Cupid and his Love [ON HOLD]

chapter five

History was by no means my favorite class, especially now that Ross was sitting next to me, but something I did love, was mythology.

It's a good thing that we started mythology when Ross came, because I wasn't sure if I would be able to stand sitting near him without it.

But no matter how much he unsettled me, I told myself I would give him a second chance. And I was going to try to follow through with that.

Mr. Stein cleared his throat, standing in front of the room. "So our mythology unit is very short. We're just going to go over the main Greek gods and goddesses, and a few of the more popular stories, and then a test on it. I might throw a project in there with it too, to stretch it out a bit longer. Because there's not a lot of material to cover with it and it doesn't take that long. If I do that, your group will be the three people your siting by."

I crossed my fingers that we wouldn't have a project because I didn't want to work with Ross. Maybe this second chance thing wasn't going to work.

Mr. Stein passed papers back to all of us, and passed the classroom set of mythology books out.

"So the paper I just passed out to you is a chart on general knowledge of the more common gods and goddesses. Some information is there, some isn't. This is to see how much you know, so fill the chart out if you can with the given information. There's the Greek name, Roman counterpart, their domain, symbols, and family. Get started, it should take you about fifteen minutes." The teacher informed us, before he sat back down at his desk.

I looked at the paper in front of me and picked up my pencil. It was double sided, six on each side. I filled out the paper easily, not really hesitating on any of them, because they were the more known gods and goddesses, so I was pretty informed on them.

I heard Ross chucking next to me, and I glanced over at him, to see he was on Aphrodite, writing down her family.

Daughter of Zeus and Dione, married to Hephaestus, mother of Eros.

"What's so funny?" I questioned him.

"Just that we have a very small box to write in, and her family tree is a bit more extensive than what would fit here. For example, Eros isn't her only child, but I only had room to write one name." He explained.

I nodded. "What made you write Eros then?"

Ross shrugged. "I believe he's her most important son, her favorite."

"What makes you think that?"

He smirked. "Just a guess."

I furrowed my brow and nodded, turning back to my own paper and finishing the last box. I leaned back in my seat and set my pencil down, showing I was done.

"It seems you know a bit about mythology too?" Ross asked me.

I shrugged. "I guess so, I have an interest in it."

Genevieve added into the conversation. "She really does. Every time we do a mythology unit she gets so excited. When we do races with it or games, everyone wants her on their team since she knows the most."

Ross raised his eyebrows. "Impressive. What got you interested?"

My cheeks flushed slightly. "When I was younger I read the Percy Jackson books," I admitted. "And obviously not everything in that is accurate to the myths to make the plot line work, but that's what got me interested. After that I just kind of read more factual books or articles mythology."

Ross nodded, and was about to say something when the teacher spoke up again. My heart rate slowed down, talking to Ross sent my nerves into overdrive, it seemed.

"Since it appears most of you are done, I'm going to start teaching our first story, which appears to have the most popularity among the students. The story of Cupid and Psyche." Mr. Stein announced.

From the corner of my eye I noticed Ross went rigid in his seat. I turned to him with a questioning glance. His face was paled slightly, but he was attempting to act natural.

I eyed him curiously, but he never turned to catch my gaze.

"Now, can anyone tell me who Psyche is?" Mr. Stein questioned.

I knew who she was, but I didn't feel like raising my hand to answer. I never really was one to volunteer in my classes, as I hated speaking in front of anyone.

"No? Okay...Ross. How about you answer my question." The teacher chose.

Ross cleared his throat, and his eyes darkened dangerously.

"Psyche was one of the three daughters of a king and queen, but she was considered the most beautiful." Ross answered, his voice level, but a bit too calm to suit the storm raging in his eyes.

Mr. Stein nodded, and I shot Ross another questioning glance.

"Are you alright? You look angry." I asked him.

"I'm fine." He snapped. "I just don't like this story."

"Why not?" I questioned, unable to help myself.

He paused. "Let's just say it reminds me of my ex and leave it at that."

I nodded, confused. "Okay, sure."

Mr. Stein continued in his story of Cupid and Psyche. He spoke of how she was so beautiful, people worshipped her, instead of Venus, even going as far to say she must be the second coming of the goddess. Angered, Venus commanded Cupid to punish the girl by making her fall in love with something hideous. But Cupid scratched himself with his arrow instead, causing him to fall for her.

That was the point in the story that Mr. Stein got to when Ross twitched uncomfortably in the seat again. He huffed impatiently, and suddenly he snapped his fingers. I looked over to him to see what he was doing, when the fire alarm when off. Mr. Stein stopped his telling of the story and ordered everyone to usher out into the halls and out of the building.

"What perfect timing," I mumbled to Ross. "Getting you out of the story you didn't want to hear."

"I know. It's almost as if it was fate," he responded, and even though that seeming innocent sentence shouldn't have, it sent chills down my spine.

I wanted to unravel the mystery that was Ross.

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