Interim Goddess of Love #1 of 3 (COMPLETE)

Chapter 20

Personality Test Result for Vida Castillo:

You are focused, efficient and organized. You are confident when dealing with people and tasks, which may invite conflict sometimes, but you are also usually unaffected by it. You are a quick and eager learner, dynamic in your actions and adaptive of change. In groups you may often find yourself naturally leading, or wanting to lead.

She was at the driveway, standing almost on the same spot where I had been waiting for Kathy. It was a Thursday, and she was wearing a dress that had to be four inches shorter and heels two inches taller than the dress code prescribed. I liked her vest, though.

"I'm walking you home," Vida announced, and it was as if I fell into step beside her.

"Okay," I said, complying a little too easily.

She smelled faintly of jasmine, and for a second I wondered what face cream she used to look so fresh and put-together even at the end of the school day. And then I realized that she was a goddess who would probably look gorgeous even if she had mud on her face.

To get out of Ford River you'd have to walk down a private road that stretched out for probably two thirds of a kilometer. I did that every day and didn't even notice the time, but on this night every step with Vida I felt. She started speaking just as we turned the corner into the busier main road.

"What you're doing is laughable," she said.

"I'm just walking."

"You know what I'm talking about. Playing around as if you know what it is we do."

"Quin has been teaching me—"

Vida laughed. "Even Joaquin can't teach you to be something you're not, and you are not one of us."

She was right. Along with being slightly offended, I was actually relieved to hear her say it.

"You do understand that I don't mean to hurt you, I was just stating a fact," Vida continued. "Joaquin shouldn't have chosen you for this. Nothing against you, personally, but I don't believe in plucking people out of their simple lives and giving them this kind of responsibility. There are others who are, let's say, better equipped to handle these things."

"I kind of agree with you," I said. "Are you using your powers to make me agree with you?"

"That is the question of an amateur," she said, all haughty.

We walked in silence past the entrance to the technopark, and the small grocery store, and into the village where my aunt's house was. All throughout, as we passed Ford River students making their way to and from school, we were watched and noticed. Vida, I was sure, was aware of all of this but was putting up an award-winning performance of not caring. I was sure I looked like nothing next to her. Also, it suddenly seemed like I lived so very far from school. We were walking forever.

I wasn't able to walk like this when I was in high school in Manila, by the way. My mother would never have allowed an early-evening walk in the crowded, noisy and often dangerous city, much less with the most beautiful girl in school as my only companion. Maybe if I had a taser, or pepper spray, she'd let me. Or if I told her that I was walking with the goddess of the moon.

"Quin picked me," I said as I stepped onto my aunt's driveway.

Vida wasn't expecting that. "And?"

"I understand that the two of you have this superlong rivalry, but he picked me. I've been listening to people tell me about love all my life, and now I can finally do something about it, and not just say 'It's going to be okay.' As long as I can help, I'll be involved."

"He shouldn't have called you to do this. It's not his place."

"I totally get why you want to talk to me," I said. "You and Quin can work out whatever issues you've got, and just give me the memo. But until I'm demoted to regular person again, I will keep doing what I'm supposed to do."

Vida straightened up, making her even taller than I thought possible, and nodded. "That's fair."

"It is?"

"I talked to you because I want you to understand where I'm coming from, and what it is I intend to do."

"Which is?"

And then when Vida spoke, it was like the rest of the world blurred around her, and I had nothing to distract me from what she was saying.

"I intend to prove, by any means necessary, that you should not be the goddess of love. That no human should be the goddess of love. You have insisted on keeping the title and there will be consequences for you. I don't think you actually know what it is you've accepted, but at least when the day comes, you will. And when the regret comes you will know that you have no one to blame for it but yourself."

"I never blame other people for my problems," I said.

"You've never had real problems before," Vida told me. Then she... well, she sort of grabbed my wrist, and the next thing I knew, there was a plain silver band around it. It glowed once, like moonlight, and then disappeared.

"What just happened?" I said.

"Nothing. Good night, Hannah. See you in school."