I rushed across the broken pathway, my hands full of bulging luggage. I was late for the daily sing - along by the campfire, and no camper ever misses this special tradition. I panted and heaved against the setting sun, and I noted to carry lighter luggage next year. If that was possible.

I could see the bonfire near the horizon in the middle of the U of cabins. Campers were swaying their arms in the air to the sweet, gentle melody of their own voices. Some campers held hands and danced around the campfire, but those were mostly dryads. I took a deep breath and set down exactly five bulging suitcases, rhinestone with pink jewels given by Aphrodite, my mother, herself. I sat down on the nearest one, my head on my palms, sweat beading off my forehead as I cursed myself for being late. I knew I should have skipped that extra make up coat because, of course, I was now sweating each coat of it off.

I am Silena Beauregard, honored daughter of Aphrodite. My father is out of the question; he owns a lonely chocolate store and I've never met him. But, most people describe me as a neat freak. I was as organized as... whatever animal is organized. Now, I'm fourteen, currently dating no one, which is quite odd considering my mother. I am the head counselor here, I check off the cabins to make sure they're clean and tidy, and I've been told to give a little more slack; a speck of dust equals points deducted. I am head of cabin 10, one of the nicer, non stuck-up daughters of Aphrodite. Even though people tell me otherwise, I don't think I'm very helpful to the camp or the other demigods. I can't sword fight much without hurting one of my own team mates in the process. I doubt myself from time to time. I have to admit I am a very unusual demigod, but which demigods are normal in the first place?

The campers' singing soon died off and I continued to drag my luggage up and down the winding path. It was getting certainly late, and I was much too tired to make it back. The breeze ruffled my permed hair and it blew into my eyes, tickling my noes. I scrunched my nose and tucked the strands behind my ear annoyingly. The crickets and frogs began their call to the setting sun, singing a melody that began to feel familiar to my ears. I wondered how my friends were, what trouble Percy had been getting into lately. I couldn't help but laugh at the thought. He was a strange young man all on his own without the blood of the gods running through his veins. Then I thought about his almost - girlfriend Annabeth and if their relationship took off, at LAST. I promised myself I would give everyone a huge welcoming hug tomorrow.

I tensed worriedly. I would sure be worried if one of my half-sisters wasn't here the first day of the camp year. I surely didn't want to scare anyone, though I tended to do that frequently. It's hard to explain, but people sometimes took my points deduction disciplining much too seriously. If your cabin is messy, you get consequences. And yes, fellow campers, capturing pesky woodland squirrels can be called a punishment. Some people found it as stupid slave work.

I played with a tousle in my hair, twirling it around my finger as I prepared to rise and again hold the burden of eighty pounds of luggage. I sighed, groaned, and grumbled as I got up off the suitcase stiffly, my bones and muscles aching painfully. I slapped my hands against my thighs and breathed deeply, puffing out my cheeks. I didn't know where to start. I grabbed one by its handle and instantly the right side of my body toppled over. I grabbed another with my left hand and my body evened out, now it only felt like two anchors were tied to my fingers. Great.

I attempted to grab another with my left hand, but that suitcase slipped out of my grip and rolled down a tiny hill. I dragged myself over to the baggage and pulled them up the hill, urging them to maybe call Jenny Craig and loose twenty or twenty five before I broke my back on my WAY to camp. I already did that having to deal with all of the irresponsible campers. Then the idea struck me.

"GREAT!" I yelled hopelessly.

I realized that without a camp counselor for cabin 10, the campers would be running a muck. I sweared to myself, when I got back, that I would beat them guiltless with a big, massive pole. I'd probably gain a little too much muscle after this predicament.

If only I had some magic item with me to help, but they were all stashed in my vanity, which was about a mile away now. I wished I could fly. That way I wouldn't be in this mess. Well, probably. If I couldn't carry this on land then I couldn't in air. I tilted my head into the air and moaned and then stomped my foot onto the cold, dewy ground. I picked up the suitcases as best as my limber hands would let me, and headed down the path that led to Camp Half Blood's U of cabins.

Someone just must happen to pass by and help me, I prayed as I tripped and stumbled on the suitcases, slipping in my strappy heals. I paused to rest again, slumping down on a suitcase a little too heavily. The case toppled over, leaving me sprawled on the scrawny, grassy, scarcely used pathway. I groaned, pulled myself up and dusted off my shorts, then sat back down again. I traced the glossy hot pink nail polish that glistened on my toenails with my pointer finger while I watched the moon rise slowly. I sat for about five minutes, and then got up with an effort before pacing with my arms crossed against my chest in pure anger. I prepared to drag the luggage up again. But, I saw a tall, dark shadow loom over me, a silhouette in the moonlight. Chiron? A nasty monster? Who knew? At least it meant something found me...

