The Choice
Percy's POV
They finally came. The Greeks. I've been waiting for them for ….. a week? I don't know but I'm sure that they've missed me for 8 or more months.
I couldn't stop myself from being nervous or to cry or jump up and down because of excitement. Luckily , I did because if there's one thing I've learned from Lupa it's to never show weakness to enemies. Not that the Greeks were enemies. I hope the Stoll brothers would also come so they can reuse all their old jokes and pranks on the Romans.
Above all that, there was Reyna. She was actually the only thing that stopped me from breaking down to tears. She looked so calm but I knew that she was also nervous about the Greeks. She didn't know if they're really here for unity or to just start another war. I assured her that they wouldn't do anything bad, but then regretted it if the Stolls did actually come.
Over the week that I'd been praetor , Reyna had been teaching me how to rule, err , how to lead the Romans, teaching me strategies for war and showing me that her dogs like to bite Octavian. We had been pretty close. Maybe that's the reason why I'm not really that excited to see Annabeth. I mean, Annabeth's my girlfriend but my feelings had been jumbled between her and Reyna. Great, I've put myself into another mess.
I tried to ignore it, but as the Argo II came closer and closer , I kept choosing between Reyna and Annabeth. A part of my mind told me to choose Annabeth. Sure , she'd been my friend for 4 years and now officially my girlfriend , besides if I didn't choose her, Athena would blast me to smithereens.
Choose Reyna, another part of my brain said. She's my co-praetor and she'd already expressed her feelings for me. But then again , I don't know how she'll feel about Jason Grace.
I cursed myself. Do I really had to be so handsome and awesome? Probably. Or this was just one of Aphrodite's or Venus' crazy plan for my love life.
I was thinking hard when Reyna suddenly punched me. Hard. "Ow , what was that for?"
"You fell into a trance", her melodious voice said. "Remember , don't show weakness."
Easy for you to say, I thought. It's not you who's choosing over his girlfriend or the hottest girl in the Roman camp. Actually , the reason why I liked Reyna was because I see Annabeth in her. They're both smart, strong, good leaders and excellent fighters.
I needed time to think. I turned around to go to the bathroom , but Reyna stopped me.
"Where are you going?", Reyna asked.
"To the bathroom", I said , kind of embarrassed.
She raised her eyebrow. "Really? You're going to the bathroom with only a few minutes left before the Greeks land? Or is it that they are really here for something else?". She raised her dagger at the last question.
"Hey, it's going to be okay, no need to get suspicious", I assured her. "And besides, when the going gets tough , the tough goes to the bathroom"
She laughed at the bathroom quote. I smiled at her one last time before setting out to seek the guidance of the bathroom.
Reyna's POV
When Percy was out of earshot, I silently cursed myself. I was also going to go to the bathroom but he'd beaten me to it. Now , I need to stay here to keep hundreds of Romans under control. I needed time to think , but it wasn't easy with kids with ADHD around you. They talk nonstop.
"Do you think they can play War Games with us?", a son of Mars said
"Oh, sure. They flew half the country just to come here just to play War Games with us", a Mercury kid said.
"I sure hope so", Dakota said.
A lot of Romans face palmed at that. Dakota sure is a son of Bacchus, I thought.
That brief moment of fun was stopped when I remembered my own problem. How could I, Reyna , daughter of Bellona, praetor of the Twelfth Legion be confused with a bunch of boys.
Snap out of it, I told myself. You've got bigger problems. If the Greeks want our help then that Gaea must really been rising from her endless sleep. I smiled, Nobody would make "Save the Mother Earth" posters now.
I must've looked crazy, frowning about our problems then smiling at something totally stupid. Ugh, I've spent too much time with Percy. Hazel was walking towards my direction. She looked at me like I was one of the crazy souls from the Underworld.
"Reyna", Hazel said calmly. "Is something bothering you? And where is Percy? He should be at your side." She must've seen the glare I've been sending her because she added "Oh , since you know, your both praetors", she looked at the ground.
"Why does this have to happen?", I sighed but immediately regretted it.
"What was that?", Hazel asks, smiling. Like she knows something I don't.
"Uuuh , have you seen Percy's ballpoint pen?", nice excuse Reyna ,I thought
"Uh , yeah, it magically reappears on his pocket every time he loses it", Hazel said.
"Reyna , you should know that Percy really cares for you" ,Hazel said shyly.
"What?",I said slightly outraged but mostly happy. Yeah , you heard that right, H-A-P-P-Y. I realized my face heating up and knew I was blushing.
"Thanks Hazel", I absentmindedly said.
"For what?" Hazel asks but I know that she clearly knows what I was talking about.
"About Percy", I said , really grateful because now I know which choice I should take even if he rejects me. I don't care , I'm a daughter of war and I'll start a war just for Percy.