It was a muggy Friday afternoon when Katie Gardner spotted Bobby Morgan stomping through the plot of flowers Ms. July planted outside their fifth-grade classroom. The boy was reaching for a ball that strayed from the other kids' game of kickball. And despite the fact that Katie was on her way to join the very same game, the sight of the crushed flowers beneath his sneakers made her pause.
"Hey!" She squawked indignantly, rushing forward. "You're killing them!"
Bobby jumped back, eyes wide with confusion.
"What?!" He exclaimed incredulously.
His head swiveled back and forth, looking for the said victims.
"The flowers!" Katie rushed out to explain as she grabbed his arm and yanked him away from the flowerbed. "You were stepping on them!"
Bobby jerked his arm out of her reach, rolling his eyes.
"Whatever Gardner." He mumbled, reaching out once more for the red, rubber ball. "They're just plants."
Anger bubbled in the pit of her stomach as she kneeled down in front of the ruined garden, carefully cradling one of the downtrodden, pink peonies in her hands.
"They're not-" Katie bit back her retort with a sigh. She'd gotten in far more than her fair share of arguments with the boy. She didn't want to add another one to the list. "Ms. July worked really hard on these."
Bobby shook his head, scoffing.
"She can plant new ones, Gardner. It doesn't matter." He laughed harshly as he turned to leave with a sarcastic wave. "Have fun with your stupid plants."
Katie sighed, glancing around helplessly at the ruined flowerbed.
"It's children like him that make me fear for the future of agriculture."
Katie jolted in her spot, glancing to the side and seeing a woman kneeling beside her, analysing the ruined flowers with a critical eye. The woman reached out towards the flowers, using her other hand to tuck a lock of long black hair into the loose bun at the nape of her neck.
Katie studied the woman apprehensively, feeling the oddest sense of deja vu at the sight of her. The eleven-year-old wracked her brain for any clue to why she looked so familiar. But she didn't have an inkling of who the lady was.
The woman paid her no mind.
"Flowers are normally my daughter's business, but plants are plants." She said absently, glancing back at Katie with her warm, brown eyes. "What about you? You like flowers, I'm sure."
Katie nodded.
"These are my favorite." She mumbled, ducking her head shyly.
The woman smiled.
"Then I'd best get to work."
Katie's eyes widened as the woman waved her hands over the flowers, stunned to see them pop right back up. Leaves and blossoms burst from the earth, far more than were there to begin with. Every broken stalk was mended, crushed petals restored.
All except the peony resting in her hands.
"Wh-who are you and how did you do that?" She squeaked, gaping at the freshly mended flowerbed.
The woman snorted in amusement.
"You'll find out in time, sprout." She replied idly, brushing her hands against her jeans as she stood. "I imagine it'll happen soon enough. You've been lucky enough to be ignored, so far. Ken's sure to have noticed that."
Katie blinked, frowning slightly at the mention of her father. But before she even opened her mouth to reply, the woman continued.
"We'll meet again, dear." She remarked comfortingly, staring almost unseeingly at the peonies. "Make sure to tell your father to water those tomato plants of his. They're getting far too dry."
Katie nodded wordlessly.
"Oh and Katie?" The woman asked as she started to back away.
"How do you know my name?" Katie blurted, brows furrowing.
The woman merely smiled.
"I've always been fond of lilacs."
With those final words, the woman spun around and started to stroll across the school grounds. Katie followed her every movement. But the moment she blinked, the woman disappeared into what looked like… was that grain?
Katie rose from her spot on the ground, carefully placing the peony she'd been holding into her pocket as she approached the pile of little dry seeds with curiosity. But the wind scattered them away before she could even reach out to touch them.
"What was mom like?" Katie asked her father later that summer.
Kenneth Gardner looked up from his spot on the porch, where he'd been watching the sun set over the plains.
"Why're you asking?" He asked gruffly, returning his gaze to the skyline as Katie took a seat next him.
The little girl shrugged.
"I don't know much about her." She replied tiredly, moving her left foot to draw patterns in the dirt. "There's no pictures, no memories, no anything…"
Her dad's lips twitched up for a second before he wiped a hand wearily across his face.
"What do you want to know, squirt?"
Katie smiled.
"How'd you two meet?" She asked hesitantly.
The older man chuckled.
"She scared the livin' daylights out of me, that's what she did." He stated with a wry smile. "I was getting ready to plough the fields one day when I find her sitting on my tractor, asking what I was planning on growing that season."
