I wake up somewhere comfy with Cam holding me in his arms, I open my tired eyes as my head pounds. It's the hotel room that Ares got, I get up and trip on my own feet. "You better stay in there darlin, you seem pretty sloshed." Ares rolls his eyes at me helping me up on my feet and on the couch, there's a few plastic water bottles and some Aspirin, I gulp 2 down and wash it away with some of the water. It burns on the way down, I look to Cam back on the bed and he's sprawled out on the bed wings over the frame of it. He looks like a fallen angel that fell from grace onto a bleach white floor with streaks of golden blood strewn across it.
"Your moms been buzzing you for an hour straight," Ares tells me, straightening his velvet school jacket, "Told her you were getting some beauty rest." He tells me taking a sip of his espresso. I really wish I could have some of that right now. He slides me my phone, 6 missed calls from mom, I run myself a shower putting it on the hottest setting. It burns in a good way, the water pours on me like a never ending storm. Styling my hair this morning is hard, everything is discombobulated, and like that I make a messy bun out of my medium chocolate hair somehow. Cam stumbles into the bathroom leaning on the doorframe, "H-hey." I awkwardly say to him, he looks like crap. I guess that's why he never drinks, it's a good reminder to not ruin your self image.
I don't even feel like eating breakfast, I'd just puke it back up. I sit on the marble table with Ares by my side, it's cold against my bare thighs. A very selcouth thought comes to me and before I can think of it I'm saying it to Ares, "Do you still remember that time we met in the forest? Do you ever think about that." He looks at me and smirks, putting a hand on my thigh, I jump a little bit at his sudden action. "I was a good kisser then and I still am if you're wondering, you were like a dove falling in my trap." He broadly gascons me, inching his hand closer to the edge of my skirt. I lift his hand and put it back where it should belong, away from me. He stands up intertwining his hand in mine tightly, I try to pull away but he's too strong.
It's like Cam heard my warning signals because he comes out with a towel around his waist. He pecks me on the cheek and gives Ares a dirty look, I don't blame him much. He lets go and continues whatever he is doing, I go through any miscellaneous messages and I come open one of Aphrodites, I open it not thinking much and it reads: prom next week we go shopping this sat. Shit! I completely forgot about prom, I hope she's handling the stress of it okay. I send her a thumbs up, we go out sightseeing in the busy streets, the familiar blue sky painted with streaks of white
It's good to be back home, we decide what to do and we go see my mom and her somewhat big mansion. We get to her bodyguards, every god has to have at least one, "Do you have a reservation w-'' He gets interrupted by Ares getting in his face, "Why do you think we would be here? Why don't you take your 2$ shades and shove them up your ass." He says which makes me and Cam giggle, we head inside Ares leading the way through the place. It's like Cams moms place, except with forged stuff, I guess the early bird gets the worm. I knock on her room door as the two boys wait outside, "My baby! I've missed you so much, I heard you were spending a few days here with your friends, any friends of yours," Ares and Cam pop their heads out peeking into the room, she looks at them with a piqued look then turning her attention back to me. "Well besides that hun how have you been? I haven't seen you since we picked out your prom dress, oh I heard it was next week, take lots of pictures for me okay baby?"
She peckers me with love and affection, hugging me tight not wanting me to go with the boys. I smile at her, my cheeks hurting from it, "I've been okay, I have a lot of friends in school. Cams been okay, I know you don't like him much but he's nice I can show you!" I say to her gesturing to Cam who steps in curiously and shy as a sheep but turns confident and bold when they lock eyes.
"My majesty, or mum, it's a pleasure to see you again. I brought flowers." Cam says making a bouquet of flowers appear from thin air, Ares steps in taking a bow and standing by the entryway. She doesn't look too impressed, "I have been treating your daughter like an angel, or well goddess." He says stuttering on his words, when someone is dating me and meets my mom you have to make sure everything goes picture perfect. We sit together on the couch talking about my grades and such, I have to lie which I hate to do but Cam does it so seamlessly that I can't even tell if he's actually telling the truth or lying.
She has her hair down with flowers kneaded in her brown-ginger hair, with an apron hugging her bust and waist. I miss her cooking, way better than the school's food. "Camiel is exceeding in his training, and i've been keeping an eye on your little fawn." Ares sits in between us, putting his arms around our shoulders hugging us tight, it's a little odd being this close to him. "That's great, I'm glad to hear about his training." Mom gets up making us some tea, I get up and help her. The mugs clink together as she boils some water, "You really have poor taste sweetie, are you sure you want him to be with you forever?" She gets the teabags ready, hanging them on the lip of the mug. I look at her with disappointment and betrayal, "Yes mom, I've told you this at least a hundred times." It's like treading thin ice that could break any minute stepping carefully but occasionally slipping into the ice cold water.
