Chapter Text
I continued the tour soaking wet. People were staring at me but I didn’t care. I showed Percy a few more places: the metal shop , the arts-and-crafts room, and the climbing wall, which actually consisted of two facing walls that shook violently, dropped boulders, sprayed lava, and clashed together if you didn’t get to the top fast enough. Finally we returned to the canoeing lake, where the trail led back to the cabins.
“I’ve got training to do,” I said flatly. “Dinner’s at seven-thirty. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall.”
“Annabeth, I’m sorry about the toilets.” He responded.
I almost wanted to laugh “Whatever.”
“It wasn’t my fault.”
I looked at him skeptically, and he realized it was his fault.
“You need to talk to the Oracle,” I told him. Maybe you can let me go with you. I thought.
“Who?”
“Not who. What. The Oracle. I’ll ask Chiron.”
A few nyads waved at him from the river and I scolded him for waiving back..
“Don’t encourage them. Naiads are terrible flirts.”
“Naiads,” He repeated, overwhelmed. “That’s it. I want to go home now.”
I frowned. “Don’t you get it, Percy? You are home. This is the only safe place on earth
for kids like us.”
“You mean, mentally disturbed kids?”
“I mean not human. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human.”
“Half-human and half-what?”
“I think you know.”
“God,” He said. “Half-god.”
I nodded. “Your father isn’t dead, Percy. He’s one of the Olympians.”
“That’s ... crazy.”
“Is it? What’s the most common thing gods did in the old stories? They ran around falling in love with humans and having kids with them. Do you think they’ve changed their habits in the last few millennia?”
“But those are just-” He stopped himself. “But if all the kids here are half-gods-“
“Demigods,” I said. “That’s the official term. Or half-bloods.”
“Then who’s your dad?”
My hands tightened around the pier railing. He had just crossed the line.
“My dad is a professor at West Point,”I say. “I haven’t seen him since I was very small. He teaches American history.”
“He’s human.”
“What? You assume it has to be a male god who finds a human female attractive? How sexist is that?” I blush and look away, so I don’t stare into his eyes. I feel them on me right now but I try to ignore them..
“Who’s your mom, then?”
“Cabin six.”
“Meaning?”
I straightened. “Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle.”
“And my dad?”
“Undetermined,” I explained, “like I told you before. Nobody knows.”
“Except my mother. She knew.”
“Maybe not, Percy. Gods don’t always reveal their identities.”
“My dad would have. He loved her.”
I gave him a cautious look. I didn’t want to burst his bubble but the truth is sometimes Gods use mortals in many ways.
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe he’ll send a sign. That’s the only way to know for sure: your father has to send you a sign claiming you as his son. Sometimes it happens.”
“You mean sometimes it doesn’t?” He asked.
I run my palm along the rail. “The gods are busy. They have a lot of kids and they don’t
always ... Well, sometimes they don’t care about us, Percy. They ignore us.”
Gods should behave better. I thought.
“So I’m stuck here,” he said. “That’s it? For the rest of my life?”
“It depends,” I say . “Some campers only stay the summer. If you’re a child of Aphrodite
or Demeter, you’re probably not a real powerful force. The monsters might ignore you, so you can get by with a few months of summer training and live in the mortal world the rest of the year. But for some of us, it’s too dangerous to leave. We’re year-rounders. In the mortal world, we attract monsters. They sense us. They come to challenge us. Most of the time, they’ll ignore us until we’re old enough to cause trouble-about ten or eleven years old, but after that, most demigods either make their way here, or they get killed off. A few manage to survive in the outside world and become famous. Believe me, if I told you the names, you’d know them. Some don’t even realize they’re demigods. But very, very few are like that.”
“So monsters can’t get in here?”
I shook my head. “Not unless they’re intentionally stocked in the woods or specially summoned by somebody on the inside.”
“Why would anybody want to summon a monster?”
I rolled my eyes. “Practice fights. Practical jokes.”
Does this kid know anything? I thought,“Practical jokes?”
“The point is, the borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. From the outside, mortals look into the valley and see nothing unusual, just a strawberry farm.”
“So ... you’re a year-rounder?”
I nodded. From under the collar of my T-shirt I pulled my camp necklace with five clay beads of different colors. I also had a big gold ring strung on it, a college ring. Hermes had found me one day randomly and gave it to me. It was a gift from my dad. I never went anywhere without my neclace close to me.
