I Like You A lot More than I Had Originally Planned
Katie POV
After waiting for Percy and Annabeth to reappear from the bottom of the lake for like, ten minutes, I had decided that they weren't coming up anytime soon, and that it was probably better to go ahead and go back home. I couldn't help but feel just a little envious, okay a lot envious of Annabeth. She had somehow managed to find a boy who wasn't intimidated by her! Why can't I do that? Don't all girls want to be asked to spar with the guy they liked, or asked to have an alliance when playing capture the flag? That's all I ask, really, that's it. And to add salt to my wounds, so to speak, there was a day I was dreading, the day of the bonfire, and don't get me wrong, bonfires are fantastic and all, but they're absolutely marvelous when you're asked to go with someone, preferably a boy… Soon enough though, I arrived home to my cabin with the cute face of my beloved garden gnome, Magnus, greeting me. Yes, only one day till the bonfire.
Travis POV
One more day, Travis boy, only one more day before the last bonfire of the summer, the last chance you've got to tell Katie how you feel…just one more day to go! I totally know that I want to tell Katie that I like her…but how does a guy do that? Just then, Connor walked in and exclaimed, "Travis! You know how Percy always seemed to think that our last name was so funny? And how we never seemed to understand what it was he found so amusing? Well, it'd been bothering me for the past day or so, and I think I've finally gotten it! Stoll…as in will steal, steal, stole, STOLL! If that isn't just a twist of fate, I don't know what is!" Then, I thought of it! How else to show the girl I liked that I liked her than to do what I do best? Right?
Katie POV
A normal monotonous morning, wake up, tend the plants inside the cabin, brush hair, teeth, and other grooming habits, but it was then, when I trudged outside to tend the plants outside the cabin did I notice something …my gnome, my beloved gnome, Magnus, was missing, and in his spot was a circular patch of dirt where he once sat to kept watch over our plants. Someone had it out for me, and I wouldn't have a problem if they took out on me…but to take my gnome? Now it's personal…Whoever did this is going to have poison ivy growing out of their ears for weeks! But the best thing I could do now was go searching for my little Magnus. Maybe he had fallen in the night, maybe he was liberated by fellow gnomes? Perhaps it was one of the younger satyrs believing they had freed one of their fellow woodland creatures? Scoping around the scene of the crime further, I noticed a piece of crumpled paper stuck between the branches of one of my plants.
Travis POV
Watching from the window of the Hermes cabin, I saw as Katie noticed the absence of her little doll in her garden, and as she noticed the ball of paper I had left for her to read. It wasn't a ransom note per se, but it definitely had that feel to it…I had hoped for it to come across as mysterious and sexy, something a girl would find alluring and drawn to.
*that night*
I was going to leave her a note telling her to meet me, and she couldn't say no because she totally wanted her gnome back! Fool proof! I had written so far, 'Yeah, we both know what you're looking for, and I know where and how you can find it… if you're interested in getting back your doll...gnome…thing…then meet me now at Strawberry Fields,'
Katie POV
And so, with no other way of finding out who kidnapped by gnome, I had no choice but to make my way to the Strawberry Fields. On my way though, I passed satyrs chasing tree nymphs, but I also saw a satyr plucking flowers out of a nymph's ear asking her to the bonfire, and then a Hephaestus boy loyally tagging along behind a pretty daughter of Nemesis, and by far the most adorable, a little son of Athena trying to keep the attention of one of Aphrodite's little girls. I wanted a boy trying to keep my attention! A boy following me! A satyr to pull flowers and ask me to the bonfire! Was it really too much to ask? Really? As I made my way closer to Strawberry Fields, I saw a lean individual standing amongst the plants, and lo and behold…
It was Travis Stoll.
Travis POV
Running out to Strawberry Fields, I had about a ten second head start before Katie, so I spent the ten seconds to breathe and try to find a pose that looked casual, but charming at the same time. Something that says "Why hello, yes, I did wake up looking this utterly attractive." Okay Stoll, its show time, now is the moment, you've come this far, you can't back out now. I turned around to see her silhouette against the setting sun, and totally panicked. Okay calm, breathe, breathe, breathe, okay, you're good. You're good. Besides, I even brought a piece of paper to read off of if things got that bad, one of those terrible nervous panic attacks where I can't even talk, which has happened before…but in my defense its only when I'm in her presence.
Katie POV
Oh dear Zeus, on top of a hill? While the sun's setting? Could this get anymore cliché? And as I approached Travis, he turned around with what looked like a startled expression, but Travis? Startled? Pink colored his cheeks. "Oh, you came! Umm, okay, so here!" he said as he thrust a piece of paper toward me. What. A. Freak.
Travis POV
She probably thinks I'm a freak. But really! I saw her coming, and I totally just freaked out! I mean, it would be cuter if I gave her a note right? Don't girls like that kind of stuff?
Katie POV
Hesitantly, I took the piece of paper to read the words
'Your gnome has been kidnapped, and if you ever wish to see him again, leave $2,000,000,000,000 in small bills on the back porch of the Big House, or go to the bonfire with me, and I'll call it even'
written in fast, scratchy handwriting. "Connor actually wanted me to add to the bottom 'I'll call it even since you stole my heart, and I stole your gnome'", he added with a nervous laugh. "So, whatdaya say? You? Me? Bonfire? Yeah?" a pause, "Yeah, I know, stealing your stuff wasn't exactly the most orthodox way to ask you to the bonfire, and I totally understand if you don't wanna go with me. Ya know what? I wouldn't wanna go with me either…" "Travis", I muttered. "I guess I'll just go and get your things from my cabin, and we can forget this happened. Yeah?" he bulldozed on without noticing my miniscule interruption. "TRAVIS! I suppose I'll go with you... seeing as how I don't have the $2,000,000,000,000. So see you tonight okay?" I totally wasn't expecting that. It's like my mouth was ahead of my brain, and agreed to things my mind had yet to think out. Well it's too late to take it back now. But now, my mind's betraying me too, because I can't help but think how cute he look with that look of pure shock and surprise, and dare I say, joy? On his face. And with that, I return back to my cabin, mentally preparing myself for the bonfire tonight.
Travis POV
I was more than ready for her to reject me, to demand for me to return her gnome thing back to her, no, I was totally expecting for her to reject me. But then out of the blue, she says yes. She says yes, as in, she agrees to go with me to the bonfire. I feel a slow smile spread across my face, as I watch her walk back down to her cabin. Finally, after two days of planning and years of waiting for this night, I meet Katie by the lake, and we start to talk, and before I know it, the night's almost over and the campfire's almost going out. Though, right before Katie's siblings start to go back to their cabin, I take the little gnome thing out of my backpack and sit it on the ground next to her. "Here, I guess I have to give it back now since you met my terms. We're even now", I said. Looking down, she says, "Oh yeah, Travis? You know, I don't mean this in a bad way, but I think I like you a lot more than I had originally planned". Not exactly the words I've been dreaming about since I was 12, but hey, where would the world be without progress right?
Happy Birthday JESSICA! :3