Persephone the Phony (Goddess Girls) by Joan Holub
Authors: Joan Holub
Tags: Fiction, General, Social Science, Children's Books, Juvenile Fiction, Ages 9-12 Fiction, Social Issues, Children: Grades 4-6, Girls & Women, Friendship, School & Education, Folklore & Mythology, Schools, Legends; Myths; Fables, Social Issues - Friendship, Legends; Myths; & Fables - Greek & Roman, Mythology; Greek, Greek & Roman, Goddesses; Greek, Hades (Greek deity), Persephone (Greek deity)
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said, looking at him through her disheveled hair.
"Hi," he said cautiously. His dark eyes searched hers as if to gauge her friendliness--or lack thereof. After the way she'd treated him last night, Persephone couldn't blame him.
As she straightened up, Zeus pointed to the chair next to Hades. "Sit!" he ordered. When she complied, he sat down across the table from them, folding his hands and glancing from one to the other as if waiting for them to speak.
Coming here had seemed like a good idea, but now that she had done it, Persephone felt a little uncertain.
113
She'd never been inside Zeus's office before, so she studied it with genuine interest to keep from having to explain her visit.
Scattered around were a variety of chairs with big scorch marks on them. An enormous desk littered with papers, file folders, and empty bottles of Zeus Juice took up most of the space. An impressive golden throne sat behind it. It looked like a much more comfortable fit for Zeus than the tiny student chair he was balancing on now.
"Want some of my lunch?" Hades asked, drawing her attention.
"No, thanks," said Persephone, glancing at the two half-eaten plates of nectaroni and cheese.
"Then you won't mind if we finish ours?" asked Zeus.
114
Scooping up a huge forkful of nectaroni, he shoveled it into his mouth. "Hades here has told me a lot about you," he said, speaking with his mouth full.
"Oh?" Persephone tensed a little and darted a look toward Hades, wondering what he might've said.
Hades straightened, looking somewhat alarmed. Then he cleared his throat, like he was trying to catch Zeus's attention.
Zeus laughed, spewing tiny bits of nectaroni onto the table. "Don't worry. It was all good." He pushed his plate away and patted his stomach. "So," he said, eyeing the two of them.
Across from her, Hades stiffened further, obviously worried about whatever Zeus was going to say.
"Both of you planning to go to the Harvest Hop tomorrow night?"
115
Huh? Was he hinting that they should go--together? Sometimes grown-ups were s o unsubtle.
A dark shadow passed over Hades' face as he set down his fork. "I'm busy. Lots of new shades coming in."
Zeus raised an eyebrow. "In the Underworld there are alway s lots of new shades coming in."
"I forgot all about the dance," Persephone admitted. She didn't tell him that, in any case, she hadn't planned to go. She'd thought her mom wouldn't allow it. But last night, of course, things had changed.
"Should be a lot of fun," said Zeus, interrupting her thoughts. "It would be a shame to miss it." He stroked his curly red beard and said slyly, "Maybe you two should go together! Keep each other company, you know?"
She could hardly believe he'd suggested that out
116
loud! She blushed, and Hades ducked his head. His dusky curls fell forward, hiding his face.
Zeus glanced from him to Persephone and grinned. Rising swiftly, he said, "I--um--need to take care of something. Back in a few." Hades started to stand too. "Stay!" Zeus barked. Then he smiled, gesturing to them. "Lunch period isn't over for twenty more minutes. No reason for you and Persephone to hurry off."
After Principal Zeus left, Hades squirmed in his chair for a moment. "Sorry for rushing you home last night," he said at last. He stared at his plate. "It's not that I didn't want to see you. In fact, I--"
"It's okay," interrupted Persephone. "You were right to send me home."
Hades jerked back in his chair. "I was?"
Persephone nodded. "My mom found out I ran
117
away. We had a good talk about it. I think she'll let up on me a little more from now on."
"Really?" Hades' dark eyes looked into her pale ones, and he smiled. "That's great."
