Keep Holding On

“Crap,” Helen choked on her morning tea, “I have to go!”

The other’s starred at the blonde mortal as she quickly scarfed down another bite of her eggs and hotcakes while gulping down another sip of tea.

“That has to be one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen,” Roxanne scrunched her face as she slowly set her fork down on the table, her appetite – what little she already had – vanishing at the sight.

“I have to get to work,” Helen responded as she gulped, “I have to get in make-up and costume for the matinée tonight.”

“A matinée can’t be at night,” Roxanne’s expression was blank, though there was a hit of annoyance in her dark eyes.

“You know what I mean,” her blonde roommate waved the brunette off, “See ya tonight!”

Helen squeezed herself out of the booth and waved goodbye at the others as she dashed out of the restaurant.

There was an awkward silence at the table. Roxanne starred the half-eaten plate of hotcakes – she had already eaten the bacon – while Dionysus played with the rest of his. Apollo was the only that was still eating.

“So how’d you figure it out?” the blond eventually asked after guzzling down the rest of his orange juice.

The brunette’s eye flickered up to meet the vivid blue of the god sitting across from her. Her lips parted for a second, and then closed together again as her brain rattled for an answer. She could feel both of them starring at her, though in very different ways.

Apollo’s gaze was curious, though there was a certain harshness gleam to them that frightened Roxanne. Part of her didn’t want to answer the question, or lie if she did. Then Dion’s dark blue eyes were much softer, and there was this hint of, “What have I gotten myself into?”

“It wasn’t that hard,” she shrugged, “Apollo, Dion… half-brothers, ‘family-business’ that required only twelve people… the vineyard thing… It all just clicked to me,” she decided it would be a better idea if she, for now, left out the conversation she had with Artemis in the bathroom. She didn’t know how either of them would react if they learned their sister, or half-sister, played a small part in the young woman’s discovery.

Apollo’s thin lips curled into a smirk, “Well bravo for figuring out our little secret.”

Roxanne jumped at the sound of a phone ringing.

“Sorry,” Dion quickly apologized as he grabbed his phone from his pocket. He glanced down at the screen, his thin lips turned into a frown, “I have to take this.”

The dark-haired mortal looked down, unable to look at either of the two gods sitting with her. She suddenly felt embarrassed.

It was just his cell phone ringing, she mentally scolded herself, Not a minotaur, not the Erineyes, just a cell phone. You need to relax.

“Yes… No, but-… Oh, fine. Okay… Yeah, I’ll be there in a moment,” Dion sighed as he slowly placed his phone back into his jacket pocket, “I have to go.”

“But-” Roxanne was quick to protest, though she was interrupted.

“We’ll be fine,” Apollo smiled confidently at the mortal, “Won’t we?”

Roxanne wasn’t sure, and she wasn’t okay with being left alone, but what choice did she have?

“Yeah, we’ll be fine,” she nodded at Dion, even adding a smile, “Really, go. Flee. Go save the world one vineyard at a time.” She started sliding out of the booth so that he could before he could stop her. Not that it matter, though, he had already told whoever he was talking to that he’d be there… wherever “there” was.

“Um, bye Roxanne,” he mumbled to her while scratching the back of his head. This is always the awkward part… Dion thought.

“Yeah, see ya later…?” she said hopefully. She knew she probably wouldn’t, but she had to ask…

Dion looked at her, and then down at the ground, “Probably not,” he slid off the seat and dashed away before Roxanne could further embarrass herself.

“Are you gonna sit back down?” Apollo asked the mortal.

Roxanne chewed on her bottom lip, “Uh? Oh, yeah.” She quickly sat down, her hands laying in her lap as she starred at her food.

“You’ll never see him again, I hope you know that,” the god felt like reminding her.

“I know,” she sighed as she looked up at him, “I’m okay with that.”

“Are you?” he chuckled, “I highly doubt that.”

“Well it’s true,” Roxanne angrily crossed her arms over her chest, not caring if she was acting childish, “I don’t care if I ever see him again.”

“You don’t really believe that,” the god leaned back on the cushion, a cocky smirk playing on his lips and his eyes shining with confidence.

“How do you know what I do and don’t believe?” the brunette scoffed.

“Can I get you anything else?” the waitress, a teenager with her red-hair pulled in a tight pony-tail, interrupted their argument.

“Can I get the check, please?” Apollo flashed her a smile that Roxanne suspected would melt her heart.

“Sure,” she tapped her pen on her notepad, “I’ll be right back with that.”

Roxanne focused her eyes – she couldn’t let herself fall for his act. She remembered what happened to the men and woman who fell for Apollo, or who Apollo had fallen for.

But if I’m the latter, then my only hope is to become a Huntress… she bitterly thought to herself, Though I’m sure if I tell Artemis “no” regardless, she won’t be too happy…

“Let me walk you home,” the god coolly offered.

“You don’t have to do that,” she shook her head; “I’m a big girl.”

Apollo’s head cocked to the side a little, if Roxanne hadn’t been concentrating on not focusing on his good looks she might have swooned, “I insist, let me walk you home.”

“I’ll be fine,” she continued to persist.

“This isn’t up for debate,” his voice was suddenly very cold, his eyes were piercing, “I am walking you home.”

Roxanne starred at him, her dark eyes wide with both shock and defeat.

“Here’s your check,” the red-headed waitress handed the blond the check, “Would you like any to-go boxes?”

“No thank you,” Roxanne answered her, now staring blankly off out the Ihop window. And as she starred off into the distance, one thought occurred to her:

What have I gotten myself into?