"Mom liked farming?" Katie's eyes widened in disbelief. All the women she'd seen around town were either wrangling a small battalion of children, or looked like they wouldn't touch any farming equipment with a ten-foot pole, for fear of breaking a nail.
"Did she?" Her dad snorted. "That woman is an agricultural genius. All the lectures I got that harvest on wheat and pesticides…"
A fond smile lit up his usually stoic face.
"You're a lot alike her, ya know." He continued softly. "You got her green thumb and patience when it comes to what matters. And we both know you didn't your looks from me."
Katie couldn't help but laugh as she pulled a lock of her ink-black hair in front of her face to examine. She glanced to the side with a look of utter concentration as she scrutinized her father's own dusty blond hair.
"I don't know, pops. I always thought I looked a lot like you" She joked weakly.
Her father shook his head as they fell into a comfortable silence.
Katie stared at the dying colors of the sky, drawing her knees to her chest.
"Why'd she leave us?"
The older man remained silent.
"Whenever anybody asks about her, at school or whatever…" She started softly. "I always tell them she died."
Katie sighed, resting her chin on her drawn knees.
"They already make fun of me enough at school." She continued. "But to tell them that my mom abandoned us right after I was born? I didn't want to give them any more ammo."
Katie tried to ignore the phantom pang in her heart, the same pain she got whenever she thought about her mom for too long.
Her dad cleared his throat.
"You know," he started slowly, "I knew she wasn't going to stick around the moment I met her. Wonderful woman she was, but being who she is, there was no way I could expect her to stay."
Katie frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Can't tell you much yet, but the fact remains that the reason your mom left wasn't 'cause of you or me." He explained. "It's not real fair to you, but you'll understand when you meet her."
Katie glanced over at her father.
"Will I?"
The older man nodded, eyes still locked on the sliver of sun left on the horizon.
"I promise ya, Squirt. Think whatever you want about her, but that woman will always be there for her children when they ask."
Katie watched as the last vestiges of light faded from the sky, leaning back and looking at the emerging starts.
She could only hope that was true.
Katie was thirteen years old when the janitor tried to kill her.
It had all started the way any good middle school story went, with a food fight of epic proportions. Katie wasn't sure how her salad ended up flying into Bobby Morgan's sneering face. One moment he was smirking at her and her friend Aspen, and the next, leafy greens were flying everywhere.
The other students were gracious enough to contribute to the chaos.
It didn't take long for the clamor to die down and fingers to point her way as the fuming vice principal demanded to know who started it all. Katie couldn't help but wonder which the man was more likely to do, expel her or kill her right then and there.
Katie's money was on the latter.
Mr. Pena glared at her with his beady eyes, sitting up straighter as if that was somehow intimidating. Katie tried to keep her lips from twitching at the sight of it. Seeing as the man stood at a staggering 4'11'', the vice principal was about as threatening as a pug.
"Miss Gardner," he rasped in his gravelly voice, "would you care to explain yourself?"
It was almost amazing how accusatory the man managed to make that sentence sound.
"I was caught in the food fight, just like the other students." Katie tried to explain as she waved towards her food smattered clothes.
Mr. Pena's eyes narrowed.
"A reliable witness claimed that you started the whole mess, Miss Gardner."
Katie bit her lip, fighting the urge to snap.
"But that's not what happened." She pressed, but it was obvious she was fighting was losing battle. How on Earth was she going to explain the the narrow-minded man that the salad flew into Bobby's face on its own?
Magic?
"So it wasn't your lunch that hit Mr. Morgan first?"
Katie paused to think. Because technically, that was very true.
"Yes." She admitted. "But-"
Mr. Pena waved his hand impatiently.
"No 'buts'." He growled. "You'll be helping Craig clean the cafeteria after school."
"But it wasn't me!" Katie protested.
Mr. Pena's eyebrow rose.
"Then how did your salad end up all over the boy?"
'Wow, Plant Freak and the Cripple. Didn't see that coming.'
Katie scowled.
"Rogue wind?" She tried.
Mr. Pena didn't look amused.
After school." He repeated. "4:00. Now get to class."
Katie smothered the urge to glare at the stout man, trudging out of the office as quickly as possible. He refused to listen to anyone but himself.
"Katie!"
