*Hey people! Okay, here's chapter 4. And I know the first three chapters have been seriously long, but I'll try (no promises, though) to not go past 2,550 words this time. :) And like I said, I have no idea when this would take place in the books, so just go with it. & Please comment! No flames please, cause I know this story isn't as good as Goodbye. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Rick's. The only thing I own is Rose, who I made up from the top of my head.*
*Chapter 4 - I take dance lessons*
(Days until Olympian Ball: 2)
I had to admit . . . that I will never go to another ball after this one again. Annabeth, after she and the girls got done humiliating me and the other guys, kept me in the Big Hall after dinner for dance lessons.
"Why are we doing this? I know how to dance already," I said.
Annabeth squeezed my arm. "Because, Seaweed Brain. This will help us be better dancers."
"Us?" I asked. "You dance way better then I do."
She blushed at my compliment. "Yeah, well, a little practice wouldn't hurt anyone."
"Alright, campers!" Chiron called. I looked around. It looked as though half the camp were here. Ways away, I saw Grover and Juniper. Grover caught my eye and he mouthed, help!
I shrugged my shoulders. I looked around for Chris and Travis, but I didn't see them in the crowd. I did see, however, Nico standing a few feet away, his shoulders tense and his face white. He didn't want to be here either.
It serves him right for deserting me back at the Aphrodite cabin, I thought smugly. Then I saw the girl that was on his arm, and my jaw dropped.
It was Katie.
Annabeth saw who I was looking at, and she gasped. "Why is Katie here with Nico?"
I don't know," I said. My guess, though, was that Travis decided not to turn up.
Just then a girl with dark brown hair and eyes walked torwards me. She couldn't have been that much older then me.
"Hi," she said once she reached me. "I'm Rose."
"Hi, Rose," Annabeth and I both said.
Rose looked at Annabeth. "Hey, aren't you that crazy chick that had walked around camp earlier with eye liner drawn all over her?"
Annabeth grinned. "Yep, that was me."
"Oh," Rose said, looking back and forth between me and Annabeth. "So . . . you guys are going to the ball together then, huh?"
Annabeth looped her arm through mine and beamed. "Yes, we are. Sorry if you were about to come over and ask him."
Rose sighed. "It's cool. I figured I'd try anyways."
Annabeth grinned again. She and Rose seemed to get along really well, and I couldn't blame her. Rose was actually really cool to have around.
"Hey, you'll be asked," Annabeth said confidently. "I bet tons of guys here are begging for you to go with them."
Rose smiled. "Thanks. Maybe. I am only thirteen, though. See you guys later!"
"See ya," we called as Rose sped off.
"I like her. She'd seem like a fun friend to hang out with," Annabeth said as we faced Chiron again.
"All right, campers! Now I need the boys to your face your partners," Chiron said. All of the boys turned towards their partner.
"How are we supposed to dance if the tables are in the way?" Annabeth whispered to me.
No sooner had she said that the tables flew across the room and landed in a neat stack by the wall.
"Like that, I guess," I mumbled.
"Take your partner's hand, and put the other on her waist. Now, start dancing! I'll be walking around to check on your progress," Chiron said. I hoped with all my heart he wouldn't play any of his records, but when the music played, it was a normal dancing song, not anything from the 70's.
Annabeth and I danced slowly, twirling around in a circle. Unfortunately, Chiron noticed and came over.
"You need to step up a little! Dance faster. And move closer. You're not going to dance so far apart like that." He put us so close together our torsos touched.
Chiron nodded and went to help another couple who were kicking each other in the shins.
Grover, who was watching, smirked at me. I shot him a look, and tried to speed up. I noticed that Chiron was right. Close together, we danced better.
We twirled around the room. Some people had stopped to actually watch us. I was glad I didn't kick Annabeth or have sweaty palms. Annabeth leaped into my arms, and I twirled her around. People applauded.
Blushing, I put her down and saw that everyone had made a circle around us.
"Excellent, you two!" Chiron said. "Back to it, campers!"
It was a few minutes after an hour when it was finally over. "Well done!" Chiron said. "Alright everyone, that's enough for tonight. It will continue, same time tomorrow. Now, off to bed!"
Exausted, we headed off for bed. As we left the Big Hall, I saw Travis nearby, looking stone-faced.
"Katie, can we have a minute?" he asked once Katie emerged. Her arm was looped through Nico's, and she was laughing about something. She stared at Travis for a moment, then sighed.
"Fine. I'll see you later, Nico."
"Okay," Nico said, and left for his cabin. He looked relieved.
Once he was gone, Katie rounded on Travis. "Where were you tonight, Travis? I asked you to come to the dancing lesson with me, but you just bailed! You left right after dinner!"
Travis raised his hands. "Katie, look. I-" He stopped short when he saw me and Annabeth standing there. "Can we talk in private?" he asked Katie.
She fumed for a moment, then said, "fine. But you'd better have a good excuse, or you're going to have to find another date to the ball."
Travis nodded grimly and led her away. I turned to Annabeth. "So, umm . . ."
"Good dancing tonight, Seaweed Brain," she said.
I smiled. "Thanks. You were good too."
We stood there for a few moments in awkward silence.
"Well, I'd better be heading off to bed, then," she finally said.
"Yeah. Uh, goodnight then, Wise Girl."
"Goodnight," she said, then suprised me by kissing me on the cheek before leaving for her cabin.
"Did she just kiss you?" Grover asked quickly, rushing up to me and dragging Juniper by the hand.
I rolled my eyes. "No, dude. Your little bet is still on. She kissed my cheek."
"Aww, man," Grover muttered. "Hey, do me a favor, would you? Kiss her at the ball."
"Grover!" Juniper scolded. "He will kiss her when he's ready."
"And if I don't kiss her?" I said.
Both Grover and Juniper glared at me. "You'd better kiss her!" Juniper said sternly. "She's been-" She stopped short and bit her lip.
"She's been what?" I asked curiously.
Juniper shook her head. "Nothing. Anyways, goodnight!" she said quickly. She kissed Grover and sped off.
I turned to Grover. "What was that about?"
Grover shrugged. "I have no idea. Girls always keep each other's secrets. It's like, some kind of rule they have. 'Keep my secrets or I'll tell yours to everyone.'"
"Wow," I said.
Grover nodded in agreement and we left for our beds. I couldn't sleep for a long time that night. For some reason, after Grover had asked if I'd kissed Annabeth, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I wanted to kiss her.
*I know this one's short, but I didn't want to make it over 3,000 words like the last chapter. Sorry about that, by the way. I'll try to keep the chapters even, not too short and not too long. Well, except for chapter 6. It's the chapter with the Ball, so it's going to be kind of long. Anyways, ttfn!*
