A Bit Different

Chapter 53

Hand in hand they walked, fighting the urge to flinch at the blinding flashes. Camera-men surrounded them as the tried to leave the small room, clicking away. The questions of the hungry reports kept flowing, a constant buzz in their ears. 

All she hoped was that they brought her story, as ridiculous as it may be. These were the times she was glad she knew powerful people. Concocting a tale was hard, but making it a reality even harder.

They both had conjured up a story when the last met. Hours of planning, endless details following them everywhere. It was tiring, but hopefully, rewarding. 

Apparently, Persia Jackson was a victim of the recent wars who was saved by Thor. They had been smitten and had fallen for each other. They had Pepper to 'manage' the details, and a small coy and bashful performance enough to convince the world that she wanted privacy, nothing more.

Percy had outdone her self, charming all the media reporters till they no longer asked questions. She had pleaded for a more aggressive approach, something she would had managed just as well, but the Avenger were against it. They knew the attention like no one did, being scrutinized for every choice and knew that if she had not charmed them, they would have dug deeper, found out about Gabe, his disappearance, her disappearances. Her quests to save the world had left her a damning reputation, one which was buried with a lot of influence and money.

She hated it, she hated lying, but her hands were tied. It filled her with cold fury. Straightening her hair, 'making it tame' they said. Wear contacts they insisted, her eyes were frightening. Erase they things which made her her. Erase the only things that marked her as one of the ocean. Her curls now flattened looked dead and so did she, her eyes being veiled with a green curtain, itching her eyes and her nerves.

The way they insisted she smile and let Thor talk. They way they wanted her to wear a modest dress and cling to his arm. It was pure torture to act like a damsel in distress, but it was would convince them. And it did.

Her act successful, people seeing her as a lady who'd fallen in love with her savior. A maiden saved by her knight. A girl whose wildness was tamed with her 'disastrous' hair. A woman whose fury was hidden with plain green contacts because she was too intimidating to look in the eye.