Meeting Aggie

2.

"I don't come to campus often. God duties and all." Apollo babbled away.

God duties? I thought all the gods did was sleep with each other and start conflict between the creatures they created.

Apollo accompanied me on my walk home. He offered to since he had "nothing better to do anyways" and "wanted to get to know me better."

If I were a normal supernatural being, I would have been flattered. Given the circumstances, I remained cautious. I asked the same questions. Can I trust him? Will he rat me out? How long until he switches up on me?

But then again, I didn't have friends anymore. Who better to have as one than a god?

"A witch, angel, and fairy. That's different," he mused.

I looked over at him and shrugged. "I was hidden my whole life in the human realm. Once you're here, no one finds you unless they're sent after you."

"That's true, but you're different. I think I may have heard of you from the fates once or twice." Apollo remarked.

I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. "Do any of the gods actually listen to them, though? Or do you guys only seek their guidance when your supposedly 'perfect' godly lives are falling apart?"

Apollo playfully rolled his eyes, dismissing my question. His carefree demeanor contrasted sharply with my guarded nature. Throughout my life, I had grown accustomed to keeping walls up, shielding myself from others.

Opening up was a rarity for me, even with the friends I once held close. Yet here was Apollo, a virtual stranger, baring his soul and sharing the intimate details of his life during our entire walk.

As he spoke about his birth, his traumas, and his deepest secrets, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.

The fear of revealing too much about myself lingered, but I found it intriguing that Apollo would expose himself so openly.

It was as if he were deliberately inviting me into his world, extending an unspoken invitation for me to do the same. A glimmer of trust began to emerge within me.

The light part of me believed that if Apollo had any intention of betraying me, he would have done so upfront rather than opening up and making himself vulnerable.

"Can you confirm one thing for me?" He asked, peering over at me.

I nodded my head, signaling for him to ask his question.

"Please correct me if I'm wrong, but is it possible that you're the rumored firstborn of Empress Iridessa?" Apollo's gaze remained fixed on me. "There's a familiar scent about you reminiscent of hers, yet I've never laid eyes on you until now."

I paused, realizing I had lied to myself. He figured me out sooner than I expected. Taking a slow breath, I closed my eyes and then reopened them, revealing the glistening tears that welled up in my baby blue eyes.

While I usually excelled at concealing my emotions, my fairy side had a knack for revealing them through my ever-changing eye color.

Each emotion I felt would manifest as a different hue. It was one aspect of being a fairy that I despised—heightened emotions were nothing but bothersome.

"So, I was right," he said, his voice laced with regret. He reached out to me, his hand hesitantly extended. "I truly didn't mean to upset you. I apologize for prying into your personal matters. It's been weighing on my conscience since that incident in the library."

My barrier went up, and I backed away. Apollo looked hurt but dropped his hand to his side.

"I promised to be your friend, Agatha. I'm a god of my word. It's okay if you're not ready to tell me anything about it. I have all the time in the world to wait," he cooed at me in a comforting manner.