Zoey
"You ready?" Aphrodite asked from behind on my bed.
" Yep!" I answered excited for Parent Visitations. Even though my mom had died, and I was almost certain that my step-loser wasn't going to be there, Grandma was. It felt like I never saw her anymore. I mean, I've talked to her on the phone tons, but the last time I saw her was like forever ago.
As Aphrodite and I were walking to the rec hall, I was practically jumping up and down with anticipation, when I felt a worry and fear that wasn't my own. I looked over at my girlfriend and noticed looked a little pale and her brow was furrowed in apprehension.
"Are you alright?" I asked concerned.
"I guess, it's just my parents. I haven't told them that I'm not well...you know." She trailed off.
Aw crap, I was too self-absorbed about my happiness that I forgot about how Aphrodite's parents would probably freak when they found out how she wasn't a vamp anymore. Jeesh, I really needed to work on my girlfriend skills.
"Well maybe they'll be happy that your a human again, then you can do whatever they wanted you to do before you were marked." I offered hoping to cheer her up.
She snorted "I doubt it. They will probably see as it another failure. Besides I don't want to do the bullshit that they planned for me."
"Well do you want me to come with you?"
"Nah, if they found out I had a girlfriend they'd kill me."
"I'm sorry." I said wishing there was something I could do.
Listen I'll be fine, if you've forgotten I've dealt with these kind of things my entire life. So today won't be any different than anytime.
I still wasn't convinced but we had already arrived at the rec hall when Stevie Rae called me over to where she and her mom were situated.
"Oh hello Zoey! It's so good to see you again!" Stevie's Rae mom greeted me.
"It's good to see you too Mrs. Johnson." I replied warmly.
"I am so sorry to hear about your warrior."
"Thank you." I said not bothering to tell her that he wasn't dead- well he was dead but came back. I was going to ask how she was doing when I hears a familiar voice behind me.
"Zoeybird!" I looked around to find Grandma heading toward me.
"Grandma!" I said running towards her. "I've missed you so much."
"As have I, my u-we-tsi-a-ge-hu-tsa." She said hugging me.
"It's so nice to see you again Ms. Redbird." Mrs. Johnson said sweetly. I was momentarily confused on how Stevie Rae's mom new Grandma when I remembered they had met at the first parent open house. Man it had felt like a life time ago that that had happened.
"Ah Mrs. Johnson." My grandma said recognizing her. "It's nice to see you too."
The rest of the night went great. For a moment everything seemed like it should be. We were all laughing and having a good time. Not worrying about psycho she-witches and fallen angels. The only thing that made it less than perfect was the absence of Aphrodite. I wondered how she was doing with her parents. And no sooner did I start thinking abou her did I feel pain cross through my face, and I involuntarily cringed.
What's wrong? Stark asked mentally, concern evident in his voice.
It's Aphrodite. I really didn't want to leave Grandma, but I had to go check on her.
"I'm really sorry you guys, but I have to go. Somethings come up." Stevie Rae and my grandma gave me worried looks, so I smiled reassuring them.
I gave Grandma a, promising that I would see her again no matter what it took, before saying, "It was nice seeing you Mrs. Johnson."
"I'm glad I got to see you again too Zoey, hopefully we'll get to meet up again."
"I hope so." I said before giving one last smile and turning around to head for the courtyard. I'm not sure why I went there, but something just told me that that was where she was.
I felt another wave of pain pass through my face, though not as bad as the first, and I quickened my step.
"Do not talk back to me young lady." A voice I recognized as Aphrodite's mom who was glaring at her daughter, while she stared menacingly back at her rubbing her cheek.
"I don't understand what we did wrong!" Her dad exclaimed, who was pacing up and down "It's just one disappointment after another with you."
"What you did wrong?" Aphrodite's said incredulously "How about never supporting me in anything I like, criticizing everything I do, never being able to speak to me without shouting, always-"
But her rant was cut off when her father hit her so hard across the face, I flinched. I could tell by the look of disbelief on her face that her father had never hit her before, and that it had always been her mom, like I had witnessed in the previous parent visitation. Anger surged through me, as I raced towards the courtyard to protect her, common sense obviously evading me.
"Don't you ever do that again." I said threateningly.
Aphrodite's face of shock was mirrored by her parents.
"Who are you?" Aphrodite's mom said, finding her voice again. Saying 'you' as if repulsed by my presence. I don't know what got into me, but with anger still coursing through me, I was feeling reckless.
"I'm your daughters girlfriend, and I don't appreciate you-"
"G-girlfriend." her mother sputtered. I felt a numb horror come from Aphrodite when I realized what I had done.
"No, no I mean I mean I'm her friend who's a-"
"So now your a lesbian!" Her mom's voice dripping in disgust.
"N-no let me explain. I-" Aphrodite stammered.
"Do you know what this could mean for your father's job!" But she didn't let Aphrodite answer when she quickly continued "You have made a lot of stupid choices in your life, and we have tried to deal with it. But this is by far the worst.
"It's not my fault I didn't choose this." Aphrodite pleaded.
But her mom didn't seem to hear. "Why were we cursed to have such such a bitch as a daughter."
"I told you not to call me that. " Aphrodite, who had started crying, whispered.
"Do not talk back to your mother!"her father roared raising his hand, which I hadn't realized I let go of, getting ready to slap her."
With my vampire reflexes, I quickly grabbed his wrist and whispered, although I was sure he could hear me. "I said don't do that again. Now I think it's time for you to leave."
Fear flashed through his eyes before he said "Lets go Marianne."
She got ready to yell her anger, before he repeated "I said lets go." They both reluctantly walked away, and left Aphrodite sitting on the stone bench silently crying.
I quickly rushed over to her, and let her cry into my shoulder. I thought about the previous fight and couldn't stop myself from asking "Aphrodite, are you ashamed to let others know your dating me." I knew it was probably the worst time to ask but, I couldn't stop thinking about how she told her parents she wasn't gay, and how she said didn't choose this. And an unexpected irritation washed over me.
"No, it's just that..." She trailed off.
"Just that what? I thought you said you liked me."
"I thought you said you wouldn't tell them!" She said getting defensive.
"Well I'm sorry if I wanted to protect you." I retorted pulling away from her. "But you know what, forget it, I guess next time I'll know not to help you when you need it." I practically yelled stalking off. I felt a regret that was not mine, pass through me and I instantly closed our mental connection not wanting to have to deal with her. Jeesh sometimes she was just impossible. Before I knew it I was already at my dorm.
"Are you alright?" Stark asked me, when I got settled on my bed.
"I don't know," I said frustrated "Do you think she really is ashamed of me?" I knew I didn't have to explain what happened since he was my ghost warrior, so he could go where ever I was, meaning he saw our little argument.
He considered it before saying "Truthfully I think she was just scared and didn't want her parents to hate her even more. Even though she doesn't show it, I could feel how everything they said hurt her."
"Wow, when did you grow up?" I said impressed at his wisdom.
"Dying twice really changes a person." He smirked.
"Oh I see." I said laughing, and then becoming serious again "But yeah, your probably right, I'll apologize to her tomorrow."
"Why not now?"
"Because I'm beat." I said yawning loudly.
"I'm sure you are, it's way past your bedtime." he said teasingly.
I would have given a sarcastic remark, but I swear that I fell asleep before my head even hit the pillow.