Pantheon of Love

Just A Normal Girl

   I am going to let you in on a little secret that was told to me not that long ago by a goddess herself, "All mortals are descendants of gods and goddesses. Only a few worthy mortals get to know their heritage."

   Pretty epic, right?

   Don't worry, there was a time even I didn't believe that line.

   My name is Avinia, Avinia Dolce. Avi for short. I've lived in New Orleans my whole life with my super stud, bachelor dad, Leo, who owns a small antique shop in the heart of the French Quarter, that has been in our family for three generations. My mom you ask? I was left on my father's doorstep when he was twenty-one-years-old with a note that read:

   "Please take care of our daughter, Avinia."

   I'll start this story on the day before my sixteenth birthday. Friday, February thirteenth, 2015, which marked the first day of Mardi Gras here in New Orleans. For those who don't know, Mardi Gras is the Catholic holiday celebrated before the forty day fast, Lent, and originated in France. The celebration was brought over by settlers in 1699, and started being openly celebrated here in New Orleans sometime in the 1730s.

   Well, enough with the history lesson.

   It was a typical first day of Mardi Gras. I walked to school through narrow alleyways, weaving along ancient brick buildings. Green, purple, and gold foil paper and broken beads glimmered on the ground and the sides of the buildings all around me. An aromatic haze of booze, cigarettes, powdered sugar and a plethora of other enticing and not so enticing aromas filled the misty air. Parades marched about throughout the quarter all day long, to the brassy beats of jazz music, which of course meant getting trampled by loud, dancing tourist and natives alike, dressed in gaudy, brightly colored costumes adorned with feathers, sequins and other sparkling embellishments.

   Like any typical day, or not, I was barely noticed, which typically I like, except when it comes to being shoved around by tourist, or unnoticed by my oblivious chemistry partner, who I am absolutely infatuated with. His name is Erik, he's incredibly well versed in the sciences, and has striking green eyes. I mean whoa, green. Even through his glasses his eyes are captivating, like a piece of kryptonite glimmering in the sun.

   One time in class, Erik took his glasses off to clean them and couldn't find anything to wipe them with, it was before the bell rang to start the period and the two of us were the only ones in the room, separated by some distance, he at our lab station, reading ahead of the lesson I assume, and I, melted into the tattered old class sofa, trying my hardest to look immersed in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Erik looked around, then seeing he had no tissue or audience, he lifted the bottom of his grey/blue henley shirt and huffed out a bit of hot air on the spectacles and rubbed them clean with his t. I could feel my eyes practically bulge out of their sockets as a small pant, maybe even whine, escaped my throat when I caught a glance of his perfect torso. A perfect set of abs and obliques winked at me in a moment gone too fast, sending my mind, hormones and heartbeat into a chaotic frenzy.

   Oh, my hormones! What does that boy do to stay in shape? I didn't realize being a science genius was such a workout. I mean he's not buff, but definitely not scrawny either. Just very, very toned. He's probably just one of those born perfect people. You know the ones, they can do nothing, no form of exercise, eat beignets every day and have perfect bodies. Yup, that's my Erik. Well, just Erik. As much as I fantasize, he's definitely not mine. But who knows, maybe he has some outside of school workout routine.

   I am so amazed that he doesn't have a girlfriend. Well, I guess I shouldn't be. All the girls are too busy chasing the extroverted jocks and take no time to notice the incredibly handsome and slightly socially awkward genius, who is probably going to cure a deadly disease, or invent something totally awesome and become exceptionally successful. Erik doesn't even seem to be interested in anything other than science anyway. Pity! I sigh.