Katie paused in her steps outside the office, glancing up surprise to see Aspen waiting for her down the hallway. He pushed through a lingering group of sixth graders in order to catch up to her. His limp seemed to be even more pronounced, taking her back to Bobby's sneering comment.
Katie's answering smile tightened.
"What'd he give you?" Aspen asked the moment he caught up, face the utter picture of concern.
That was the thing about Aspen. He was always so nervous whenever someone pulled her aside. Whether it was just a teacher asking about an assignment she had yet to turn in or a reprimand for dozing off in class, Aspen was there, watching the interaction with worry.
Katie hoped her smile was reassuring enough.
"I just have to help Craig clean up the cafeteria after school."
Aspen screeched to a stop.
"Craig?" He asked, eyes wide.
Katie nodded, taking in the spike of fear that flashed across his face. She really couldn't blame him for his reaction. Craig was one of the school janitors, famous for his… odd behavior. One moment he'd be sickeningly cheerful, but the next scowling at her like she'd killed his mother.
Katie tried not to think of it too much.
"Yeah, 'Crazy Craig'." She tried to say lightly. "Why? What's wrong?"
Aspen looked like he was going to be sick.
"I'm helping you." He announced, voice strained as they started on their way to their english class.
Katie frowned.
"You don't have t-"
"No." Aspen interrupted, voice firmer that time around. "I'm helping."
Katie's friend didn't give her time to refuse as they entered their classroom. The rest of the day seemed to pass in a blur after that. Aspen remained beside her throughout the rest of her classes, save the time she spent in the bathroom trying to get some of the mashed potatoes out of her hair.
The effort proved fruitless, in the end, her frizzy curls becoming far too stubborn to get it all out without a shower. Katie gave it up as a lost cause after a girl laughed at her appearance, saying that she 'loved the look.'
Katie snorted as the girl sauntered off. Vegetables were all the rage now.
Before she knew it, her final period (gym) ended and Katie found herself jogging towards the cafeteria, leaving Aspen behind as he left for the boys locker room. The girl decided to forgo changing back into her food covered clothes, choosing to remain in her school's uniform instead.
Honestly, she just wanted to get her punishment done and over with.
The lights in the cafeteria were off when she arrived, light filtering in from the high windows. Katie glanced around the empty room uneasily, looking for the janitor. But no one was there in giant room.
Katie stepped forward, noting that it was utterly silent save the sound of her sneakers scuffing against the tile flooring.
"Craig?" She called, voice echoing eerily throughout the cafeteria. "Anyone here?"
She didn't expect an answer.
Katie glanced around the room, noting that the floor and tables were already clean. The splattered remains of everyone's food had vanished since lunchtime.
Katie frowned.
"I guess I'm not needed then." She muttered, inwardly cursing Mr. Pena.
The bitter man probably found it amusing to send her on a wild goose chase. He probably never told Craig that'd she'd be assisting him in the first place.
Katie sighed, running her hand through her tangled mess of hair before turning on her heel. There was just enough time to catch Aspen so they could make it to their bus-
Katie's train of thoughts screeched to a halt when she found herself face to face with an angry janitor.
The young teen stumbled back a few feet, plastering what she hoped was a smile to her face.
"Hey Craig." She forced out lightly, wincing at how high her voice sounded. "How're you doing?"
A low, guttural growl emanated from the trembling man.
"So about the punishment…" Katie started as she glanced behind her, eying the back door briefly. Hesitantly, she took another step back. "Mr. Pena wanted me to help clean up. But since everything's already-"
The growl came again, accompanied by a vicious snarl. Katie's heart leapt to her throat.
"I'll be going now." She bit out before spinning on her heel once more, sprinting for the back exit.
"Katlyn Gardner."
Katie's steps faltered as she glanced back warily. No one called her Katlyn, not even her dad. And the way Craig said it, in that hissing, gravelly sneer…
It was unnerving.
"Where are you going?" The man continued, glaring chillingly at her as he-was he growing?
Katie flinched, fully facing the janitor as he stretched before her eyes. Craig had always been an oddball before, famed for his repulsive demeanor. But watching him grow taller, his uniform taut against his engorged form; Katie couldn't help but gape.
This was all sorts of insane.
Because she'd seen him everyday during the entire school year (Or was it a week? Her head ached whenever she tried to think about it.). And never had he looked anything like he did in that moment. So maybe it was a sick sort of curiosity that drew Katie's eyes to his face.
