a/n: Sorry about that last chapter. I didn't know you weren't allowed to just have an authors note...=0 Oopsies! Again. My bad. Oh and this story probably isn't going to be very long. I mean, it won't be, like, 30 chapters. Just a warning. ;)
What the crap was I doing? Was I seriously just walking away from my brother and a totally hot guy after I hadn't seen him in years? Yes, I thought to myself. I really am. I guess stuff like that s all a cycle. When they leave, you hate them for just disappearing. Then, after a while, you're just plain sad. And then when they show up you get mad at them again.
The walk home was not a fun one. It was around 6:30 in the afternoon, so the sky was getting darker and darker by every passing moment, at least, that's what it seemed like. Of course, my mood wasn't much better. I scowled at everyone and kicked a couple of rocks and little actions of angst. Although, to be perfectly honest, my face never looked really mad. If I tried, I just looked really depressed, which leads to a bunch of, "are you okay?" questions, which aren't very welcome when you feel like you're about to bite someone's head off. Which isn't a good thing, obviously.
Inevitably, I had to pass the park to get home, and some kid was out looking for a rubber ball.
"'Scuse me, ma'am," the little girl said as sweetly as possible. She was really cute, with dark hair, pale skin, and navy blue eyes. "Have you seen my ball?"
I shook my head. "Sorry sweetie, I haven't."
Her face fell. Then it cheered up "Will you help me find it?"
What was I supposed to do?
Ten minutes later I was crawling around on the park floor looking for this little girls ball. And you know the saying, "God made dirt so dirt don't hurt?" Has god ever had it shoved up his nose? No, I didn't think so.
Although I did learn a lot about the little girl. Her name was Kylie, she was seven, she liked peanut butter, and she thought I was pretty. What can I say? The girl had good taste.
Another two minutes later I found the red rubber ball, neatly wedged in between the roots of a gigantic tree. "Kylie?" I asked, pulling at it. "I found it."
That's when I noticed the familiar face sitting on a bench on the other side of that very tree. Josh.
I couldn't help but eavesdrop. I mean, come on! This guy knew more about my long lost brother than I did, he had been through some sort of war, and that's about all I knew. Can you blame me for wanting to know more? The fact that he looked very cute. And sad, which was understandable.
He was talking into this holographic type thing coming out of a rainbow from a waterfall. "She's mad."
"Mad?" The voice came from the hologram. It was something like a webcam. It was at an angle that I couldn't see the person on the other side. They sounded like a guy in his middle ages.
"Really mad." He shook his head. "They had a shouting match and then she just left. So much for the plan." He sighed heavily.
"Don't you have a plan b?" asked a girl.
Josh laughed a little. "You know me. I always have a plan b."
"You don't usually have to resort to them."
He shrugged.
The guy spoke again. "Well, you have to get this sister of his to forgive him. He refuses to attend camp and train anymore without saying sorry, and I doubt their last meeting would qualify in his book."
Josh shook his head. "Okay, I'll try, but I doubt she will listen. She, uh, is a little stubborn."
"Figures," said the girl. I could practically hear the eye roll in her voice. "Knowing Oliver, she probably is as hard to move as a mountain."
"She's not that bad," Josh said, his face smiling. I blushed. "Maybe a boulder the size of a house, but not a mountain."
"I don't get why we even need Oscar," said a third voice.
"Oliver," the first male voice corrected.
"Whatever," said the third. "The boy is one of hundreds. We have a small army around here as it is. Why do we even need him?"
Josh relaxed even more, and I knew he was angry. I had seen that at school. Any minute know Josh would loose his cool and attack the third voice verbally. Surprisingly, he kept his cool, which was more than could be said for the teachers. "Oliver is a strong demi-god. And he saved tons of other kids in the war against the Titan's."
"Well, then I suggest you get this Tasha girl to accept his apology."
"I recommend a guilt trip," said the girl.
"Well, thanks Ashlee," said Josh, shaking his head.
"No problem."
"Come, Mr. D. I propose a game of pinochle," said the second voice.
Mr. D. agreed. "Chiron, I believe today is the day I will beat you, old horse."
"Good luck," said Ashlee quietly while the two men went to do their game. I had no idea what pinochle was, but I think it was a card game. Those guys were probably pretty old. I wonder if my mom knew what pinochle was.
"See you later, 'sis." Josh slashed the hologram with his hand, and the image disappeared when the rainbow was shattered.
I stood up slowly from my hiding spot. "Sis?"
Josh turned around, his sword pointed at my throat again.
Before he realized it was me and lowered his blade, I took a deep breath and stepped forward into it. The incredibly sharp tip passed through my neck like a magic trick at a Vegas casino. "What is going on?" I asked, now face to face with him, that blade of his still passed through my body as I just stood there.
And then he explained everything.