Persephone the Phony (Goddess Girls) Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: 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)
being by herself. There was no one here to tell her what to do and who to see or not see. She sucked the sweet, juicy pulp from around each pomegranate seed, then spat them out, challenging herself to see how far she could send them flying.
Suddenly the ground cracked open in front of her and Hades appeared astride his stallion. Startled,
61
Persephone swallowed the seed she was planning to spit next.
Hades jumped down from his horse. "Why did you come back?" he said, scowling at her.
She gulped, feeling embarrassed. She'd wanted to see him. Why was he acting so sorry to see her? "I told you before, I like it here," she said.
Hades glowered at her. "Didn't you think I might turn up?"
"So?" Persephone stuck out her chin.
"You were avoiding me at school today," he said in an accusing voice.
So that was i t, thought Persephone. She'd hoped he hadn't noticed. "Look, I'm sorry about that." She held half of her pomegranate out to him like a peace offering. "Want some? It's delicious."
62
When he hesitated, she smiled, adding, "We could have a seed-spitting contest."
At her smile, his bad mood seemed to melt away. "A spitting contest?"
"Sure."
He flashed her a grin. "You're on."
Persephone picked up some fallen twigs and laid them end-to-end on the lawn. Then she stood behind the line she'd created. Using her tongue and the roof of her mouth, she rolled a seed into position, then spat. Ptooey ! It flew out of her mouth and landed a good eighteen feet away.
"Hey, you're pretty good! But it's my turn now," Hades said, wiggling his brows in a teasing way. He planted himself on the line, and a look of concentration settled on his face. Puffing up his cheeks, he blew,
63
rather than spat, the seed out. It plopped in the dirt at his feet. He stared at the seed with a look of grave disappointment. "This is harder than I thought."
Persephone stifled a giggle. "Want some advice?"
"Sure," said Hades, looking back at her.
He had the most beautiful eyes, she thought, as black and intense as smoldering coals. And it was nice that he didn't get all huffy because a girl had beaten him. "First you have to roll the seed into position." As she demonstrated, he watched her closely. She felt herself flush under his scrutiny.
But then he popped another seed in his mouth. "Like thith?" he said, his tongue pushing the seed against the roof of his mouth.
"That's it!" said Persephone, trying not to laugh. It was impossible to look dignified when spitting seeds.
64
"Now tilt your head up and blow hard. You need to get some air behind that seed."
This time Hades managed to send his seed a foot farther than before. As he continued to practice, Persephone glanced up and saw three hawks circling low in the sky. One had a black stripe on top of its head, another had golden feathers, and the third was lustrous brown. She wondered if they were hunting for birds or rabbits. They swooped overhead a few times, then finally flew away.
After a few more tries, Hades' seed spitting im-proved, but there was no way he could outspit Persephone. "You win," he said finally. He flopped onto the ground, and she sat beside him. "Know something?" he said, glancing sideways at her from under thick eyelashes. "I really like you. You're the first goddessgirl
65
I've met who isn't freaked out just because I'm from the Underworld."
Persephone's heart gave a little flutter. She was surprised how much his words touched her. "It shouldn't matter where someone's from," she said.
"Agreed," said Hades. "But most goddessgirls pretty much shun me." His eyes slid away from hers. "Your friends dragged you off fast enough when they saw you with me at the river yesterday."
"I know," Persephone said softly. She took a deep breath. "They say you're bad news." She was taking a risk being so honest, but somehow she felt he was the kind of friend who might understand.
A dark shadow passed over his face. For a moment Persephone worried she'd misjudged. But then he sighed.
Suddenly the ground cracked open in front of her and Hades appeared astride his stallion. Startled,
61
Persephone swallowed the seed she was planning to spit next.
Hades jumped down from his horse. "Why did you come back?" he said, scowling at her.
She gulped, feeling embarrassed. She'd wanted to see him. Why was he acting so sorry to see her? "I told you before, I like it here," she said.
Hades glowered at her. "Didn't you think I might turn up?"
"So?" Persephone stuck out her chin.
"You were avoiding me at school today," he said in an accusing voice.
So that was i t, thought Persephone. She'd hoped he hadn't noticed. "Look, I'm sorry about that." She held half of her pomegranate out to him like a peace offering. "Want some? It's delicious."
62
When he hesitated, she smiled, adding, "We could have a seed-spitting contest."
At her smile, his bad mood seemed to melt away. "A spitting contest?"
"Sure."
He flashed her a grin. "You're on."
Persephone picked up some fallen twigs and laid them end-to-end on the lawn. Then she stood behind the line she'd created. Using her tongue and the roof of her mouth, she rolled a seed into position, then spat. Ptooey ! It flew out of her mouth and landed a good eighteen feet away.
"Hey, you're pretty good! But it's my turn now," Hades said, wiggling his brows in a teasing way. He planted himself on the line, and a look of concentration settled on his face. Puffing up his cheeks, he blew,
63
rather than spat, the seed out. It plopped in the dirt at his feet. He stared at the seed with a look of grave disappointment. "This is harder than I thought."
Persephone stifled a giggle. "Want some advice?"
"Sure," said Hades, looking back at her.
He had the most beautiful eyes, she thought, as black and intense as smoldering coals. And it was nice that he didn't get all huffy because a girl had beaten him. "First you have to roll the seed into position." As she demonstrated, he watched her closely. She felt herself flush under his scrutiny.
But then he popped another seed in his mouth. "Like thith?" he said, his tongue pushing the seed against the roof of his mouth.
"That's it!" said Persephone, trying not to laugh. It was impossible to look dignified when spitting seeds.
64
"Now tilt your head up and blow hard. You need to get some air behind that seed."
This time Hades managed to send his seed a foot farther than before. As he continued to practice, Persephone glanced up and saw three hawks circling low in the sky. One had a black stripe on top of its head, another had golden feathers, and the third was lustrous brown. She wondered if they were hunting for birds or rabbits. They swooped overhead a few times, then finally flew away.
After a few more tries, Hades' seed spitting im-proved, but there was no way he could outspit Persephone. "You win," he said finally. He flopped onto the ground, and she sat beside him. "Know something?" he said, glancing sideways at her from under thick eyelashes. "I really like you. You're the first goddessgirl
65
I've met who isn't freaked out just because I'm from the Underworld."
Persephone's heart gave a little flutter. She was surprised how much his words touched her. "It shouldn't matter where someone's from," she said.
"Agreed," said Hades. "But most goddessgirls pretty much shun me." His eyes slid away from hers. "Your friends dragged you off fast enough when they saw you with me at the river yesterday."
"I know," Persephone said softly. She took a deep breath. "They say you're bad news." She was taking a risk being so honest, but somehow she felt he was the kind of friend who might understand.
A dark shadow passed over his face. For a moment Persephone worried she'd misjudged. But then he sighed.