The girl sat on the sidelines with her group of so-called friends. She sighed prettily while watching the testosterone filled teens run up and down the court. This girl was lovely, popular, and utterly sick of being treated like a princess. She ran a delicate hand through her shoulder length raven hair. The girl sighed again - she wasn't into the basketball game in front her. She didn't like to watch sports, she rather play in them, but no, such things were not lady like. She wasn't aloud to even touch a rubber ball let alone getting to throw one. It was her step-mother's idea that no proper lady could be properly wedded off if she was interested in such masculine sports, one her father quickly agreed too. The girl sighed yet again while in her deep thoughts. Her father...once a strong-minded man, firm in his ideas and life; was now a weak human begging at the feet of his wife. Why did her mother have to leave her? Why did her father think he had to get another woman in her life? And why was she cursed with her name?

A loud cheering went up around her, knocking her out of her thoughts. "Wow! Did you see that Dunk, Venus?" Tiffany yelled in her ear.

"What? Yeah...it was amazing," Was her muttered response. Did her friend really have to yell so loudly? Those who didn't know Venus was watching certainly did now. Several of the players looked her over; she could even hear a longing sigh or two. The raven haired beauty groaned. She hated her looks, her name, and how everyone pined for her. It wasn't just the guys who wanted a piece of her. Several times she could sense lustful looks from her closer girlfriends. Bit of course with that she also got plenty of glares of envy and hatred.

She always questioned why her mother named her after a god. If it had to be a roman god why couldn't it have been Pallas Athena? She was strong god...and a virgin god. That would have worked out much better then being named after the god of love and lust! Venus grumbled at the thoughts roaming in her mind. There would be a better time later to hate her name, currently there was a very amazing game in front of her.

She blinked several times to clear her mind and to concentrate on how her boys were doing. "Wow, did you see that basket? It was perfect." reached her ears, she wasn't sure who it came from, but whoever it was, he was right. That play flew right by the other team and made another two points. The green eyed girl glanced up at the score board, 98 to 90, with one minute left on the clock. She jumped to her feet in excrement -so what- she rather be playing, but since she couldn't she might as well cheer for those who were.

Venus and several of her friends screamed, "WhooHooo," to the court as the final buzzer went off, proclaiming the game over at 103 to 97. The entire left side of the gymnasium was up on their feet screaming and cheering. They won! The leopards actually beat the Bruins. The year's long rival was over for the season. The team in blue looked weary and disappointed as the congratulated the Leopards, none of whom could keep a smile off their lips.

Venus walked down the steps, she wanted congratulate the men on the game. Once her sneakered feet touched the court she couldn't control it anymore, she ran up the to gathered men and yelled, "That was Amazing boys!" The 'boys' looked over at who was yelling, several gave her a silly smile and eyes filled with longing, and a few had the courage pick her up in a hug. Venus's smile grew bigger as she kissed the boys' cheeks. She also went to those who where too shy to kiss their cheeks. Her normal cold and elegant appearance was gone while she kissed the Leopard team.

"Sorry, I'll leave you now to change and such, but I hope to see you all at Tiff's after party." She told the boys while untangling herself from them. They called out how they'd see her soon as she walked calmly back over to her clique. "Damn, Venus, you shouldn't lead them on like that," Stevie muttered to her.

"What do you mean? I'm not leading them on. I really do want to see them later."

Stevie shook her head as a Tyriq leaned closer, "You know she just wants to live vicariously, since her step-monster wont let her play anymore." Venus promptly turned red and tried to deny that statement, but her friends knew better. They might not be privy to her darker secrets but there were some things that were easy to spot. Venus muttered to herself about having nosey friends. Tiffany snickered and slung a arm around her shoulders, "Don't worry my princess, those jocks will have no problem rattling off to your lovely ears so long as they think aren't dreaming you up. Then again... everyone in this collage would do the same."

"Yes...yes, I know all too well. Let's just get to your house before the entire school does." The four laughed and quickly went to their respective automotive to drive off to Tiff's.

Once in her silver Honda, Venus started to laugh loudly to herself. She was laughing at herself and how everyone treated her. Her friends thought they knew her and everyone else was too afraid to touch 'the golden goddess'. She wanted to just drive off in the moonlight. A small part of her knew she couldn't... wouldn't ever. "Oh well, I might as well do as Ty said, I'll go live through the team." She started the car and pushed her foot against the dragon head gas pedal while changing gears. It was only a few minutes of driving in and out of the fleeing traffic to get to her friend's house. She parked in the drive-way, even with knowing that several other cars would park behind hers. She planned on staying her all night anyways.

Venus didn't bother with knocking, she let herself in announcing to the few all ready gather there, "The love Goddess is in!"