"Silena?" A smooth, deep voice sounded from the shadow. I uncoiled slowly and turned to see the figure.

"Charles?" I sighed in relief.

"What is a daughter of Aphrodite doing around here this late hour?" He asked, offering me a dirty,
scar-clad hand. I couldn't blame him for being a son of Hephaestus, or a gentleman at that.

He looked down at me with tender eyes, that laid upon a muscular face and sat on soft cheekbones.
His hair was wild and messy, sticking off his head every which way in loose brown curls. His dark skin blended in with the surrounding darkness, but after my eyes adjusted I saw he had the large frame of a football player. He stared down at me expectantly, and it took me a few moments to realize he was waiting for me to speak. I gazed into his dark, mysterious orbs that shown of deep brown while I tried to find my voice again.

"I-I was..." My voice trailed into the night. I was trying to avoid sounding stupid, but I think I just scored exactly that.

"Here, it looks like you need some help with those," He gestured towards the suitcases, now scuffed with dirt and grass stains after I dragged them for about an hour.

I stood aside and found that Charles Beckendorf towered over my petite size two body. He was maybe a foot taller, at least. He bent down and grabbed four of my suitcases, and left me to grab the smallest, lightest one. I turned bright red, I felt bad for having him help me like this. I'm usually very independent. I'm glad the moon was only a crescent tonight, otherwise he might have been able to see my pink cheeks.
Beckendorf slung two over his left shoulder with ease and kept the other two hanging by his right side. He didn't seem to have a problem lifting them, which made me feel weak. But after all, there was a huge difference between us physically and mentally, at that. I could never handle his job.

He cleared his throat,"So, in words please, why are you out here? I didn't see you at the bonfire," Beckendorf attempted to ask me, again.

"Well..." I bit my lip and tried to think of a non-self-conceited reason, while I realized if he didn't see me there, he must have been searching," I was um... BABYSITTING!" I jumped and stuck out my pointer finger as I screamed out the first thing that popped into my head,"Yeah, I was babysitting and the parents came back late, so I got here a couple hours later than I would've." I cheered myself in my mind as I looked up at him for a response, a certain expression on my face.

"Oh, that's nice," He said, smiling into the distance kind of goofy, but cute, in a way," What's his name?"

I racked my brain, pretending that I didn't hear him ask the question. But how could I not? His voice was projected across the whole strawberry field. I had no excuse, so I panicked and said," Her name is A... Addy... Addalyn!" I stuttered," She's seventeen months old, she calls me Lena."

"Addalyn sounds like a nice baby," He sighed," I wish I could meet her someday."

I smiled a true happy smile. He really bought it, didn't he? A pang of guilt knocked me awake. I felt horrible. I, of all people, was supposed to be the expert at this kind of thing, but talking to Beckendorf was a lot harder than I'd ever experienced before. After all, I have only given advice to people. I guess this was my only chance to put my love skills to the test.

"So, Charles..." I pressed my lips together, comforted my the familiar scent of my Coco-Mocha flavored gloss while I thought of the first tip to striking up a conversation," How's the work been doing over the summertime?" I cursed myself again. I am such an idiot, why would he want to talk about that?

"I've repaired most of the weapons and shields, a few helmets and armor," He said, sounding bored,"But now all the rest of the Hephaestus cabin is here and they can finish up before out next capture the flag game."

"That's nice," I said plainly and we both fell silent as we trudged side by side down the trail. Why was I so queasy and nervous? I usually was a pretty good smooth-talker when it comes to flirting, but the natural conversation switch didn't seem to turn on. I usually always knew was to say, how to say it. I knew everything guys wanted, I was practically a fortune teller. But, how come in my moment of distress, my natural instincts failed to kick in? This was worse than I thought.

Maybe Beckendorf was just different. Like he was prone to Aphrodite love magic. He didn't seem at all interested, or at least as most males usually were around me. But, I felt something around him that I felt nowhere else. Like a tingly sensation when I even think about him. And here I am, standing next to him, with nothing to say, as a failure of a daughter of Aphrodite. He shuffled with the suitcases,
his knuckles turning white, surrounded by red. I felt guilt again.

