Nessa Solberg's Story

Along with lunch and dinner, breakfast was Hugo’s favorite meal of the day; though, in the good company of one of his best friends, it was made all the more enjoyable. Hugo spent his time lazily picking at a stack of fluffy, buttery pancakes made sticky with a heavy fixing of maple syrup and he was once again reminded of the Academy’s top notch cuisine as he savored the pleasant flavors and textures. Familiar faces began to steadily stream into the cafeteria, hungry demi-gods seemingly on the prowl for a satisfying meal to start off their day. A few people said their good mornings and hellos to himself and Priya and even if the two struggled to recall their names, they still returned the sentiments.

Hugo had been in the middle of telling Priya how his mother’s rich, doting boyfriend by the name Christopher had attempted to win Hugo’s favor by taking him to a championship soccer game over the summer, when his phone, which was located to the right of his plate, had vibrated noisily against the tabletop. Abandoning both his story and his cutlery, he reached for the device and Taj scrambled to move away from his position perched atop it.

[From Unknown]
[ Hey, going to eat food, wanna come with? ]

Hugo felt his eyebrows come together, scrunching in confusion, and his lips became pursed in intrigue. The phone number was foreign to him, he decided. Quickly cutting into his pancake and popping a piece into his mouth, he chewed leisurely as he sent a reply. His elbows rested against the table.

[To Unknown]
[ lol, sorry. Who is this? ]

“Pree,” Hugo questioned around the food in his mouth, “Do you know who this number belongs to?” He set his phone on the table, sliding it towards her.

Priya glanced across at the phone, picking up her toast with one hand and taking a bite while the other hand pulled the offered mobile closer for inspection. Her eyes scanned the number, and it only took a second to recognise the digits of her half-sibling, Tessa. Biting back a very unwomanly snort of laughter, Priya had to quickly gulp down her mouthful of bread and jam before she could properly answer.

Hugo’s little crush was well known to her, just as she was sure that her half-sister had more than a few romantic feelings for her pseudo-brother. Personally, she couldn’t see the appeal. Sure, Hugo has handsome enough, athletic and fit with defined muscles and abs, while dark, caramel curls frame a usually playful, smiling face, and ducky chocolate eyes seemed to sparkle with some mischievous plan. Priya supposed eyes were always good.

But Hugo was also a frustrating fool who frequently pretended gravity was failing in order to squash Priya to the ground, or wouldn’t stop teasing for getting a milk moustache one time. In short, he was just as much a brother to her as her own step-brother, and it was this bond that probably stopped her seeing him in all his resplendent glory. A fact that Priya could only think a hasty “Thank you Gods” to before responding to Hugo.

“That’s Tess’s number.” She told him, quickly putting down her piece of half-eaten toast so that she might hold his phone with two hands. Her thumbs make quick work of sliding up the messages already sent, and though she sees nothing juicy to use as ammunition, there’s still no reason not to tease Hugo, “’Lol, sorry. Who is this?” Priya reads, arching an eyebrow at her close friend, “Do you want to stay single forever?”

One moment the contents in his mouth were a harmonious combination of spongey breakfast confectionary and maple-flavored liquid ambrosia and the next they were a thick, heavy mass that stuck to the insides of his throat. Unable to control his reaction to the sudden tickle in his throat, Hugo began to cough uncontrollably. He tried to save Priya from the impending spray of masticated pancake by placing his curled fist in front of his mouth and turning away to face the opposite direction. At that moment, it was just a mess of Hugo trying to cough and swallow back his pancake. Priya’s whiskey colored eyes twinkled with teasing recognition and Hugo sent a glare in her direction, though it probably looks pathetic during his bout of coughs.

Tessa White is a fellow demi-god at Aeonis- seventeen years old and a junior, just as Hugo is, and a half-sister to Priya as the daughter of Hephaestus. Now, Hugo doesn’t recall the exact moment in which he saw her, only that he began to see her all the time. She often lingered in corner of his eye, standing there in the back silently observing the area around her and almost fading into the shadows. Hugo didn’t know how people could just disregard someone like Tessa, despite the shyness she possessed, because as someone who’s been around quite a few beauties in his time, Tessa is something else. She has long, golden blonde hair that comes to frame a heart shaped face. In turn, the face houses a cute button nose, big wondrous baby blue eyes, and petal-soft looking lips that are always turned upwards at the corners in a sweet smile. She just has this aura about her, one that’s dazzling, alluring, and charming all at the same time. It has Hugo gravitating towards her, wanting to get to know her, but although he retained the status as a shameless flirt, there was something about Tessa that just stopped him in his tracks.

