My Ex From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #1)

All's Fair in High School and War

To: ????
From: bloomingoddess@gmail.com
Subject: Seriously?

Dear Your Royal Imperialness Demeter, Goddess of Grain and Fertility, Preserver of Marriage, and Bringer of Seasons,

Or can I just call you Mom?

Bet you never thought you'd be hearing from me. Sorry for not having written sooner, but until about twelve hours ago, I didn't know you existed. Nothing personal.

See, yesterday, I was plain old Sophie Bloom. My life sucked in your typical 16-year-old ways. I was stuck here at Hope Park Progressive School on probation again ("mouthy behavior"), dealing with cliquish poseurs, rampant hormones, blah blah blah.

Then I met a guy. I know that's the worst cliché ever. But sadly, it's true. And of course, me being me, he couldn't be just any bad boy. No. He had to be Kai, son of Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Anyway, he was really hot and there was this bone-melting kiss and ... whatever.

The point is, before he showed up, I thought I was human. Afterward, well, let's just say everything changed. Who knew when I was cramming Greek mythology for my English final, I was studying the family tree?

They say when you die, your whole life supposedly flashes before your eyes. When Kai and I kissed, here's what flashed before mine—Mount Olympus, Zeus, the Underworld, Hades, and you.

But that wasn't my life. Or was it?

Here's the Wiki version. (Do you have Wi-Fi on Mt. Olympus?) Turns out I'm Persephone. Me, Goddess of Spring and Embodiment of Earth's Fertility? Ew! Which makes me your kid, Hades' target, and totally screwed.

In the myth version, I'm the innocent maiden, you're the grieving mother, and we're reunited with great joy. Guess that's why they call it a myth.

I know I sound like a nut bar. And maybe I'll wake up in a padded room restrained for my own safety. But in that moment with Kai, it felt real. Like I knew who I was. Or used to be. Those were my memories flashing before my eyes—not some fantasy or hallucination.

But where do I go from here? And is there an online tutorial I can take?

I don't exactly have your email. But if you're a goddess, maybe you'll know I'm writing. That I really need my mom right now. And if not—well, I guess I'll save this for my obituary.

Which I'll probably need pretty soon because of the gods-wanting-me-dead thing.

Take care.
Sophie
a.k.a. Persephone
a.k.a. Goddess of Spring
a.k.a. Your Daughter

******************

Let me state, on the record, that despite that super melodramatic email, I am totally sane. Well, as sane as I can be for a sixteen-year-old. I've just had the day from Hell.

Literally.

I should back up. Hi. I'm Sophie Amalia Bloom. Longtime human, first time goddess. How would I describe myself?

Hmmm. If my life was going to be a movie—do you ever do that? Rescript your personal history with a great soundtrack and better extras? My dream version would be courtesy of Tim Burton but I think the sad truth is that the movie of my life would be a lame after-school special.

You know, something like "poor little rich girl, her life littered with hopes and dreams." I love "littered with;" such over-the-top drunk divorcée lingo, uttered right before the aging cougar smashes her cocktail into the fireplace.

Just how my adoptive, socialite mother Felicia ended every New Year's Eve. But we have plenty of time to get into moms and their respective failings.