Interim Goddess of Love #1 of 3 (COMPLETE)

Chapter 14

Personality Test Result for Diego Simon:

You are not a slave to convention, and often seek out new experiences. You are practical in your decision-making, opting to go with what's best for the situation as it is presented to you. In groups you tend to be the resourceful person. You prefer to learn by doing, and usually take a very hands-on approach when you are given a responsibility.

As soon as I told Diego that Vida was somehow involved in this, he practically started salivating. When the bell rang (signaling the start of Chem 1 for me) he had not only skipped his class, but convinced me to do the same—so we could brainstorm together.

"Do you have something against Vida?" I asked.

"Where to begin?"

I agreed a little too quickly to cut class. Because Diego wanted to work on this now now now, and I welcomed any reason to skip Chem. The ninety-minute sacrifice of a science class was totally worth it. Diego found out where Vida and Jake were (at the Student Council Room) and we camped out at a vacant counseling room in the Guidance Office to plan our next move. He decided to sit on the table, and I wanted to tell him that he shouldn't do that, but he did just threaten to beat up a guy. I didn't want to test his mood.

"I can start the diversion," Diego was saying. "I need to talk to her anyway. But I guarantee you, this won't hold her back more than ten minutes, because she doesn't exactly like me either. You're going to have to get your boy to spill his feelings in that time."

"I think I can do that, but ten minutes is tight," I warned him. "Can't you stall her for longer?"

"You understand that I can't stall her, right? Not through supernatural anything. No effect on her."

"Not to disrespect you or anything, but your powers kind of suck."

"For that you'll have to blame our father, who made sure all his children were equal. I don't think you want to go telling him that."

I didn't, and apologized. "So what can Vida do to me? If she sees me interrogating her boyfriend. Can she actually hurt me?"

"Not as much as she can a regular person, because you're third generation now, New Girl."

"Thanks a lot. That's so reassuring." When my eyeroll was over I found him looking right at me with those big, dark eyes. It was a bit intense. I willed myself not to be the first to look away, just to prove that I wasn't such a newbie, but my eyes started to water.

Ugh, Hannah.

"Is there any other way for me to buy some time?" I fiddled with my bag, pretending to get something. Why I was keeping up these pretenses in front of a god, I didn't know. I hoped that Diego felt flattered by this, at least.

"You can get help from your friends, you know," he said.

I laughed. "I don't think I can convince my friends to face the anger of Vida Castillo. I thought you'd know that."

His grin became wider, the eyes on me a bit more intense. "You don't know."

This was becoming frustrating. "What? What else don't I know?"

"You've been able to work your power on some people studying here, right? Since you became goddess."

"Yeah, a few."

Diego smiled, and I recognized it as the look on his face just before he accosted someone for no apparent reason. Was it satisfaction? No wait—a strange form of glee, the kind that comes from getting the first shot in. "Whenever someone summons you, and you choose to honor them with your attention, they become yours."

"Mine?"

"Pick up your phone and ask your friends to stall Vida for five minutes, each. They will do it immediately, and without question."

I thought of who, exactly, I had "honored with my attention" for the past few weeks. Kathy. Carson. Ian. Ms. Farrah. The pharmacist at the infirmary. The senior librarian. The lady who sold buko juice in the cafeteria. Johnny Alba at mail delivery.

As if he could hear me run through these names in my mind, Diego nodded. "Yes, all of them. Ask, and they will do anything for you. You should try it now."

What Diego said made sense to me, and explained why these people never regretted sharing too much. And yet I still didn't let myself completely believe it until I made that first call, to Ian, and asked him for a favor.

"Sure," he said. "I'm in the middle of lab but I can slip out for a bit to do it."

The next three calls I made got me the same result. How cool was that? In high school I flew under the radar, wasn't one of the pop kids. Now I had minions!

Why didn't Quin tell me about this? Did he think I couldn't handle it? Why even choose me if he was just going to hold me back every step of the way?

Diego leaped off the table. "And they say I'm a bad mentor. Come on, let's do this. I'm in the mood to help some love struck kids today."