Chapter Text
Chapter 3
After cleaning up my arm I looked in the mirror. My dark curly hair was tied up in a high ponytail. That and my sea-green eyes almost made me look beautiful, if it hadn't been for my glasses and my strong arms that looked out of proportion with my otherwise skinny frame. I was wearing a pair of vans, gray socks, jeans, a long-sleeved gray shirt, and a chb shirt over that. As I was about to open the door to exit cabin 7, someone did already. I was faced with my boyfriend. I quickly folded my arms behind my back. "Hey sparky, were you looking for me?" I asked, kind of confused. "Hey, sunshine. Yeah, I was. I found Annie waiting for you at the archery range. Why exactly did you leave a ten-year-old alone there? Jason responded, sounding just as confused as I had felt just a moment ago. "Well, the border alarm kinda interrupted my lesson, and afterward, I just needed a minute to calm down, that's all." "Okay. Should I tell her that you'll be right there or...?" He trailed off. "Actually, could you ask her if she can find me there tomorrow when she has time? I'm pretty tired and I think I just want to relax for the rest of today." Fuck fake smiles are hard. "Sure thing! Catch you later?" "100%". as he started walking away, I dropped my arms down to my sides. As he glanced back at me, still standing in the doorway. He stopped dead in his tracks. "What's that on your arm?" He said, all the positivity having drained from his voice. The bump in my sleeve from where the makeshift bandage was must have given me away. I tried to smile, but my lips didn't seem to want to cooperate with me. "nothing." His face turned serious. "Kaydan, I'm not joking. Show me your arm." Thunder boomed overhead. His voice was hard, yet still comforting. I lifted my arm as he walked back and stood in front of me. As he was about to pull up my sleeve, I pulled my arm back hard. "Can we do this inside please?" "Sure." He sighed. I turned around and walked back inside. Thank something I had put my lighter back already. After we sat down on my bunk, he pulled up my sleeve. As my scars became visible, a million emotions flashed over his face in five seconds. The one left in the end tho, was compassion. "Baby..." "Don't," I said, regretting the venom in the statement the moment it left my lips. The worst part of this? Once we got to the new ones. My sleeve was up to my elbow now, and he had seen the cotton wrapped around my arm. When his hand moved to unravel it, I pulled back. "No. You'll be mad." "Sunshine I promise that if and only if, I do get mad I promise my anger is not directed towards you." His eyes were so soft, it made me feel so much safer. "Okay, just, can I do it?" "Sure. Go ahead." I took a deep breath and unraveled the cotton. Jason gasped and I started to cry. "I was clean for over a month but I just couldn't handle it." "Couldn't handle what?” "I don't know". After that, I just sobbed in his shoulder. Once I had stopped crying, The only thing I could manage was "Please don't tell anyone" "Baby this is something you really can't hide". "But...." this was the one secret I would have kept till my grave. "No buts." I'm getting one of your siblings. These look pretty bad." I wasn't getting out of this one. "Could you try Kayla or Austin? Will is probably busy and I don't think the others would understand." Jason got out of the bunk. "Sure. But first I need you to swear on the sticks that you won't hurt yourself while I'm gone." "I can promise that if you take the lighter." "Where is it?" "In my nightstand. Top drawer." Jason opened and took the soft yellow lighter. "Now that that is handled, swear it?" "I swear on the river sticks not to hurt myself further until you're back. Now go."
Jason's pov:
My head was still spinning. Kaydan? She was such a ball of sunshine. Always happy, always making everyone feel better. The first of the Apollo siblings I found was Austin, walking towards the infirmary. "Hey, Austin! Can I talk to you?" "Not now Jason, I don't have time." "It's about kaydan." “What happened?" "I think it's better if you see it for yourself. She's in your cabin." "Okay. Let's go."
When we got to the cabin we found my girlfriend curled up in a ball sitting on her bed with her sleeves pulled back down. "Kaydan, baby can you show Austin what's under your sleeve?" I tried hard to sound comforting, and by her demeanor, it seemed to be at least working a little bit. "Okay," she responded, pulling up her sleeve. Austin, who was now standing next to me, stood in shock for a moment, before taking his older sister's arm. "How exactly are you going to explain this?" He didn't sound mad, just deeply sad and worried. A lot like how I felt. Kaydan didn't say a word. Austin spoke again. "Kaydan you get one more chance before I ask Jason." Still nothing. "Jason what happened" "I don't have a clear picture, but I think she did this to herself. She said she didn't fully know why." Austin looked like he had been punched in the face. "I can heal the open wounds, but you know I have to tell Chiron about this." By that, Kaydan looked defeated. "I know. Can you just heal my arm first?" "Okay, but I won't be able to fully clear it up. It will still need to be bandaged." "There is a small issue with that plan." Kaydan had a conflicted look on her face. But now I was confused. "What problem?" "We are out of them in the first aid kit. That's why I used a hairband instead." Austin opened his mouth to say something. "I know Austin, can you lecture me later?" "Sure. Jason, do you have any in your cabin?" An image of the first aid kit in cabin one popped into my mind. "Yeah. I'll go grab it." I walked out of the cabin, but the moment the door was closed, I started running. I reached my cabin within a minute. I went into the bathroom and found the first aid kit. I grabbed some bandages and ran back to the Apollo cabin. On opening the door, I saw Austin healing Kaydan's arm. After a few seconds, the glowing stopped, and the open wounds now looked a lot less bad. "Bandages," I said, still very out of breath. "Thanks," Austin replied. "Did you run the whole way?" I was still panting. "Would you look at that I guess I did." Kaydan managed a smile. "You're funny sparky" Now I was smiling. "I know" "Can you two stop making each other happy for five seconds so I can focus please?" Austin said as he bandaged kaydans arm. "Okay, I am all done." "Great, so can I go now?" Kaydan started to get out of her bed. "No. We still have to talk to Chiron about this." "I know. But-" I interrupted. “No buts. I'm getting Chiron.” Before I could open the door, it swung open. I was met with Kayla standing in the doorframe. "Hey Kayla, what's up?" "Can I talk to my siblings?" "You know what? Sure. They have to tell you anyway.” “jason-” kaydan protested. I was about to say something along the lines of ‘you can't hide this from her’ but Austin beat me to it. “Kaydan. She is our sister, she deserves to know.” Kaydan sighed. “You're right.” “Ooookay,” I said “I'm gonna go find Chiron now. See you later.”