When the bus finally circled toward my neighborhood, I realized I wasn't home much earlier than I would have been if I'd been in school. I chewed on my lower lip, wondering what to tell Aphrodite once my suspension was over.
She might just tell me to drop out, I thought bitterly as I opened the door and went inside. Rex came tearing around the corner, his toenails clacking frantically against the hardwood floors, and I laughed as he crashed into my feet.
"Nice to see you, too!" I scratched his ears, letting him slobber on my wrist. My hand froze in mid scratch as I remembered the ants that morning. What if all kinds of animals could understand me, not just bugs?
I eyed Rex. "Can you understand what I'm saying, too?"
A thick wad of slobber rolled down his chin where it hung suspended for a second before dropping to the floor with a tiny "splat."
I laughed, relaxing. "No, I guess not. It must just be animals that hang around the gods."
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I stared at the unfamiliar number for a minute before answering.
"Psyche?"
"Speaking." My stomach growled, and I wandered into the kitchen with the phone up to my ear.
"It's Elaina."
I froze halfway inside the refrigerator. I stared at the phone in shock. When had she changed her number?
"Are you still there?"
I took a deep breath. "I'm here."
"Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I heard about your fight."
I laughed shortly. "You're sorry for that, but not the entire year?"
Elaina was silent for a minute, but just before I was about to hang up, she said, "And for all that, too."
Despite the urge to snark at her, I forced myself to be polite. "I appreciate it," I said tightly. God, it was so weird; we'd been best friends forever, but now it was like I was talking to a stranger.
There was an awkward silence, and then Elaina finally said flippantly, "Well, I just wanted to make sure that you knew I was sorry. If you off yourself, I don't want your death on my conscience!"
"Excuse me?" Now I was really confused.
But the phone against my ear was silent.
I thought about calling her back and finding out what all that was about, but I stopped. What if the apology had just been a prank? The last part sounded too weird to be true. Elaina knew me; she should know that I'd never hurt myself just because things had gotten bad a school. But you've wondered what it would be like, a traitorous voice whispered in my mind. Pushing that dark thought away, I replayed Elaina's weird words again and again in my head, but I couldn't figure out if it had all been a joke or not. With a shrug, I grabbed a spoon. Not like it matters now. Once I get Ross back, I'll never see her again. Sitting on the counter, I devoured the yogurt I'd found hiding behind the nearly empty milk container. Rex sat at my feet, waiting for me to drop some.
That night, I had a bizarre dream. I was fighting with Rachel again, but this time, no teachers stepped in to break us up. I could tell I was winning, but suddenly Rachel wrenched out of my grasp.
When I looked up, Aphrodite was standing behind Rachel. "Would you give up your beauty," she asked in her silky voice, "if you knew that this girl would receive it?"
I glared at her. "Will giving up my beauty make you help me?"
The goddess cackled. "Could be. That's a risk you'll have to take. Are you willing?"
If it were possible to give up my beauty, I'd do it in a heartbeat, even though I wouldn't wish my curse on anyone, not even Rachel. "I'll do anything for him."
Rachel morphed into a supermodel before my eyes, and the new Rachel held up a mirror. "That's the real you!" she announced with glee.
I stared at the mirror, horrified. My nose was long and hooked like a Halloween witch, my teeth were crooked and decaying, and my eyes were small and beady. I looked hideous.
"What are the chances that my son will love you now?" Aphrodite whispered in my ear, and my heart turned cold.
When I woke up under the slanted roof in my dark room, I did something that I'd pretty much avoided since my freakish transformation. I turned on the light and rushed to look at myself in the mirror.
Still beautiful. I sagged against the door in relief. I may not have wanted to look the way I did before, but now that I knew who Ross really was, I wondered if he only loved me for my strange beauty. What if I have to give it up to see him again?
Staring at my reflection, I realized that I couldn't answer that question. I'd do anything to win a chance at apologizing to Ross, but what chance would I stand if he saw me again and I was ordinary? He won't care about my looks, a quiet voice in my heart whispered. I mattered to him for more than superficial reasons.
But hadn't I thought the same thing about him? I thought I could love him without seeing him, but I'd proved how shallow I really was. Who was to say he'd be any better? Gritting my teeth, I turned away from the mirror. It was still dark outside, and for a minute I considered going back to bed, but then I remembered Aphrodite's command. I might as well start getting ready for work and see when the earliest bus to the mall was running.
