by Dee King
HA! Nothing! Just water, WOW, good proof there.
“Focus. Take both of your hands and part the water. Like you are trying to open a present. The water will do what you want it to do. Put your hands together. Then spread them apart like you are opening a box. Concentrate.”
I think I better sit down for this. She sits, too.
I do as she says. Placing my hands together. I spread them apart. Slowly. The water is parting. I can start to see the sand underneath. I am holding the water apart with my hands.
I look up at Cali. She smiles.
“Proof enough?” I drop my hands. The water crashes into itself.
I stand up.
This is not real.
She stands beside me and takes my hand, pulling me back from the shore line.
“Your mom will have to explain more. I am only allowed to share so much until she tells you the rules and the truth about your father. Now, that you have worn your bracelet it will always be somewhere near you. They are charmed by our parents. They will help you control your Goddess powers while on earth. You will never be able to get away from it. If you take it off, it will find a way back on your wrist. The same with the rings. Sebastian, Ian, and Alexander have. They can take the rings off, but they will eventually have to put it back on while on earth.”
“While on earth?”
“Yes, in Mount Olympus you will not have to wear it.” A big wave hits the shore. We both turn around.
“I’ve said too much. You will have to learn some of the rules on your own.”
I look at her.
Said too much? What about not enough?
She starts walking back to where my bag is.
I follow. I grab my towel and bag. I find my keys and sunglasses, and put my shades on. I am not sure how I feel at this moment.
“I know this a lot to take in. Really, I do. Talk to your mom. She will have more answers than I can give you right now. Oh, and read your text messages.” She smiles and turns towards her car.
I had never seen her car. It’s a dark blue Viper. WOW. She puts on her sunglasses and turns back around. “Answer your texts soon. Alex is worried about you.” She smiles her gorgeous smile again, and unlocks her car.
“Cali!” She turns back around.
“I am really sorry about last night. Thank you for today. I think.”
“I have been hit harder than that. Plus I don’t bruise easy. It’s forgotten.” The engine starts. She rolls down the window and waves goodbye.
She takes off before I can even put my arm down from my waving back.
Chapter 7
I feel like a ton of bricks are on my shoulders as I open the front door. I will have to tell my mom about last night, and she will have to tell me the truth about my father. What is the truth though? Cali’s truth or ‘what my mother tells me’ truth? How do I even deal with this? How did I do that with the water? Could I do that again?
I can hear my mom in the kitchen. I throw my bag and keys on the couch and walk to the kitchen.
“How was your practice today?”
“I didn’t really practice. I just went to clear my head. Cali came out there. She found me.”
“Oh, yes. She dropped off Chris and Chloe. She is a nice girl. I hope you did not mind that I told her where she could find you?”
I jump up on the counter while Mom is slicing carrots for what looks like stir fry.
“It’s fine. No big deal.” My bracelet is starting to get heavy. The anchor is turned sideways. I try to turn it back. It won’t move. That’s odd. I am staring at it now.
“Do you want to talk about your charm bracelet?” I keep looking at the anchor. I try to move it back so it will hang right, it will not move.
“I guess I need to talk to you about a lot of stuff, Mom.” The weight of the bracelet seems to be lighter.
“I have waited eighteen years for this day to come. I knew it was going to, and one day I would have a lot to explain to you.”
“Like what Mom? Like where my father is, and maybe the truth about him this time? Because the last time you told me that it wasn’t important. That my father loves me more than I could imagine. So how about we hear where this MAN has been.”
“First off, you will watch how you speak to me. I am your mother. I know I have a lot of explaining to do. I have always told you how special you are, and now you know. Please, let’s go sit out on the balcony. It’s a nice day. I can bring out some lemonade?”
“I do not want any stupid lemonade Mom. I just want the damn truth! What is wrong with me?”
“Nothing is wrong with you, Selene. You are a beautiful goddess. That is the truth.”
“The truth? Okay here is the truth Mom. Yesterday I woke up. I went to school. Last night I went to a party. I got drugged, and now I am able to part water with my hands! That is the truth!” I can feel the tears starting to sting my eyes. I feel one sneak out and drop down my cheek.
“That is all true, except for the drugged part. I knew when you went to Sebastian’s the truth would be revealed to you. I should have prepared you better, but you were just so excited to get the chance to finally talk to Alexander. I did not have the courage to tell you. I am sorry, this is all my fault you found out the way you did.”
I jump off the counter. I take the knife from her hand, and throw it in the sink. I am so confused, and a part of me is really angry.
“How did you know about Sebastian? What do you mean?” She steps back from the counter. She looks at me, face to face.
“I know that Sebastian is the son of Hades. Alexander is the son of Zeus. Cali’s mother is Athena, and Ian’s father is Aries. You are the daughter of Poseidon. You are a Migades. That means you are half Goddess and half mortal.”
She opens the refrigerator and takes out two bottles of water. She hands me one. I open it and take a big drink out of it. She walks towards the back door to go out to the balcony. I follow her.
