Maybe myths should just stay myths. Fairy tales should just stay fairy tales. Trust me on this because I grew up with myths. Literally. My mom, Aphrodite, is a literally Greek goddess. My father was mortal. A human. But the worst monsters are human, aren’t they? But I’m not here to talk about my life story, only a small part of it.

My name is Reina Bello, daughter of Aphrodite. I was in the Dominican Republic. I left when I was seven after the death of my father. Now, let's begin the story.

This is about the day my whole world got turned upside down. Let me set the scene. In Florida there is a strange little town with when Greek gods and their kids live. Well, the gods don’t really live there but some of them are around a lot like Artemis or my mom. It’s basically like a college but without schooling; we have to go to nearby towns and cities for school. But there are dorms and a gym and a cafeteria and an infirmary. There’s temples and a few mud huts. As I said, strange little town. Or well, a village based on our population of around seventy mortals.

So anyway, I was in the cafeteria eating dinner with my besties. Veronica Trigueros and Kate Seth. Veronica was a daughter of Hephaestus and Kate was a daughter of Enyo.

We had to wear chitons, a style of dress from ancient Greece, or some other ancient Greek outfit because the gods wanted us to have our culture in our daily lives. At least we only had to wear them during dinner. And they came in different colors. I really liked the midnight blue ones. Kate like the red ones, and Veronica liked the brown ones.

Anyway so we were talking about how I might have a crush on the most beautiful girl in the world. Her name was Andrea Oogami. Most people called her Andy. She was also Kate’s sister and unfortunately Kate enjoyed teasing me about my slight crush on her.

“You know I get to be your maid of honor since Andy is Kate’s sister.” Veronica said before stuffing her face with pizza.

“I'm not even dating her.” I groaned.

“Not yet. But I'm telling you she's asked about you. Like I mentioned you the other day and she's like Reina? Is that your girlfriend? Or is she the one who kissed Mindy Flora last Christmas?” Kate said.

“Both of those are me!” Veronica laughed.

“Yes and I love you very much. Even if you kissed Mindy Flora while you were drunk.” Kate kissed Veronica on the cheek.

“Well I didn't know Allen Raye had spiked the punch.” Veronica said.

“You guys are adorable and so gross.” I joked. They had been dating since we were all fifteen, about two years ago, so I've seen a lot of their pda. Though I guess I've seen worse. Once my sister, Em, was making out with Michael Lin, son of Cupid, right in front of my room. I had to lead them towards her room since she's blind. It was awkward to say the least.

“We know.” Kate and Veronica said in unison.

“Anyway it's not like I can just ask Andy out. You know how I am. I’d freak out,” I looked down at my plate. My rice was probably getting cold.

“Oh. Oh yeah. Well you don't have to. Unless you want to. Anyway who is that? A new demigod?” Veronica pointed behind me.

I turned to see the Ravi twins walking with a girl with long braided black hair. Damn she was pretty. I wondered who she was. I watched as they got their food and then went to sit with the Ravi twins’ friends, one of which was my little sister Nina. A few seconds later Megara Kalos, one of the only two daughters of Demeter, seemed to say something to the newbie that caused the whole table to be upset.

“I sometimes miss Megara.” I said. Megara use to hang out with us but after her brother and sister died, she started hanging out with different groups of people. She ended up staying with that group. There was nothing wrong with them and I guess if anyone understood loss and grief, it was the Ravi twins. Except for Bec Nassar, if anyone other than their sister, Kore, or Mindy Flora talked to them that is. But yeah, before the attack of the hellhound a few years back and the deaths of Harry and Garnet, life was better. Megara, and Z Deak, a son of Zeus, were close friends of mine but things happened. Megara became more cold and distant, and Z just left. He at first tried to help Megara be her old self again but he failed.

But yeah. We used to be friends. Key words; used to be. I missed them but I know they have been going through alot. Especially Megara.

“Me too. Wonder what she said to that new person.” Kate said.

“Probably something about Harry and Garnet. Telling them to run away from this cursed place.” Veronica said.

“Yeah.” I shrugged.

It wasn’t until I was walking to my room that I overheard Nina talking about what happen to our brother Quinn Wiesel did I learn what had been said.

“Yeah so that new person is named Bobbie. Ze is Demeter’s kid. And Megara just straight up told zir that zir was going to die,” Nina said.

“Yikes. But at least Megara didn’t lie. I would want to know if I had a curse that would kill me.” Quinn frowned.

“Well yeah but I was so surprised Megara even talked. She hasn’t spoken since two weeks ago. Johanna and Josephine have been like forcing her to eat sometimes. Poor thing is getting worse- Oh hey Reina!” Nina faked a smile when she saw me.

“Megara is doing badly?” I asked. Nina looked down at the ground.

“Johanna has her sitting with us because she wants to make sure she eats. Johanna told me I shouldn't tell you or anyone who's close to Megara because she's so fragile right now and Johanna doesn't know what to do and I'm sorry,” Nina said with tears running down her cheeks.

“Hey, it's okay. I'll see you later, okay?” I ruffled her hair. I couldn’t say anything else. I mean what would I say? Ask why she didn’t tell me my old best friend was most likely dying? I couldn’t do that, Nina was my little sister. I mean she was younger by only a few months. Gods are interesting beings. They exist in many places at once since they don't conform to the laws of physics so you ended up with goddesses having children only a few months apart like me, Nina and her triplets.

“If you’re going to talk to Megara just watch out for the new person, Bobbie. Something is wrong with zir emotions like someone blocked something very important. Ze seems to be connected to people here but it’s not just Megara and Lexie. Zir strings of fate are all messed up,” Nina said.

“Okay. I got it,” I said.

I banged on Megara’s door. “Meg, please open up. I overheard Nina say you haven’t been eating. That you hadn’t spoken in weeks but you talked tonight. You’re one of my best friends. I want to make sure you’re okay.”

I slumped against the door. And then it opened and I fell into Megara’s room. Megara stood above me. Her hair was a mess and she had been crying.

“Lexie is going to die. Bobbie is too. And so am I. Because of lord thunder.” Megara said. Her voice sounded so hoarse I thought she might have eaten a bowl of nails or something.

“Megara.” I hugged her. I hugged my best friend since we when seven for the first time in weeks.

“Lord thunder can lift the curse but I won’t give him what he wants from me. I won’t. I can’t. But now Bobbie is another child who is going to die if I don’t.” She cried.

“What did he want?”

“Sex.” Megara whispered.

I pulled away and stared at her. “That’s disgusting. Megara, you won’t right?”

“Of course I won't, he's Z’s father, I can’t do that to him. Now I had thought I should just should do it if it’ll take the curse away. To save Lexie. To save myself. To save Garnet. But I heard them one night. Him and Garnet fighting. She had laid with him and yet he still would not take off the curse. She died a week later.” Megara whispered, tears dripped onto my feet.

“I’m doing to kill him and yes I know you can’t kill a god. But it’s not right. He should be punished. But listen, I will always be here for you, no matter what. He is a monster. And I will cut off his fucking dick if he comes near you again.” I swore.

“Do you think there’s a cure?”

“Yes. And you will live long enough to get it. Promise me that you will long enough to get the cure. Please promise me that, I want you to get better.” I begged.

“I promise. I’ll see you tomorrow. Kate and Veronica too. Maybe I’ll even talk to Z someday again. Or at least say hi.” Megara slightly smiled.

“Alright, see you tomorrow.” I choked back the tears. I had missed her a lot.