When you give a goddess a chocolate...

Part 5: Lunch Table

Lucilla colors the inside of her "K" with aqua and blue. The colors reminded her of the waves she saw at the beach last summer. Her eyes anxiously flicker to the clock on the wall, waiting for Ms. Anya to tell them to line up for lunch. Then, she could grab her robot and sit with her friends.

Well, it really isn't a robot. It's a vessel for Psyche. An excellent way to show her friends how cool she has become. Lucilla isn't just the sad girl anymore. She's a priestess. Whatever that really means.

Lucilla throws her crayons back into the bucket and leans forward to search for the yellow and orange. The sun is a good representation of kindness. Or maybe she should draw a kite because it's easier and something people do at the beach? Nope, it's going to be a sun.

"Remember, class," Ms. Anya calls out, leaning over a boy's shoulder. "To think of a word that sounds like 'kuh.' It doesn't need to start with 'k' because sometimes 'c' also makes a 'kuh' sound."

Lucilla swears she hears Ms. Anya mutter about not having the patience to worry about teaching spelling today.

The young girl's hands move, and her sun morphs into a person-like shape. Sparks appear to be flying off from the figure's fingertips. Lucilla's hand shoots out to the crayon bucket and picks a golden color to fill more space.

"What are you drawing?"

Lucilla jumps and turns to see Ms. Anya over her shoulder. "Oh, uh." Lucilla's brown eyes fall down to the crayons in her hand. "I was drawing a kind and caring goddess."

Ms. Anya nods her head and smiles. "Excellent, Luci."

"Thank you," Lucilla whispers, returning to work.

Her thoughts travel to the robot in her backpack. She can't wait to show her friends, but—

A wave of fear washes over her.

But what if Psyche didn't show? She bragged about her earlier, and if she doesn't show, then Chloe and Kit will think she is a liar. Will they still be her friends if they believe she lies?

Lucilla pauses, bringing her eyebrows together. Her hands clutch the colors in her hands anxiously.

I'm here. Psyche's voice penetrates through the fog.

The grip loosens as the seconds tick by. Soon, they will be able to line up for lunch. Soon, Lucilla will show her friends how cool Psyche is. Soon—

A nudge to her elbow causes Lucilla to turn to Ezio. His dark curly hair falls down to his ears in a way that makes her frown in disapproval, but she doesn't know why. Maybe because Lucilla wants the curls to sit behind his ears instead of close to his green eyes. Perhaps she doesn't like how the other girls think they should get married underneath the slide.

"Do you want to sit by me during lunch?" Ezio whispers. "My mom packed me an extra cookie."

Psyche watches as the colors of Lucilla's emotions span across the rainbow. Lucilla's eyes meet Chloe's for a moment before closing. She doesn't want the girls to sing the songs about the two of them again. They weren't going to kiss sitting on a tree or get married.

"No," Lucilla hisses, turning her head, "I sit with the girls."

Ezio's eyebrow furrow together. "Okay," he pauses for a moment. "Maybe another day."

Psyche frowns. Flashes of Eros's golden eyes and dark hair enter her mind. She can feel his smile and hand on her shoulder. A rush of wind makes her turn in alarm, only to see the feather of a dove fall outside the classroom window. He hasn't come for her, just like in the abyss. Eos wouldn't save her.