“How does she even have my number?” Hugo asked, voice rough after he managed to stop coughing. He turned to her with his eyes narrowing and cheeks warming, “Was it you, you traitor? My goal is to actually get her to like me you know- wooing a woman is an art form that takes time and preparation.” So what if Hugo’s spent more than the required amount of time trying to gather enough courage to talk with her. However, Priya looked too innocent at that moment to have been the one who gave Tessa his number. He sighed, a less-than-manly pout forming on his face as he grabbed back his phone. “She probably just got the wrong number.”

There was a part of Priya that wanted to laugh at Hugo’s reaction, a large, dominant part that desired nothing more than to burst into laughter as he spluttered in his shock. Fortunately for Hugo, Priya had recently taken another bite of her breakfast and in order to maintain some semblance of dignity, and not spray the table with bits of half eaten toast, held the teasing laughter in. She made do with a devilish gleam in her eyes and a growing smirk as she swallowed her food.

“I didn’t give her your number, but I want to shake the hand of whoever did. Honestly Hugo, you actually have to talk to someone for there to be any chance of getting to know them.” While the advice was definitely sound – even if it was given in a rather teasing manner – it was probably a bit rich coming from Priya Aiken, who was known to fumble over her own words when speaking to the object of her own affections. Still, it was far easier to offer advice regarding other people’s love lives and she was very much invested in the idea of Tessa and Hugo getting together.

“Who’s to say it wasn’t the wrong number?” She offered, biting back another laugh at Hugo’s pitiful pout, “Why don’t you send her another text and ask? Or better yet just ask her out?”

“Easier said than done,” Hugo thought bitterly. He refrained from saying mentioning anything about Priya’s lack of communication, though still more than what he has with Tessa, with her own point of interest: Cornelius Abbot. In all honesty, the guy is a complete and utter prick. He has been nothing short of an ass towards Nessa and he’s not exactly all sunshine and rainbows towards Hugo. Weren’t the kids of Apollo supposed to be the nice, happy ones? Hugo would much rather Priya didn’t have any contact with the man at all, let alone date him.

Just as Hugo was about to formulate a response to Tessa – speak of the devil – Hugo looked up to see not only Cory, but his sister Nessa and her boyfriend Lake, as well. Hugo couldn’t hear what they were saying from his distance, but just by looking at Cory, his body language cocky and stupid-looking, he knew that he was already harassing Nessa. “Pree, I think we should go say hi to Nessa.” Hugo hissed, his voice sounding distant, “It’s been all summer since we’ve seen her.”

For all that Hugo was a known flirt and usually had enough confidence to woo with the most intimidating of girls, his inability to speak with Tessa was slightly perplexing to Priya. Yet, all thoughts of Hugo’s romances were pushed out of her mind the moment she followed his gaze. Nessa was walking towards the food line, her familiar head of blonde hair bringing a smile to Priya’s face. Nessa had been as good as a sister to Priya ever since they’d be put in the same dorm their first year of Aeonis. Seeing her was like completing the circle. Of course, these thoughts were also pushed from her mind as her gaze came to fall on the figure from which her dorm mate was fleeing – Cornelius Abbot. Cory doesn’t receive a smile, but rather a blush as Priya watches him grinning at Lachlan.

“Yes, let’s go say hi.” Priya agrees, nodding to emphasis her point. Though, while she sincerely means to say hi to Nessa, her gaze is still fixed on Cornelius Abbot and her smile seems to widen the longer she watches him. While Nessa and Hugo may think her crush ridiculous, Priya refuses to listen. She could list a million and one reasons why Cornelius is the epitome of what a young man should be. He’s funny, witty, smart, and that carefree smile always has Priya lost for words. “Then we can go chat with Lachlan.” Priya adds, cutting her gaze back to Hugo and putting on her best innocent smile. Priya isn’t particularly close to Lachlan and it’s probably more than clear why she wishes to join the table so recently exited by Nessa.

Hugo bites his tongue as he watches Priya get all dopey eyed in Cory direction, but instead of saying anything, he just grabs her by the sleeve of her shirt and leads her over to where Nessa is collecting her breakfast. The fizz of annoyance in his stomach begins to lessen at the sight of his adorable, goofy sister- one of which he hasn’t seen in ages. As silently as he can, Hugo lets go of Priya’s sleeve and creeps up behind the blonde. At the same time as he places a hand on Nessa’s shoulder, he quipped a low “Boo!” into her ear.