“I want you to really understand who you are and what you can do. Especially with water. I will explain the rules, and who your father is. I just think you need to really understand who you are first.” I step close to the railing, away from the table. She goes to sit at the table, except she doesn’t. She opens the water and throws it in my face!
“MOM! What the hell?”
“Next time I throw some on you stop it from happening.”
“How exactly would you like me to do that?” I wipe my face with my hands.
“Put your hand up and stop it.” She gestures with her hand. I laugh. Mom’s face turns serious.
“I am serious. Put your hand up, and when I do this again, stop the water.”
I put my hand up. She throws the water at me again. It spills all over my hand, and half on my body.
“SELENE! You are NOT trying. Now, think about it. Think about stopping the water.” I put my hand up again. I try to focus on what Mom has told me to do.
She throws the water. This time it stops mid air.
It’s frozen. The water is just frozen. It’s not moving. It has no flow. Just water molecules every where. I drop my hand suddenly.
“What! What was that? How did I do that?”
“Because YOU ARE the daughter of Poseidon!”
I feel like I am about to fall. Mom grabs a chair and sits me in it. I look at my water bottle in my other hand.
I can not believe this. My whole life Mom taught of the Greek Gods and Goddess’. I just thought that she was obsessed with that mythology stuff.
“Sweetheart, I know you are thinking this is not true. I promise you it is. The Gods and Goddess’ chose to have half mortal children centuries ago. Only your father chose me to have you. I knew the day I met him that he was not a man. I fell in love with a God. A real god. He is wonderful, Selene. I had rules to abide by if I decided to carry a God’s child. I knew that having you would be the biggest miracle and gift I could give back. You, my dear, are the most wonderful thing to ever happen to this Earth.”
&
nbsp; I sit there, looking at my mother. She literally sounds crazy.
How can all this be true? How DO I just become a goddess? Yesterday I was just normal Selene. Today I am half Goddess? What does all this even mean?
I have no idea how I am suppose to feel right now? I need to get out of here!
“Mom, I have to go. I can’t think. I just have to go.”
“I know I should have told you before you found out like this, but the rules wouldn’t allow me. You were not to be told anything until you turned eighteen. Then you would be able to chose the life you want.”
“The life I want? The life I want is the one I had yesterday morning. That’s the life I want. Not, not this!”
“Honey, just try to really think about what this means for you. The opportunities that await you. You are a goddess. You are invincible!”
“I don’t want to be invincible, Mom. I just want to be ME!”
“You are you, just now you know how wonderful you truly are!”
I stare at her face. It’s the same face of the same mother I have always seen. The same eyes, yet I see her differently. None of this makes any sense. I really need to understand. I stand up.
“Please just try and stay calm. I know your confused, but everything will be better now. You will see. No more secrets. You can rule the world.”
“Do you not get it? I don’t want to rule anything!”
I am so lost. I have to go, but where?
“I’m going to Chloe’s. She will help me.” I head towards the living room to get my bag and keys. My mom grabs my arm.
“You can go, but you are never allowed to tell a mortal anything.”
“What? What do you mean a mortal or I can’t tell them any of this? Mom. I am a mortal. You are a mortal. This is ridiculous.”
“You are right, I am a mortal. You are not. You are a Migades. You are the daughter of one of the three most powerful Gods that rule. You are not a mortal. You are only half mortal. Selene, I am serious. You must follow the rules. It’s the only way to keep them safe.”
“Safe? Safe from what?”
“Just do not tell your friends any of this. The consequences could be life or death for them. There are reasons for the rules. You must abide, Selene. This is not a request.”
I pick up my bag and my keys. I turn around to see my mother’s face. She looks deeply concerned.
“Mom, rules are made to be broken. Let’s just see what is the truth, and what is not.”
I am so angry at all of this. Confused does not seem to be the word to sum up my emotions. I turn my back to her and head out the front door.
“SELENE! WAIT!”
I turn around one last time. She starts heading towards me.
“STOP! Selene. Don’t leave. I will explain more.”
Explain what? How my life is not the life I had. No, thanks. Shut you stupid door.
The door shuts in her face. I should turn around. I should see if she is ok. I should be asking how I just did that with the door, but I don’t care. I jump in my Jeep the urge to go anywhere, but staying here seems like the only option. I have to get out of here.
Chapter 8 I drive around for about an hour. Just me and the open road. I have never noticed that I spend entirely too much time at the beach, but that’s where I want to go now.
I feel the need to be near water. I park where I had just been a few hours ago. No sign of anyone. I grab my bag and towel.
I hardly ever just sit on the beach, but I don’t feel like being in the water. I need to think.
I want to run away from all this madness. I lay my towel out and grab my sunglasses.
I lay back, soaking in the midday sunshine. I feel a little more calm, but I need to make sense of all this.
“So, Dad. You are a God, huh? If you really are a God prove it. As far as I am concerned, your a myth. Definitely not a legend in my eyes. Come on. You got all of my attention. Prove it!”
I sit up, I can hear the waves really crashing. I walk to the waves crashing.
“This is all you got? Come on! Your a God. Do something! Show yourself you asshole!”