I was unlike most of my half sisters, who rarely felt actual passion, guilt, need, anxiousness. Most people described me as more loyal, more caring to other people. As for my sisters, they cared for themselves and themselves only. Their love was limited already and they went and spent it on their own pretty faces. It sickens me. We are about love, not self conceitedness. Okay, some, but we're also about showing true beauty without being centered towards ourselves. Also bringing love and beauty into the world while sharing it with others.

"Let me take one of those, Charles," I reached up and loosened his grip on a suitcase with my free fingers. I swung it down into my grasp and kept walking along beside him, the extra twenty pounds banging into the back of my knees, causing me to stumble unattractively.

"Are you sure, Silena?" He looked down at me worriedly," You packed, um, quite a load."
I blushed and blinked my eyes nonchalantly, pressing my lips together and spreading my gloss.

"So, er, what have you done over the summer?" He swung his remaining suitcase over to his other hand and fluffed the hair dangling from the back of his head.

I came right out and said it,"Testing new make up products and building relationships. The usual."

"Oh," He swung his arms with my baggage dangling limply in his grasp,"That's... cool."

I threw my head back and whined to myself when he wasn't looking. I thought of things to smooth over what I had just blurted, but I ended up making things worse," I mean, I went to visit my mortal friend in California, too."

This was true, but I had only visited her for two weeks and had came back a couple days ago, otherwise I stay at camp the whole summer, organizing for the following year.

"Hm, that's far away," He observed, whistling a tune I recognized as what they sang at the sing-along.

I nodded, twisting my face up like I just ate a lemon. Why am I such an idiot?

My home cabin was up just ahead. I wanted to stay and have this moment with Beckendorf forever, but I also wanted it to be over the minute it started. I hope I hadn't embarrassed myself in any way that I haven't already realized, but I'm sure he'll brush it off. He's a saint, that's what I adore of him. Followed by his eyes, his hair, he was so handsome but he never even tried! I was surprised no other girls were in line for him, but that may be because I would tear them to shreds with my fingernails alone.

"They might have locked the cabins by now, it's after curfew," He warned," They've let out the harpies, too." He pointed to a group of horrifyingly nasty looking things flying in the sky. Ugh, just look at those wrinkles! They should really moisturize...

"Oh great," I mumbled, my lower lip hanging out slightly," What are we going to do? I am not sleeping on the ground, Charles..."

"I would never make a girl do that," He said.

Ah, what a man.

He carried my luggage over to the door of my cabin. He dropped them carefully onto the floor, and brushed off his hands, smacking them together lightly. He wiped beads of perspiration from his forehead and turned to me, shrugging lazily.

I peered inside to find ten of my sisters, with facial masks topped with cucumbers on their flawless faces, their hair wrapped in shower caps with a bottle of calorie free strawberry smoothies sitting beside each of them on a white, polished bedside table. The walls of the cabin were clad with pink, pink curtains hanging over the windows and letting in a touch of moonlight. Vanities made entirely of glass filled the corners of the cabin, holding every single oil free powder, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, concealer, lipstick, gloss, chap-stick, and lotion. Besides all of that, brushes, eyelash curlers, tweezers, and a huge mirror ringed with silver and diamonds.

Beckendorf took a second to gape at my beautiful sisters, the cabin, I don't know which. Maybe both.

"Charles, it's locked," I said, eying the bulky lock that hung on the door's handle, restricting overnight entrances.

He blinked, not removing his eyes from the window.

"Charles."

No response.

"CHARLES BECKENDORF!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, my fists balled up and my arms straight as two sticks bolted to my hips, I stared at him in rage then immediately regretted it. My eyes widened, my eyelashes brushing my eyelids and I slapped both of my hands over my gaping mouth. Beckendorf broke his gaze and stared at me surprisingly.

"Silena!" He whisper/yelled,"What was that for?"

I didn't have time to muster a sound, because a group of, well... furious harpies were flying there way in our direction, their faces frozen in a permanent dismayed expression. Their skin was slimy and sepia colored, wrinkles broke their skin with bumps and creases, their eyes like daggers, cutting into the soul.

"Oh, gods..." I muttered as I grabbed Beckendorf's arm. I didn't wait for the furies to get any closer before I took off in a sprint. I started leading him to the Big House, keeping in the shadows as I ran. Several times I had to run much faster than I normally would, after all Beckendorf is MUCH bigger than I am.

"Maybe I should be leading," He whispered from behind me,"I mean I don't want to trample you."

I turned abruptly and scolded at him,"TRAMPLE me? I'm not a munchkin!"