This was why Priya loved the start of term so much, because it meant once again being reunited with the close friends she hadn't seen since school broke up. Out of the masses it was individuals like Hugo and Nessa that Priya missed above all else, and though sykpe and other social media sites let them keep in touch, it was nothing to finally being able to see them in person. The English girl eagerly let herself be pulled towards her blonde dorm mate, waiting with a wide grin as she watched Nessa turn with an excited shout and all but tackle Hugo with a hug. Then, when Nessa's blue eyes glanced over Hugo's shoulder and caught sight of Priya, it was her turn for a welcoming hug.

Priya wrapped her arms around Nessa's frame and squeezed, giggling into the hug before pulling away with a grin. "Of course you made sweaters." Priya lightly teases, more than used to receiving the handmade gifts after years of close friendship with Hermes' daughter. Those knitted goods were a prized possession of Priya's, and items she made sure never to wear when she was at her workbench. Priya had the unfortunate habit of getting oil stains on her clothes or accidentally setting her sleeve alight. Priya may have been immune to the effects of fire, but her clothes certainly weren't.

"After Orientation you'll have to give me them, and once I've fixed up a few kinks in your gift I'll have a surprise for you too!" She adds, glancing up at the mechanical bird Taj as he flaps onto Hugo's shoulder and gives a tinny chirp. The butterfly that Priya was working on for Nessa was much more delicate, and Priya was a slight perfectionist when it came to her work. If it wasn't perfect or as close to perfect as she could get it, than in her eyes it wasn't yet completed.

Though for now, working on Nessa's gift would have to wait, because Priya had more important things to do, like catching up with her two best friends. "Oh Ness!" Priya beams, "I missed you too. Next break you should come home with me. You know my family loves you, I talk about you enough that they feel they practically know you. You too Hugo, my mother keeps asking when you're coming for a visit again." Priya's half sure that her family actually favour the Columbian thief over herself, her step-brother certainly seems to ask about Hugo's adventures enough. She's sure that he idolises Hugo for some strange reason. Priya's just relieved that her step-brother's teasing nickname of 'Prius' - like the car - hasn't caught on.

Out of the corner of her eye, Priya catches movement, and she turns her head slightly just in time to see Cory departing the cafeteria. Looks like she wouldn't be greeting him yet, which in hindsight was probably wise given her current company. Even so her gaze lingers for a moment, as if it alone could pull him back towards her, before dragging her eyes back to the two friends before her. Hugo and Nessa's dislike of her crush is well known to Priya, and though their opinions are important to her on every other matter, when it comes to Cory she's deaf to any criticism. Though, for now, thoughts of Cory are temporarily pushed to the back of her mind as she grins at her friends, more than pleased that finally they're all together again.

There was something incredibly amusing to Isabel Nolan about getting on Scott Darrow's nerves. She knew that he found her flirtations irritating, and she made no secret that she thought him a perpetual drag, but there was also no denying that he was incredibly pleasing in the aesthetics department. It was also amusing seeing him attempt to curb his anger whenever she reached out to him, in fact watching the little flashes of annoyance appear in his stormy blue eyes was entertainment enough for this daughter of Dionysus. This was why, as she stalked down the path towards the cafeteria, she had a wide grin plastered across her face.

His reaction had been amusing, and though Izzy doubted that she'd see him at the party tonight, she wasn't really too concerned. She had plenty of other friends, acquaintances, and flirtations to court instead of the quiet son of Poseidon. Like, for example, Scott's half-brother. Aurel was another particularly fine example of how the gods blessed their children with not just amazing powers, but with extremely pleasing genetics. And Aurel was one son of Poseidon who didn't seem to flinch every time she walked into the room, which automatically put him higher on her list than his Scottish half-sibling.

It was this thought that had Isabel whipping her phone out of her pocket once again, opening the screen with a tap, and beginning to type out a short message to the demi-god in question.

To Aurel
How's my favourite water child? There's a party tonight, hope to see you there ;)
xx Iz

While her phone was out she decided to send another text, not to someone she wanted to flirt with, but to a friend who she knew wouldn't be able to miss the start of school rager. Isabel could also use his talents to help get the party started.

