First I want to apologize profusely for the really really late update. I was busy and my father got really sick and I had the biggest author block anybody could ever have. I also want to thank everyone who reviewed, Meepmeep123, Hermes' little girl and Juli Beawr, thank you so much for the great reviews, they made me smile and I'm blessed to have great reviewers. Also thanks for all the followers and favorites, I'm really happy that you like the story so far. Enough of this boring talk, onto the story.
Here is the seventh chapter, enjoy!
Grace
I woke up to the sound of rustling from my window, glancing at the clock; I realized that I've slept seven hours. Groaning, I pushed myself out of bed and went to the bathroom. It didn't take a while before all what happened today came flowing back into my mind. I felt myself frown when I get to the part of Remus being dragged out. It's not like I care about him, I don't really. It's just, I'm concerned maybe? He's my step-brother after all, and if he's hurt or something, maybe my father won't let me get back to camp anytime soon.
Well maybe I'm not concerned about this.
My stomach suddenly grumbled and I realized I've skipped dinner. I smirked to myself as I went to my closet and I grabbed the locked suitcase in the bottom. For some reason, my father refuses having any ambrosia or nectar in the house. His excuse is something along the lines of "Your sister or brother-could-get-hold-of-them-and-may-swallow-them-accidently."
Load of stupid talk, but that's the main reason to why I keep them stashed under my clothes, locked in a small suitcase. I quickly break a really small square and I popped it into my mouth. I felt the taste of the caramel sundae melt into my mouth and I instantly felt energy flow through me. I took a small sip from my thermos and I locked the suitcase again and placed it back in its place. As I closed the closed one side of my wardrobe, something caught my eye.
The Rainbow maker that Jake Mason and Leo Valdez presented me was still wrapped in the box it was presented in. The few times I talked to my sisters ever since I came here, was on the phone, or on Skype. The later was only used once since Chiron cut their connections and sentenced them to two days of extra chores since using the internet at camp is against the rules. I never used it simply because, first, my father will go ballistic on me saying that the precious should be spent with my real family yadda yadda. And second because I have no idea how to work it.
I decided to try anyways; I'm bored stiff here and extremely pissed off because of what happened today and talking to someone who actually knows me well is going to make me feel at least a little bit better.
I slowly pull it out of the box really carefully. I took one look at it and I was in awe. It was beautiful. I was right to pull it out carefully for it was made entirely out of crystal. It had a shiny crystal surface that was shaped into a heart and placed on that surface was what appeared to be a fountain. All of that was placed in a case filled with mirrors. With the maker out, I saw a CD with a note on it written in barely decipherable hand-writing saying; Play before usage.
I smiled to myself as I placed the CD in the stereo. A CD is a much better deal than writing a note which would take hours if I attempt to read it on my own.
"Dear Princess Barbie"
It started and I groaned at that. Leo has this delightful theory that suggests that I'm a reincarnation of Barbie. He knows that Barbie doesn't exist off course; but he just likes to tick me off.
"If you're listing to this, it's either two things. You're really missing my voice or you want to know how the maker works. If it's the former, then please call me at my number, you'll find it engraved on the box from the inside."
I out-right laughed at this. Leo is hopeless when he comes to girls. But I know that this is an act. I know Leo was never interested in any of those girls he chased around. The only girl that really caught his attention was Thalia, Jason's sister, who threatened to castrate him if he as much as blinked in her direction again. I heard a small shout and I realized it was coming from the CD. And before I know it, it was Jake Mason Talking.
"Sorry about that, Leo is still wrapped in his pathetic non-existent love-life with half of the girls at camp. So if it's the later, and you decided it was time to enlighten us by your presence than listen and listen carefully. To start it all up, really carefully remove the glass case and insert water at the opening of the fountain. After you're done, close it again and press open. You'll find the open button on the surface of the maker. Then carefully place the maker underneath a lamp or the sun or a source of light if it's dark outside. If you did all the previous steps correctly, a rainbow will form. To create an iris-message, drop the golden drachma into the tube on the top of the maker. Say your words and we hope to hear from you as soon as it works. We all miss you here. Yeah especially me Princess!"
Leo said in the background after Jake finished his little speech and I laughed again. I closed the stereo and I took out the CD and I placed it in one of me jewelry boxes. The one I use for things I treasure because of the memories they bring.
I followed his steps and thankfully I got them right on my first try. It's not because they are hard, demigods just can't seem to follow steps, especially if they are in some kind of order.
I pressed open and I closed my eyes after dropping a golden drachma through the tube.
