I slumped in my seat, clenching my fist. I don't fit in here. I don't belong.

In my whole stinked life, the only person that had ever made me feel good about myself is my ex step-mom, Penelope.

My dad, Stephen Dover, married her when I was three months old, after my mom left. Penelope was amazing, pretty too. She had waves of cornsilk gold hair, twinkling brown eyes, warm, like chocolate, and she smelled like roses and lavenders. Then, two weeks ago, my dad went after another set of pretty legs.

So Penelope left, but she promised she would come back to me. She promised.

I hate my dad's girlfriend. Maybe I was the only one who thought so. Andrea Dees was a minor actress we moved in with when Dad started dating her, with obviously dyed blonde hair and a fake tan. She keeps on trying to make friends with me, but I won't yield. I won't yield.

I hate my dad. He never wanted me in the first place. He only kept me because I remind him of my mother. The chestnut curls, the almond-shaped kaleidoscope eyes, and the pert little nose.

I hate myself. Laeta, Penelope once told me, was Latin for beauty. Right. Coincidentally, I also had the fortune to be born with ADHD and dyslexia. Yay.

The other kids in my class all hate me too. They think I'm weird, especially since I have no friends, no proper mother, and my dad doesn't want me at home.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiinnnnnnnng

There goes the bell. I sigh, and then stand up to slouch home. But the new teacher, Mr. Brunner, who raises his eyebrow as he sees my unfinished work, stops me.

"Ms. Dover, can you stay back a while, please? You too, Mr. Almes."

I start, and then crane my head to look at Sean-Eli Almes, one of the most popular boys in the year. Why, in the name of the world, was he called to stay behind?

Apparently, he was curious too. He jerked his thumb towards me, and said, in a slow drawl,

"Look, with all means of respect, sir, I understand why she," I glared at him. "Um, I mean, Laeta is here, but, why me?"

Mr. B sat back in his wheelchair. "Now, now, Mr. Almes, why shouldn't you be here? After all, you and Ms. Dover have something in common, something we probably should talk about."

I crossed my arms. "Oh, and exactly what is that, Mr. B?"

Mr. B smiled mysteriously. "Before I answer that, Ms. Dover, I must ask you two: do you believe in gods?"

Sean blinked, as if to confirm he heard correctly. "God, you mean, the guy who created Adam and Eve?"

Mr. B chuckled. "No, Mr. Almes, God, as in the single word God, is a different thing entirely. I mean the gods of Ancient Greece: Zeus, Hera, Hestia…"

"Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Persephone, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Athena…" I blurted out, blushing.

The teacher mimed applause. "Correct, and well done, Ms. Dover, I'm glad to see you pay attention in History."

"Yeah, what 'bout them? Aren't they just myths of old?" Sean asked, picking at his fingernails now.

Mr. Brunner shook his head. "Someday, my children, you will decipher the meaning of this question. And when you do… well..."

His eyes twinkled, and gestured for us to leave, waving good-bye with his hand. I slung my bag over my shoulder and followed Sean out.

"So, what was all that about?" he asked casually, as we left.

I looked behind me to see if he was talking to anyone else. "Are you talking to me?"

He rolled his eyes. "Never mind then. See ya later, I guess." I watched, dumbfounded, as he strolled in the other direction.

Back at Andrea's flat, things were just as confusing as they were at school.

My dad was acting weird. For once, he wasn't with Andrea, making out on the couch watching romantic musicals. He wasn't working on his laptop, either. Nor was he out, jogging. He was at home, some suitcases in hand, waiting for me. Me.

"Beauty." he began, and I started. He… he hadn't called me that in a long time. I…

"Sweetheart… I… well, I can't make this work anymore."

"D-Dad?"

"It's too dangerous for you here."

"Dad, what are you talking about?"

"Your father is right, Laeta."

I whirled around, shocked. Penelope?!

"P-P-Penelope?"

She smiled, and I felt happy too. I had missed her for so long, and here she was! But what was happening?

"I told you I would come back, Laeta."

"Yes, yes, Penelope, can you go now?"

I turned to my father, shocked by the crack in his voice.

"Go, Dad?"

"Yes, Laeta, follow Penelope. She… will guide you out."

"Guide me where?"

My father shook his head. "They warned me of the risks, but I was selfish. Your mother… she warned me…."

"Come, Laeta." Penelope said, tugging on my hand. She reached over me, took the suitcases from my father, and pulled me from my father.

"NO! What's happening?! Dad, DAD!" I cry, and I start sobbing, while Penelope bundles me in her car.

My ex stepmother drives downtown in full speed, occasionally glancing in the rearview mirror. I sit, silent, my brain whirring to fit the pieces together.

I could hear Penelope talk to herself, something like:

Dite… why? Monsters… Periboia?