Suddenly, I see something out in the distance. I walk into the water. It’s getting closer.
It’s that pod of dolphins. They are really jumping in sync with one another. I walk further out to where I can feel the waves crashing around my knees. I stand there in amazement.
They are getting dangerously closer to me. I can feel the vibrations as they ride the waves. Where my bracelet is on my wrist, it feels heavy again.
I look down at it. The anchor is turned towards the side again. I try to pull it back the way it is suppose to lay.
I hate this damn bracelet.
You don’t own me, father. You don’t even know me!
I look at the clasp. I want it off! I pull at it. It won’t come off. I try again. It won’t budge. I let go. I grab it fast, and pull as tightly as I can. I look at it in my hand, and I do what I had been waiting to do! I throw it as fast as I possibly can, with all my might.
The dolphins are slowing down. Way down. They look like they are heading back out into the ocean.
There! Take your bracelet. I want my life back! I just want all this to stop!
“Selene.”
No way. I would know his voice anywhere.
I turn around to see Alex standing there. I just look at him.
I walk out of the water towards him. He stands in front of me with his shoulders back. You can see the definition of his muscles in his arms.
“I think you dropped something.” He moves his hand from behind his back dangling my bracelet.
How did he get that? I just threw that in the damn ocean?
I walk closer to him. I take my bracelet.
That’s proof, I guess.
“Your Dad knows your mad, but this is yours to keep. It’s a gift.”
I stare at him. I should be excited to see him, but I am even more bewildered at this moment. I walk towards my towel. I fasten the bracelet back on.
Obviously I am not going to get away from this thing. Ever.
I sit down on my towel and just look at the sand. I do not even know what to say to him.
He sits beside me on the sand.
“I have tried to reach you all day. You ever check your phone?” He does a small laugh. His blonde hair falls slightly into his green eye’s.
“Yea, sorry. Been a rough day.” I grab my phone out of my bag. I now have thirty one text messages.
Selene. This is Alex. Please text me back. I want to explain.
Selene. Again I am worried.
Selene. you have me worried. Seriously. Just text back.
I cock my head to one side.
“Yea, sorry about all the texts. I was really worried. Cali told me she talked to you today. I tried to go by your house, but your Mom said you were gone. I figured you would be back out here.” He wipes the sand off from his khaki shorts.
He reaches into the side pocket of his shorts and pulls out a crushed up rose. It’s one of the fire and ice roses. He lays it on my towel, but not close enough to touch me. His fingers brush the side of my thigh as he pulls his hand away.
I stare at the flower.
Why would he want me to have this? Is he just being cruel?
“No, I do not want to give you this. I thought you should know that this is the truth. The rose helps us to see Migades. Sebastian wasn’t lying. He should have done what he did a VERY different way. I apologize.” Alex looks at me.
I pick up the rose and look at it. I feel it’s beauty. I crush it holding it tightly feeling all the pieces coming apart. I rub it between both my hands. It’s completely crushed. I open my hand. I blow the pieces all over the sand beside me. I turn back to see Alex smiling. He has a dimple in his right cheek that I have never noticed.
“Now, you can see who everyone is at the beach.” I clench my jaw.
He laughs loudly.
“Selene, you are one of a kind. There is no mo
re to see. We knew there was only one more of us on Earth. We found you.”
“Why are you here? Why am I one of a kind? Why do you even care? If all this is true then why didn’t you say anything to me at the homecoming dance?”
That may have been too many questions at one time, but I want answers!
He looks at his shorts and stretches out his long legs. He puts his hands behind his back to hold him up.
“I am here because I was worried about you. I told you that already. You may not think I care, but I do. I always have. You had to know I liked you.”
I squeeze my eyes shut to relish in his words.
“You seriously had no clue did you?” I can feel my cheeks becoming very red.
“Do you not see how beautiful you are? Finding out you were a Migades was the best part about it. I knew I could give into my feelings.”
His feelings? Beautiful? Me?
“Yes, you are beautiful Selene.” I glance away for just a moment.
“I have always cared who Poseidon’s daughter was. We all just were not sure who it was.
Until that dance. Your charm bracelet led us right to you. Like it was suppose to.” “Why didn’t you just tell me at the dance then?”
“I felt you should be able to have the last year of your high school life be a normal one.
Sebastian really wanted to tell you. I stopped him, but last night after you took a drink you were able to see us. We have been able to see you for months now.”
“Your still not making sense. None of this makes any sense to me.” I lower my head.
I wonder if he likes me for me, or who he believes my father is?
“I know. Believe me for a half mortal this must be a lot to understand, where we all grew up on Mount Olympus. Being here for almost four years has been something we all had to get used to.”
“You sound insane. You know that, right?” He does a deep laugh.
“Awe, now come on. I can’t seem insane after last night, right? Now, everything just makes sense to you.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I keep staring off into the ocean.
“Think about it. Always wanting to be near the water. A surfing team at the age twelve? Come on. No kid can do that without having an ability. Yours just happens to be that you’re a Goddess.” I feel like he is controlling me somehow. I can not look at him. I just keep staring out at the waves.
