In Between Our Lies

7. My Little Demeter Girl

Everyone thinks I'm supposed to be with Katie Gardner. Even the Ares kids – which probably seems hard to believe. Especially the Aphrodite kids. I might even think so, too. But she's perfectly happy with Will Solace. (Do you know how much I hate him?)

The Aphrodite cabin are always gushing about us – we're probably neck-and-neck with "Percabeth." I'm not sure if I like that. Sometimes, when I sleep, I dream of their voices haunting me as I run… "Travis and Katie, so cute!" "Tratie, that's their relationship name, you know." "Come on, just go and sweet her off her feet, dear!" "Will is so much better looking than Travis, but they're just meant to be!"

I like to think I'm the bigger person for not kicking Will's ass. Katie says I still act like a five-year-old. I'm pretty sure I caught her smiling then.

Gods, Katie never just smiles, she glows. Her face lights up the whole sky and you think you're the most important person in the world. When she smiles, life just comes alive. Flowers grow. It's kind of like Snow White in the flesh. Of course, I'm a little biased.

I wonder if Katie knows I like her. Hell, I might even love her. Gods, I'm in deep shit now, 'cause Katie's got Will. And all she ever needed was Will – and not me. Never me. Never good 'ole Travis – 'cause he's the one who ruined your cabin, remember? Remember that, Katie-kat?

I still remember when she first came to camp; all sweet thinking boys still had cooties. You could tell she was a daughter of Demeter right away. She was just . . . so into nature and everything. Those were the days… The days when dating just meant holding hands and all. I kinda miss those days.

Her mom didn't even claim her right away! Do you know how many times I thanked Aphrodite for that? As if a guy like me would ever thank the goddess of love! But I did, about a million times. 'Cause once I got a good look at Katie, I knew. I knew that she was the one. It wasn't even a love-at-first-sight kind of thing. It was just 'she's beautiful, she's amazing' and then I guess I fell in love.

And then – dammit that Katie. She just went and hooked up with that preppy little Will Solace! Didn't I make it clear that I liked her? Not clear enough, I guess. Maybe I should've done what Percy did: grow close to her, be her best friend. That plan usually works more often that not.

Dammit.

I swear on the River Styx that I, Travis Stoll, will get Katie Gardner back. I'll get my Katie-kat back.

Now it's finally official.


I just love these two! I am sooo mean to them, aren't I?