"...and so with a long history of depravity, rape, and or…well, rather extreme cases of sexual deviancy. Zeus has set a rather, intense precedent for our current understanding of the Greek Gods. Which is further confirmed by the depictions of his wife and queen, Hera, and her jealous, cruel nature. Truly, a match made in Greek Heaven."
The portly professor turned from his whiteboard as he faced the class with a well-versed indifference etched on his face.
One of the students snickered as he walked back to the podium.
"Bro should just be called the God of rapists. I bet he has a personal hotline with DIddy."
The classroom rippled with suppressed laughter. The professor sighed wearily as he adjusted his glasses and shot the young man an unamused glare.
"Yes, Yes what an astute deduction Mr. Feinburg. You have the, what do you kids call it, 'whole squad laughing' is it?"
The laughter in the classroom ceased as an air of awkwardness settled over them. The student who had previously made the joke blushed in second-hand embarrassment at the old professor's words.
The professor raised his aged brows. "What? That joke not good enough for you lot? I thought it landed pretty nicely."
As he smiled in satisfaction at his own self perceived wit, the small hand of the clock hit 6, marking the end of the class and the students' mortifying torture.
Rushing to escape, the room erupted in a flurry of movement as they all gathered their belongings and dashed for the door.
"Make sure you all review your notes and read the next excerpt of the book. We will be making a small detour and talking about Demeter and her complicated…trysts, with her brothers Zeus and Poseidon."
The professor spoke without looking up, his years of experience the only reason he still gave a damn enough to say anything anymore.
'You should've stayed in Rugby Sam. Could have made it big one day for sure. Maybe then that cranky old lady at home would respect you a bit.'
As the professor lamented his wasted youth and walked out of the classroom, a figure in the back of the hall was unhurriedly putting away her notebook.
Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she turned her gaze to the dazed silhouette of the boy still seated next to her.
Her eyes were clear and bright, like two pools of lights, both sharp like a harsh glare, yet when they settled on the silhouette of the daydreaming figure, the edge of their gleam softened by a fraction.
"Earth to Caleum~? You in there, dumbass?"
Caleum Davis was jolted out of his reverie by the unexpected voice. His hazel eyes shifted from the empty space before him, to the beautiful figure smirking beside him.
Ignoring the unfairly gorgeous smile on her face, Caleum responded with visible discontent at being disturbed.
"Tsk."
The girl blinked, before narrowing her eyes dangerously.
"Oh, grumpy today are we? Got something to say?"
Proving that his admission into NYU was more than just a fluke, Caleum plastered a sycophantic smile on his face as he hurriedly spoke.
"Minerva~, I didn't realize it was you! Sorry, I've been out of it all morning and didn't recognize you. That new hairdo looks great by the way!"
Seeing the ingratiating smile on Caleum's face, Minerva's face twisted in visible disgust and contempt.
"Humph, coward."
Caleum responded with a lazy shrug of his shoulders as he stood up.
"I'm no coward, idiot. I was just raised knowing better than to argue with unreasonable creatures."
The air stilled instantly. A deadly silence settled over Caleum as his mind finally caught up with his mouth.
His head turned slowly as he met Minerva's smiling gaze. Yet even with a face that could topple nations, he felt not the slightest warmth or joy.
"I-I meant women! I was taught better than to argue with women, especially one as beautiful as you V!" Caleum's face paled as he tried to salvage the situation.
Minerva's frigid glare held. As every second that passed felt like an eternity, she finally huffed coldly and grabbed her bag, walking toward the door.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Caleum followed behind her with a bitter expression as he cursed his own intrusive thoughts.
…
As the sun began to disappear behind the skyscrapers of the New York City skyline, Caleum and a still very irate Minerva began walking toward the campus entrance.
"Come on, V! I'm sorry alright, it just slipped out!" Caleum's pleading voice cut through the chorus of the campus' daily symphony.
Minerva's expression remained unchanged as she stared straight ahead, ignoring his existence.
Seeing this, Caleum sighed defeatedly as he walked silently a step behind her. As they walked, his attention was pulled to a familiar sight that always filled him with a sense of speechlessness and mild…or not so mild, annoyance.
Every head in a 100 meter radius was turned toward them, or more specifically, toward Minerva.
And even though it annoyed him, Caleum could absolutely understand why. Minerva was a goddamn knockout.
