Hey, guys! This is my second fanfiction. Yay! So, anyway, this is set before Silena died, and how she and Clarisse became close buddies. Happy Reading!

Clarisse La Rue looked at herself in the mirror. She had dark brown eyes and stringy brown hair. She had a tall, muscular build that was actually…masculine.

"Gah!" she growled, and threw herself on her bed.

"What's wrong, little sister?" her half-brother Sherman asked. "Feeling scared of your face?"

Clarisse glared at him. "In case you have forgotten, I'm three months older than you," she snapped.

"But you're just shrimpy, huh?" Sherman taunted. "In case you have forgotten, I'm four inches taller than you."

Clarisse reached for her electric spear and pointed it a few inches from his chest. "If you don't shut up, this is going to rip through your ribcage."

"What? You mean Lamer?"

"It's Maimer, o dear stupid brother of mine," she growled. "And I am not scared of using it." To prove her point, she grazed him lightly on the arm, but it still left a nasty-looking slash.

Sherman didn't really react. Ares kids were used to minor injuries like that. Still, he decided to drop it. "See ya, little sis." Then he left.

Clarisse dropped her spear next to her in bed and stared at the ceiling of the Ares cabin. There were some lethal swords hanging there in rusty chains, and they could fall on someone. But they hadn't...for this year.

"Clarisse?" Silena Beauregard said, peering in their cabin. "Mind if I come in?"

"Sure," Clarisse sighed. She didn't really have anything to do with the head counselor of the Aphrodite cabin, but then she didn't really think of her as a weakling, either. Silena wasn't as wimpy as her other siblings, at least.

Silena gingerly pushed the door open and sat near the edge of Clarisse's bed. She raised her eyes nervously to the spiked club dangling a few feet from her head. "You sure those are safe?" she asked.

Clarisse shrugged and popped a stick of gum in her mouth. "Want some?" she said, offering the pack of gum to Silena.

"No thanks," Silena said. She looked at Clarisse's face. "You seem tired."

Clarisse yawned, as if on cue. "Yeah, I guess I feel preoccupied lately. I couldn't even sleep. It's like something's nagging me in the back of my head."

"A certain boy, maybe? Or perhaps a certain son of Hermes?" Silena prodded gently. She knew that she could be skewered by saying things like this to a daughter of Ares, but she couldn't resist when love is lurking in the depths.

Clarisse literally choked on her gum. "You mean the Stolls?" she said, a tinge of red touching her face. "Ew. As far as I'm concerned, those two have mental issues, and in fact—"

"I mean Chris Rodriguez," Silena said, pushing her luck a bit further, because Clarisse didn't look like she wanted to decapitate her.

Clarisse turned her gaze away. "He isn't really a son of Hermes, you know," she muttered. "He's still undetermined."

"Don't change the subject. You've been thinking of him."

"What's your point of coming here anyway, Silena?"

Silena looked somewhat hurt. "I'm just trying to help. I mean, the guy is seriously head-over-heels in love with you."

"You're overdramatizing."

"I'm still a daughter of Aphrodite, thank you very much."

Clarisse decided that maybe this conversation wasn't really worthless. "You really think…you think he likes me?" She was glad that her siblings weren't in the room at the moment, or else she'd never hear the end of it.

Silena smiled. She finally hooked Clarisse in the idea. "I don't think so, I know so. I mean, come on, Clarisse. You pretty much nursed him to health when he went nuts in the Labyrinth. And I saw you guys holding hands once."

"Um, what?"

"Don't try to deny it. Anyway, I really want you to be happy. And you seem to be at your happiest when Chris is around you."

Clarisse looked at Silena's eyes and was surprised to find true concern and determination there. Okay, so the daughter of Aphrodite sincerely wants to help me. "Okay. Maybe I like him," Clarisse admitted. Then she looked at the door nervously. The coast is clear. She went on rambling. "I mean, he's cute. He's sweet. And he's the only guy who doesn't make me look fatter by comparison."