“I’ve been here since I was seven,” I say, trying to open up. “Every August, on the last day of summer session, you get a bead for surviving another year. I’ve been here longer than most of the counselors, and they’re all in college.”
“Why did you come so young?”
I twisted the ring on her necklace. I did that when ever I thought of my dad.
“None of your business.”
“Oh.” He stood there for a minute in uncomfortable silence. “So ... I could just walk out of here right now if I wanted to?”
“It would be suicide, but you could, with Mr. D’s or Chiron’s permission. But they wouldn’t give permission until the end of the summer session unless ...” I stopped myself. I couldn’t tell him, could I ? How do you tell someone they are goning to die on their sixteenth birthday?
“Unless?”
“You were granted a quest.” I told him, ignoring my heart. “But that hardly ever happens. The last time ...”
My voice trailed off. I thought back to Luke, how he came back from his quest with a scar and a vengeance. I wanted to comfort him, be there for him.
“Back in the sick room,” He said, “when you were feeding me that stuff-“
“Ambrosia.”
“Yeah. You asked me something about the summer solstice.”
My shoulders tensed. “So you do know something?” I asked impatiently.
“Well... no. Back at my old school, I overheard Grover and Chiron talking about it. Grover
mentioned the summer solstice. He said something like we didn’t have much time, because of the deadline. What did that mean?”
I clenched her fists, getting mad. I hate not knowing. “I wish I knew. Chiron and the satyrs, they know, but they won’t tell me. Something is wrong in Olympus, something pretty major. Last time I was there, everything seemed so normal.”
“You’ve been to Olympus?”
“Some of us year-rounders-Luke and Clarisse and I and a few others-we took a field trip during winter solstice. That’s when the gods have their big annual council.”
“But... how did you get there?”
“The Long Island Railroad, of course. You get off at Penn Station. Empire State Building, special elevator to the six hundredth floor.” I looked at him, he was a New Yorker, He must have noticed that he was living under mount olympus his whole life.
“You are a New Yorker, right?”
“Oh, sure.” He blushed and looked away.
“Right after we visited,” I continued, “the weather got weird, as if the gods had started
fighting. A couple of times since, I’ve overheard satyrs talking. The best I can figure out is that
something important was stolen. And if it isn’t returned by summer solstice, there’s going to be
trouble. When you came, I was hoping ... I mean- Athena can get along with just about anybody,
except for Ares. And of course she’s got the rivalry with Poseidon. But, I mean, aside from that, I
thought we could work together. I thought you might know something.” I stopped. No, that is impossible. It had to be Zeus. I thought.
“I’ve got to get a quest,” I muttered to herself. “I’m not too young. If they would just tell me the problem ...”
I heard Percy’s stomach grumble. I told him to go on, I would see him later. He left me on the pier, tracing my finger across the rail as I was coming up with a battle plan. I sat on the rail for about an hour and a half. Then I noticed Selina walking towards me. She sensed something was wrong. She always did.
“What is it, Annabeth?”
“I can’t, Selena.” I responded. “I can’t love right now. Especially, not him. He is annoying and I hate him”
“Mkay, this is gonna be so much fun.” She stated. “Your gonna explode.”
“That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think.” I rolled my eyes.
“I mean your emotions. Annabeth, you have so many. You may not always know they are there , and you might try to deny them. The truth is even if you manage to shove them deep down they will explode back up and you could do something reckless.”
I look at her as if trying to understand.
“I am gonna fail if I try to accomplish love.” I responded.
“It may seem that way, at first. Annabeth, just you wait. I am always right about love.”
“Selina, even if I do like him, I don’t know if my mother would approve of my relationship. She does not believe her children should love.” I stated.
“That is the curse talking sweetie.” She told me.
“I. Don’t. Want. Love.”
“Liar…” She sang in a sing-songy voice.
“I am not!” I blushed.
“Denial…”
“Stop!” I cried.
“Shame…”
“Selina…”
“Guilt…”
“You are wrong!”
“Fine, whatever you say, Juliet.” She chimed. “Everyone wants to be loved.”
“Okay, okay. I want love. I don’t want it from him.”
“Oh, Annabeth, Annabeth, Annabeth. You will change your mind.”
“Will I?”
She grinned, then nodded. “I never said I loved him, and I never will. “ I told her.
“Let me know how that works out, Wise Girl!” She teased, then chuckled to herself. It was too late. I was already running away.
“Not gonna happen!” Then I ran to my cabin.
I didn’t look around I just slammed into my mattress and digged my face into a pillow.
