Aphrodite's POV

'Whoever she kisses for ten seconds or more will be her boyfriend for the rest of the game.' Alice announced.

My daughters became gamblers.

'Twenty five for Leo.' Lacey said.

'Forty for Jason.' Drew said.

'Sixty for Percy.' Piper said.

'One hundred for Paolo Montes!' Valentina screeched.

Children, I thought. In my opinion; my darling Mitchell would win over the stubborn girl. He was my son after all.

Firstly, Leo.

I counted in my head.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6—

Nik pushed Leo and slapped him twice. 'Two on ten, peeps.'

Lacey lost twenty five dollars.

Annabeth Chase pushed her boyfriend into the battlefield.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8—

Nik slapped Perseus nine times. (Nice?)

'Neeks was right, then.' Nik said. 'Your breath smells like water.'

Piper McLean lost sixty dollars.

Nik instantly pushed Paolo Montes to the ground.

'I don't speak Portuguese, but in English we say; get out Montes.' Nik said.

'Hey; that rhymes.' Apollo said.

'I have an idea!'

Everyone looked strangely at me. Maybe in awe of my fabulousness.

'Alice Miyazawa, blindfold her.' I ordered. 'Increases the risk.'

'And reduces our chances of getting slapped.' Jason Grace muttered.

Alice looked to Nik. 'Permission—'

'Granted.' Nik said. 'I can guess who I'm slapping, that way.'

Alice put a sleeping mask over Nik.

'Tie her hands while you're at it.' Travis said.

'Very funny; Connor.' Nik said.

Travis and Connor Stoll high-fived.

§§§

Everyone still got slapped; literally and metaphorically. Most especially my daughters.

Finally it was Frank Zhang's turn.

He looked stricken with panic; Nik's hand-prints were still on Percy's face.

This girl has to choose someone, I thought.

Then I got a plan.

Instead of counting time; I counted steps.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

My aura would drive them crazy for each other; and Frank would be chosen.

Everyone was shocked; for when Nik raised her hands, she did not slap Zhang. Rather she ran her hands through his hair.

Seven, eight, I thought.

Now they were all over each other.

That should be enough, I thought. Any closer and there will be a scandal.

Nik finally broke off. 'Who the Nico's dad was that?'

I smiled. 'Alice; how long was that?'

'Fifteen seconds.' Alice said shockingly, looking at her stopwatch. 'Way longer than anyone else.'

'Frank; you have won.' I said.

Διακοπή της γραμμής

Frank's POV

Nik almost slapped me.

Luckily I had anti-slap reflexes and used them to dodge her hand.

I didn't know what came over me. I didn't want to stop kissing Nik; Like I got a huge dose of some love potion that made her seem irresistible.

'Frank Zhang; slap yourself.' Nik said.

For some reason; I slapped myself.

'Sliverspeak.' Travis muttered.

I turned. 'What's that?'

'Charmspeak for crooks.' Travis said.

'Oh.' I said.

Nik forced me to turn around. 'That was you?'

'Yes, Nicola.' Venus-Aphrodite said. 'So this is who you are secretly in love with?'

'I don't— yuck— love him.' Nik shuddered. 'It was this weird feeling—'

'Like you didn't want to stop?' Me and Aphrodite asked simultaneously.

'That's—'

'Exactly what love feels like.' Aphrodite interrupted. 'You were sure it was him; so you took it as an opportunity.'

'Gross!' Me and Nik said.

'And you... Zhang.' Aphrodite said distasefully. I'm sure she didn't like me because I was her boyfriend's kid. 'You had that feeling too?'

'Yes—'

I looked at Hazel. She had tears in her eyes.

'I mean no— I mean; I don't know.' I whined. 'Something was wrong with me. I didn't mean to, Haze.'

'Look; Rihanna.' Nik said. 'I didn't know. Shang didn't know. It was an accident; and he says sorry.'

'Why me?' I asked. 'You were the one being weird.'

'I was blindfolded, Shanghai.' Nik said. 'You were the freaky one.'

'You're the person that supposedly likes me.'

'Dude; I'd rather fricking die.'

Hazel stepped between us. 'What did you say?'

'Sorry.' Nik said. 'I meant I would ratherbleeping die than have you kill me yourself for liking your boyfriend. I'm sorry'

Nik seemed to be silverspeaking her.

Hazel nodded. 'That makes sense.'

'Apology accepted?' Nik asked.

'Yeah.' Hazel said.

'Then let's get back to it.' Nik said. 'Rule number whatever; this should not repeat itself ever again.'