The thirteen-year-old nearly fell back as she spotted the large, single eye resting in the middle of his face.
"What-Wh-" Katie tried to speak, but the words she wanted fumbled on her tongue.
"It will be a pleasure to feast on your flesh, godling." Craig-no, the monster sneered, taking large clumsy steps forward.
Katie's initial response was to splutter incredulously at the ridiculous statement. But something in her mind seemed to click, vision narrowing as one goal filled her mind.
Run.
Katie had never been more aware of her surroundings as sprinted for the back door. Her eyesight seemed to clear, brain picking up one detail after the next. Her hearing sharpened, catching the lumbering footfalls of that thing behind her. Even her nose picked up the sulfurous scent that permeated the air around her.
So when the sounds of a grunt and ominous creaking noise hit her ears, something in her gut pulled, screaming at her to dodge.
Katie lunged to her right, barely catching the sight of a lunch table crashing into the tile where she'd been seconds before.
The young woman scrambled to her feet, backing away as her pulse raced.
The monster was alreading lofting another table into the air.
The next one sailed past her, clattering against her chosen exit. Another table soon followed before more and more flew through the cafeteria, cutting off any viable exits. Only the double doors behind him remained clear, and it was with a smirk the monster guarded it, holding another table as if it weighed nothing.
Katie's pulse thundered in her ears as she retreated back.
"You have nowhere to run, godling." The one-eyed monster groused.
Her mind was running through thousands of different options, each more ridiculous than the next. Some plans involved fighting, others including some impressive bits of gymnastics. But there was a single one that weighed on her mind, pulling at the edges of her consciousness.
She could always give up.
Katie roughly shook her head, mind filled with the vision of her father sitting on the porch once more, staring out into the sunset. Alone.
No, she didn't want that for him. She didn't want to leave him like her mother did, dead or alive.
So she'd have to act instead.
Katie rushed forward, giving the monster a large berth as she dodged around the broken tables. The monster laughed gratingly at her approach.
"Nice try." It jeered before lobbing another table her way.
Katie jumped to the side, rolling out of the way as the table landed inches away from her body. The teen flinched, but refused to let it deter her. She continued forward towards the monster, abandoning all caution once its attention was caught trying to find another table.
Her mind screamed at her to run as it leaned over to grab the nearest projectile, leaving the perfect opening for her to slip by. Never mind that there was still several feet between the two of them. If there was any chance for an escape, it would've been that moment.
Katie surged forward, only faltering when garbled laughter and a distinct whistle filled her ears. The teen lunged to the side, as she did with the other tables. But this time she wasn't as lucky.
Katie couldn't hold back the sharp cry that escaped when the table clipped her left arm.
She tumbled to the ground, clutching at the searing pain in her forearm. Her ears were filled with more of that rattling laughter while the monster stepped forward, face filled with glee.
Katie tried to scuttle back, but the monster held her in place with one of its grotesque feet.
"It was a noble effort, young godling." It sneered despite Katie's struggles. "But I believe it's time to-"
The monster faltered.
Katie stared up at Craig, panic ebbing away as a look of pure disbelief developed in its singular eye.
"What-" It choked out, hands scraping at its heart.
It was then Katie noticed the pointed tip protruding from the monster's chest.
She blinked as Craig let out an inhuman roar that shook the entire room. And for a moment, she entertained the thought that it might bring the ceiling crashing down on the pair of them. But before she could panic, the monster erupted into a large pile of yellow dust, letting her attention latch onto something new. Something Katie wouldn't have expected to see in a million years.
Beyond the falling dust, the once-timid Aspen stood before her with a wild glint in his eyes, the sword that pierced the monster's heart clenched tightly in both hands.
It took her minutes to process that in the place of his usual ratty sneakers were two, worn hooves.
That was all it took for Katie's life to be blown to shambles.
Suddenly her only friend was a satyr and her father was packing her bags, rambling about a camp halfway across the country. They told her that Craig was only the beginning, that there were more monsters that would be coming for her soon. Then her dad mentioned how her mother had warned him of this years ago and Katie felt utterly lost.
She didn't understand what was happening, not one bit.
The next thing she knew, they were driving in her dad's old pick up, speeding down the time worn roads like the NASCAR drivers he loved to watch on tv. The sprawling small-town plains quickly turned into the frantic chaos of the city. There was traffic and plane tickets and tight hugs from her father.
