Choose a side, there is no middle ground.
Jove gets out of the car shortly after he turns off the car parked in the principal's parking space. He looks at the school and can't quite understand what he's seeing.
"Well... that's... different." her father says as Pandora gets out of the car and locks it.
The front of the school looks spectacular, cleaner than it's ever been. But it's also been given an upgrade. Jove looks at what his daughter is seeing.
"At least they're taking pride in the school. That's something." insists Pandora.
"I would've preferred if they'd have told me what they were doing first. I would've had some suggestions." says Jove with a bit of a fun tone.
"For the chess club?" Pandora says, pointing to the 'We Love Chess Club' sign painted on the left side of the school's front door.
"For both of them." suggests Jove, pointing to the 'Football Rules, Chess Drools' sign painted on the other side of the front door, before adding, "Namely that the front of the school isn't the best place for things like this."
"It's better than what used to be up there last week, isn't it? They cleaned it up. What did it say last time? Principal Jupiter is a..."
Jove cuts her off and starts to make his way into the school, "I suppose."
Pandora follows him into the school with a grin.
"You realize this is Sarah's fault right?" suggests Pandora.
"You think so?" asks Jove.
"The chess club and the football team have been going at it online ever since Sarah declared that she was going to fix the school spirit at this school." explains Pandora.
"I told you that there'd probably be some rivalries because of the possession." says Jove.
"I know but... the chess club?" asks Pandora with a playful tone.
They make it to the door and walk through it as Jove responds, "You'd be surprised where people get their validation. Most adults have trouble figuring out where they get it, or spend their teenage years figuring it out. I get it from being principal and helping my daughter. Sarah's getting it from cheerleading, and I would hope that you get it from what you're doing with The Box."
Pandora stops and turns to her father, "I guess... I mean, it did feel really good when I saved Jemma from that spirit."
"That's good..." says Jove, adding "It's important that you believe in yourself and what you're doing. That belief is what will get you through when things get insane."
"More insane than the entire school going crazy and tearing things up?" asks Pandora with more concern then anything.
Jove takes a deep breath, then "You'd be surprised what some of these spirits can do." and he starts heading for his office, "I'll see you later all right?"
"Right..."
Pandora heads over to her locker, opens it and puts her bag inside. She pulls out the books she needs and then closes her locker. She smiles just before she turns, hoping to see Jemma on the other side, but she's not there. Pandora looks around, disappointed. Eventually she sees Hermes standing in the doorway of his class, smiling at Pandora before turning into his class.
The young teenager watches it happen for a few moments before heading towards her first class.
* * *
YOU ARE READING
Pandora's Box: Maenads (Book 2)
Fiksi RemajaEntry into the Open Novella Contest 2019. A new threat rises as Pandora tries to deal with the fallout of opening The Box and the spirits that have possessed her classmates.