A tiny part of me that’s terrified to do anything that might make it happen again.
The hallway ends as it runs into another hallway, and Fifi turns right without hesitation.
“Do you know where you’re going?”
“I know where Levi told me to go when I asked this morning,” she answers. “I guess we’ll find out whether or not he gave me the right directions.”
We make another quick right and end up in what I think is some kind of gaming lounge, judging by the number of TVs and gaming consoles throughout the room.
“Does this mean he didn’t give you the right directions?” I venture as we back out of the room.
“Actually, I think that one was my fault. It should have been a left.”
We retrace our steps at a jog, going left instead of right, and end up in what I’m guessing is the package piazza, judging by the hundreds of multicolored little cubbies stacked up in rows in the center of the room.
Of course, all the cubbies are empty because it’s the first day of school, but that doesn’t seem to bother Fifi, who heads straight for a stack of four boxes in the back of the room.
“Your parents sent you four care packages for the first day?” I ask. How is that possible considering the sheer number of things she brought in her suitcases? I know Aphrodites are all about beauty, but how much does one person need?
“Actually, I sent them to myself. It was Leah’s idea.” She picks up two of the boxes, then nods for me to do the same.
I brace myself, expecting them to be as heavy as her suitcases. Instead, they’re superlight—which is weird enough. Add in the fact that when I shake them, nothing rattles at all, and I’m intrigued despite myself.
“What are we—”
“Three minutes,” she says as we head out of the room and back down the hallway. “And I promise I’ll tell you everything.”
Three minutes later, we’re outside the gate, standing at the base of the apple with at least fifteen other first years—including Arjun and Omari. They all seem really chill—and really nice. A part of me is a little surprised that so many people came just because Fifi told them to. But another part of me thinks it’s totally expected. Haven’t I gone along with everything Fifi’s wanted from the minute she pulled me into the stands next to her in the amphitheater?
The girl’s got some kind of star power.
“First of all,” Fifi begins in a loud whisper. “Ellie and I want to thank you for coming to participate in what is a time-honored tradition for brand-new Aphrodites.”
“Hi, Ellie!” Arjun says as Fifi climbs up on the bench next to the apple.
“Penelope,” I remind him, because if we’re going to be friends, I feel like he should call me by my real name. I’ve figured out that Fifi’s going to do what Fifi wants to do, but I might still have a chance with him. “My name is Penelope.”
“Oh, right.” He looks startled, like he actually forgot thatfact. Apparently, that’s what Fifi does. She turns things into what she wants them to be.
Must. Be. Nice.
“What’s the tradition?” someone calls from the other side of our small gathering.
“I was getting to that,” said Fifi. “Some of you already know this, but for those of you who don’t, it’s expected that sometime in the first week of school, the first years decorate the apple.”
“Decorate or vandalize?” I ask, as that icky feeling starts churning in my stomach again.
“Good question, Ellie! Vandalism destroys things. Decorating makes them better, and we are absolutely going to make this apple better. Ellie, give me one of those boxes you’re carrying, will you, please?”
“We’re not going to get in trouble for this, are we?” I ask before I hand over the box.
“I already told you, it’s expected. You don’t actually think this apple came tie-dyed, do you? Last year’s class sprayed it with hundreds of paintballs and then swirled the colors all together.”
A few of the girls near the base of the apple ooh and aah.
But Fifi calls them out on it. “Don’t be impressed by that, not when we’re going to do somethingsomuch cooler.”
She gives me an expectant look as she holds her hands out for the box. And though I’m still leery of this plan—I’m not sure I want to know what Fifi considers epic—I can’t help being caught up in the excitement at least a little bit.