Clutching a cup of coffee, I shivered in the cold autumn air outside the employee entrance to the mall. I'd caught a bus at six o'clock without thinking to check and see when the mall opened, and I couldn't feel my toes by the time a security guard opened the door. I smiled at him gratefully, forgetting for a moment the effect my looks had on people.
He held the door wide open for me, his receding hairline glistening in the early morning light. "Let me know when you get off work, beautiful," he whispered as I walked by.
I shuddered and kept walking. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to give up my beauty, I thought as I slipped away from the guard as fast as I could.
Aphrodite was waiting for me at the reception desk. She thrust an empty brown bottle at me impatiently.
"I'm out of the secret ingredient for my personal hair dye. I need you to go get it for me."
I glanced at the bottle, then back at the goddess. "What is it?"
Aphrodite grinned wickedly. "That's a secret. See if you can figure it out."
Before I could even decide if it was worth arguing, the goddess leaned close to me.
"Remember," she whispered, "the only chance you'll ever have at love is by pleasing me."
I swallowed. "Secret ingredient. Right. Any hints?" I asked hopefully.
Aphrodite tapped one neatly manicured finger against her lips. "Well, I suppose a hint won't hurt. It's the ingredient that makes up most shampoos, but a bit more godly than that." The goddess smiled at her riddle and waved to the door. "Better get moving. I need it before I close up tonight."
Tucking the brown bottle carefully in my purse, I sank down on a bench across from a toy store. "What in the world does she mean?" I needed help. An idea dawned on me, and I rose swiftly. I headed for the bus stop, hoping I could sneak into the art room without anyone at school noticing. I probably could have just gone to the grocery store and read shampoo bottles, but I had a feeling it was a bit trickier than that, and I wanted some celestial input.
I managed to get on campus, and I hid in the old locker room until the students filed out for lunch. Ms. Amboulia shut the door and turned off the lights. "You may come out now, Miss Jones." She sounded annoyed.
"I'm working for Aphrodite," I began without preamble.
Ms. Amboulia nodded, saying nothing.
"What's the main ingredient in shampoo?"
A flicker of a smile crossed Ms. Amboulia's face, but it was gone so quickly that I thought I might have imagined it. "Something common."
"Is it water?" I used to read the cosmetic bottles in the shower when I was little, and I had a niggling memory that they all started with the ingredient, "aqua."
The art teacher raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, but she remained silent.
"If it is water," I mused, "then that's what I need to get."
"Aphrodite sent you to fetch water?" Skepticism warred with confusion in Ms. Amboulia's tone.
I nodded. "For her hair dye. She said it's the special ingredient."
"Think, Miss Jones. If a goddess wants it, it can't just be simple water, can it?"
I paused, but then I shook my head. "No. She said something about it being a godly ingredient."
Ms. Amboulia reacted as if she'd been smacked. Her face turned gray and she clutched her stomach with her arms. "No. It's not possible."
I stared at her, stunned. "What is it? Are you okay?"
"Don't worry about me," Ms. Amboulia drew herself up tall, and I saw a glimmer of the goddess beneath the image of the art teacher. "You have been given an impossible task."
"To collect water?"
"To collect the water of the gods. Next thing you know, she'll be sending you to Tartarus!" Ms. Amboulia threw up her hands and began pacing around the art room.
"But what's the water of the gods?"
For a minute, I didn't think Ms. Amboulia had heard. But then, very quietly, she whispered, "Water from the river of death."
Frowning, I searched my memory. "You mean the River Styx? How do I find that?"
"The water must be collected from its source."
I stared at her, confused. "How am I supposed to find the source of a mythical river in one day?"
A clap of thunder shook the art room, and we both looked up. When Ms. Amboulia faced her, she wore an inscrutable expression. "You must find the answer on your own, Miss Jones. I've said too much already."
Frustrated, I glared at her. "But I only have until sunset!"
"Then I suggest you not waste time standing around here staring at me!" She shooed me out of the art room, a great wind rising up from the movement of her hands, and I was halfway back to my house before I even realized what had happened.
