Suddenly the taste of ice cream is bitter in my mouth. Rachel. Gods, she was literally everywhere!
"Yeah." Percy says sheepishly, running a hand through his dark hair. "We just snuck out of camp for a while.
"Percy, it's really late." Rachel grins.
"Well, what are you doing down here?"
She shrugs, eyeing her tattered jeans. She pulls out a marker and doodles a flower on her already paint splattered palm. "The moon looked beautiful tonight? My father signed a contract to pull down a forest today."
"Oh." I say, feeling sympathetic. Rachel has a bit of family problems, and she hates her father for kind of helping destroying Pan. I can relate to the family thing.
Then she brightens. "So, you two getting ice cream? "
"Yeah. Care to join us?" Percy smiles that sarcastic smile that I always hated,but loved. Rachel pulls out a couple of dollars. "Sure."
"Wise Girl, you mind getting the ice cream?"
He wants to be alone with Rachel Dare.
"Yeah." I mutter, heading away. Rachel calls out her flavor behind me. I skim the roof tiles, hop down the stairs.
I look at the beautiful, twinkling stars. The perfect night for Rachel Dare to ruin.
The bells tinkle as I brush in.
I tell the bored looking waitress what I want. She sets them in front of me, I give her the money, she gives me the change.
Oops. I didn't quite get what Rachel wanted.
As I hop up on the roof again, I spy them talking, quietly. Occasionally a laugh bubbles up from Percy or Rachel. They talk away, away under the perfect night sky. Rachel claps her hands at something Percy says, and giggles.
I watch them for moments, my feet clamped to the rooftop. I watch Rachel poke Percy and run a hand through his hair. Percy watches Rachel intently.
I force my feet in their direction and set the cups of ice cream down.
Percy's eyes twinkle briefly in my direction.
I can't believe I was jealous of this frizzy, red haired girl with the tattered jeans and doodled arms. I can't believe I was jealous of her for having this goofy, dark haired, green eyed boy called Seaweed Brain.
Which meant I liked Percy Jackson.
I accept this realization. I love him, more like. He was a goofy troublemaker I gradually loved throughout the years.
And I've had a crush on him since twelve.
I love Percy Jackson.
I leave them to their ice cream, I eat my own in the other direction. I wish, briefly I was in Seaweed Brain's arms right now, talking and licking ice cream. I head down the roof to dispose of my ice cream cup. The blonde haired waitress behind the counter holds a cell phone and giggles.
"I know, Luke."
Wait. What?
I back away, quietly, breath caught in my throat. We shouldn't have sneaked out of camp. What in the Hades was I thinking? Luke. Or maybe-
The waitress slams down her phone, looking pleased with herself. She spots me almost immediately. Her eyes narrow into snakelike slits. "I should have killed you just now."
And she charges at me.
A/N: They're fifteen in this story, and they're not a couple yet. As always: I grovel at the feet of Skye222
