," he mutters so quietly, I almost don't hear him. He smiles shyly, but then averts his gaze to his feet. I smile back, my cheeks flushing pink.
"I'd love to," I say, feeling the familiar flutter of excitement. As I smile, my eyes go a light purple with affection as I use my ability on him. His nervousness visibly vanishes almost immediately, and he gently kisses my cheek.
"Pick you up at eight then?" he asks, giddily smiling at me.
"Eight it is!" I reply cheerfully, kissing his cheek before skipping back to the lunch room. I plop down next to Phoenix and eat my food like nothing happened. She turns her all-knowing blue eyes on me and I just smile sheepishly just as the bell rings ending lunch. She opens her mouth to comment, when a shrill ringing fills the air.
"Saved by the bell!" I mumble, standing up and walking to the trash can to dump my tray. I quickly walk to my locker grab my books and rush to class so Phoenix can't question me. I pick a seat at the front of the class, determined not to fall asleep again, when I hear death start to call for me.
"Hey Valentina." a shrill voice says from behind me. I mentally groan to myself and prepare myself like Hercules before the Hydra monster. It's Melissa, she's hated me since Jr. High and we are now nearing the end of Junior year. I'm not really sure why she chose Nix and I as her verbal punching bags, but I've stopped asking. Phoenix and I used to joke that she was a direct descendant of a harpy.
"Yes Melissa?" I mutter not turning around. She was the type with blonde hair, slutty attire, and fake boobs. And she wonders why the boys like my sisters and I and not her. She's your normal preppy, bratty, cheerleader. Basically, everything I hate in a person (my blonde sister excluded most of the time.)
"Didn't your mommy ever teach you manners?" I hear her sneer. "It's rude to not look at someone when they are talking to you." I sigh and turn around to face her.
"What do you want." I snap.
"No need to get snappy. I just want to know what's going on with your moody sister, Phoenix. She's not as irritatingly chipper as she usually is." She says it innocently enough, but I know there couldn't possibly be anything innocent about the question. Still, it threw my temper off.
"What did you just say about Nix?" I spat she gives me a smug look.
"You heard me," she jeers just as the tardy bell rang. I ball my hands into fists, and my nails bite into my palms. I hold my tongue and force myself to turned around, and try to concentrate on what Ms. Miller was saying about the area and perimeter of a square. Melissa made it excruciatingly painful to pay attention. After she assigned our homework, the bell rang dismissing us to 6th period which was, thankfully, study hall with Phoenix. I slipped into the chair next to her, and she didn't even realize I was there, as she was too focused on her math homework.
"Is something wrong?" I asked. She looks up from her math work.
"What?" she asks, blinking in surprise. I pull out my own textbook and try to be nonchalant.
"Melissa said you were acting moody. Of course I didn't believe her but… I thought I would make sure just in case." I watch her carefully, and she holds her breath for just a second; a clear indication she's about to lie.
"I'm fine," she said with an innocent smile. She turns back to her homework, and I cross my arms over my chest.
"Mmhmm, and Hades is a girl scout," I mutter. Phoenix looks at me briefly biting her lower lip, but rather than speaking up, she goes back to her homework.
"Come on Nix, you can tell me anything," I push, no longer even pretending to be indifferent as Phoenix stops writing and continues to nibble her lower lip. Finally she sighs, relenting, and dropping her pencil back onto the desk.
"Is it..wrong to get mad at someone for something they don't really have control over, even if you know they could pretend to control it, and you kind of just want them to leave you alone, but they won't and instead they make you feel like the bad guy, and like you should belong to them like a piece of property all at the same time?" She pauses. "Sorry that made no sense." I give her a small pat on her shoulder.
"Is it about Seraphina?" I ask, but she shakes her head sharply.
"What? No…" she murmurs I let out a sigh.
"What happened?" I ask. Phoenix pouts but continues.
"Apparently I'm not attractive to teens my own age, but Freshmen won't leave me alone. One in particular has started stalking me, even when I told him I'm not interested. His friends keep telling me about how sad he is, like that's supposed to make me like him or something, and how romantic it is that he always saves my favorite spot for me in the library. Finally, I blew up on them and told them to leave me alone."She huffs and I can feel how hot her breath is from across the aisle. "Also... I may or may not have set the freshman's backpack on fire..." she finishes sheepisly, and I laugh. The funny thing about Nix is that she's the more reserved one of us all, but she can really bite back if someone pushes her beyond her comfort level.
"Nice job! And who said people our age aren't attracted to you? Dudes are easy to understand, but they are very good at hiding their feelings." I say in a way that I hope sounds reassuring.
"Damien Sanders said I look like a twelve year old with anger management issues, and a puberty problem," she mutters, and I frown at her response.
"Now that's cruel. Want Ms. Valentina to deal with him?" I ask cracking my knuckles and smiling sweetly, Phoenix sighs.
"No, that's what he wants. He's had a crush on you since sophomore year." she says as I shift awkwardly.
"Hmmm, well how about Seraphina? Or you can set his hair on fire, that way he won't stop in the middle of the hallway to stare at his reflection so often," I suggest wiggling my eyebrows. Phoenix laughs and waves me off.
"It's fine Val! I'm just frustrated. I'll get over it." She sighs, and goes back to her work, apparently thinking I'm actually about to let this subject go. I take in a deep breath, leaning in closer to no one can hear.
"You know, I can speak with Cupid to see if he plans on putting you with someone special soon. Maybe someone our age?" I suggest looking at my hands. Phoenix wrinkles her nose.
"No! It's his fault I have a stalker remember?" She pauses. "Since when have you and Eros been on speaking terms?" she asks. I blush slightly.
"Not Eros silly, his father. Eros isn't old enough quite yet." I explain.
"So you do know him!" She pauses again. "I think I should be scared now." I grin sheepishly.
"I know of him, so that should be enough, right?" See, I've never actually met Eros, only his father. Gaia would always tease me saying Eros and I were destined to be together, but then Psyche came along. When she didn't end up making it through the last trial Aphrodite made her go through, she died shortly after telling Aphrodite it wasn't worth it. I honestly feel bad for Eros. Oh well. Maybe someday we will meet, but for now I only know stories.