"River Styx," I muttered. "Where do I find that?" While I walked, I began twisting the bracelet around my wrist like a worry ring, and it started to feel hot. That's strange, I thought, studying my wrist. It's always felt cool before.
"I can help with that, miss."
Startled, I looked around. There was no one on the sidewalk, but I could swear I recognized that voice.
"Who are you?" I whispered.
It chuckled, and then I knew for sure who it was. "How quickly they forget!" The butler's voice heaved a sigh, and I grinned at the empty air.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"
There was a delicate pause, and the voice coughed. "As it is, you still haven't seen me, but I appreciate the sentiment."
I laughed, but sobered instantly. "I made a really big mistake."
"I assumed. Otherwise, you wouldn't have summoned me."
I turned the bracelet over. "Are you angry with me?"
"Heavens, no! Just because that castle is no longer there doesn't mean I'm out of work. I go where the master goes."
"Eros." I wasn't asking a question, but there was a pause.
"So you've figured out his identity." The voice sighed. "It was bound to happen."
"He won't speak to me, so I'm working for Aphrodite."
"What?" The voice shrieked. "She didn't incinerate you on the spot?"
"Why would she do that?"
"Well," it continued huffily, "besides the fact that her son practically eloped with you when she sent him to destroy you—"
"Wait, what are you talking about?"
"Um, nothing," he backpedaled quickly. "Anyway, there is no reason for Aphrodite to love you."
I put my hands on my hips, glaring at the empty air around me. "Look, you started to tell me something, and I think you ought to finish. Why did Aphrodite send Ross ... I mean Eros, to destroy me?"
He coughed. "Because she had heard that you were even more beautiful than she was, and the lady of love is a jealous goddess."
"Dad," I exhaled in realization. "He brags about me. That's how he met," slowly everything clicked into place, "Mr. Merk."
The voice chuckled. "Oh, you haven't figured out who he is yet? That's one secret I can keep."
I frowned, but I decided to let it go. "I need a favor."
"That's why I'm here."
I glanced up at the sky, but the day was overcast, so it was impossible to tell how close to sunset it was. "Aphrodite sent me to get water from the River Styx. I have to give it to her by sunset or I lose any chance of seeing Ross again."
There was a low whistle. "She doesn't plan on you living through your errand."
I nodded. I'd been wondering if maybe Aphrodite was trying to get me out of the way; if I died, I wouldn't be able to pester her or her son again. "I know. Is there any way you could help me?"
"You betrayed my master, you know," the voice held no trace of malice but I still recoiled as if I'd been slapped. "Even so, I am bound to serve him, and he bound me to that bracelet on your wrist. So," he hummed for a minute, "I guess it's my duty to help you."
Surprised, I stammered, "Thank you!" I held up the brown bottle, and it vanished into the air with a soft pop.
"I'll bring this to you as soon as it's filled. In the meantime, I suggest you avoid Aphrodite. She'll wonder why you aren't on your quest."
I nodded. "I know. I guess I'll just go home and wait." I hesitated, not wanting to make more demands. "I have to take a bus to get to Aphrodite. It takes about half an hour."
"Say no more. I'll be back as quick as I can, and you'll make the delivery on time."
"Thank you!" I was relieved, but there was no answer. I hurried home to wait.
A few nerve-wracking hours later, I walked into the salon, carefully carrying the brown bottle. It was stoppered with a cork, and through the murky glass I could see liquid sloshing around. I hoped Aphrodite wouldn't ask how I'd found the water: the voice hadn't told me anything when he delivered it.
Aphrodite was reclining in a pedicure chair while the receptionist knelt at her feet, carefully painting each toenail a brilliant Barbie pink. The goddess looked up when I approached and smiled.
"Have you come to tell me that you're giving up?"
Mutely, I handed her the full bottle.
Aphrodite's face turned red, and she glared at the girl painting her feet. Oblivious, the girl kept working, and I stood there waiting for the goddess to say something. What if she just incinerates me? The goddess heaved a sigh. "Fine. I'll know if you've cheated me," she warned.
I shook my head. "It's exactly what you asked for."
With another glance at the receptionist, Aphrodite pursed her lips. "We'll talk about your next job tomorrow."
I forced myself to smile. "I'll be here, bright andearly."