Katie numbly held onto the man until he gently pushed her back.
"Come on, Squirt." He whispered gruffly, nudging her towards security. "It's time for you to go."
Katie didn't respond, glancing helplessly around the bustling airport as her arms fell limply to her sides.
Why? She wanted to ask. Why is this happening?
But she only nodded, letting herself be dragged to the moving line.
Katie didn't pay attention to Aspen's nervous chattering besides her. She kept her gaze locked on her motionless father as they traveled quickly through the line. Shoes were removed, hands were held up as she passed through the full-body scanner. She watched in a sort of detached fascination as a flurry of emotions overtook her father's face: worry, panic, a deep, piercing sadness. It was only when Aspen began to lead her towards their flight gate that she spotted the grim acceptance that overtook her father's forlorn features. And it made her realize something.
Her dad had been right that day on the porch.
She really was like her mother.
It was only when she was talking to Chiron, the supposedly mythical centaur who'd taught Achilles, that everything started to make sense. Had someone told her that the Greek myths were real, let alone that she herself was a demigod, Katie would have laughed.
But it was hard to doubt any of it when the news was delivered by a man-horse hybrid.
'Wonderful woman she was, but being who she is, there was no way I could expect her to stay.'
So many things were beginning to make sense in her mind: her dad's reluctance to talk about her mother, the way he kept a close eye on her whenever they went out to town, even that one time Bobby Morgan found himself covered with poison ivy after pushing her into the mud.
Years later, Katie would blame the stress of that day to be what kept her from realizing which goddess was her mother.
Katie met the Stoll brothers that day, as she settled into the cramped Cabin Eleven. She didn't think much of the dynamic duo at first, only that their penchant for mischief was amusing. The curly-haired boys were a lively pair, that much she knew. They were always on the move, often wrangling other cabin members into their little schemes.
Katie liked to think that she was too mature for their games. But despite herself, she couldn't help but hope that they might choose her one day, that she could experience the high they seemed to get after pulling off a successful prank.
It wasn't until a few weeks later, days after being claimed by Demeter that the little flame of hope died in the form of a bag of flour.
The brothers' eyes were alight with mischief as Katie and some of her siblings (that would take some getting used to) spluttered, trying to shake off the flour that covered their entire bodies.
"You okay, kid?" The older one, Travis, asked her, sarcasm twisting on his innocent smile. "You look a bit pale."
Katie held the boy's amused gaze for a moment with a glare of her own, refusing to let him win. Teasing blue clashed with a solemn brown. It was only when the head counselor, Samantha Brooks, grabbed her elbow and led her towards the showers that she looked away.
Katie kept her head held high, ignoring the snickers from the crowd behind her. She didn't acknowledge the way her lungs seemed to constrict, how her eyes felt suspiciously wet. Instead, Katie's mind was filled with image of the two boys' mischievous eyes paired with matching smirks.
She could only hope that she hadn't found herself more Bobby Morgans.
Katie didn't know what to think of her six other siblings at first. Initially, it hurt. She spent the first few nights at Camp Half-Blood tossing and turning, wondering why her dad alone wasn't good enough for Demeter. But she quickly brushed the thoughts away as she got to know her brothers and sisters. They all varied in appearance and age, yet somehow there were things that they shared.
For instance, Katie and the youngest, eight-year-old Barry Hughes, both had a love for flowers. The little boy's eyes lit up when she mentioned her garden back home, where she'd been growing marigolds and poppies. And somehow, they ended up spending the night discussing the oddest flowers they'd ever seen and which ones were their favorites.
It didn't take that long after to realize that all of their parents' were involved with agriculture in some way. She, Billy, and Meg were the only ones whose fathers were actual farmers. The others' varied from botanists to gardeners working at the Home Depot.
Hearing about them was what brought her late-night sulking to an end. She didn't ask for siblings, no. But they were all in the same boat as her, running towards a destiny they never asked for as their fathers waited for the day they'd come marching home.
Life at Camp Half-blood was something Katie had to get used to.
Suddenly, her day was filled with archery, meals with an actual (if not extremely disgruntled) god, and even ridiculous sing-alongs by the campfire among as campers lobbed marshmallows at one another. Gone were the days where she could spend hours on end sitting outside with her garden, watching the wheat fields twist and bend under the wind.