I buried myself in blankets and screamed. I close my eyes and pretend I am not here.
Why is this feeling so strong? Why do I kind of like it? I am not supposed to be distracted. Why do I wish Percy was here right now? I let out a second scream.
“Annabeth,” somebody said. I jumped up, my face bright red and tears in the corner of my eyes. Thank, the Gods. I thought. It is just Malcom. I sat up in my bed and he sat next to me.
“You gonna tell me what happened?” He asked.
“I - “
I can’t. Gods, I feel so stupid right now. I don’t even know my feelings.
“Malcolm, I can’t.”
“Hey, that is okay.” He smiled kindly “Just open up when you get the chance.”
He hugged me and then walked away, out of the cabin. I walked around the cabin. I pace back and forth, back and forth. Then all of a sudden, I stop and look in the mirror. My face is bright red, and my eyes are puffy from crying. You are being so stupid. You can’t fall in love right now. You are not in love, Annabeth Chase.
I walk into the bathroom and splash cold water on my face. I look in the mirror again and try to find something that is pretty about myself. Selena taught me this. Whenever you feel insecure or unworthy, you stare into a mirror and find things about yourself that you love. I grab a brush from my brush from a dresser and begin to untangle. After I stop and put it out of my face. I like to do that because it helps me concentrate. I put on a fresh change of clothes because I smell gross. Then with my head held high I walk out of the cabin and head to the pavilion.
I sit down in my cabin next to Malcolm.
“Thanks, Malcolm,” I tell him.
“Just simple illusion magic. It’s no problem.”
We take our food to the fire, and I throw a chicken leg in.
Mom clear my mind, Show me I am yours. I pause, then take a scoop of mac and cheese and throw that in. Aphrodite, please leave me alone.
Malcolm, who was standing next to me, gave me a funny look.
“For good luck,” I responded to the look.
We sat back down. Finally, Chiron pounded his hoof against the marble floor of the pavilion, and everybody fell silent.
He raised a glass. “To the gods!”
Everybody else raised their glasses. “To the gods!”
The nymphs came out of the woods.
Mr. D got up with a huge sigh. “Yes, I suppose I’d better say hello to all you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels.”
A bunch of ugly cheering rose from the Ares table. The Athena kids glared at them, and we all immediately went over a thousand battle plans in our minds.
“Personally,” Mr. D continued, “I couldn’t care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you that we have a new camper today. Peter Johnson.”
I giggled to myself. Chiron murmured something.
“Er, Percy Jackson,” Mr. D corrected.
I look at him and smile. He rolled his eyes and laughed. Malcolm noticed me staring. I sat up straiter and brushed the little hairs that had escaped my wrath. “That’s right. Hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire. Go on.” We all cheer and rush to the amphitheater.
We sing camp favorites, and I sit next to Luke. I rest my head on his shoulder and hum along to the music. He hugs me, and it is warm, but something feels off when I lean against Luke. It was not the same addicting feeling I got when I was lying next to Percy. I feel Thalia’s spirit for a second, as if she were sitting beside me and Luke. I remembered Thalia. She loves Luke, I thought. I do not.
I look at Percy and his cute, stupid face. I put my hands over my face. I sit up, no longer feeling comfortable in Luke’s embrace. I pull my hands away and stare at him and his face. I begin to blush, feeling eyes on me. He looked so happy, and for some weird reason, I was happy, too. I looked at his eyes and got lost in them. This time, it was my choice. He didn’t see me, but I saw him.
I admired his hair and his athletic body. Then I stopped myself. This feeling. I wish I could say I hated this feeling. I didn’t stop my heart. When he smiled, I noticed the little dimples forming on his cheeks. My heart was beating faster. I remember in the infirmary when I lay with him. I smile at the thought. That experience was exhilarating.
It was weird, but I loved the feeling of holding his hand, how he seemed more scared than I was, and how I was the one to care for him. My heart was practically beating out of my chest. I blushed crazy as I thought about what would have happened if I had continued that night. I could have kissed him. I want to.
NO, NO, NO. No, you don’t. Selena can’t be right! This can’t happen. I can’t be daydreaming about him. I have no evidence that I like him. There is none. We are enemies. Athena will be ticked off at me. I am not in love. I can’t be in love, not with him! He hardly knows I exist. Why do you care, then? I stand up and walk out of the room of happy people, sad and alone.
I rush to the cabin and jot everything down. Little did I realize that I had forgotten to hide it.