Chapter 26

Rhea POV

I don't think I've ever been stared at as much as I have been in recent weeks. I started my studies at Colombia University. The people found it odd that a nine year old has taken electives in Biological science, along with studying to be a doctor in Physical therapy.

This is definitely not High school. The vibe is different, more relaxed but at the same time, way more stressful. I have no free time and I'm fortunate enough that I have Aunt Hestia looking after me. She's had to remind me to eat on more than one occasion and had to put me to bed almost every night.

Am I overworked? Yes. Is it worth it? It doesn't feel like it at the moment. Will I crash and burn? Yip.

High school is a breeze in comparison to the workload I have now. I have to remind myself constantly that I wanted this. I'm no longer in my twenties with the capacity to stay up for twenty two hours and be close to fine the next day.

My microbiology professor is an asshole who doesn't think I belong in his class. I hate it when someone tells me I can't do something. I take it as a personal challenge to prove to him that I can.

My ADHD is on overdrive in my lectures and I've had to resort to using prescribed meds to just focus. I don't like using them often due to the fact that my attention span of a fly is imperative to my survival as a demi-goddess.

"I'm proud of you niece," Aunt Hestia said putting down a cup of tea next to me, startling me from my desk, and I may or may not have squeaked like a bird on a high.

"Wha…what? Sorry auntie, I was so focused," I replied hastily.

"I can see that. What I mean is; I am so proud of you for how hard you're working here. I've never seen someone so focused who wasn't a child of the wisdom goddess."

"Thanks auntie. It means a lot to me," I said bashfully.

Aunt Persephone came to visit me before she went back to the underworld for winter. Apparently when I went to visit, she snuck away from her mother over the summer to meet me and I've never felt more honoured than when she told me that.

Months had passed and I haven't had any time to train or do any physical activity besides training my hands and brains to do my projects. I did get to visit Jane and Malcolm over two weekends at the school and I may or may not have rubbed it onto my bullies' faces that I was smarter than them.

And before I knew it, end of semester exams were coming up, followed by Christmas holidays and the New Year.

I enjoyed spending time with my family and Aunt Persephone took me to the Underworld to visit for a few days. I gave both of them presents, compiled out of sweets and chocolates. Uncle Hades has a real sweet tooth apparently. We're still awkward around each other but that's okay.

Some of my fellow classmates call me Sheldonna Cooper, the female version for Sheldon from the Big bang Theory.

And it's not that I'm as socially awkward as he is, I'm just young!

I nearly finished my first year and dear gods, am I glad that I'm nearly done. I need a break!

I had one more exam to finish on Physiology before I could leave to visit dad with mom, but Gabe has been really difficult with mom lately. He doesn't like the idea of her leaving for the summer. He wants her serving him and his friends, beer every day for the rest of his miserable life. Mum has been smooth talking him but it seems unfair, he is such a pig. He treats her like crap and she is the best person in the world.

"Oh sweetheart, it's so wonderful to see you. How have you been? Have you been eating? Hestia said that you forgot to eat again this week?" my mom bombarded me the moment I stepped foot in the apartment.

"Mom, chill, I'm fine. I was studying for my last exam. Lucky for me, Aunt Hestia has been looking after me, if she hasn't I probably would have forgotten to brush my teeth," I said.

"Hey Sally! Bring me a beer! Now!" Gabe yells from the living room couch.

I groan out and mom throws me a 'behave' look. Raising my hands in surrender, she left to give Gabe his beer.

"Where is that girl?" I hear Gabe ask mom.

"Rhea is in the kitchen," my mother responds and I stiffen, feeling uncomfortable with him talking about me.

"Did she bring any money from that rich university? She's got to have something with her. They're paying for everything, aren't they?" he asks greedily.

"Gabe, she probably doesn't have anything. Please leave her alone. She'll be out of your hair once we leave to Montauk," she replies.

He doesn't have any hair, I think, nearly laughing at my train of thought.

"She's staying under my roof-"he says, but mom interrupted him, saying,

"-Gabe, she's only a child."

I hear a scuffle, and glass breaking. I ran to the living room, seeing my mother on the floor, with Gabe glaring down at my mother.

"Don't interrupt me again Sally!" he seethes.

My mother sees me, she looks like she is about to cry.

I'm about to pounce on the pig when my mom stops me, "Rhea, no, leave it. Please."

The pig turns to me, smirking. "You see girl. This is what happens when you don't listen to a man. Stop with your attitude or you'll be on the streets for the summer. Now, do you have any money on you?" he says.

If only I had laser eye vision…

"I've got ten dollars," I say, handing it to him.

Mom gets up and heads to my room, once I closed the door, I turn to her.

"Mom, why don't you leave him?" I ask her angrily.

"Because his stench protects you."

"But I've known about dad's family for a long time and have had no monster attacks, we'll be fine. The way he treats you is not right," I say.

"Please, leave it alone. Leave him alone. We'll be gone in a few days, visiting your father. Until then, be good. Don't cause trouble. I've taken time off from my job, but I have to return in two weeks' time. You'll get to spend the rest of the summer with your dad. Let's enjoy the time we have together, okay?" she pleads.

"Okay mom, I'll be an angel," I say, feeling vindictive and my smile reflects it. I would love to give Gabe some laxatives. I could sneak it into his beer. It's tasteless, and colourless.

The following day Gabe and his friends played poker and he, of course ordered my mom around like slave, and his friends kept eyeing her like the pervs they are.

When mom went out to buy them cigarettes, I was the one ordered around to bring them their food and beer. I enacted my plan, a smile unseen by all, besides the Fates themselves and the readers of this story, I grabbed the laxative powder and mixed it into Gabe's beer-not just one packets, but two.

Let's just say, their poker meeting ended after twenty minutes when Gabe rushed to the loo and didn't come out for the rest of the day. Sweet, stinky revenge!

Mom knew I did something, and when she confronted me, I, of course acted innocent, saying, "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies. Innocent until proven guilty."

"Alright darling, but one thing before you go to bed, you forgot to throw away the laxative packets," she says.

Deer caught in headlights. This is what I look like right now.

"Pfft, that could be anyone's."

"Uhuh, I'm sure," she says smiling. A mischievous smile.

"He could certainly use a detox," I tell her.

"I agree," she says laughing finally, "Have you started packing yet?"

"No, I'll pack tomorrow. It gives me a day. I don't have a lot of things to take with."

"That's fine. You've grown an inch taller since I last saw you. Your jeans are sitting a bit high on your ankles," my mother comments.

"We can go shopping with my step-mother. Speaking of, have you been hanging out with her again?" I ask curiously.

"Yes, she came to visit over a month ago. We had some coffee and spoke about the happenings in Atlantis. It was fun," she replies.

"That's so weird," I comment, shaking my head. She knows how strange it was for me in the beginning, but at least she has a good friend. I'm happy for her. Gabe makes it difficult her to have any.

Mom has a bruise on her shoulder from where Gave pushed her, and that only wanted me to spike all his beers with laxatives, but…my mother caught me doing that and put a stop t it.

"You'll only make him suspicious. He'll take it out on the both of us," she said.

"Let him try. I've been practicing my water powers, I have better control now. I'm sure I could let the toilet explode right now, covering him in his own excrement," I say maliciously.

"Nope, not gonna happen Rhea. Do you want to go to Montauk?" she asks.

"Yes," I say defeated.

"Good, then don't mess this up. Control your temper. I don't want to clean up after him. You know he would only leave the mess for me to clean," she says.

I did control my temper and fortunately we were on our way to Montauk (with only one random spiked beer that mom didn't know about).