To Marky
MARK! Party, tonight. You, me, a bunch load of alcohol and some of your fresh made fruit.
Please and thank you.
Your fav, Izzy

With the second message sent, Izzy slides her phone back into her pocket as she approaches the cafeteria doors. Yet, before she can go another step a familiar figure steps out of the mess hall, his face shining with a bright grin as he catches sight of Isabel. Izzy isn't entirely sure what has caused him to escape from the cafeteria, but she's certain that he isn't leaving of his own accord, that much is obvious by how eagerly he latches on to her. Izzy casts Cory an amused look as he greets her, her grin widening as he offers his services to help with the party preparation.

"Lovely to see you too, Cory." She answers teasingly, "How were your holidays? Get up to much mischief?" Izzy tilts her head to the side, meeting his gaze with curiosity in her own. Izzy had long considered Cory a good friend. He was fun to be around and more than decent on the eyes, both two important factors in Izzy's mind when it comes to friends. She would never turn down an offer of help for preparing a party either, so with a wink she peels his hand off her arm and adds, "Back to Hell Blowout? You know, I like that, and I could use some help if you're offering. "

Around the pair people were still arriving for breakfast. Izzy cast her gaze around briefly, catching sight of Daniel Vadas standing close behind them. He wasn't someone she was on good terms with, so after placing a name to the face she turned her attention back to Cory as a smirk grew across her lips. "You know I do need some heavy lifting done, and I've heard that sort of stuff goes so much faster if you do it topless. What do you say, take your top off and move some stuff around for me?" Izzy batted her lashes at Cory, biting back a laugh at the joke. Well, it was only half a joke. She wouldn't really be too upset if Cory did take it upon himself to move around furniture shirtless.

Hugo doesn't really think of himself as a guy who's particularly sentimental; he doesn't weep at weddings or hoard a clutter of his meaningful childhood toys and, although he'll admit that he's gotten a little bit glassy-eyed during an episode of his favorite Spanish soap opera, he's generally unaffected by saccharine moments. However, getting a big armful of his little sister after not seeing her for the summer, Hugo's little Grinch heart is glowing with affection. Nessa's familiar sweet features, eye catching golden blonde hair, and bright beaming smile has Hugo returning her big bear hug without a second thought. As far as sentiments go, Hugo was more than happy to be back with Nessa and Priya, forming their own Three Musketeers and Destiny's Child. But let it be known that Hugo is the Beyoncé of the trio.

Nessa's ecstatic reaction and lightning-quick words have Hugo grinning back at the daughter of Hermes and they prompt Hugo to reflect her mood. "You know I'd absolutely freeze to death in the cold Arctic wasteland known as Greece without your sweaters, Ness! I hope you've made me a red one. Red is so slimming on me," He jested dramatically, making it a huge point to motion to his chest in a feminine manner and run his hands down his jacket-covered arms. Taj fluttered along his sleeves in an attempt to escape the oncoming hands, the smart little thing he is. Hugo definitely agreed with Nessa- Priya really outdid herself with Taj. He couldn't wait to see how Nessa's butterfly would turn out.

Hugo nodded at Priya's suggestion for Ness to come stay with her. "Or you know, you could always come with me to New Mexico. Mom's always going on and on about if her babies are going to come visit and she's not talking about me, she's talking about you guys." Don't get Hugo started on how his own mother seems to care more about the two of them than her own son. 'Hugo, is Priya eating well?' or 'Hugo how are my daughters?'. On the flip side, Priya's family seemed to have adopted him into the Aiken clan as well and Priya's little brother, Dixon, is what Hugo likes to refer to as his protegee. Though, Hugo doesn't think Priya would appreciate finding out that he's being trying to show Dixon how to lock pick or swipe desserts when people aren't looking. All in innocent fun.

"It's unfortunately still in progress, you mean." Hugo sighs in response to Priya's obvious infatuation in Aeonis' resident asshole son of Apollo. Again, aren't they supposed to be the nice ones? Marilyn Tsinajinnie and Juliette Kingsley were just two hot buckets of sunshine. Somehow Marilyn has managed to even befriend Scott- god knows how or why. "I have a couple of things up my sleeve for him." However, before Hugo could elaborate on any plans, he found himself in front of Lake, Nessa's boyfriend who for some reason gave Hugo a strange impression at the time being.

