I tried to get up, but a thick belt circled my waist, tying me to the chair. I tried to punch or kick something, but it didn't work. More belts tied my arms and legs to the chair. "LEMME OUT!"
"Look, I promise, I won't do anything to ruin your chances with Chris." I probably blushed. "I swear on the Styx. Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. As it is, this is the easy way. The hard way is permanent. What'll it be?"
"Easy way." I looked at her with grudging respect. "Sure you're not a Hermes kid? You're cunning enough."
"Of course you would think of Hermes kids." She teased. I blushed, in spite of myself. "I win." She smirked.
Gods, she’s annoying, I thought
But she’s right a smug voice that wasn’t mine said. I recognised it.
Lady Aphrodite, with all due respect, GET THE HADES OUTTA MY MIND!
Alright, alright, I’m going, but trust her. She means well.
I sighed. Silena put a blindfold on me. Just what I needed. Being trapped AND blinded. Has someone been looking at my Christmas list? I heard water running. Then my hair was soaked. I could feel her massaging some crap into it. It carried on like this for a bit. Then a hairdryer was run over it. She put something on my lips. Lip gloss? Lipstick? Actually, I don't wanna know. She rubbed something over the bits of my face not covered by the blindfold. She took off the blindfold. All the mirrors were covered. Go figure.
"Close your eyes." She ordered. I did, purely because it sounded better than getting poked in the eye with a mascara stick. I felt pressure on my eyelids and then tugging on my lashes. More rubbing and brushing where the blindfold covered my face. "Open your eyes."
I looked in the now uncovered mirror, and gasped. My hair had gone from limp and stringy to the bouncy and glossy look I could never get. Any zits or old scars were gone. Subtle touches made my lips bright pink, and my eyes looked bigger and brighter than usual. I was so busy staring at my reflection I didn't notice Silena had come back in until she started speaking. Both hands were behind her back.
"So, what will it be? Option A?" She held out her right arm. 2 hangers were on her arm and a pair of shoes were in her hand. On the first hanger there was a CHB shirt, just like the one I was wearing, except it was clean, and the V was about 4 inches lower. On the second hanger was a pair of faded blue skinny jeans, which I somehow knew that once I put them on, I wouldn't be able to get out of them again. The shoes were plain, black high heels.
"No. Way."
"I thought you might say that." She smiled, and for a second I was genuinely scared of this weak little Aphrodite girl. "Option B!" She held out her other arm. She was holding a fluorescent green mini-skirt, a bright pink boob tube, and yellow and orange patterned high heels. "Which one?"
"How about neither?"
"You're mot leaving without wearing one of these outfits. So, which one?"
"Option A" I muttered.
"Sorry, I didn't hear you!"
"Option A! Happy!?" I yelled/ begged. Not gonna lie, Option B scared me a bit. I grabbed Option A before she decided that I would look better in Option B. I ducked into the bathroom and got changed.
When I came out Silena squealed and yelled something that might have been Aphrodite for "I'm a genius!" Or possibly, "It's a walrus!" I, personally, hoped it was the first. Then there was a half hour lesson on walking in high heels. The dinner gong went off. Good. I was starving. I have a feeling she worked through lunch.
"Wait!" Silena called. I stopped and turned (without falling! Result!) She was holding a box. I opened it. There was a pair of earrings, and a necklace with a 'C' on it. 1 problem. "I don't have pierced ears."
"They're magnetic, now stop stalling and put 'em on!"
I did. I stumbled to the dining pavilion. I was late. Everyone was sitting down. Brilliant. Anyone walking in this late would be the centre of attention. Even better. Silena appeared next to me.
"Walk in from over there." She pointed to the far end.
"Why?"
"You'll walk past the Hermes table on your way. Now, go!" I gave her a look, but did as she said. As I walked past Hermes I noticed Chris was there,. I carried on walking. I blushed slightly when I realised everyone was staring at me. I sat at my usual place. Brutus, my half-brother, asked "who are you?"
I laughed. "Brutus, it's me!"
He looked at me blankly. "Clarisse? Remember?"
"What the Hades happened to you?"
"Silena Beauregard."
He nodded and went back to his conversation. People were still staring at me. Feeling self conscious, I turned to my plate and started eating. This was gonna be a long night.
