Chapter 2: Stores & Beaches
Phoebe's POV
After I went back to Camp, I went to Artemis' cabin and a bunch of Huntresses asked me if I was okay. I insisted that I was fine and went to bed. The next day, I was bored, so I went to the Camp store to look at some things. I saw a collector's T-shirt, but didn't have money for it. I saw Connor in the corner whispering about something with Travis. I smiled at Connor, and he smiled back. Then I went back to window-shopping before I eventually went to the lake. It's always had a pretty view. Travis and Connor are sneaking up on that girl Katie with a fake shark fin. Now the lake has an even better view of Connor shirtless.
"Hey, Phoebe." Zoë waved her hand in front of my face again.
"Hmmm?" I must be turning red.
"Will you go on the quest to save Lady Artemis and Annabeth with me?" Zoë asked.
"Of course." I answered.
"But you'll have to be more focused than you have been since dinner yesterday." Zoë teased.
I turned beet red. Zoë looked confused.
"Why have you been so unfocused lately? And every time I get your attention you turn red..." Zoë's eyes suddenly grew wide. "Phoebe, are you in love?" She asked.
I turned redder. Zoë looked surprised.
"I remember the signs because of Hercules... And the way Artemis and Perseus were... I can't believe I didn't notice the look in your eyes yesterday. Is it Connor? Travis has been too mean, and I don't think you're a lesbian, so it can't be Katie, and those three were around everytime you got distracted..." Zoë tried to figure it all out.
"Yes, it's Connor. But for all we know, it's just that we've been separated from men so long, our natural female hormones kicked in, and it's not really love." I tried.
But I know that's not true. I love him.
"I will not tell on you Phoebe. You are one of my closest friends, and you haven't done anything about your feelings. It's okay, just be careful." Zoë warned.
"Yes, Zoë." I hung my head in shame.
Zoë patted my arm reassuringly. This sucks.
"Hey Phoebe!" Connor called.
I felt nervous, and Zoë didn't make it better by using her sad smile and walking away.
"Hi Connor." I said as he came up to me.
"I didn't mention my name yesterday." Connor laughed.
"You have a reputation, and besides, Thalia was with me when you apologized for Travis yesterday." I teased.
"Oh, right." Connor looked nervous.
"Do you want to go swimming with me?" He asked.
"I don't have a suit." I blushed.
"Well, there are two options then. One, I steal one from the Camp store, or two, you could borrow one from the Aphrodite cabin. They always have spare ones." Connor smiled.
"I don't want you to steal one, but... I have problems with the Aphrodite cabin." I said.
"Then I won't steal one. And it's not as bad as it sounds to borrow from the Aphrodite cabin. I borrowed one from Mitchell once, but girls should borrow them from Silena Beauregard." Connor suggested.
"Why Silena?" I asked.
"Because she's the nicest, least selfish one. Plus, her wardrobe has other colors besides pink." Connor grinned.
"I guess I should go see Silena then." I agreed.
So I headed off to the Aphrodite cabin. I recognized Silena immediately, I remember that she was here one of the times the Huntresses 'visited'.
"Silena?" I asked gently.
"Aren't you Phoebe?" Silena asked.
"Yes." I said.
"Beefcake." Drew coughed.
Silena smacked her with a yard stick.
"Ow! What the hell?!" Drew whined.
"I told you I'd go Catholic nun on you of you were mean again." Silena grinned.
I like her.
"I need your help with something." I admitted.
"Okay." Silena responded.
Then she walked us out behind her cabin.
"Connor, right?" She asked.
"What?!" I got nervous.
"I'm not stupid. I can tell how much you like each other. Take this swimsuit, it's a full, and it's silver, so it'll go good with you." She smiled.
"Okay. Thanks...?" I said.
"None necessary." Silena said and walked back to where she was.
After If put the swim suit on, I walked back to the lake and saw Connor waiting.
"So how'd it go?" He asked.
"Not as badly as expected." I smiled.
"Then lets go!" Connor yelled and tackled me into the water.
I floated back up and he was grinning a mischievous grin.
"I could kill you for that and Chiron wouldn't care." I threatened with a smile.
"And I could easily escape thanks to years of being a Hermes camper." Connor countered.
"Fair enough." I said.
Then I went under so he couldn't see me. He looked around for a couple of seconds before I popped up behind him and pushed him down as if I were going to drown him, even though I wasn't.
"Phoebe! You can't drown my campers, even if they are mischievous boys!" Chiron shouted.
I released Connor and he came up grinning.
"She wasn't really trying to drown me, she was simply testing my defensive skills against an unseen enemy. We're making an effort to get along because that's what you asked us to do, right?" Connor partially lied. "And by the way Phoebe, you should know that almost no one can sneak up on me that easily, so that was impressive." He grinned.
"Right." Chiron agreed with confusion.
"Thanks." I blushed and sunk down like a hippopotamus.
Chiron still looked confused, but he clopped away. When I came back up, Dionysus was shooting an amused grin at me.
"What?" I questioned him.
"Oh nothing lovebird." Dionysus laughed and walked away.
Connor looked confused by Dionysus' statement, but he didn't say anything. If I'm that transparent to Thalia, Zoë, and Dionysus, how will Artemis react? Hopefully, I'll have better luck hiding it from my mother figure (Artemis).