As Nessa addressed Lake, Hugo tended to his text messages:

[From: Markus]
[What up my Puta? I'm heading to the cafeteria for my second breaky! Doubtful they'll have any soda or fadge, wtf is a Norn Irish man to do with himself if they aren't included in breakfast!!! :O]

[To: Markus]
[Not much, my Puta! You're going to have to make do with the other pitiful breads. Shame :( ]

Much to Hugo's disdain, there wasn't anything from Tessa, so she did probably have the wrong guy. Yup. Placing his phone in his jacket pocket this time instead of his jeans, Hugo's attention turned back to Nessa, who had just mentioned something about a school prank. A small, sinister smirk grew upon his face. "You know I'm ready, you little devil you. What did you have in mind?"

For a hungry young man, the smell of bacon, fresh bread, cooked eggs and more wafting from the cafeteria is sure to lift any grumpy mood brought on by an obnoxiously flirtatious daughter of Dionysus. Cooked breakfast was a tradition in the Darrow household. Every year when he came back from school his mother would make him a spread of breakfast food that anyone would be jealous of. Perhaps it didn’t have quite the variety that Aeonis’ cafeteria did, but his mother made it for him with love and that was a definite advantage.

As his feet carried him towards the ever so tempting smells, a buzzing in his pocket make his steps falter. His cellphone is pulled from his pocket and swiped open, revealing a message from Marilyn. He stops walking to reply, quickly typing out a message before hitting send,

To Marzipan
After school works well for me. I will see you then. Enjoy orientation day.

With the message sent, Scott continues towards the cafeteria, yet it was only a few steps later that he heard a voice hailing him. Turning, Scott finds a son of Khione greeting him, his smile decidedly warmer than the ice his mother holds reign over. Scott returns Ishard’s smile nodding as he answers,


“I’ve been well, thanks. Yourself, Ishard?” Scott replies, as always his words are short and to the point. Scott has never been one to use excessive words where few will make do instead. Really, anyone who expected Scott to launch into a rant about his holiday or some other topic obviously had no idea of the boy’s reticence. He’d much rather listen or offer small tidbits here and there rather than control the whole conversation. Thankfully, he was slightly more talkative with his friends, and Ishard happened to be an individual that Scott was fond of.

“Your break was good?” Scott asks as he enters the cafeteria through the open door, nodding his thanks at Ishard. Inside, Scott takes a moment to scan the hall, his eyes spotting Marilyn sitting across the cafeteria, before landing on Izzy loudly chatting with a group of friends including Scott’s own half-brother Aurel. Scott turns his gaze away from Isabel Nolan, giving Ishard his full attention as he walks towards the spread of delicious food on display, “Your sister is well too?” Scott asks politely.

It was all Priya could do to keep her smile from growing too big to contain on her face. She’s practical in that she knows her inventions are far from the average knick knacks one can find at the local market, but she’s modest enough to still blush slightly at Nessa’s compliments and brush them away. Yet, she’s always overjoyed when her projects entertain her friends, and if this is how Nessa reacts to Hugo’s gift, Priya can’t wait to see how Nessa acts when she’s given her previous butterfly.

Of course, the momentary dip in Nessa’s emotions does not go unnoticed by Priya and she hopes that between herself and Hugo they can help figure out a way around Nessa’s home like. Of anyone, Priya believes that Nessa should be able to enjoy a holiday away guilt free and Priya would do anything to have that holiday be with her own family or with Hugo’s mother. Mother Rojas was a favourite of Priya’s, who loved nothing more than to visit Hugo’s home and breath in the comforting smell of her home cooking. Priya was also favourable to admiring all of Hugo’s baby and childhood photos, particularly the embarrassing ones that his mother always insisted on bringing out, much to Priya’s delight. Yet, before Priya can reply, she’s being caught out for staring after Cory. Priya is quick to move on in order to defend herself and the object of her affection as both Nessa and Hugo turn their attention to teasing her. Priya is well aware of their distaste for the young man, but as she’s stated to the both of them many times before and will continue to remind them, to her, he’s perfect.

“Guys, please.” Priya started, sighing and shaking her head as her best friends planned a devious prank for the guy she was crazy about. Knowing what Hugo and Nessa could come up with alone was scary enough, but put those two ingenious minds together and you’re in trouble. Priya can only hope that whatever they decide to do won’t maim is beautiful face. “He’s not that bad…” Priya’s sentence trailed off, knowing that whatever she said would fall on deaf ears. Instead she made a silent promise to herself to check up on Cory later in the day, possibly warn him to watch his step and double check whatever he was about to eat… just to be safe. Priya wouldn’t have dreamed of attempting to stop the prank, she may be crazy for Cory but she also knows her best friends well enough to know that when they’re determined to pull a prank, they will.