It was Samantha who pulled her aside and showed her how the basics of chlorokinesis, the ability most children of Demeter held. Katie could barely believe her eyes as she watched the sixteen-year-old coax a blueberry bush to sprout and grow out of the dirt before them. The next few weeks after that were spent with her being half buried in dirt while Katie whispered sweetly to dying plants.
It was hard to describe the euphoria she felt whenever one of those little plants flourish under her touch.
Katie spent the rest of her summer making friends.
Samantha, or Sam as she preferred to be called, was probably the closest of her friends and siblings. She filled Katie in on the gossip of the camp within the first week. It was from Sam that Katie quickly learned about the mystery that was Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon who spent the last two years getting in all sorts of trouble with the gods. She'd seen the boy quite often, though most of it was spent with him either hanging out with Annabeth Chase (an Athena girl who was kind enough to show her around her first day at camp) or arguing with the punk girl that Sam insisted had been a pine tree for the last few years (she had to ask several other campers before she accepted that story). And while the boy was handy with a sword, he looked more likely to be hanging out on the beach with his friends than someone who faced down Ares himself.
Sam laughed when Katie shared her thoughts about the matter, ruffling her tangled mess of hair.
"He'll change your mind, one day." She chuckled as they picked strawberries late-June. "Wait till you see him fight in capture the flag."
But there were other people at the camp besides Percy Jackson.
There was Lee Fletcher from the Apollo cabin. He was always nice to her, helping her with her dismal archery skills (even after she'd nearly put an arrow through his head). Sam liked to joke that he was just like his father, spouting off terrible poetry for anything pretty that crossed his path. Katie found the sight of his deadpanned face upon overhearing that remark hilarious, the son of Apollo sternly telling her sister, "I was twelve. Let it go."
Rue Davis was a surprise. She didn't talk much when Sam introduced her. As a child of Ares, she preferred games and weapons practice to long conversations. But Rue proved to be quite funny when she did speak her mind. Katie liked sitting with her at the end of a stressful day, when all you wanted to do was breathe and just… exist. She didn't ask questions or pry unnecessarily. She simply let things be. However, it was Rue who ended up dragging her away to spar whenever Katie became too enraptured by the plants she grew. She spent most of those trips to the arena ignoring Katie's groans, complaining that Demeter kids always got killed because they relied too much on their 'magic flowers'.
But in the end, it was her friendship with Silena Beauregard that Katie found most surprising. A lot of the Aphrodite siblings came off as vapid at first, reminding her too much of the girls at school who sneered at her holey jeans and worn sneakers. But the girl was anything but. Silena was usually the one to help her clean up after some of the Stoll's more elaborate pranks on her cabin, taking the time to listen to Katie's rants against the brothers.
"I swear, it's like they're trying to become the Weasley twins!" Katie complained one July day over crafts. "One prank after another, it never stops!"
Silena merely nodded absently, eyes narrowing as she painted intricate swirls on her clay pot.
"Seriously, was this how Hermione felt when-" Katie faltered. "Oh my gods, am I Hermione?"
The daughter of Aphrodite snorted.
"Now way, Gardner." She sniggered. "Annabeth has got you beat for that role."
Katie scoffed playfully.
"I could try." She said while haphazardly painting little flowers on her own pot. "I'll challenge her for the title or something."
Silena rolled her eyes.
"Annabeth is the smartest girl in camp. Good luck with that." She remarked. "Although, hair-wise… I think you have her beat."
Silena promptly dodged the glob of paint thrown her way.
"Temper." She teased. "Now back to the point. The Stoll brothers are the real-life Weasley twins. The sooner you accept that, the easier camp life will be."
Katie shook her head stubbornly, thinking of how much she'd adored the characters while reading the Harry Potter series.
"Not a chance."
By the time that summer drew to a close, Katie was known all throughout the camp for her rivalry with the Stoll brothers.
It had started with small retaliations for the pranks they played on her and her siblings, that slowly progressed to a full-blown war by the time they put chocolate Easter bunnies in the grassy roof of the Demeter cabin. Chiron was the one to put an end to it all, right after Katie and some of her siblings managed to grow a thick circle of poison Ivy around Cabin eleven.
The ancient centaur declared a 'ceasefire' and insisted that they apologize to one another.
Katie would've loved to gape at his request like Connor, the youngest of the Stoll brothers, did. They weren't in elementary school anymore, were they? Katie wasn't about to hug the little demons and forget.
