"Mom, Dad! I'm gonna go and try to find someone to talk to." I called over my shoulder as I walked away from where my parents were talking to people. I can't believe that there's someone older than them!

"Okay, sweetie. Just be sure to go and talk to your cousin. She's the one with brown and green hair." My mom told me in her voice that means "do it, or else!"

"Sure thing, Mom. I'll see you later." Hmmm…. I wonder if there is any one cool to hang out with here… Maybe I'll be forced to talk to her for lack of better company! Oh! The horror!

I wandered around for awhile, before coming to the conclusion that there were only two people my age there; a nice looking guy, who was preoccupied with family going all goo-goo-gah-gah. And her.

Seeing as how he was being smothered by a large family member who, judging by what I heard from the loudness of their conversation, hadn't seen him since he was four, I opted for the latter.

I was scanning the crowds when I saw what I believed was her hair walking away from Aunt Freya and Uncle Thor.

*****

"Thanks for helping me set up the chairs, Dad!" I sarcastically muttered, just within his hearing range. And he calls me lazy! Sheesh!

"Did you say something, brownie girl?" He gave me a look, just over his glass of water.

"Um, no?"

"That's what I thought. Go be social. Maybe you could actually talk to you're cousin?"

"Fine. I'll attempt to make conversation." I replied, with a look of my own, flying just past him as he turned to talk to a friend. I walked away with my thoughts in a flurry.

If he wants me to talk to her, he's out of his mind! There is no way on Earth I will talk-

"Hey! Aren't you my cousin…Erica?" She was there, interrupting both my thoughts, and my walk way to Luke, who was standing only a few feet behind her.

"It's Eris. And you're, ummm….Stick, right?" I said, in an open attempt to make her leave, just through pure antagonistic speech. If I pretended to care less, she would grow bored, and go away. At least, I had hoped so.

"Hehe! No, it's Styx, you know, like River Styx, where Achilles was dipped into to become immortal...." Styx appeared to be enjoying my cruel words, as though they were a refreshing dip in a stream. "It also translates to hateful. No joke!"

"Oh really? Well, my name is the-"

"Goddess of chaos? Yeah, I'm surprised that it isn't a more popular name, you know? It's kinda pretty." She cut me off! Maybe I should say something nice, just to make my dad happy.

"I haven't heard of anyone called Styx before…"

"Yeah, it's not really popular… Oh well, I like well enough." She seemed to be so sure of herself it almost made me sick. Luckily I was saved by what I like to think is an angel in a human's body.

"Hey, Eris! Oh, who's your friend?" Luke just happened to walk up, saving the moment.

"I'm Styx." Just then, the D.J. played the worst possible song for that moment. Can't Fight the Moonlight just happened to be playing, and both Styx and I were looking at Luke, as if challenging him to pick one of us.

He looked towards her and tilted his head in a questioning look, and at that moment, I heard my dad calling me. "I got to go. I'll see you later."

And not a moment to soon. Whew! I never thought that he would pick her. Nor that I would be thankful to my father!

*****

"Oh. She left." He looked a wee bit nervous.

"Why? You were gonna ask her to dance with you?" I said, feeling kind of let down.

"NO! I, uh, wanted to say bye. Before I left."

"You're leaving the party?" I said in a slightly obvious upset tone. I thought for a moment that something was wrong with me, which was why he didn't want to be alone with me.

"No. I have to…to… go talk to my parents. It's, uh, time to check in." He stated, stuttering after looking at his watch.

"Oh, okay. I'll see you later then… Bye." I said before walking away.

Okay, now I am all alone. Maybe I should go find my cousin to see what Uncle Thor wanted. Umm, I think some one's staring at me, and it's kinda creeping me out! I thought about it for a moment, trying to decide if I should find the prying eyes and see what they were looking at, but then I decided that it was probably all in my head. I guess I just wanted some one to notice me. Unfortunately, I got the wrong person to do that.

As I turned around to go discover where my parents went, I saw two pairs of eyes, looking straight at my own. One was Luke, which surprised me. I thought he liked my cousin. The other was a man, about my parents' age, who looked oddly similar to Luke. Maybe they are related? I thought, confused. The man's eyes were cold, dark. Like he wanted to pierce my heart through, while Luke's were questionable. Maybe he was thinking good things, maybe not.

I really couldn't decide which, but I was saved from having to figure which one it was.

"Styx! Get over here!"

"Fine Mother." I walked over, to find my cousin, my parents, and my aunt and uncle standing in a semi-circle facing me.

"Meet Eris!"

"We've already met, Mother." I replied sarcastically.

"Oh. Well, have a good chat!" Our parents disappeared, leaving us alone, once again.

"Why'd Luke leave?"

"You tell me." I sighed.

"Guys are so confusing."

"You're preaching to the choir. Speaking of guys, see that guy over there, the one who kinda looks like Luke, except a little older? You know the one who looks like he wants to kill me?" I pointed out the creepy guy who was still watching me.

"Hmm. He's looking at me like that now, too."

"Yeah, he's been watching me, and it's kinda creepy. I don't get it. I haven't seen him before in my life."

"That is weird. Maybe we should go talk to him to see what he wants."

"Um, okay?" We walked towards him, step by step, with our brains thinking the exact same thing:

I have a bad feeling about this.