" Oh Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering." I chanted under my breath, than I added, " Alyssa Rose, Camp half-blood, New York"
The Rainbow shimmered and I suddenly was taken back that the screen wasn't inside, it floated outside the case into the air like a projector. I have to remember to kiss Leo for that.
An Image was formed and my favorite blond sister came into view.
"Alyssa!"
She dropped what she was doing and looked right at me.
"Whoa Grace! What the - I thought - I thought your father decided to take on the mean father role and he prohibited you from calling us via IM."
"Prohibited? Wow Alyssa what happened to I-will-only-use-the-words-I-can-spell pledge?" I asked her smirking. "Well blame it on Maria and her obsession with
Scrabble. She had me dictate her 6 whole pages from the dictionary yesterday; her damn-charm-speaking ability is really kicking in. I spent three whole precious hours doing that, Hell I swear if someone with a book comes anywhere near me again, I'll punch him into next Thursday!"
I chuckled to myself. Being able to charm-speak is one of the very amazing blessings our mother can give us. So far, there has been only three charm-speakers in our cabin, Piper Mclean, Drew Valentine and the youngest member of our cabin, Maria Crystal. Its true Piper and Maria don't use it for selfish reasons, but they will use it if they really want something done. And Maria being only nine seems to like making people older than her serve her. Fortunately for me, I'm not affected by charm-speak. I have no idea why, but we deduced that there has to be some kind of opposite to Charm speak. But long story short, Maria, Piper and Drew have a hard time convincing me to do anything.
"So, how are you? How are you doing in the hell-hole you were dragged into?"
I rolled my eyes but I smiled at her. "Well my dear Alyssa, everything is just peachy. Just the usual non-stop rain, not one ray of sunshine, stupid step-brothers and hotties who stare at you like you're gods' gift on earth in a freaky way. Just the perfect welcome I could get in La Push.
But Alyssa wasn't listening, I lost her the moment I said "hotties who stare at you."
"Whoa let's call a timeout on the clock, did you just say hotties who stare at you?"
But before I could answer her, I heard another person speaking. "Who mentioned the H word and I'm not in the conversation?"
I rolled my eyes but I smiled widely, in less than two seconds we were joined by another one of my favorite sisters. Adrianna Elise.
"Gracie! Damn it Poise, why the hell didn't you tell me she's here, like on IM?"
"Maybe because she just started the conversation five seconds ago, dim wit!"
"Dim-wit? Wow nice use of vocabulary-"
"Guys! I'm the one stuck in a hell-hole! Pay some attention for the gods' sake!"
"Righty Gracie, now rewinding, I want to know who the hotties are" She sat there looking as excited as a kid on Christmas morning and I groaned inwardly. I'm so not in the mood of talking to Adrianna of all people about Embry- I mean about the guys.
I said snap out of it Grace!
"Gracie, I'm waiting!"
Adrianna said in a sing-song voice and I glared at her. She smiled innocently and I rolled my eyes.
"He just a guy, I mean guys. They were at school with me"
"Really Grace? And here I thought that you snuck into a bar and met some dude with piercings in every visible body part, and quite possibly not so visible, named Snake who blew your mind away…We know it's a guy from school Sherlock, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!"
I momentarily laughed. Adrianna could be extremely sarcastic at times, especially when she's pissed off. I shook my head smiling but I decided to tell her everything before she sends some kind of monster to hunt me down.
After I finished, Alyssa was narrowing her eyes looking thoughtful while Adrianna stared into space. Finally, Adrianna broke the silence.
"So let me see if I'm catching what you're throwing. Indian Hottie steps out into the cafeteria, rocks your world, looks into your eyes and keeps looking on and makes you fall head over heels. Am I getting the gist of it here?"
I rolled my eyes at her. I never knew where the hell she got her way of speaking. "Yeah, pretty much Addie, except the last part. I did not fall for him."
"Yet…"
Alyssa said smirking at me and I glared at her. While Adrianna just looked at me rolling her eyes in disbelief "Look Gracie, I maybe a blonde but I know in my heart that God just got it wrong and it was too late to change it once He noticed. So I'm not an idiot and you can't accuse me of being a dumbass. And because I'm not an idiot, I can see with my naked eyes how in awe you were when you were talking about him just now."
"I was not in awe-" "Oh yes you were, we're the ones seeing you Sherlock"
"Seriously, quit the act, you like him don't you?"
I shook my head rapidly. I do NOT like him. I can't like him anyways. Even if I want to, and I don't…Do I?"
