Chapter 2: THALIA

Well that was stupid. "How's your love life?" Ugh. Stupid me. Nico wasn't answering the question. Probably wondering why I asked him that. Wait. Why did I ask him that? I'm a huntress, not an Aphrodite child. I shouldn't be involve with love and those sorts of things. I was busy thinking and making comments about me asking that question when he said

"None. Nothing really happened"

"Wha-?" I forgot what we were talking about.

"My love life. Nothing interesting happened." Nico explained.

"Oh, oh. Yeah." I said "I gotta go now. See you later at dinner!" Then I rushed to Artemis' cabin.

The moon was almost in the sky. I looked at our cabin. It's silver, and it glows at night, even though it looks like a normal cabin at day. I went inside. I saw lots and lots of sculptures, paintings and carvings of animals, especially the stag, since it was Artemis' sacred animal. I went to my bed and closed my eyes.

Maybe I fell asleep, because when I opened my eyes, I heard a trumpet blowing, signaling dinner time. I went out and met my fellow hunters, leading them to the hall. We sat at our table, and ate. They were quite noisy, but I remained quiet. Thinking about Nico… WHAT? Stop it, brain! I'm a huntress. I can't fall in love! I scraped some of my food into the fire, offering to the gods, especially to Artemis, and secretly to Aphrodite.

I continued eating, and secretly looking at Nico at his table. Am I in love? Hopefully not. Please. I don't wanna be in love. I want to be with the hunters! I want to be by the side of Artemis!

I was looking at him, and he looked at me. I turned, hopefully he didn't see that I was looking at him. It was kinda awkward, no, not kinda, very awkward. He didn't see me, right? I spoke to myself.

When dinner was finished, I stood, and went to Zeus' fist. I looked at the stars.

"The stars are beautiful tonight." Someone told me. I looked. It was Nico.

"Yeah."

"But you're more beautiful" he seemed to mumble. I couldn't believe what I was hearing!

"What?" I asked curiously, faking that I didn't hear what he said.

"Nothing" he replied immediately.

He was blushing. So am I. He went to my side, and quietly asked me "If ever you were given a chance to break your oath, with no punishments waiting, will you break it?"

"I-I don't know…"

"If you will, why? What made you, or what will make you break it?" Nico asked again, this time, he was whispering, close to my ear.

Yes, I will. Because I like you. "No. I like being a huntress." I said with a firm look on my face.

My answer surprised him, so he turned away from me and leave my side, without saying anything.

"Where are you going?" I asked

"Away from you." He said, with pain heard from his voice. He didn't turned back to see me, or make eye contact. I was just talking to his back.

"Why? What made you go away?"

"Your answer."

"Why? What about my answer?

"It hurts me." I looked at him. Maybe he can feel that I was staring at his back, because he continued. "I like you. But you rather be a hunter. It hurts me, because the person I like most can't be with me."

I felt the tears in my eyes, ready to go out and trickle on my face. He turned to face me. He smiled, yet there was pain in his eyes. "Don't cry now. It's not in the attitude of a huntress to cry. I'm happy, as long as you're happy." Then he left me there...