THE HEALER| Heroes of Olympus

5.

"Hurry up! We don't have time for you to play dress up in there!" Arabelle shouted. 

Aphrodite gave a pouty face and sighed. She walked over to her closet again full of infinite clothing options and began rummaging around. 

"How's my sweet darling Piper doing these days?" She asked. 

I shrugged. "I think she's doing fine. I mean she has a girlfriend now but Jason died so..." 

Aphrodite closed her closet with new clothes in her hands, and turned around to face me. 

"Jason." She said. "I tried so hard to get them together only for her to break up with him!" She seemed a little frustrated. "I do enjoy a good love triangle, which is why I made him fall in love with you. It gave Piper the push she needed to be confident in her own abilities to win him over. Though...it seems he never fully stopped liking you which probably contributed to their break up..." 

"Wait," I said. "You made Jason fall in love with me because it was too boring for you?" 

Aphrodite gave a small giggle. "I wouldn't say bored — but I do love to cause mischief when I can!"

"So you used me." 

"Used is such an ugly word." the goddess said. "I prefer— directed you to certain choices for an outcome I wanted!" 

I couldn't believe this! Well, actually I could. Just when I was starting to like Aphrodite she admits to playing with Jason and I's feelings because she was bored on a Friday night! I once thought Eros was worse than her but I was starting to think he might have been better. At least he was up front about his plans and feelings instead of manipulative and deceptive. 

Aphrodite in a quick motion had stripped me of my white dress and replaced it with new clothes that fit my style better. 

I was now wearing a yellow cropped tank top and high waisted jean shorts. They were a little short for my liking but they were better than the dress. The gold necklace was gone and my regular camp necklace had returned. My yellow converse was back on my feet freshly cleaned and looking brand new. My hair was no longer curled but instead it was straightened and tied behind my head with a blush pink ribbon. 

The makeup was toned down this time and now I only wore mascara and lip gloss. I also now had golden earrings in my ears. Seeing the earrings reminded me of Jasper. I missed his stupid piercings. My chest tightened again. I felt ashamed for sitting her playing fashion show with Aphrodite when he was being chained up and trying to survive Eros. 

Aphrodite sighed dramatically. "Oh to be young and in love!" Twirled around in her dress and reminded me of a princess after she had just met her true love. 

"Thank you for —" I gestured to my new outfit. "But we should get going." 

Aphrodite nodded enthusiastically and opened the door stepping back out to where we had been having tea before. Arabelle was sitting there snacking on some fancy croissants. 

In the time it took for Arabelle to stand up, the chariot pulled by swans appeared. 

"As a thank you for cleaning the shield." She gestured toward her chariot. "A ride to New Orleans."  Her chariot was a jewel-encrusted, golden chariot. It had a soft blush pink velvet seat and smelled like roses. I took a seat in the chariot and grabbed the reins. 

"Thank you." Arabelle bowed her head sincerely. 

Aphrodite waved goodbye and blew us a kiss as we took off. 

We flew through the sky. We were going fast, almost as fast as we had been going when I piloted the golden chariot to the grand canyon. The sun had started setting by now, so I assumed it was around seven.