Grace, if you don't keep you're trap and mind shut I will injure you…
I have no idea how my mind can injure me but I remained quiet.
"Well, have you finished you're meditating session and are we allowed to converse again?"
I rolled my eyes again. "I was not in a meditating session idiot"
"I'm sorry, excuse my unfamiliarity of the situation, I meant, have you finished the staring contest you were having with the ceiling?"
I smiled at her sarcastically; she drove me crazy at times. This is one of those times.
"Look, I don't know what I'm feeling. I honestly can't like him; I don't fall for guys, even if the said one is extremely gorgeous; guys are just toys, remember? Another thing is that I just met the said guy less than 10 hours ago."
Adrianna looked at me narrowing her eyes in thoughtfulness. "When you say gorgeous," Adrianna started, "are we talking Brad Pitt boyish good looks, or Johnny Depp make ya want to slap somebody?" "No, we're talking Brad and Johnny need to bow down and recognize"
I replied without losing a beat. And it was true, Hottie- I mean Embry is dreamy, and that's coming from a demigod daughter of Aphrodite.
"And you're still here? Are you kidding me woman?"
"What?" I told her confused. "You" Adrianna started, "Left a walking Calvin cline ad, who was looking at you, as you quote, like you're god's gift on earth and you're here talking to us? Do you have a death wish?"
"I just met him Adrianna, what the hell am I supposed to do? Besides, I have no intention to be more than a friend. Cause you know what happens when I think otherwise."
"Yeah, the usual, you get bored after a couple of weeks, and you end up dumping him while he's head over heels for you. It happens every time."
"Well if you're putting it so bluntly, than yeah, I don't want this to happen to him. I don't know why, I just don't want him to get hurt, especially by me." Alyssa looked at me weirdly. "You never said that before, when you break a guy you never felt remorse. I thought you never cared for them?"
I sighed deeply. I know she has a point, I was never like that. I have no mercy when it comes to shatter their hearts apart, its pure enjoyment for me. But hottie- ugh! EMBRY Grace, it's Embry goddamnit! , but with E-M-B-R-Y I don't know what exactly am I feeling, the thought of him hurt…it kinda hurts me too. That sounds crazy and weird but it's what I'm feeling.
"I don't know guys, I have no idea what the hell I'm feeling. I mean the thought of hurting him, kind of hurts me too. It's so…not me. I have no idea what's going on with me. Am I going crazy you guys?"
"No sweetie, you been gone a long time now, we just didn't want you to know that we knew." Alyssa said with humour in her voice.
I groaned again. "Ugh…I'm not joking Alyssa. One look at hottie and- Great, thanks to you Adrianna, I'll probably call him hottie tomorrow."
"Pray tell me if you do, and I will be sure to do you the honour of laughing my ass off."
I glared at her and once again she gave me her innocent look.
"Anyway, as I was saying, one look at EMBRY and all me feeling are put into frenzy. That's not normal, especially for me."
"Look Grace, I know it sounds really weird and confusing to you, but you're staying there for a while, so while you're there try not to be involved with hottie-er Embry too much. It's easier that way."
I sighed deeply and closed my eyes. I agreed with Alyssa before Adrianna buts in with her protests.
"Grace it seems like our time is up. It's the bonfire now, keep your eyes peeled and please for the love of Gucci tell us updates on your situation with hottie."
"Yeah Grace, talk to you soon"
I bid them goodbye after promising them that I'll tell them updates on my situation before they cut the connection. The room felt strangely quiet and I felt the tide of home-sickness flow through me. Just then, the sound of the door bell from downstairs pushed my train of thoughts away. I grabbed my pepper spray for good measure, I have no idea if la Push was safe from serial killers or not.
I made my way downstairs quietly as I heard the sound of water coming from the outside. Off course it's raining, it never stops around here remember…
I opened a really small part of the door really slowly, and I was shocked at the sight.
Outside, in nothing but a pair of cut-offs was a drenched looking Embry. It seems like the part of avoiding him is easier said than done.
Really easier said than done…
Whew, Finally I got this out of my chest. I know this is kind of a filler chapter, but I really hope that you like it. So how do you like it? Do you like Grace's sisters? Should I include them more in the story? Please please review. Suffering from author's block is the worst thing that could ever happen to a person! Next chapter is Embry's POV, and trust me when I tell you, the story is going to get a bit more…exciting. I must go now, but please review, I'm begging you, I live to see those new reviews! Oh and to all the Americans out there, happy late thanksgiving! Hope you had a wonderful time with your families!
Bye!
