Aphrodite the Beauty (Goddess Girls) by Joan Holub Page B
Authors: Joan Holub
Tags: Fiction, General, Children's Books, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Ages 9-12 Fiction, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, Social Issues, Love & Romance, Children: Grades 4-6, Girls & Women, Friendship, School & Education, love, Schools, Legends; Myths; Fables, Social Issues - Friendship, Legends; Myths; & Fables - Greek & Roman, Gods; Greek, Mythology; Greek, Greek & Roman, Beauty; Personal, Goddesses; Greek, Aphrodite (Greek deity), Atalanta (Greek mythology)
Ads: Link
Aphrodite took a step toward the boys. "Persephone's right. Stop it! What are you--in kindergarten?"
Sheepishly, the two godboys separated. In a voice as lovely as she was, but which permitted no argument, she said, "I appreciate the offers, but I'll wait my turn like everyone else."
Ten minutes later, when she was seated at last with
12
her three goddessgirl friends at their favorite table in the lunchroom, Aphrodite dipped her spoon into the delicious yambrosia. After she'd taken only a bite or two, however, she shoved the bowl away, too annoyed to finish in spite of her hunger.
"Full already?" asked Artemis, as she dug with gusto into her own bowl. Her three dogs, a bloodhound, a greyhound, and a beagle, lay at her feet. They accompanied her everywhere.
"No, just fed up with godboys," Aphrodite declared. "They're so obsessed with weapons and war. They even battle for my attention!"
"Poor you," Persephone teased between sips of nectar. "A lot of goddessgirls would die to have godboys notice them." As an afterthought, she added, "But of course they can't, since they're all immortal."
13
Athena set down the shimmery blue Beauty-ology textscroll she'd been scanning as she ate. With a puzzled look she said to Aphrodite, "But I thought you liked the attention."
Aphrodite shrugged. "Not really. If another godboy offers to carry my scrolls or to help me with my homework just one more time today, I swear I'll scream!"
"Really?" Athena leaned forward, her brows knit. "But in Hero-ology class you said that everyone should have the chance to fall in love."
"I was talking about mortals," said Aphrodite. "And anyway, just because a godboy fusses over you, it doesn't mean he's in love with you." Indeed, she couldn't help wondering if the handsome young godboys who fluttered around her like moths to a flame might disappear in a flash if she weren't beautiful. There was no way to know
14
because she'd always been . . . well . . . naturally pretty.
"But most girls like it when boys fuss over them," Athena persisted. She seemed oddly interested in the topic given her protest that "some maidens" would rather be left alone to study.
Aphrodite raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think maybe you wanted to be fussed over."
"Who me? Ha!" said Athena. "That's the last thing on my mind," she murmured as she buried her nose in her Beauty-ology scroll again.
Aphrodite traded amused glances with Persephone and Artemis, who then quickly moved on to talk about other things. But Aphrodite only half listened as she stared at Athena's bent head. A straight-A student, Athena was easily the brightest of the four friends. She
15
was also the youngest, though they were all in the same grade. Until this moment, Athena had never shown any curiosity about godboys, and they in turn, probably sensing her indifference, overlooked her.
Athena glanced up from her textscroll. "What?" she asked. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"No reason," Aphrodite said lightly. But as Athena returned to her textscroll, the wheels in Aphrodite's brain began to spin faster than the racing chariot Zeus had driven in assembly that morning. Within moments she concluded that Athena had in fact been hinting that she'd welcome the attention of godboys. And while Aphrodite might be fed up with godboys' annoying antics, she loved stirring up romance for others! True, things hadn't worked out so well between Paris and Helen--that pesky Trojan War and all--but at least
16
she'd tried to set them up.
That's it! she thought excitedly. If she could help mortals find love, then why not a goddessgirl, too? She could use her talents to help Athena find her first crush! But she would need a game plan.
Aphrodite drummed her well-manicured, powder-pink-polished fingernails on the tabletop, sneaking glances at Athena's long, unstyled, brown hair. At her face free of makeup. At her frumpy, plain white chiton. Suddenly an idea came to
Sheepishly, the two godboys separated. In a voice as lovely as she was, but which permitted no argument, she said, "I appreciate the offers, but I'll wait my turn like everyone else."
Ten minutes later, when she was seated at last with
12
her three goddessgirl friends at their favorite table in the lunchroom, Aphrodite dipped her spoon into the delicious yambrosia. After she'd taken only a bite or two, however, she shoved the bowl away, too annoyed to finish in spite of her hunger.
"Full already?" asked Artemis, as she dug with gusto into her own bowl. Her three dogs, a bloodhound, a greyhound, and a beagle, lay at her feet. They accompanied her everywhere.
"No, just fed up with godboys," Aphrodite declared. "They're so obsessed with weapons and war. They even battle for my attention!"
"Poor you," Persephone teased between sips of nectar. "A lot of goddessgirls would die to have godboys notice them." As an afterthought, she added, "But of course they can't, since they're all immortal."
13
Athena set down the shimmery blue Beauty-ology textscroll she'd been scanning as she ate. With a puzzled look she said to Aphrodite, "But I thought you liked the attention."
Aphrodite shrugged. "Not really. If another godboy offers to carry my scrolls or to help me with my homework just one more time today, I swear I'll scream!"
"Really?" Athena leaned forward, her brows knit. "But in Hero-ology class you said that everyone should have the chance to fall in love."
"I was talking about mortals," said Aphrodite. "And anyway, just because a godboy fusses over you, it doesn't mean he's in love with you." Indeed, she couldn't help wondering if the handsome young godboys who fluttered around her like moths to a flame might disappear in a flash if she weren't beautiful. There was no way to know
14
because she'd always been . . . well . . . naturally pretty.
"But most girls like it when boys fuss over them," Athena persisted. She seemed oddly interested in the topic given her protest that "some maidens" would rather be left alone to study.
Aphrodite raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think maybe you wanted to be fussed over."
"Who me? Ha!" said Athena. "That's the last thing on my mind," she murmured as she buried her nose in her Beauty-ology scroll again.
Aphrodite traded amused glances with Persephone and Artemis, who then quickly moved on to talk about other things. But Aphrodite only half listened as she stared at Athena's bent head. A straight-A student, Athena was easily the brightest of the four friends. She
15
was also the youngest, though they were all in the same grade. Until this moment, Athena had never shown any curiosity about godboys, and they in turn, probably sensing her indifference, overlooked her.
Athena glanced up from her textscroll. "What?" she asked. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"No reason," Aphrodite said lightly. But as Athena returned to her textscroll, the wheels in Aphrodite's brain began to spin faster than the racing chariot Zeus had driven in assembly that morning. Within moments she concluded that Athena had in fact been hinting that she'd welcome the attention of godboys. And while Aphrodite might be fed up with godboys' annoying antics, she loved stirring up romance for others! True, things hadn't worked out so well between Paris and Helen--that pesky Trojan War and all--but at least
16
she'd tried to set them up.
That's it! she thought excitedly. If she could help mortals find love, then why not a goddessgirl, too? She could use her talents to help Athena find her first crush! But she would need a game plan.
Aphrodite drummed her well-manicured, powder-pink-polished fingernails on the tabletop, sneaking glances at Athena's long, unstyled, brown hair. At her face free of makeup. At her frumpy, plain white chiton. Suddenly an idea came to
Similar Books
