The Goddess Test

“I care," he said in a trembling voice. "I care so much that I do not know how to tell you without it seeming inconsequential compared to how I feel. Even if I am distant at times and seem as if I do not want to be with you, it is only because this scares me, too.”

“Keep trying until you have no more chances left.”

“Maybe you'll win when hell freezes over."He raised an eyebrow."That could be easily arranged.”

“Do you think he's cute?"I rolled my eyes. "He's a god, Mom. Of course he's cute.”

“Sometimes we misjudge what is possible and what is not.”

“Whatever obstacles you face, remember you can get through anything if you want to badly enough.”

“No matter what happens, I will always be there for you, even if you do not remember who I am.”

“Did you know,” he said, his breath warm on my cheek, “that that is the first time anyone has ever told me they loved me?” Startled, I did the only thing I could think of—I kissed him again. “You’d better get used to hearing it more often, because I plan on saying it to you an awful lot.”

“I was falling for him, a little more everyday, even though a very large part of me knew that this was a bad idea.”

“I’m not, even if you think I am. But no matter what this started out as…an accident, fate, whatever—I’m glad you found me that night. Not because of what happened, but because of now. Because I get to be here with you. And I’m scared, too, but—but thank you for telling me today. Thank you for trusting me with that. I’ve never…” I pressed my lips together, trying to find the right words. “I’ve never felt like this for anyone. And I’m not really sure what falling in love feels like, but I think—I know I have. With you.”

“This is the gate between the living and the dead", he said. "You are still living. The others on the grounds died very long time ago."A chill ran through me. "And you?""Me?" The corner of his mouth twitched. "I rule the dead. I am not one of them”

“But if this works-if I pass, I need to know that when you look at me, you're going to see me, not just her replacement. That there is more in this future for me than standing in the shadows while you wallow the rest of your existence away.”

“What are you and Henry going to do tonight anyway?""My secret," I said, and when I walked around to see the look on her face, I rolled my eyes. "Not that. What are you and Xander going to do?""That." She gave me an impish look, and I scowled. "What? I'm dead. It's not like it matters anymore.”

“Can I try something?" I said. "If you dont' like it, I'll stop.”

“I'm not afraid of you." And to demonstrate that point, I leaned forward and kissed like he'd kissed me in the drawing room, careful not to spill my drink. Me heart pounded in my chest as I waited for him to respond, hoping he wouldn't pull away and declare everything that had happened a mistake.”

“Knowing it's him doesn't hurt," I said. "What hurts is that no one trusts me with anything around here.”

“But could you just... stay for tonight?”

“I’ve never felt like this for anyone. And I’m not really sure what falling in love feels like, but I think—I know I have. With you.”

“The afterlife is whatever a soul wishes or believes it to be.”

“Isn't that what friends do?" It hurt to hear the uncertainty in his voice. "You're my friend Kate, and you're miserable. What could possibly be more important than taking care of you?”

“What if he really has given up? What am I supposed to do ten?Keep trying until you have no more chances left. And even then keep going.”

“And I also know that the way I feel about you isn't going to change just because the seasons do.”

“- ¿Es un sueño entonces? ¿O es que... es real?Ella me dió un envase de macarrones, junto con una mirada que sólo mi madre podría hacer.- ¿Hay alguna regla que yo no conozca que diga que no se puede hacer ambas cosas a la vez?”

“It's the night sky. See the dots? They're stars. I remembered what you said about the stars moving. You said they were different when you met Persephone, and- this is how they are now. When you met me.”

“One cannot die if one was never alive to begin with.”

“Did you know,” he said, his breath warm on my cheek, “that that is the first time anyone has ever told”

“Yes, I thought, everything changed with time. That was the problem, wasn’t it?”

“I was empty and full of heartache at the same time, and everything felt wrong.”

“I should have loved him, I should've loved him so much that I ached over the thought of having to hurt him.”

“I was willing to do anything it took to give him another chance, even if it meant giving up any choice I had in my life, and if that didn’t equal love, I didn’t know what did. But it wasn’t like I expected him to love me in return. The”