A figure that was somehow both lithe, but also toned and athletic. A face that could easily compete with Ms. Universe, pure white skin with a healthy coat of bronze, and those legs. If there is one hill that Caleum would forever die on, he was a devout worshiper of legs and ass. What more could you need?
And Minerva had it all, not to mention the allure of being a foreign student straight out of Greece. Caleum was sure at least 80% of the male student body on campus was simping for her.
When Caleum had first met her, they had been assigned as lab partners in chemistry class. He already knew who she was thanks to the university's freshmen forums, but meeting her in the flesh was…enlightening.
He smiled faintly as he recalled the first words they had ever spoken to each other.
'Hey, name's-'
'Don't care. Instead of focusing on me, how about doing something useful with that organ in your head and take notes…silently.'
Caleum chuckled at the memory. 'What did I say in response again?'
"You said, 'Saying nothing is also an option. A better one in your case.'"
Caleum nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden intrusion of his thoughts. He shuffled a few steps away from her and cast her a weary gaze. Her ability to somehow always tell what he was thinking was…creepy.
"How the hell do you always do that?"
Minerva rolled her eyes as she spoke, "You always wear the same creepy smile whenever you remember that humiliating moment. Not too hard to guess."
Caleum's face changed into a look of mock offense, "The hell you mean humiliating? That was the moment you met your closest, and might I add, only friend in this city! Show some respect!"
His only answer was silence and a blank stare that seemed to promise bloody violence.
Holding up his hands in mock surrender, the two exchanged glances before breaking out in easy laughter.
Their friendship was definitely unordinary, but neither would have it any other way.
As their laughter died down, they noticed that they had reached the campus entrance.
Caleum continued to walk ahead leisurely before he noticed that Minerva had stopped behind him, turning he shot her a questioning gaze.
Minerva laughed lightly before explaining herself, "I have family visiting so I won't be able to go home with you. You go first."
Puzzled, Caleum asked, "Your family is in town?"
Minerva nodded, "Yeah, my half-sister is here to check up on me, won't be long. When I get back I want a rematch in Sparking Zero. And no Super 4 whatever Gogeta, using a crutch is cheap."
At her words Caleum smirked smugly and shook his head in mock disappointment.
"You poor thing. When are you gonna learn V? I'm unbeatable. But fine, I'll discipline your sore loser ass as many times as you need. Just don't break anymore of my controllers alright?"
Minerva's face turned a bright red as she bristled. "Y-You shut your mouth! The last few times were a mistake I will correct for sure. And stop bitching about the controllers already, I buy you better ones every time."
Her words left Caleum speechless before his face filled with disdain.
"Pompous princess."
"Yeah, what about it!?"
Minerva huffed in conceited satisfaction. As if being rich was her god-given right.
Just then her phone chimed. Pulling it out and seeing the name on the screen made her sigh in resignation.
Caleum blinked before a knowing look crossed his face, "Not really looking forward to it huh?"
Minerva answered with a grimace, "What gave it away?"
Caleum chuckled, "I've been there…I mean, I know the feeling is all."
Feeling her clear eyes staring at him, Caleum coughed sharply and spoke again.
"Story for another time, anyway get going. I'll make sure to get you a coffee on my way back."
Minerva's gaze was unreadable, but her sharp eyes seemed to pin him awkwardly in place. The gaze held for a second, then loosened as she nodded, "Mm. That's a promise."
The tense atmosphere was broken by her phone ringing. She cast him an apologetic glance before answering and walking in the opposite direction.
"Hey Diana…No I'm not ignoring…Yes I know what time it is! Gods above, alright I'm coming you restless spaz…"
As she walked further away into the flow of the city's traffic, her voice was drowned out by the hustle around them.
Caleum's arm lifted slightly before falling back to his side. His previously comfortable expression is now replaced with an impassive look.
Turning on his heels, he slipped on his aged air pods and cranked the volume to max. The sweet lullaby of Haruka Kanata blared through the earpieces.
As he sank into his own thoughts, something caught his attention in his peripheral vision. His eyes centered their focus on a figure across the street waving at him frantically and pointing to his right.
Tilting his head in confusion, he turned and came face to face with the front of a speeding truck.
In that split second, only one thought crossed his strangely clear mind.
'Ain't that a bitch…'