Don’t start with *Mother Earth* stuff, Bunny. This needs to be fun, not a lecture on how the world ends.
Lauren:
Hades and Persephone aren’t exactly the *most fun* gods on Olympus, Silas. And the world *is* ending, denying it is unnecessary.
Silas:
Yes, they are. And let me live my life in peace, please.
I grab the book and start flipping through the pages. Damn it. It's a love story. Great. I can already feel the eye rolls coming from Lauren.
Silas:
We’ll make them funny.
Lauren:
Neither of us has the gift of laughter, Silas. It’s going to be a fiasco.
Did she just say I’m not funny? To my face?
Silas:
I am funny; it just might not be your sense of humor.
Lauren:
I’ve never seen you make anyone laugh.
What? I feel my jaw clench. I take a deep breath, inhaling through my nose, exhaling through my mouth. Calm down, Silas. Don’t throw the phone.
Silas:
Think of some ideas by this time tomorrow.
Lauren doesn’t respond again, and honestly, I’m relieved. I wasn’t ready to keep going. But during dinner, I can’t stop glancing at my phone—even though it's strictly forbidden at the table. I wonder why the hell I ended our conversation. Knowing I have unlimited access to Lauren is way harder than I thought.
As soon as I finish dinner, I cave and text her again.
Silas:
I want to hear those ideas.
Lauren:
You said tomorrow.
Silas:
I made plans for tomorrow. I won’t be able to.
Lies. But who cares?
Lauren:
I’m researching the myth. Apparently, Hades kidnapped Persephone to make her his wife. I don’t think that’s very appropriate for the 21st century.
I open the book, flipping through the pages like I’m cramming for a test. An hour later, I’ve practically memorized the thing.