The harpies cawed and barred their talons at us from about forty yards away, hovering in the air and ready to dive onto their victims before ratting us out to Chiron and Mr. D. I could only hope Chiron would understand.

"Look, we don't have time for this," He said, grabbing my shoulders,"We will be in huge trouble if we get caught especially since we aren't allowed to pull a weapon on the ones here."

I wriggled out of his grasp and leaped behind a tree, ignoring his expression, Beckendorf followed with a huff of frustration.

"You're a stubborn gal, you know that?" He whispered into my ear.

"Get used to it."

I glanced back to where the harpies were. More were gathering, because they had seen us. We couldn't land a decoy now. I panicked as I searched my brain for any compelling idea to get us out of this situation. I closed my eyes and strained against the adrenalin rushing through me now. I still couldn't get used to the idea of monsters wherever I went. And before I could stop myself, I rushed into the first thing logical before I changed my mind.

I broke away from the tree, exposing myself to the snarling beasts. I ran straight for the Big House, not bothering to look back or keep out of sight. All the harpies charged after me, their eyes baring into my skin. One got too close to me, and I smacked it with my palm. I only managed to make it mad...or madder. I looked back. About twenty more harpies were coming in from behind the first batch. Their scrawny figures silhouetted against the moonlit sky. I kicked off my shoes and ran faster than ever, not bothering to check up on Beckendorf. He can take care of himself.

A cramp erupted in my side and I stumbled over, clutching the aching part of my body. I could hear the blood pumping into my head, my side throbbing searingly. I couldn't run like this. I would've gone father if I hadn't used all of my energy on that stupid luggage of mine. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be in this sticky mess!

I punched and dodged the oncoming harpies, they cawed and wretched and cursed at me and Beckendorf in their horrifyingly high pitched voice. It sounds like someone was hitting a trashbag of cats with a bat, except ten times more, my-brain-will-melt-if-you-don't-SHUT-UP.

I struggled to regain my balance and trudged on, ignoring the searing agony in my side. It felt like I was being driven through with a sword like a cabbob. I snaked to the left, then to the right, zig-zagging towards the field of light red orbs that seemed to light the way to heaven. I glanced back to Beckendorf, who was fighting off a group of snarling and hissing menaces with my shoe. How nice.

I was approaching the strawberry fields, smacking and shaking my head wildly as they clawed at my hair. I heard a few urgent CAW!s from behind me, I suspected Beckendorf decided to be the charming gentleman, AGAIN.

"Sil-SILENA!" Someone yelled from behind me.

I almost reached the front porch steps when the biggest harpy I have ever seen slammed into me, knocking me to the ground in a shower of dirt. I spit out whatever I had just swallowed. Claws found their way to my back, where they scratched at my silky blouse, trying to grasp me from behind. I whimpered and rolled onto my back, kicking the harpy in the stomach, or whatever organ was in its midsection.

"Stupid wretch!" I screamed at the harpy, and it howled in protest as I had a cat fight with it, smacking it every time it tried to move.

"Silena, hold on! Don't let it touch you!" Beckendorf yelled.

"IT? How dare you!" The harpy spoke for the first time in it's air-piercing, ragged voice, like claws on a blackboard.

I smacked it back with a surprise kick and stumbled onto my feet. The harpy glared at me accusingly, and it cawed it's battle cry and threw itself at my sweaty, dirty, panting figure. I ran to the side, but a harpy was waiting, I turned to Big House's porch, but about five were hissing there. I turned again to my right and what did I see? It was Beckendorf, holding a gigantic log about as tall as me, knocking the harpies out of the way with a sickening screech.

"C'mon!" He yelled and grabbed my hand roughly and dragged me along to the Big House.

I tripped and stumbled over strawberry plants, tiny thorns prickling on my bare ankles. We reached the path to the Big House as the harpies gained balance. They charged again but we both leaped onto the steps and into the center of the porch. We both collapsed, panting and gasping for breath. I wiped sweat from my brow and I surveyed the damage. My shirt was torn at the torso and back, several bites and scratches covered my arms and a skinned knee stung like poison.

A harpy swooped down and landed on the edge of a stair,"Chiron shall be informed of this, young demigods."
It screeched and the crowd of harpies took off to their posts, the sound of flapping wings filling in the silent twilight. I turned my stiff neck in Beckendorf's direction before letting my muscles relax completely. I fell on my back with a thud, and curled up, ready for some well deserved sleep.

I closed my eyes slowly. Before everything turned pitch black, Beckendorf's smiling face looked at me with pure content.