Persephone's breath caught in her throat. He had the most beautiful eyelashes! And when he smiled, you could really see how cute he was. "Yes," she said. "It i s great."
A long, uncomfortable pause followed. Hades toyed with his fork, tapping it against the side of his plate. Persephone twirled
"Hi," he said cautiously. His dark eyes searched hers as if to gauge her friendliness--or lack thereof. After the way she'd treated him last night, Persephone couldn't blame him.
As she straightened up, Zeus pointed to the chair next to Hades. "Sit!" he ordered. When she complied, he sat down across the table from them, folding his hands and glancing from one to the other as if waiting for them to speak.
Coming here had seemed like a good idea, but now that she had done it, Persephone felt a little uncertain.
113
She'd never been inside Zeus's office before, so she studied it with genuine interest to keep from having to explain her visit.
Scattered around were a variety of chairs with big scorch marks on them. An enormous desk littered with papers, file folders, and empty bottles of Zeus Juice took up most of the space. An impressive golden throne sat behind it. It looked like a much more comfortable fit for Zeus than the tiny student chair he was balancing on now.
"Want some of my lunch?" Hades asked, drawing her attention.
"No, thanks," said Persephone, glancing at the two half-eaten plates of nectaroni and cheese.
"Then you won't mind if we finish ours?" asked Zeus.
114
Scooping up a huge forkful of nectaroni, he shoveled it into his mouth. "Hades here has told me a lot about you," he said, speaking with his mouth full.
"Oh?" Persephone tensed a little and darted a look toward Hades, wondering what he might've said.
Hades straightened, looking somewhat alarmed. Then he cleared his throat, like he was trying to catch Zeus's attention.
Zeus laughed, spewing tiny bits of nectaroni onto the table. "Don't worry. It was all good." He pushed his plate away and patted his stomach. "So," he said, eyeing the two of them.
Across from her, Hades stiffened further, obviously worried about whatever Zeus was going to say.
"Both of you planning to go to the Harvest Hop tomorrow night?"
115
Huh? Was he hinting that they should go--together? Sometimes grown-ups were s o unsubtle.
A dark shadow passed over Hades' face as he set down his fork. "I'm busy. Lots of new shades coming in."
Zeus raised an eyebrow. "In the Underworld there are alway s lots of new shades coming in."
"I forgot all about the dance," Persephone admitted. She didn't tell him that, in any case, she hadn't planned to go. She'd thought her mom wouldn't allow it. But last night, of course, things had changed.
"Should be a lot of fun," said Zeus, interrupting her thoughts. "It would be a shame to miss it." He stroked his curly red beard and said slyly, "Maybe you two should go together! Keep each other company, you know?"
She could hardly believe he'd suggested that out
116
loud! She blushed, and Hades ducked his head. His dusky curls fell forward, hiding his face.
Zeus glanced from him to Persephone and grinned. Rising swiftly, he said, "I--um--need to take care of something. Back in a few." Hades started to stand too. "Stay!" Zeus barked. Then he smiled, gesturing to them. "Lunch period isn't over for twenty more minutes. No reason for you and Persephone to hurry off."
After Principal Zeus left, Hades squirmed in his chair for a moment. "Sorry for rushing you home last night," he said at last. He stared at his plate. "It's not that I didn't want to see you. In fact, I--"
"It's okay," interrupted Persephone. "You were right to send me home."
Hades jerked back in his chair. "I was?"
Persephone nodded. "My mom found out I ran
117
away. We had a good talk about it. I think she'll let up on me a little more from now on."
"Really?" Hades' dark eyes looked into her pale ones, and he smiled. "That's great."
Persephone's breath caught in her throat. He had the most beautiful eyelashes! And when he smiled, you could really see how cute he was. "Yes," she said. "It i s great."
A long, uncomfortable pause followed. Hades toyed with his fork, tapping it against the side of his plate. Persephone twirled
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