She pours the boiling water in each of the mugs as clouds of steam form, I look over my shoulder at the two boys and they are chatting happily. I turn back to my mom who is pressing the bags against the cup, hues of yellow and brown fill the cup as she takes it back putting it on the glass table in front of the boys. "Your dress came in a few days ago, do you want to try it on baby?" Mom asks me giving them some apple pastries that are stuffed to the brim, almost making the filling pool around it.
I nod heading into the dressing room off to the side, it looks ravishing and floral. The black dress has red roses along the side spiraling down until it reaches my lower back and swoops over my right thigh teasing the soft skin underneath. It's simple yet stunning, I take a selfie sending it to my best goddess friend, and walk out confident as ever.
The three of them go wide eyed when I casually stroll in sitting next to Cam on the edge of the couch. "You look amazing dear, I could just eat you up." He says nuzzling my nose with his, my mom has a look of blooming anger and amazement on her face, and Ares just checks me out looking me up and down. A pink hue comes across my face, making me look away drinking my tea.
"Did you have to choose black hun? I bet red would look better." She says keeping her tone neutral but I pay no mind to her, it's my life, my boyfriend, my dress. The tea is lavender. I think from what my senses tell me, lavender is associated with geminis for their laid back personality. I snap my fingers and my dress is off folded neatly in my lap, replaced by my school uniform. It's quiet now, I guess nobody has any clue on what to say next.
"Cam lets go train on the battlefield, lets give these two some room to talk." Ares says as Cam follows him, he gives me a small awkward wave as the two leave. Now it's just me and my mom, the silence is deafening with the birds chirping. I never knew a lack of sounds could be so appalling and unnerving. "Why chose him Kore? He's just a mortal, with wings. You remember how that went over last time." Mom mocks me taking a sip of her tea, he was too cocky and pride took over and it seared into his skin. "Or that other one who left you to rot in the forest, the one who got impaled by horns." That one was a complete ass, and he had to choose between the two of us.
"Mom please stop, those were in the past. He's different!" I yell at her but she keeps listing off my past mistakes, "He's playing you for a fool you know, you should never trust the son of the trickster. If he layed a single finger on you this place would be up in flames!" She yells, tears trickle down my face as I grip my dress stretching the fabric. I feel ashamed and dejected, I wish she was still nice and happy. I look at her, still quietly sobbing hoping and praying that Cam comes back soon. "He can only date you if he puts in the work for me and can defend you, that's why he's been training with Ares," The tears slow down and she comes over to me, I flinch at her touch and she wipes the tears from my cheek, she looks a me with a confused look.
"Baby I didn't mean to make you cry, mommy just wants the best for you." She finishes kissing me on the forehead and giving me a pat on the shoulder. "I still love you Kore, I always will." She says making me smile sweetly at her as she escorts me out, over the years she's been off the hook, mom might have a little bit bipolar I think. I wipe the remaining streaks of makeup off and redo it, using my moms lipstick.
We go outside into the battlefield and there's a sight to behold, Ares and Cam are fighting head to head against each other. The swords clang against each other, it ends up with Ares getting the advantage. "Hello boys." Mom says to them, interrupting his chokehold on Cam, they both look simultaneously at her and he drops to the ground with a small cloud of dust following him. "That was challenging." Cam says coming over to us sheathing his sword, Ares has a few cuts on him and his hair is tousled. "And how many times have I beat you in battle?" Ares asks him with a cunning and broadful smirk turning the corners of his mouth. "If i'm correct, it's about 42 times. And I've won 16 of those." He says making Ares chuckle at him wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Mom smiles at the two, there like two dogs play fighting in the dirt.
I sleep for the rest of the day, letting out all my feelings to Aphrodite. "Damn your moms kind of a bitch huh," Her hair is dyed like strawberry shortcake, "Oh I really like your prom dress by the way, love the way it dips over your thigh, You think Odin will say anything?" She finishes, I shift around in the blankets trying to get comfortable. "Nah, he's a perv. Ares can deal with him. Are you okay with the stress of running though? I can help you with it." I tell her, it's quite comforting to have someone you can vent and talk to. She says no but I know deep down she's having a tough time organizing it.
Aphrodite isn't what she's portrayed as, she's sick and tired of people falling for her. She just wants to be herself, even with the scuffle with Adonis we've made up. She's the kind of goddess who appears to be a skank but kind hearted on the inside, I hang up first letting my reflection remain on the powered off phone screen. Not much to do for the rest of the day, Ares gets lunch fr0m a nearby chinese food place, I take my time eating it and we watch a movie all together.
The plot of the movie goes like this, a boy comes across a monster who has been casted out of his tribe and lives with the boy.