CHAPTER ONE

A NEW CLASSMATE

Aaya lifted her green eyes towards the heavens and took a deep breath of the ocean air. Seagulls flew high in the sky searching for some fish beneath the crystal clear water of the sea. Aaya always came prepared on such an alluring day as this. She pulled off her black t-shirt and jeans and was left in a black one piece bathing suit. She ran into the azure water and felt the warmth surround her as she continued walking in, deeper and deeper. Aaya remained at sea for the next few hours until finally she felt like a dried prune. After she walked out of the water she collapsed onto the welcoming warm white sand. Rays of gold and red pierced the air and Aaya sat up as the sun began to set. The sun’s reflection in the clear cerulean ocean was simply breathtaking. After about thirty minutes, the darkness appeared and blanketed the little village of Athshezar. Little sparkling diamonds appeared above and Aaya felt a warm comfort overcome herself.

On the way home, Aaya bumped into Serena and they smiled at each other with a comfort that no one in Athshezar could compete with. They talked about their adventures for today. For Serena, that meant the “joy” of sewing, learning how to cook pies, and learning how to politely address boys. For Aaya, that meant walking along the beach, swimming, watching the sun set on the water, and gazing at the stars.

“Aaya, will you take me with you next week away from etiquette?” asked Serena. “I hate taking those etiquette classes. They’re so…..girly and so boring. Madame LeBush is so…..UGH. I hate that woman!”

Aaya laughed at her friend’s spazzing imitation of their teacher. “Sure! I hate her too. She’s so tall and ugly. She’s got that big mole on her face and her hair’s so….GREY. It makes her look like she’s ninety.”

“Which means she looks young for her age. She’s such a dinosaur. I wonder if she knew my ancestor’s friend Mr. T-Rex? RAWR!” Serena pretended to attack Aaya and the girls burst into fits of giggling when a boy their age came over. He was short for a boy and had bleach blond hair, very white skin, and brown eyes.

“Hey there! Um….do you two have Mr. Arksner for science class? I’m new here and I’d like to try and find someone with the same teacher. My name’s Theus. Nice to meet you.”

Serena, naturally, was the first to speak up. “Hey I’m Serena and this is Aaya. Yeah, we have Mr. Arksner and tomorrow’s science day. Whoopee….” Theus had to let out a little smile at that sarcastic comment.

“I have to say that next to Madame LeBush’s etiquette class, Mr. Arksner’s class is the most boring,” said Aaya. “I think I sleep all day and maybe that’s why I fail my science tests? I don’t know……But anyway if we want to at least try and stay awake tomorrow in class I suggest we all go to bed now. I think it’s starting to get late…..My mom’s going to kill me…..” Aaya yawned and the two girls bid their new friend Theus good night and headed off towards home.

“He seems like a really nice guy.” Serena began. “I wonder if we may actually get a friend. Does he know that we’re the losers around here? I mean, if he did, he wouldn’t be talking to us. We should tell him….” She trailed off. She couldn’t finish. The thought of a new friend excited her too much.

“Yeah….he really does……Let’s not tell him we’re seen as such losers. I kind of like the idea of having a new friend. If he finds out and goes to hang out with the cool people, then whatever. I have you! What else could I possibly need?” But secretly Aaya was thinking about Theus. Maybe wishes do come true….well, she could hope, right?

APHRODITE’S ROSE

Aphrodite smiled as she gazed upon Theus from above. Oh, those girls had no idea they were talking to a social outcast much like them! Theus didn’t look like anyone who could fit in, so everyone hated the boys’ guts. He didn’t even know that he was talking to social lowlifes like himself, either! Oh, Aaya, Serena, you two don’t know what you’re in for. You may have to rename you’re group the “Unbreakable Threesome”! Oh, the thrill of youth……

As Aaya and Serena walked away, Aphrodite noticed something a little different in the girl’s expression. She was thinking, all right, but not about things she would usually think of. Aphrodite silently entered Aaya’s thoughts and began to smile. Well would you look at that! I think we may have a new bud growing here. And with proper help, it can turn into a beautiful rose that can stand against time. Aphrodite flew away satisfied that her questions had been answered and knew that Aaya might just become her new project.

THOUGHTS OF DECEPTION

Later on that night as Aaya tossed and turned in bed, something was nagging at her thoughts. Theus. I wonder if we’re being set up here. It wouldn’t be the first time someone’s played a nasty trick on us. He seemed sincere enough. I wonder if he really IS lying. Or…what if he IS telling the truth, but he’s being set up with us? Slowly more and more ideas popped into Aaya’s head and her eyelids began to droop. Within a few minutes, her thoughts stopped spinning around in her brain and she drifted off into her dream, she was chasing a tall, shadowed figure through a beautiful field. They were both laughing and Aaya knew she had heard his voice somewhere. It was familiar, yet unfamiliar all at once. Behind them in the bright azure sky there was a figure floating above the horizon. A lovely figure with long, shimmering blond hair and dazzling blue eyes, watching the pair curiously. Neither Aaya nor the Shadow Man noticed her watching their every move. They still laughed and ran until they were out of breath. They collapsed, holding hands onto the meadow, panting wildly trying to catch their breath. Smiling, Aaya turned toward the shadow man, whose face was beaming in the golden rays of the sun above. He turned towards her, his bleach blond hair getting in the way of his deep hazel eyes. Staring back at Aaya was none other than Theus.

Aaya awoke with a shudder. Why...why? Why am I dreaming about...about HIM? HIM of all people?? Aaya held her hand to her heart as she took in deep breaths. Her face was so pale it was as though she had seen a ghost. She allowed her eyes wander towards her window, the silver beams of the moon shining in on her. As she looked a little farther than the village houses, she thought that she could see a stunningly charming figure of a woman floating above the woods' treetops. Aaya closed her eyes, shook her head, and when her eyes reopened the image was gone. She leaned against her pillow and tried her best to go to sleep, not noticing the approaching shadow of twilight from just above the horizon.