But before she could protest, she noticed Travis staring at her.
Well, it didn't feel like staring, per say. Katie felt more like she was being observed by the older boy.
It was odd to see an expression that wasn't some prelude to whatever mischief they were up to during the week. His bright blue eyes were sharp, brows furrowed as his head tilted slightly to the left. His face could have been easily mistaken for indignation like his little brother's. But Katie caught something more, a familiar spark that…
Curiosity?
Katie unconsciously took a step back, bewildered at the realization. What on earth was so interesting about her?
However, before her mind could rationalize a response, a sharp cough from Chiron caught her attention. He was staring at the three of them, eyebrow raised.
Katie flushed, remembering why they were even there in the first place.
"I apologize." She blurted out, ignoring the way the words burned her tongue like acid. "I shouldn't have retaliated the way I had. It was immature of me."
'Even though you started this.' Was left unsaid.
Connor wasn't looking at her, still grumbling sullenly at Chiron. But it became clear that she still had Travis' undivided attention. Only this time, the curiosity was gone, replaced with a look of amusement that made her stomach churn.
His lips twitched.
"Oh my gods." He started to crack up, nearly falling over from laughter. "You sounded like you were reading a script."
"Travis." Chiron warned warily.
The older Stoll brother straightened up, sending the centaur a smile.
"Apology accepted, Gardner." He replied airily, slinging an arm around Connor's shoulders. "We promise to behave like the mature adults we are, right bro?"
Connor smiled in a way that made Katie want to sigh in exasperation.
"Of course!"
"Sure." Katie mumbled, rolling her eyes.
The three of them turned to Chiron, who looked torn between laughing outright or simply banging his head against the wall.
Katie shared the sentiment.
It felt odd returning home as the summer drew to a close.
Katie had grown used to the chaos that was her life at Camp Half-Blood. It was a far cry from how she spent the previous years of her life, but she grew to love it all the same. Katie learned to enjoy her spars with Rue everyday, even if it left her body feeling like jelly every time. She looked forward to hearing about Silena's latest speculations over which campers would make a good couple. Katie had even grown to find that watching Sam and Lee's verbal spats were hilarious.
So when Katie dropped her duffel bag of belongings onto her bed, she felt oddly empty.
Her dad had been more quiet than usual when he picked her up, constantly glancing at her from the corner of his eye. Katie chose not to acknowledge it and instead filled the silence with tales from camp.
As the year progressed, the odd rift that had formed between Katie and her dad was no closer to being closed. It frustrated her that something had changed over the summer to make her own father look at her like she was something different, as if she were suddenly unrecognizable.
She wanted to grab his attention, do something to say, "I'm here! Nothing's changed." But that would be lying, wouldn't it?
She had changed. Who wouldn't in her spot? But that didn't mean she still wasn't the same plant-loving, little girl that loved to sit on the porch with her pop and watch the sun set. No, she still did that.
Only now, she sat alone.
After an awkward Christmas with the relatives, Katie decided to put on a smile and deal with it. Her father was a closed off man. He'd open up when he was ready.
It wasn't until early spring, when he introduced Katie to his new girlfriend that she realized that she wasn't the only one who changed, after all.
Summer came as a swift and welcome distraction to her stifling home life.
Katie couldn't help but breathe easier the moment she passed through the camp's borders, walking towards the Big House with a small smile on her face. Never mind that she could hear the result of the Stoll's latest prank off in the distance. In the short time she'd stayed at camp the previous year, Camp Half-Blood became a second home to her.
And it broke her heart that given the choice between a place there and her home back in Kansas, Katie would be torn between what to choose.
Over the next few weeks, Katie fell into a welcome routine. Rue started up their training sessions with a vengeance, refusing to talk to Katie for an entire 24 hours after discovering that Katie hadn't even thought to continue her training over the year. Silena was quick to fill her in on the camp drama she'd missed. Even Sam had news for her, apparently a mission of 'grand importance'.
It was curiosity that led to be her undoing, as Katie suddenly found herself with a job at the camp store, fending off the kleptomaniac tendencies of Travis and Connor Stoll.
But despite the amount of times she nearly strangled the brothers, Katie couldn't deny that she was having more fun than she had all year.
(Edit: Thank you guys for the kind reviews! Also for pointing out the typos. I went back I tried to fix as many as I could. Hopefully I got them all. :D Chapter 2 should be out soon. It'll be the final chapter.)