Bet

She was staring at me with her hazel eyes. I moved my lips. No words came out. Her wavy thin hair was lying on her chest. I realized that I was staring so I took my eyes away. But where to look? I thought. Definitely not in her eyes. I would totally melt. Gods, she is charming.

She was looking around,'' Where am I?'' She fixed her gaze at me. She had a sweet voice and a nervous tone. ''what happened?'' she asked.

I noticed that I was quiet. I straightened myself and said,'' You ask too many questions.'' Out of all the words in the universe. I chose that stupid sentence. I shouldn't spend a lot of time with Ares. He's infecting me with his attitude. I felt like smacking myself in the face.

She raised her eyebrows, and then she stared at me, analyzing me from the tip of my shoes to the hair on my skull. I bet her mind was racing with a thousand questions. I opened my stupid mouth and said, '' you're not Zeus's minion.''

''Yes I am! Please where am I?'' Now she was truly scared. I could see fear dripping from her hazel eyes. She was on the verge of tears. Great, I thought, you scared her.

I ran to her side saying,'' No, no. Please don't be afraid. I just.. I just helped you. You fell down the hill and you were badly injured.''

''I look perfectly fine,'' she snapped.

''No you weren't. I used Apollo's blessing on you.'' I spread my hands in demonstration. She was looking at me clueless. Then, it hit me. She was no one's minion. If she doesn't know Apollo then she knows nothing. ''You're…,'' My mind was racing. Should I ask? I could hear her heart racing with my thoughts. She was stiff with eyes in her sneakers. '' You're not from Olympus.'' Her eyes filled up with salt water. Her bottom lip was shivering. ''You're mortal?''

She looked into my eyes and said questioningly, '' Mortal?''

''Human, I mean,'' I replied.

''Of course I'm human.'' Her voice thinned. I could feel her struggle to get the words out of her mouth. '' Are you?''

''I'm…'' I looked at her uncertain. She looked harmless, a normal girl, a teenager just like me. '' It's complicated.''

She shut her eyes and pursed her cherry red lips. My heart squeezed. A moment of silence passed. Wind shook the trees. A green leaf fell on her hair. I stepped towards her and raised my hand to her head. She flinched. '' I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. There's a leaf there.'' I pointed it out. She took off the leaf, held it her hand, and stared at it. I sat behind her and said, ''aren't you going to say something. I think you owe me an explanation.''

She shut her eyes and whispered,'' I want to wake up. Please.''

''What?''

''I'm sure this is a bad dream. I'll wake up soon,'' she continued, eyes closed.

''I assure you I'm totally real,'' I said.

She inhaled. ''I give up. Okay, look if I tell you the truth, you take me back home?''

'' Bet,'' I looked into her eyes. Now her tears were gone, but her cheeks were pink. She is either embarrassed or shy, I thought. Or scared to death.

She stared at her shoes once again and said,'' I'm Eleanor. You passed next to my house at five in the morning. I mean who does that? I… I was curious and I followed you. And … and now I'm here. And… and combat god. And... and you…''She broke off in tears, hands in her face.

Now's your chance, my heart said. My mind was saying something, but screw that. I gave her a warm hug and said,''hey.. hey… no, it's okay. I'm right here. It's okay.'' She was hot. I mean warm. I was burning with heat.

She breathed slowly. I backed off. She took her hands off her face. Her face was red. '' Thanks,'' she said. I nodded. ''Who are you?'' She asked.

'' I'll say if you say first.''

''Fine. Okay, so, I saw you,'' She was slowly speaking. I was staring at her lips, eyes, and nose. Oh Gods, I thought, what did I get myself into? Alex, focus.

'' I went through the trees…''

''Wait. You did what?''

'' Went through the tree border,'' she looked at me clueless.

'' You can't. You can't if you're mortal. Only demigods can.''

''Demi who?'' she said. I stared at her. She wasn't red anymore.

'' Demigods.'' I smiled at her. She turned red again. Gosh. She is cute.

''What's that?'' she said.

''I'll explain later. Continue. Please.''

''Yeah. Okay. So, I saw you fight with the dude with Combat Dude who thinks he's Ares somebody. And.. and I couldn't leave. I don't know why. Then I made a run for it. I think I slipped and now I'm here. With.. with you.'' She hesitated with every word, but her story was true enough.

'' I think it's my turn,'' I said. She nodded with her eyes in her shoes. '' I'm Alex Kane. I'm a demigod. The only demigod. It's like my father is a god. '' For some reason I was stumbling over my words. ''And combat dude is Ares. The God of War.'' I laughed and she joined me. Her laugh was kind of laugh that lightens up a room.

Now she was grinning. ''You sure I'm not dreaming?''

'' Nope all of this real.''

She looked at me and pursed her lips. ''you're a demigod?''

'' Yes,'' I replied.

'' You have got to be kidding me. I,,, I lied to a war god?''

''I think you did.'' For the one hundredth time she closed her eyes. Like was still trying to wake up. Wind sent a summer breeze once again. I closed my eyes and listened to the leaves clash. Silence passed. She opened her eyes and looked at me then at the grass.

''This place is beautiful,'' she said.

'' This is my thinking rock. I call it Olympus number two. It's the only place where I could be alone and overthink my whole life choices.''

''Really,'' she said. '' I do that every day.'' We laughed together. Her laugh was nervous.

'' You still don't believe me, ''I said. She shook her head in reply. ''Look, Eleanor. Gods are real. And demigods are. Well at least I'm the only one alive from some reason. But now you know and if you want I could use Mnemosyne's blessing on you. She's the goddess of memory. You can go back home and forget any of this happened. Or get to know me more and live a fantasy. It's your call.'' She stared at me face. My heart melted. I want to get to know her. I want her to stay close to me at any cost. Please, Aphrodite, I pleaded. Please, let her pick the best choice.

''The bible isn't real?'' Eleanor asked. I shook my head. ''I knew it!'' She said mostly to herself. She thought for a minute and said, '' Okay, demiguy.''

''Demigod,'' I said with a grin.

''Demigod,'' she continued,'' I'm curious about this whole situation. And my schedule is empty. My life kind of is too. So taking a risk is no problem to me. Okay Kane, I'll take the second order.'' I smiled. Thank you Aphrodite, I thought.

''Come on Eleanor let's take you home.'' Together we jumped off the rock and started towards the woods.