Piper
Persephone
Aaron and Astra's apartment was located near the highway. Patrick guided me into the lobby where we entered the elevator to take us up to the fifth floor. My heart was hammering fast – I'd started the night at a party full of older students, ended up in the bathroom with Hunter of all people and now I was going to stay over at Aaron's house.
With Astra.
And Patrick.
Two of the coolest students and Gods that could walk through Lincoln Academy. I wondered what Astra's room would be like in comparison to mine. I was still in that phase where I thought Hello Kitty was retro and posters covered my walls. Looking at Astra, I doubt she would have had the same. She probably never even went through that phase.
"Hey meathead, we're back!" Astra called out as she opened the front door.
The hallway was small but cosy, with the living room to the left and possibly the bedrooms to the right. It was open plan. Paintings of the sun and moon decorated the walls, with a few statues that their parents had picked up from their travels around Europe. Small potted palm trees and flowing white curtains surrounded the French doors out onto the balcony that could be entered from the living room.
I had taken it all in in under ten seconds.
Aaron came through with that hat still on his head. He looked surprised to see me.
"Oh! Hey Piper. How you doing?"
He reached out and gave me a welcoming hug. Dear God, he smelled good. In fact, they all smelled good. Maybe it was a God thing.
Astra kicked her heels off, going down in height to 5'8. "Come on Piper, I'll get you some pyjamas. Aaron, make us hot chocolate."
"I'm not your bitch," Aaron said, picking at his hair in the mirror with a frustrated look on his face. I could see why he was wearing the hat in the first place – it was incredibly blond.
"AARON."
"Aww man!" he groaned. "Fine, but I'm only doing it for her!" he asserted, pointing to me. Astra smirked and led me away from the hallway.
Her bedroom was average size. I was right in saying she didn't go through a Hello Kitty phase – but she did have a thing for galaxies. Glow in the dark stars were stuck up on her ceiling and her white curtains had the faint glitter of the cosmos. A beautiful half- moon was painted in silver above her bed, just above the headboard.
"Your room's amazing," I couldn't help but say. Astra smiled. "Thanks! I like my moons and stars, as you can probably tell!" She winked and pulled out a pair of checked pyjama bottoms and a red vest top. "Here, wear these."
So far, being at Aaron's and Astra's was pretty good.
Alexandria
Aphrodite
The cab driver dropped me off at my door, with a parting goodbye of, "Whatever happened, it will sort itself out."
I was sure that would happen…
My body was aching. My bones were heavy. I just wanted to hibernate forever. Trailing up the porch, I opened the front door, careful not to wake the parents. The dog, Clonkers, came out of the living room and nuzzled my knee. He always knew when I was upset.
Which, by God, I looked. Staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I had to say I looked like hell. My makeup had ran all over my face. My eyes were swollen from tears.
Hayden had pretty much broken up with me.
He was the only boy I ever let in.
Ever loved.
The realisation hit me full force. I hibernated on the bathroom floor till seven am, until my father walked in and got the fright of his life seeing me curled up on the cold tiled floor with Clonkers.