Joking around

I slipped my slippers on as I got out of bed. Hazel and Frank were still sound asleep. I quietly exited the room trying to wake them. I ran out with a pair of swim trunks in hand ready to hit the bathhouse. Just as I opened the door someone stopped me.

"What are you doing up so early Jackson?" A voice demanded. Seeing it was so early in the morning my head wasn't quite straight (though most people would argue it's never straight) and I couldn't figure out who it was until I spun around

"What are you doing up so early, Reyna?" I asked.

"It is my duty to be up early. But it is not yours, now answer my question."

" I couldn't sleep," I muttered.

"...Is something bothering you Jackson?" She mussed.

"No. Er, well...yes. Yes actually," I replied. Reyna did not respond for a while. She raised an eyebrow as if to tell me to go on. "I'm just really stressed and confused," I told her, "And lonely." I heaved a sigh. Reyna stared at me for along time before she decided to speak.

"You are a strange one, Percy Jackson." I let out a small laugh. A giggle of sorts, but a man doesn't giggle. It definitely wasn't a giggle.

"But in a good way right?" I asked and let out a bit more stifled laughter.

"You're most certainly an odd one." I didn't restrict my laughter this time. I laughed for a long time. Though I didn't know what was funny it just felt so good to laugh. It felt like a heap of stress had been lifted from my shoulders.

"Say something funny!" I demanded. She looked at me with a straight face. She was not amused but she humored me non-the less.

"Something funny?" she asked, poker faced. I laughed hysterically for five minutes before realizing it was a question and not the lame cliché. I cleared my throat.

"Uh yeah, something funny. Ya' know humor! It helps relive my stress."

"Does it really?" She asked. An amused look took over the serious one. I nodded. "Alright. Believe it or not I've read a few joke books. Let me see if I can recollect them from my mind."

"If I say, "Everything I tell you is a lie," am I telling you the truth or a lie?" Reyna asked holding back some laughter.

"Why are you laughing? It's not funny," I told her. If that was seriously her idea of humor I don't think I want to stick around to hear more.

"I'm laughing because I know you're too dense to understand," She explained holding back laughter.

"Wait...it's a riddle?" I ask. Riddles never help with my stress sometimes it can add to it. Reyna seemed to notice it wasn't helping

"The answer is a lie. Hmm here is a joke I'm rather fond of." I roll my eyes if she likes it, it can't be funny. It will probably some joke about Einstein's theory or something else boring. "Okay here it is: The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."

I stare at Reyna. It was a joke, an actually funny joke. Sure it wasn't the best but it was funny! I let the laughter flow from my mouth. I let the stress fly away.

"Was it actually funny?" She questioned. I nodded. "Good I was beginning to think I didn't know what humor was.

"Okay, okay I have one. Two women walked into a building," I pause. "You'd think at least one of them would have seen it." Reyna lets out a small bit of laughter. I bowed to nonexistent applause, which is joined by quiet claps from Reyna.

With each joke my stress lifted a bit. After about the fifteenth one we told I'd completely forgotten what I was worried about. We laughed until the sun rose and campers started to get up. As the camp began to awaken our jokes dwindled.

"Well I must say I had quite a fun time with you this morning. Now if you'd excuse me I must be going," Reyna excused herself from our conversation.

"See you," I mumbled, disappointed our time together was over. A smile spreads across Reyna's face.

"See you," She replied. Reyna began to walk off; I gave a weak wave accompanied by a satisfied smile.

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