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"Daphne, since you brought up the subject, I’d like to hearoff Lexie, but I go ahead and answer "I think he is supposed to be a symbol for evil Theto differ," says someone from the back of the room I’m certain I’ve heard his voice before--even if there’s no hint of his strange accent now

"Ah, our other new student," Ms Leeds says, with a little clap of her hands "I’m sorry, I should have started class with introductions Haden Lord, stand up so everyone can see you"

Haden stands There’s one thing about hirove He’s tall At least six feet four I’ht of hi there

"Sweet mother of hotness," Lexie whispers from the desk in front of mine This must be the first time she’s noticed him

"I don’t believe Hades was evil at all," Haden says "He was purely a ned a difficult destiny" He looks at me for the first time since I entered the classroonition or not His eyes are still jade green but not bright like before, and I can’t tell if his pupils are surrounded by a the keeper of the underworld doesn’ta kidnapper and a rapist does" I raise ht back at hi her own business, picking flowers, when all of a sudden Hades bursts out of the ground in a flarabbing people That’s not okay" I narrowhiht back at me "Maybe he didn’t see any other options at the irl to love hiht he’d steal hi a rapist if people didn’t think he was evil"

"Rape didn’t have anything to do with it," Haden says in a tone that seereed to let Hades have her, and according to tradition, taking a woman by chariot fro cereray shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows It bothersas he crosses his arms in front of his chest

I shake irl by force and made her his bride The book calls the myth the Rape of Persephone for a reason"

"But there are earlier translations of the story than the one cited in the text" Haden waves his in"--he winks at ly into the underworld in order to explore her own sexual desires" He smirks and leans back in his chair with his aroes white before heat floods aze

"Well I’lad to see at least two of my students have a passion for this subject," Ms Leeds says I can see her pretending to fan herself out of the corner of er at us

"Be careful or I’ll assign you two to write a ter skills, after all"

That statement makes me turn away from Haden quickly I stare down at the text ondown froet stuck working alone with this Haden jerk--for any reason

Ms Leeds sits on the edge of the table in front of the class, crossing her long legs "Haden brings up an interesting point that I hope none of you missed There are many interpretations and versions of these myths other than the ones featured in our textbook The so-called Rape of Persephone story actually contradicts ure of Persephone appears In myths such as Orpheus and Eurydice, and Psyche and Cupid, Persephone is portrayed as quite the for flower, easily taken and tricked by a man When I was at Berkley, I wrote a paper on this subject My research showed that there were very early versions of the Persephone myth that claiested that Persephone, tired of being under the constant watch of an overbearing mother, left the reater purpose She recognized the underworld’s need for a queen and chose to fulfill it"

"But ould so for the teacher to call on her this time

"As I wrote inmaiden who takes her own future into her hands, leaves her home and family in search of her own destiny--and possibly a bit of forbidden love--is a very dangerous story indeed So, therefore, they changed her story to fit their purposes To irls fro Hood They changed her story to take away her power That is the true rape of Persephone, if you ask reement and notice that Lexie does, too

For the first time, I feel connected to Persephone’s story Well, Ms Leeds’s version of it anyway We’d both left our hoer purpose

Ms Leeds launches into the rest of her lecture on other underworldto spark another lively debate But I keep quiet after that, and so does Haden As Bridgette enlightens the class with her perspective on the plight of beautiful wolance back at Haden He looks up as if he senses my movement, and for the briefest of moreen

I run into Tobin on eo okay after your dad’s big announce no like I a followed I must look as shaken as I feel when I look back at Tobin, because he puts a hand on my shoulder and asks, "Are you okay? Lexie and her littleto you already, are they?"