Divergent Path

Lies and a Secret

Chapter 2: Lies and a Secret

Camp Half Blood (One Year Later)

It made absolutely no sense to Percy that the only peaceful year he'd ever experienced at camp was also by far the worst. His closest friends wanted nothing to do with him, Poseidon had completely stopped acknowledging his silent prayers, and even Annabeth seemed to be a world away. But he smiled at the thought of her, knowing he couldn't be mad because she essentially was in another world. Annabeth had been going on weeklong trips to Olympus, hell-bent on reading every book in its library since she had gained access.

Percy knew that's where she was now, but this trip was longer: three weeks. They had discussed it before she left and Percy had to fake sadness at the extension of the trip, hiding his excitement at what he realized he had just enough time to do. It had been a rough year but the plan he had brewed up with Leo and his dad's help had made it bearable.

Percy had spent the first two weeks of Annabeth's trip embarking on various life-threatening errands assigned by Hephaestus. They were supposed to be for gathering the necessary materials, but Percy had a feeling that a few were for the god's own amusement considering they didn't require him coming back with anything. The third week was spent asking for Athena's permission. More accurately, 20 minutes were spent building up the courage to, 5 minutes were burned sputtering the single sentence out, 12 hours were spent trying not to get sliced in half or impaled, 5 seconds to hear and process the "Yes", and the rest of the week was Percy recuperating in bed.

The pain of the entire ordeal disappeared completely when, earlier today, Percy heard a short rap on his door. He was almost fully recovered, but still half limped his way to the door only to find nobody outside. On the ground was a little wrapped package. The package: the entire reason he had exerted these last 21 days on himself. He quickly scooped it into his pocket and ran to their spot, his heart somersaulting at what he was going to ask Annabeth tonight.

Tonight was the night Annabeth was coming back from Olympus. Percy sat by himself on an isolated strip of beach facing Long Island Sound, with the evening sun inching closer to the horizon. For the brief period between the two wars, when they had started dating, Annabeth and him would sneak off here to spend time together away from everyone else. But when her Olympian expeditions started, it became his favorite spot at camp for when he wanted to be by himself, which was less and less often now that it wasn't a choice anymore.

He sighed while staring out into the sea, reminiscing on the year's events that left him almost completely alone, beginning on the day his insufferable half brother showed up.

*Flashback*

Percy was forced to squint as he made his way to the Big House while the midday sun beat down on the camp. It was August 4th so it was still the middle of summer, but that didn't explain the heat stroke Percy felt like he was having. His head continued to throb as he trudged towards the Big House and it dawned on him that he was hungover. He groaned incredulously.

It was one shot! he thought to himself. Percy had never drank before, but last night on Olympus, most of the demigods had decided on a single celebratory drink with only Frank and Hazel abstaining. Percy clutched his stomach and shuddered as he reached the front lawn of the Big House, swearing to never drink again while hoping his friends were in better shape than him.

Chiron had called a meeting, requiring all of the campers to be there. Percy was one of the last to arrive. He looked across the chattering horde of campers, about 120 in total, and saw his friends littered among the crowd in similar shape to him. Frank and Hazel stood together and, even though they felt bad for their friends, the duo snickered at the various levels of nausea visible on each of their faces.