Silena raised her eyebrows at her. "He isn't fat."

"But I am, huh?"

"You're not fat, either," Silena promised. "You're just…muscular, I guess." She leaned over to Clarisse. "Don't tell my sisters," she confided, "but I think being big-bodied looks better for a girl than the skinny, bone-thin figure. I think that the supermodels look anorexic."

"I think they really are."

"My point is, if you want Chris to notice you, and face it, get attracted to you, you can't just sit and wait. You need to do something about it, you know?"

"But how?" Clarisse half-asked, half-moaned. "Every time I look at him, I think he expects me to hit him. Or at least make him bleed a little."

"Maybe you need to work on actually accepting yourself," Silena pointed out. "I mean, if you hate the way you are, then how will anybody like you?"

"Who said I hate the way I am?" Clarisse snapped. "I'm perfectly fine with my very loud, obnoxious exterior and…"

Silena sighed and steered Clarisse to the mirror. "What do you see, Clarisse?"

Clarisse looked at herself again. "Well, I see really broad shoulders and ugly, hairy legs…"

"I mean the pros. The good parts of yourself." She pulled Clarisse's hair back. "Look at your face shape. It's nice, right? Kind of oval? Trust me, I'd kill for an oval-shaped face. In case you haven't noticed, my face is a perfect square, and I absolutely hate it. And you have nice brown eyes. They actually look a tiny bit like mine, except my eyes are a bit darker. Oh, look at those lips! They're what models want nowadays. Bow-shaped lips. Mm-hmm! Wouldn't Chris just love those lips if you put the right amount of lip gloss?"

Clarisse frowned at glanced at Silena. "How in Hades is your face square?"

Silena rolled her eyes. "It has flat corners. But anyway, in case you haven't noticed, there's nothing wrong with you. You're pretty, even."

"Yeah. But how will Chris notice me?" she moaned.

Silena smiled. "Truly to get his attention, eh? Well, come with me." She took Clarisse's arm and pulled her out of the Ares cabin. Along the way, they passed Sherman.

"Not a word," she said, waving her fist at him as Silena dragged her to the Aphrodite cabin.

Thankfully, the Aphrodite cabin was empty that day. Silena pulled her to the bathroom. Clarisse's nose was immediately attacked by a vanilla-scented perfume. It smelled revolting.

Silena looked at her and chuckled. "I know, the smell is pretty strong, isn't it?" She locked the door and closed the toilet. "Sit," she commanded.

Clarisse obediently sat. Silena walked to their medicine cabinet and took out a bunch of cosmetic products.

"Oh, no," Clarisse said, backing away. "I am NOT letting those touch my face."

Silena pouted. "Not the heavy stuff, I swear," she said. She took out some black mascara and plain tinted lip gloss. "Close your eyes."

After Clarisse's makeup session (which didn't take much time, thanks to Silena's super fingers) they decided to move on with the outfit.

"Here, put this on," Silena said, tossing her a top and pants.

"Now, are you ready to see yourself?" Silena asked, blocking the mirror. Clarisse nodded, somewhat nervously. Silena grinned and stepped away.

For a moment, Clarisse didn't say anything. Then she choked out a thin, "Whoa."

Clarisse looked surprisingly petite in a dark blue tank top, and her muscles looked natural. The jeans were well-fitted, and they felt comfortable, too. The black mascara really made her eyes pop, and they kind of sparkled. Her lips looked perfectly colored. Even her hair looked prettier. It was still choppy and uneven, but then they were pinned up with a few plain and not too flashy barrettes.

"What do you think?" Silena asked, shoving the makeup and stuff in the medicine cabinet.

For a moment, Clarisse was speechless, but then she did something that surprised both of them—she gave Silena a hug. "Uh, well," she mumbled. She really wasn't used to saying thanks.

Silena patted her back. "No problem. Now, go get him, tiger!"

