𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲.

Percy's Fifteenth

The rest of the summer seemed strange because it was so normal. Lilia's injuries healed, the daily activities continued: archery, rock climbing, Pegasus riding. They played capture the flag (though everyone avoided Zeus's Fist). They sang at the campfire and raced chariots and played practical jokes on the other cabins.

Lilia spent a lot of time with Celia, Silena, the Stolls and Annabeth. Percy seemed to be avoiding her, she wasn't sure if it was because she'd kissed him, maybe he didn't feel the same.

She wanted to talk to Annabeth about Kronos, but she couldn't do that anymore without bringing up Luke. And that was one subject she couldn't raise. She would shut her out every time she tried.

July passed, with fireworks on the beach on the Fourth. August turned so hot the strawberries started baking in the fields. Finally, the last day of camp arrived. She wasn't leaving this time, she couldn't face leaving any of her friends.

She stood on half blood hill and waited for Percy, hoping to get more than a few sentence out of him. He walked up with his bags and placed them down bedside her.

She looked at him carefully, trying to figure out what had gone wrong between them, but she couldn't think of anything other than the kiss, gods she felt stupid.

He scratched the back of his neck, why was he being so awkward?

"So... I guess this it for a while." He said looking out across camp.

"Will you come back for winter?" She asked.

"I'll be back before," he said. "I have to check in on Mrs. O'Leary, every now and then."

She frowned. "Is that the only reason?"

He looked at her, "No." She could tell from his eyes that he was trying to tell her something, but she wasn't sure what.

"And what other reason would you have?" She asked stubbornly, trying her best to pry something, anything out of the boy.

He looked out across camp again, it was peaceful, the water glistened softly and Thalia's fleece twinkled calmly under the sun. Percy took a deep breath.

"Listen, Lil, I have to tell you something."

"Yes?" She asked.

"When I disappeared... I didn't get lost. Well I did, but—"

"You were on Ogygia, Calypso's Island." Lilia cut him off, a strange look in her eyes.

"You knew?" He asked.

"Not at first," she admitted. "But I worked it out."

He nodded, a guilty look in his eyes. "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be?"

"Well, the way you reacted to Rachel, I thought..."

She laughed softly, a sweet laugh that made Percy's stomach flip.

"You thought I would be jealous." She smiled.

He blushed at that, scratching the back of his neck.