“Let’s go over there,” I tell them, nodding to where Dr. Minthe directed us. I know I have to talk to Paris—Iwantto talk to Paris—but not when Rhea is around. There’s something about her that I really don’t like.
“Are you really okay?” Arjun asks, his brown eyes super serious as he looks me over for wounds.
“I’m fine. Just…” Despite telling myself not to, I glance back at Paris, who seems completely enthralled by Rhea and her eye batting. Ugh.
Fifi follows my gaze. “She’s horrible,” she tells me in a whisper that really isn’t much of a whisper.
“True story.” Arjun starts to say something else, but at that moment, another group of students comes over the embankment.
As soon as they set foot on the field, Agatha swoops down again. This time, I don’t even try to interfere. Two rescues in less than ten minutes is more than enough for me. Especially since Dr. Minthe said she won’t actually hurt anyone…something it would have been nice to know before I threw myself under my brother’s falling body.
As the drama plays out—a bunch of screaming, some crying—Paris finally breaks away from Rhea and comes to stand next to me.
“You need to call the parental units. Mom woke me up at two this morning because she still hadn’t heard from you and she is freaking out.”
“My phone is broken. I can’t call them until they send a new one.”
He looks at me like I’ve suddenly grown more heads than the hydra.
“Late for the assembly, stuck in Aphrodite Hall, and broke your phone all in less than a day?” He looks incredulous. “Who are you and what did you do with my sister?”
“What do you mean,stuckin Aphrodite Hall?” Fifi demands, looking very insulted. But Arjun pulls her away before she can say anything else. I shoot them an apologetic look and turn back to Paris.
“Are Mom and Dad mad I’m not in Athena?”
Paris doesn’t answer right away, which is all the answer I really need.
A shiver runs down my spine as I ask, “How mad are they?”
“They’re not mad. They’re just…” He trails off, another sure sign that things are very, very bad.
“Disappointed?” I fill in.
“Yeah, and…”
“Mad.” I blow out a long breath. “It’s okay. You can say it.”
“I think they’re more worried than mad.” Now it’s his turn to look me over. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It was just a fall—”
“I don’t mean from that rabid eagle.” He shoots Agatha a look of loathing. Apparently, their little flight was more nerve-racking than he wanted to let on in front of Rhea. Go figure. “I mean about Aphrodite. How bad are they over there?”
“They aren’t bad at all.” I think about Fifi and Arjun and Charlie and Leah and everyone I met while disco-fying the apple last night. “They’re actually really nice.”
“You don’t have to say that. I know it’s not what you had planned.” He pats my shoulder. “I’m really sorry things went like this, Penelope.”
The genuine concern in his voice has a lump forming in my throat. Not because I’ve had a terrible time in Aphrodite—I haven’t—but because it reminds me of all my plans. Of allourplans, and of our family’s long history at Athena Hall.
How am I going to face all my relatives at holidays and tell them I failed?
Do I really want to be the only one left out?
I can’t say all that to Paris, though. Not without him freaking out and then getting my parents all freaked out too. Or, should I say, more freaked out than they already are?
So instead of telling him how confused and freaked out I am, I swallow the lump in my throat, ignore the burning behind my eyes, and ask, “Is it cool in Athena?”
For the second time since we started talking, Paris looks torn. Which only makes me feel worse.