Clarisse walked with Silena to the Hermes cabin, where Chris usually was.

"So, see ya," Silena said.

"Wait, Silena, don't leave me," Clarisse begged. Silena giggled. "Don't worry, you'll do just fine." She opened the door and gave Clarisse a little push. "Go on."

Too late to back out now. She took a deep breath and walked over to Chris, who was sitting near the window.

Chris looked at her and smiled. "Hi, Clarisse. What's up?" she asked.

Clarisse swallowed with great difficulty. The sunlight from the window was reflecting on his shiny dark hair, and his dark eyes sparkled.

Chris took that silence to give her a once-over. He let out a low whistle. "Wow, uh, you look great today," he said.

Clarisse let out a deep breath. "Um, thanks," she squeaked. It seemed easier to say to Chris. "You don't look so bad yourself." Ugh. She wanted to kill herself. What the heck was that?

Chris looked at her in disbelief, but then it seemed like the good kind. "Thanks," he said weirdly. They both stood there (well, actually, Chris was sitting) awkwardly.

Clarisse cleared her throat. "I have something to say to you."

Chris raised an eyebrow expectantly. "Yeah?"

Clarisse looked at her shoes. She didn't know whether to go with the direct approach, or what? "I kind of like this guy…and I was hoping you'll help me get his attention."

Her gaze briefly flickered to his face. He kind of looked like he was disappointed, or did she imagine it? She probably did because it was replaced by a friendly smile. "Sure. Who is he?"

She swallowed again. This isn't going the way she planned.

"And while we're at it, I kind of like this girl, too," Chris whispered.

Clarisse felt like the world was crashing to her shoulders, but she managed a weak smile. "Care to share?" she asked softly.

Chris shook his head. "Nuh-uh. You asked for help first. At least give a hint."

Clarisse was getting annoyed. "Yeah? Well, here's my hint. Maybe I like an unavailable guy."

Chris looked at her in confusion. "If he's unavailable, then why are you asking me to help you get him?"

Clarisse bit her lip. "I didn't know that he wasn't available," she mumbled. "I just found out."

It dawned to Chris slowly. A bunch of emotions passed his face. First he looked confused. Then he looked amazed. And then a smile started creeping to his face.

"So, that's your hint about the guy you like?" Chris asked. Clarisse felt defeated, almost like how she feels every time she can't kill a monster, but she nodded unenthusiastically. "I guess. Now you give a hint." She was pretty sure she didn't want to know.

Chris scrutinized her and stepped forward hesitantly. Then he pulled her into a hug.

He smiled at her bewildered face. "My hint? I just gave her a hug."

Clarisse looked at him wide-eyed. Then she cracked a smile. "No. Really?"

He inched forward and looked her straight in the eye seriously. "Will you run me through Maimer if I try to kiss you?" he asked nervously.

Clarisse smiled. He was the first to not call her spear Lamer in a long time. "We'll see," she said, and closed the gap between them.

Just then, they heard someone clear his throat. Make that two someones.

"About time," Travis Stoll said with a smirk. He turned to Chris. "I always knew you liked her, bro."

"No kidding," Connor said. "It's always, 'Clarisse is pretty cute, isn't she?' or some other lie."

Clarisse looked at Chris. "Seriously?"

Chris's face was purple with embarrassment. "I'm gonna kill you, guys."

"That makes two of us," Clarisse added. She frowned at the two brothers. "How'd you get here, anyway?"

A giggle came from the doorway. "Sorry, Clarisse. I just couldn't resist." Silena was beaming at Chris and Clarisse.

Chris groaned. "You two are so dead," he growled. Travis and Connor looked at each other and made a run for it, with Chris at their heels.

Silena grinned at Clarisse. "So, did the mighty daughter of Ares finally meet her match?"

Clarisse shook her head and smiled. "You have no idea."

So, how was it? You think it's corny? Sweet? Please review, people!