“There’s nothing to tell,” I say, using the excuse of looking for my bags to get out of the very embarrassing conversation about a Hades boy I’ll probably never talk to again—and who isn’t the slightest bit important to my life at this school.
On the plus side, Fifi changes topics a lot. If I’m lucky, she’ll be onto something else by the time we’ve all found our stuff.
I’m a little worried it’ll be hard to find where Parisdumped my sensible navy-blue suitcase and backpack in the middle of the giant pile, but it turns out that it’s exponentially easier now that Athena Hall has already collected their bags. Because, as it turns out, Aphrodites don’t believe in sensible navy-blueanything.
Every single backpack and suitcase in the pile is either brightly colored or has wild designs on it. Plus, most of them are also covered in stickers—rainbows, hearts, the names of bands or video games, the list goes on and on. Every backpack and suitcase, that is, but mine.
So while the others are digging through bags ranging from bright red to hot pink to neon green, I find mine right away. Which, I realize, gives me the chance I’ve been looking for to speak to Dr. Dione, who is currently watching what has to be the most disorganized suitcase search in the history of searches with a fond look on her face.
Deciding that it’s either now or never, I slide my backpack on. Then I straighten my shoulders, clear my throat, and head over to her, determined to solve this Aphrodite mishap once and for all.
16.When Life Gives You Apples
WELL, HELLO THERE, PENELOPE,” DR.Dione says as soon as I approach her.
“Hi,” I answer, tripping over my own tongue as I continue, “how are you?”
Her warm smile is both welcoming and a little bit blinding at the same time as she answers, “I’m doing fabulously, thank you for asking! Opening day is one of my favorites of the year. I love meeting all the new members of Aphrodite Hall and feeling the air crackle with possibilities.”
It’s a perfect segue—I couldn’t have asked for a better one if Athena herself was helping me out.
Then again, maybe she is. Just because she and the other gods couldn’t make it to the opening ceremony for the first time ever doesn’t mean they aren’t watching out for us. Maybe Athena is as upset about me being put in the wrong hall as I am.
It’s that thought that gives me the courage to say what I need to say, even in the face of Dr. Dione’s overwhelming everything. I clear my throat again and say, “Actually, that’s what I wanted to speak with you about.”
“Oh, don’t worry. We’ll give out room assignments once we reach the hall. All the first years stay on the top floor, so you’ll have a lovely view of the campus. Not to mention first access to the elevators in the morning when everyone is rushing to class.” She grins indulgently. “It’s one of our first years’ favorite perks.”
The Athena in me appreciates the fact that I won’t have to fight for elevator access—I hate, hate, hate being late to class. Honestly, I hate being late to anything, which is why this entire day has been torturous for me so far.
But that stops now. If I can convince her I belong in Athena Hall, I can head over there instead of to Aphrodite. My day—and my life—can get back on track.
“That sounds great, but I’m pretty sure there’s been a mistake. I should be in Athena Hall, not Aphrodite.”
The words come out in a rush—the only way I can get them out—and my heart threatens to burst from my chest as the look in her eyes turns from welcoming to puzzled.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” Dr. Dione says after a brief pause that seems to take about a million years. “The gods don’t make mistakes, certainly not about something as fundamental as the students they claim to be theirs. When Aphrodite chose to give you her apple, she claimed you for her hall.”
“Yes, but—” I break off because when she puts it like that, my arguments don’t seem to hold nearly as much weight as I expected them to.
Not to mention, there’s a small part of me that feels a spark of pride from her words. A teeny-tiny part of me that likes the idea of being claimed—believed in—by a god, even if that god is Aphrodite.
But I tell myself I’m being ridiculous, that it will feel even better when I get claimed by Athena as I should have been all along. So I take a deep breath and force myself to continue. “My whole family are Athenas, even my twin brother. It’s been that way since Anaximander’s opened.”
“I’m sure that’s true, but the gods obviously believed it was time for a change.” Her smile fades as her face, and her voice, grow serious. “You know, Penelope, those who underestimate Aphrodite—the god or the hall—do so at their own peril. Love, respect, kindness, friendship, joy. These are some of the most important ideas in the world. I’d like to think that anyone sorted into Aphrodite Hall would know this already.”
“I do.” Of course I know love and kindness are important. But so is wisdom. Always knowing the right path and doing the right thing so that people have the chance to be friends or to love each other.
I start to say as much to Dr. Dione, but the last thing I want to do is insult her. Especially when she’s pretty much the only one who can help me right now.
So instead of pointing out just how important Athena is, I move on to my second argument. “When I put my coin in,there were two balls. I’m positive that the second ball has an owl in it. An owl that was meant for me.”
“Bold of you to assume there is anything in those balls before a student opens them, rather than thinking that the charm appears there when a god claims a student. What do you think the coin chase is for besides letting the gods get a good look at all of Anaximander’s new students?”
Her words have everything freezing inside me as I wonder if she’s right. Is there nothing in the little plastic balls until a god claims you? Does that mean if I opened the red ball, there would have been an apple in it, too?
Horror washes through me at the thought.
“Besides,” she says as her smile comes back. “There might have been two balls, but you only caught one. The sooner you come to accept that you truly are an Aphrodite, the faster you’ll settle in here.”
