***
Andy lived in a small cave; it was perfectly round, quiet, open, and echoed everything she said. The echos were always very helpful when trying to scare people away. She had a small fireplace which always smelled like food. The air was always fresh.There were stairs that led down to the underworld.Andy loved visiting her parents. But she only saw her mother a least once a month. She also had a beautiful bed with roses printed on it from her mother and a pile of books in a “corner” of the cave.
There was one thing Andy loved doing the most; pranking/tricking people to do as she pleased and going to the village about three miles south from where she lived.
On the 6th of March, she went to the little town to see if any changes were happening. First I’ll check on the grand opening, she thought, then should I go visit dad… Ya. Might as well.
When she got to the town, everyone was very talkative, while she checked on the grand opening, but Andy saw something peculiar. She was staring at two very, very, young handsome men looking about a year older than her. Then they stared right back at her. She turned around quickly and thought, am I in love? Both boys also thought, am I in love? One was named Eddie, one James, both seeking for a mate. Eddie had short blond hair, he was tall, sixteen years old and wore the most dirty clothes you would ever see. James had fluffy brown hair eyes like the color of seaweed, and some nice “proper” clothes, also sixteen. They were exact opposites.
“Hey, who are you? What are you doing here?” Said Eddie. James stood there, quiet and starting at Andy. Why would a girl care about a man’s work? Thought James.
Andy thought for a moment about what to say, “Um… I was just checking… I mean I was just leaving,” she said uncertainly. She started walking away, but James stopped her.
“What’s your name?” He asked uncertainly.
She blushed, “An-Andy.”
Then, she got out of his grip, put her hood on, and walked away.
“Man, what a girl,” Eddie sarcastically said.
“She’s pretty though”
“Ya, no kidding!”
“Well, the only question is, who is going to have her? Me or you? You or me?”
“No doubt she’ll pick me!” Eddie said looking challenged.
“We’ll see about that,” James shot back as if he looked challenged by Eddie.
I’m totally cheating! If there's a way to cheat. Thought both boys at once.
Andy was walking home when she thought, am I really in love? She waited for her brain to answer. Nope, still nothing… Wait! There is something! Oh, actually no. She felt disappointed.
She got home after about ten more minutes and thought. She kept on thinking until she decided she was going to go talk to the boys.
The boys were still looking at each other, challenged, until they saw Andy again.
“Look who’s back!” Said Eddie excitedly. Okay, now it’s time for me to cheat! He thought. Eddie was feeling so ready to win the girl of his dreams. So was James. Talk to her! If you talk to her then you win her! He thought, trying to persuade himself.
“Hi, again,” Andy felt herself getting nervous, “I think we got off on the wrong foot. I’m Andy. Who are you two?”
“I’m James,” James decided it was the right time to talk, “And that’s Eddie. Yesterday you were at the work site, why?” Eddie shot him a look that showed he wanted to talk.
“Well, this town gets boring after a while so I guess I’m waiting for something exciting to happen. When you're this board, you will do anything to have something new happen.”
“That makes sense,” both boys said at the same time. They glared at each other.
“When did you guys get here?” Andy asked anxious.
“I got here two days ago, around eleven in the morning,” Eddie smiled.
“I got here yesterday, around… nine in the morning, I think,” said James.
“Hey, do you want to walk to the tuna shop? I heard they have great seafood there,” Eddie asked. Our first date! he thought, it’s my time to shine.
They left and James just stood there amazed by what just happened. He didn’t know what he was doing wrong. He still couldn’t move. He just lost the girl of his dreams… Wait! I still got a chance! Andy just met the guy, she’ll never fall for him that easily, right? Or will she? Nah. I just have to up my game. Flowers? Yes. Jewelry? No, can’t afford it. A nice dinner? Yes, totally yes. He thought the rest through for one minute, yet he saw something peculiar; a ring. And this ring said Persephone on it.
The dinner Andy was at was delightful. It almost seemed like Eddie planned this whole thing for her, like he knew she was coming. After the dinner of shrimp (which almost tasted like it was burnt toast), Eddie thought he won this beautiful girl, but no. Eddie bid his “love” a goodbye and went home.
When walking home, Andy bumped into James.
“After you left a saw this on the ground. Is it yours?” James asked.
“Oh my gosh! Yes! Thanks! Um… I really need to go home. Don’t want dad to freak out,” she started walking away, “Thanks again!”
When Andy was gone, James did a victory dance, as if he won this lovely teenager.
Andy got home and lied in bed, happy someone other than Hades and Persephone loved her. Just who was her real love? She prayed to Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love.
Aphrodite, my aunt, please hear this and help me. I am in love! I know, crazy! The only thing is, I don’t know who I should be with. Dad won’t help because um… you know why, and mom won’t help because love is hard for her to explain. Please just help me choose.
Aphrodite heard her prayer and instead of putting misery of choosing on Andy, she made the boys fall in love with another beautiful girl named Marie. She shouldn’t have done that, really shouldn’t have.
After no sign of being answered, Andy decided to sleep on her decision.
The next morning, the boys were up early, waiting for “their” lovey girl to return and choose who would be hers. Eddie kept on rehearsing what he would say if Marie chose him and James was just thinking, please choose me, please choose me! Oh Aphrodite, please let her choose me!
He found some beautiful roses that felt like dandelion fluff and smelled like a crisp cinnamon log.
Marie walked by them; she smiled at Eddie and winked at James. She had her hair down in curls and a dress representing peace. The boys went red in front of their new love.
Andy was walking to the town to get a loaf of bread when all of a sudden she saw the boys. James waved. She waved back but then realized he wasn’t looking at her; he was looking at another girl with lovely brunette curls. She was about to call Eddie’s name as in her prayer helped but saw he was also looking at the young women with curls.
Andy was running to the “temple” where the stone version of Aphrodite was. She through her watermelon seeds on the statue and Aphrodite appeared.
“Andy! My lovely niece, what a surp-” The goddess started.
“Don’t you my lovely niece me! You didn’t help! The boys won’t even talk to me now! They found someone else,” She started to cry.
“Andy, I did help you. I just don’t see-”
“What!? What do I not see?” She said, choking back the crack in her voice.
“Fine. You won’t listen, I won’t tell you!” and she became stone again.
She didn’t help me! The boys left me, and dad and mom can’t help! Andy thought. Then she felt something no has ever felt before; but the feeling had no word to it. It was the opposite of love and happiness. She felt rage, depression, vengeful, hate, grief. The boys were traitors. Then, she had an idea; “Oh dad! I need your help,” she sweetfully said, feeling faithfull.
Kinard Mythology Anthology Volume III Page 15
