Beckendorf was walking alone in the forest one day trying to build up his courage. The son of Hephaestus could build just about anything you could want. Except for courage.
"Hey, Silena. Do you wanna maybe, possibly go to the fireworks or something later? I mean, you don't have to, I was just wondering, but it's fine if you say no." The burly seventeen year old had been murmuring different ways to ask her out for hours, trying not to sound too desperate, too lame or too casual. How he wished he was better expressing himself. None of his siblings were good at that sort of stuff. He thought about going to his brother, Jake, he had been able to score Will-Freaking-Solace with just a handmade crossbow. Yeah, that's what he'll do.
As Beckendorf got back to the green to ask the Mason boy for help, he had been staring at the ground, wondering what Jake was going to think and how he should ask him when his body slammed into another and the small body of Silena Beauregard thumped to the ground with a grunt.
"Charlie!" She exclaimed. Silena was the only one who called him that, otherwise Beckendorf went by his last name. "There you are I've been looking for you everywhere!"
A very flustered and confused Beckendorf offered his hand and helped her off the ground, "Me? Why?"
The daughter of Aphrodite giggled and brushed herself off, "I needed your help with a project. When I couldn't find you, I had Nyssa help me. Here." She handed the boy an expertly crafted Celestial Bronze compass. "I know you like to explore, so this is so you don't wander too far and get yourself lost."
"Silena, it's beautiful. Thank you. Oh, um… I was sort of wondering if you would like to maybe possibly go the fireworks with me tonight?" Beckendorf whispered to the ground.
Silena threw her arms around Charlie's neck and hugged him tight, "Of course I would! I've wanted to go with you for ages; I just didn't want to make the first move."
Beckendorf hugged the daughter of Aphrodite back and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Aphrodite." He whispered so Silena couldn't hear him.
That night, Charlie arrived at Cabin 10 an hour before the fireworks were scheduled to start to pick up the girl of his dreams, literally. He had been dreaming about the dark haired beauty for weeks. Granted it hadn't been good things, more like his girl dressing as Clarisse and losing her life to a drakon that only a child of Ares could kill. Beckendorf shuddered at the memory, but straightened as the door opened and his eyes were met by the captivating chocolate gaze of Silena Beauregard.
"Charlie, you're early," the teen said. "But it's okay, I've been ready for ages."
Beckendorf smiled and held out a delicately made metal rose. "It's not much, but I hope you like it." He said. Charlie had been working on this rose for days, pouring his heart into crafting it. "When you press this leaf," The burly boy explained. "It plays a song." Silena pressed said leaf and a beautiful medley played. "Something There! How did you know?" The song from Beauty and the Beast was Aphrodite's daughter's favorite.
"I remember you said that you loved it one day during 'truth or dare.' I had to have one of my sisters help me find the right one, did you know that there are like, a million songs called Something There?" Beckendorf held out his arm and led the way to the romantic dinner he and Jake had set up earlier.
During the fireworks that night, Silena was lying down, fingering the petals of the rose when Charlie slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close. "I'm glad you came, 'Lena." The older boy whispered into her ear. The dark haired girl nuzzled her head into Charlie's chest and soon, the two were fast asleep.