─ oh, aphrodite! ; academy

─ chapter four ; "mama erica!"

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─ ; APHRODITE POV

I don't think I've ever been so relieved to leave work before. After watching Jessi toss the girl who called me stupid out by the scruff of the neck while calling her — and I quote — a 'skunt' which was the words 'cunt' and 'skank' mixed together for when those two words just wasn't enough.

I felt embarrassed to say those words.

That night, I soaked in my bubble bath and thought over the events of this morning with a shudder.

"Today was too eventful." I muttered to myself after drying off and slipping a nightgown over my bare body. I cleaned up after myself, and finally climbed into the canopy bed.

Slipping underneath the pale pink duvet, I closed my eyes and wondered what my life had in store for me next.

The next morning, I woke at four am, gasping for air when the nightmare became too much. I cried for a moment, before remembering that I was safe.

I was safe.

I was safe.

I had a family.

I am wanted.

I am loved.

I repeated the mantra, every limb shaking until I repeated it so much I stopped and hope lightened my soul.

I calmed down enough to doze on and off for the next couple hours before the alarm on my phone belted out the lyrics of the Liv and Maddie theme song before I truly woke up enough to pull my body out of bed.

Feeling immensely better, I opened the curtains and allowed sunlight to filter into the room and cast the room aglow as I chose my outfit for today.

Choosing a pair of light pink sweatpants and a cropped white long sleeved shirt with the prettiest white lace roses all over it, I slipped it over my head and prepared to pull my hair up and out of the way in a messy bun.

Since Uncle didn't want me to work today, I was going to focus on my latest essay of Homer's works to gain more credit for my overall grade.

Nearing my bookshelf, a smile lit my glossed lips when I passed the statue of the Goddess Aphrodite (my namesake) and the rest of the Greek pantheon. I checked over the statues to clear them of any and all dust before checking over the replica of the Parthenon; Athena's greatest temple.

Squatting down to the last shelf, I grabbed my copies of the Iliad and the Odyssey before taking a seat at my desk to get to work.

Something that had always stayed with me was my love for Greek mythology. The best memories I ever had from my family was when my nana would read the stories to me as a bedtime story.

She was a history teacher that specialized in the study of all Greek and Roman literature.

Nana was the best thing about being born into the family that I was.

After she died, everything changed.

So I decided to follow in her footsteps and choose the same career path as she did.

"Little bird?"

I startled away from my laptop, heart pounding. I jerked and looked over my shoulder to see Uncle peering into my bedroom trying his best to conceal his chuckle of amusement.

I smiled sheepishly and removed the noise canceling headphones from my ears.

"Sorry," I winced with a tiny smile, "I'm almost done!"

Taking a look at the clock, my eyes widened when I realized nearly four hours had passed since I started my studies.

Uncle shook his head good natured and smiled, "I figured," leaning his broad shoulder against the threshold, "Jessica and Erica are coming over."

My eyes shone with realization, "Oh! We're going out to lunch right?"

As in, Jessi and I kept making the dates to see if Uncle would ever gain the courage to ask Mama Erica out on a date. So far, our efforts have been in vain. Uncle becomes way too nervous around Erica to ask her.

I giggle out loud making Uncle furrow his brows in worry. "You okay, birdie?"

"Perfect!" I chirped, flushing. I closed my books and neatly set them on the table before cleaning up the rest of the supplies I used today.

"I'll be down in just a sec!" I said, taking my pink puffer tote bag off the hanger and adding my wallet and phone inside before following Uncle downstairs to wait for Jessi and Mama Erica.

Soon I heard the sound of Mama Erica's BMW zooming down the driveway, and I, being me, ran out to meet her.

Seeing the familiar sage green car park, a squeal left my lips when a head of familiar cocoa colored curls stepped out of the car – dressed to the nines. As per usual.

"Mama Erica!" I cried, seeing her beautifully delicate face brightened at the sound of my call. Jessi laughed happily in the car as I threw myself into her mother's arms and snuggled into her neck.

Now, I know it's odd that I call my best friend's mom, Mama, but it's just something I had always called her after admitting that I wished she was my mother during the nights she nursed me back to health and gave me a home.

I smiled and inhaled her familiar scent and stepped away only to look over my shoulder at Uncle – pleasantly dressed in his best, stalking down the steps with reddened cheeks avoiding look straight into Mama Erica's glittering eyes.

Climbing into the back seat of the car, I traded low giggles with Jessi as we watched Uncle come to a stop in front of Mama Erica, scratching at the back of his neck while trying to think of something to say.

I felt bad for him. I knew how hard it was to talk to someone. I couldn't imagine trying to figure out what to say to someone you had a crush on or found extremely attractive.

I would think I would just freeze like a deer in the headlights.

"This is just too freakin' cute," Jessi muttered to me, watching her Mom's cheeks tinge the slightest pink. We watched the couple scramble for words before ultimately failing and climbing into the car.

"This seems to already be failing, Jessi."

"Hush now, Aphi. Have a bit of faith, yeah?"

— author's note ; ✨

...I wonder what Kota's gonna think of Aphrodite's nickname for his mother? Hmm.