p e r s e p h o n e

e i g h t

Persephone looked at her phone for the tenth time and squealed. Falling back on her bed with her legs kicking the air, her hands clasped together in front of her face as she couldn't stop the butterflies that invaded her personal space.

The test message was from Hades and he was asking her if she wanted to go over to his place for dinner on Monday, the next day.

She hadn't even replied yet, after a whole hour, she was too busy freaking out like a high school girl.

"No, no, you can't feel this way, you've only been on one date with him, you can't possibly be in love with him - " she explained to herself as she sat back up, looking into a mirror beside the doorway leading out of her room, "You're in love with Aric, you've known Aric for a long time, you are not falling in love with a guy you've only known for practically a week."

The sound of someone pounding on the door surprised Persephone as she jumped in surprise. Rushing to the door, she opened it a bit to see a smiling Pat and a not so happy Leanne, "Hey! We decided to make a surprise visit!" Pat pulled out a bag of gummy bears from behind her back.

"Oh! Come in." opening the door wider, the two girls entered the house.

"You dressed to impress." Leanne muttered underneath her breath and Persephone unconsciously looked down at her appearance.

She wasn't expecting anyone to have come by, so she was wearing a large black shirt and her polka dot, cotton underwear, no b*a.

"Lea!" Pat scolded quietly and elbowed the former, looking at Persephone to make sure that she hadn't heard, Pat assumed she hadn't.

"Have a seat, do you guys want tea or something?" they walked to the living room.

"Yes please, chamomile," Pat smiled and Leanne just rolled her eyes, "Lea would like the same."

Persephone nodded and walked to her kitchen, boiling some water and getting the tea bags out along with the mugs.

What was up with Leanne? Why was she acting like that?

Persephone's thoughts were interrupted by a loud screech signifying the boiling water. Finishing making the tea, she brought it to the visitors.

"So how have you been the past couple of days?" Pat hugged the mug in her hands and brought her feet to her chest.

"I've been good, you?" Persephone gave a polite smile.

Just at the beginning of that week, she was so comfortable with these two girls, but now it was as if they had only been friends for a couple of weeks to a month instead of years. But instead of feeling the dread that one would feel when thinking that their best friends were slipping away from them, Persephone could only feel guilt about her indifference. Especially to a certain redhead who sat stiffly as if in a stranger's home, nose upturned and eyeing everything, and especially Persephone, in mild distaste.

"It's been pretty good... Harry proposed to me!" Pat blurted out with a beaming smile, her left hand sticking out and revealing a diamond ring, the silver contrasting with her dark skin.

"Congratulations!" Persephone smiled at Pat's enthusiasm and reached forward, holding Pat's hand and looking at the ring, "It's beautiful, I pray that Hera blesses your marriage."

"Course you do." Leanne scoffed and the two other girls ignored her.

"So..." Persephone drawled, "How did he do it?"

"Oh, it wasn't that big and spectacular, but he took me to my favourite restaurant and got down on one knee before dessert." Pat looked down at her ring and an easy smile made its way onto her face.

"The how isn't always important, he makes you happy is what's important." Persephone said, watching her friend.

Patricia was plain on the edge of beautiful, her dark face, impossibly smooth and without wrinkles, dark brown, almost black eyes framed with thick lashes and a heart-shaped face, her long black hair in a ponytail majority of the time. She was of average height and looked good in practically anything she wore, but she rarely ever wore anything that would make her stand out.

Pat smiled and opened her mouth to say more but someone knocked on Persephone's door.

Persephone smiled politely to them and stood, moving to go to the front door. She vaguely heard two sets of footsteps following after her to the door.

She opened the door and there stood Hades, smiling at the barely dressed woman before him.

She looked adorable as her eyes widened. Hades wore a business suit that was tailored specifically for him, the black and white suit made him resemble a penguin.

"Hay-hay! What are you doing here?" seeing him brought an instant smile to Persephone's face, making her forget about the awkwardness she was feeling not even a moment ago

"You didn't reply to my message and I got worried, so I came to ask you in person." he lifted an arm onto the door frame and leant on it.

"I didn't reply?" Persephone gaped before mentally hitting herself, she was too busy acting like a teenage girl and forgot to send a response, she could be stupid sometimes.

"No you didn't - are you going to introduce me to your friends?" he turned to the two girls peeking out from behind the wall and they had to use all their willpower to not cower in fear.

Sure the chain he wore around his neck was obviously pure gold, he was devastatingly attractive, and he could probably get any girl he wanted, and possibly even any men he wanted, but he reeked of the dead, and of regret. Just a glance and he could make people want to crawl into a hole and never come out until he was as far away from them as possible. Anyone would be a fool to go against him.

But Leanne was quite possibly the most foolish and selfish person. She moved from behind the wall and smiled, batting her fake eyelashes at the intimidating man.

"I'm Leanne," she bit her lip and smirked, "and you are?" she tucked a stray hair behind her ear, attempting to be seductive because everyone has at least one person like this in their life.

"Hades." his face seemed to shut down as his smile left and his eyes seemed to begin to glow red, Leanne dismissed it as her imagination, she did have a glass of wine that morning.

"Sexy name." she tried to flirt as Persephone began to openly gape at the person she considered her best friend not even a week ago.

Hades made no attempt to reply, his jaw clenching and his eyes appeared to be glowing a darker red.

"Hi! I'm Patricia!" In order to ease the tangible tension, Pat jumped in, a smile on her face, "And what my friend here meant was that it's a nice name and it suits you." Pat discreetly elbowed Leanne's side.

Hades' glowing red eyes went away and he raised his eyebrow, "My name suits me." his voice was monotone and dull.

"Yeah, because you're dating Perse, and she believes in the Greek gods." Pat further explained with an ever-present smile that was beginning to hurt her face.

"She's mentioned," Hades smirked and looked down at Persephone who averted her eyes awkwardly.

"I'll be right with you guys, hold on." Persephone turned to her friends and stepped out of her apartment, lightly closing the door behind her.

"So no?" Hades couldn't help but feel and look downhearted as he spoke.

"What do you mean no?" Persephone tilted her head and leant on the door.

"You're right, it's too early I shouldn't have invited you to my house." Hades reprimanded himself and prepared to leave.

"I never said that!" she spluttered, "I would love to go to yours tomorrow for dinner." she reached her hand out and held his arm in an attempt to get him to stay.

"Really?" a smile spread across his handsome face and it was extremely contagious.

"Yeah, absolutely." Persephone looked down at her fingers, "You want to come in or something?"

"Nah, have to get somewhere," he took her right hand and lifted it up to his face, "but I will see you tomorrow." he kissed her hand and turned, walking away.

It took everything in her power not to swoon or begin squealing, possibly making her neighbours think there was a pig loose in the hall.

Remembering that she had people over, she walked back into her apartment.