JUNE 4: OLD MAIDS DAY

Chapter 8: Lost

"Katie," the voice rang in her ears.

This was the boy who she had cuddled with the day before. This was the boy with whom she had shared a kiss. This was the boy who had asked her to be his girlfriend, and she had accepted. This was her stress reliever. And he was leaving?

"I need to tell you something."

Katie knew what the boy was going to tell her. The sentence he was about to say was inevitable. However, Katie still couldn't help but feel the pain pour through her veins.

"We need to break up."

Will looked at his ex girlfriend. Katie was the perfect girl, but he always knew that something between them was off balance. Will knew that their relationship would never be perfect. He saw how Travis looked at Katie and how she looked back, even if she didn't realize it. Will didn't think that the both of them should pretend to happy when it was obvious they could be happier with other people.

"Wha-at?" Katie's voice pierced Will's sudden thoughts.

Will sighed, "We can still be friends?"

Katie's green eyes stared at the boy. They were blinking back tears, flooding as every second went by. Katie tried to hide it, but both her and Will knew her eyes would overfill in the end. She wasn't the only one crying though. Will was on the verge of tears too.

"Will... Why?" Katie started. "I thought you liked me. I thought that we had a happy relationship. Being next to you makes me happy. Why are you torturing me like this? Why?"

Katie grimaced at her half-lie. Over the past couple of days, Katie felt herself drifting away from Will as a balloon would. Her interest in him decreased. She knew the two of them breaking up was the best choice for both of them, but the thought of separation still hurt. Katie did not know why. She wanted to like Will, but she couldn't. Also, knowing that he had given up on her was enough to get Katie to her feet and off with tears in her eyes.

"Katie," Will started. Her statement had put him in an offbeat situation. Will thought that he was doing this for Katie and, now, she was comparing the boy to a persecuter.

"I don't want to listen," the girl's voice tore the air between the two.

Will's eyebrows crouched downwards forming a v-shape and his tone got louder.

"Katie! You will listen to me no matter what! I am doing this for your own good. I know that you do not like me so why are you acting like this? You probably knew this was coming so why are you trying to guilt me? " Will stopped, surprised at what he had said.

"Will-" Katie started, feeling sympathetic towards the boy.

"No!" Will exclaimed. "I don't want to talk anymore. This is over!"

Katie watched as Will walked away, leaving her with tears in her green eyes. Still, Katie did not blame the boy. She knew that he had tears in his wonderful blue eyes too. Katie could see his heart break into two as he left. For a moment, Katie was consumed with guilt. Then, she realized what she was doing. This is what led the girl to run back to her cabin and go to the comfort of her bed, alone and depressed.

Miranda walked into the Demeter cabin and saw the person she loved in pain. Miranda was surprised. The girl who she was often envious of, the nicest elder sister she had seen, was in her bed surrounded by tears. Miranda couldn't help but feel sad for the girl. Katie had done so much for her, including allowing Miranda to be counselor when she was gone, and Miranda wouldn't let that go to waste. Miranda knew she had to do something for the girl. But what?

"Katie," Miranda started in a low voice. The word echoed in the cabin since every other member of the Demeter cabin was in Arts and Crafts.

Miranda sighed. Katie hadn't even stopped to look at her once.

"What's wrong?" Miranda now felt as if she was older.

Katie's green eyes stared at the girl standing above her bed. Katie knew that Miranda was trying to to st, and any other day she would appreciate what her half-sister was doing. However, today, Katie couldn't bear it. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want help. All Katie wished for was for time to stop and let her catch up with reality. Silently.

"Katie," Miranda's voice glided across the room, "you know I cannot stand seeing you like this."

"Miranda-" Katie's voice sounded like a donkey braying to both of the girl's surprise.

"Don't talk," Miranda said silently. "Just do not stay in bed all day."

Katie looked at the girl, surprised on how mature her younger half-sister was acting. Katie smiled. She remembered all of the times in which she had comforted Miranda. Now, the girl was returning the favor. So far, it even seemed like she was doing better than Katie had done all of those times combined.

"Go outside," Miranda said pushing Katie out of the cabin. "You are a daughter of Demeter. Being couped up inside won't do you any good."

To Katie's surprise, the little girl was right. As soon as Katie stepped outside, she felt relieved. Still, in desire of being alone, Katie ran into the woods, looking for the lake she always sat next to in peace. Behind Katie, Miranda was smiling, knowing that she was successful. Miranda knew that getting over sadness was hard and was handing Katie over to their mother, Demeter. As long as the plants comforted her, Katie would be all right. At least, that was what Mirnada thought.

As Katie reached the lake, she saw the person she least expected to be there. Travis.

Travis looked at the lake ahead of him. He hated how he never got what he want. For example, he didn't get Katie. At camp, he was always blamed for every prank, which could be good except for the exception of Chiron's unreasonable punishments. Even before camp, Travis always had to compromise only to fulfill whatever Connor wanted since he was older. Travis was sick of it. He was sick of everything, until he saw her. Katie.

"Travis?" Katie said softly. Her voice hummed in his brain, shaking him from the inside out.

"What are you doing here?" Travis said, hating himself for getting right to the point. He knew that he should enjoy this moment, but he could not.

"What are you doing here?" Katie avoided his question. Travis looked at her and saw her eyes flooded with tears.

"Thinking," Travis answered.

"What?" Katie made an attempt to laugh. "The great Travis Stoll actually has a brain?"

That made Travis laugh too, "You need a brain to prank you know."

Katie sat down next to Travis, "So... You're telling me that you use your powers for evil then."

"Maybe I am the good guy and you're the evil one. Ever thought of it that way," Travis said, narrowing his eyes and pulling off the Hermes' kids famous smirk.

"Fine!" Katie said, pulling her hands up in defeat. "I'm sorry."

Travis smiled, "I knew I would win."

Katie laughed and then quieted down. All of a sudden, everything got awkward. Travis realized how close the two were.

Travis then suddenly said, "Well, it is 'Old Maids Day'."

"Are you calling me old?" Katie asked offended.

Travis laughed, "Maybe I am, maybe I am not."

And with that, the boy walked away, unaware of the perfect opportunity he had just passed up.


Not really a cliffhanger there, but chariot races are next chapter, so stay tuned. The next chapter is in 4 days so BE READY!

Remember, there will be 10 chapters total and an epilogue. I've decided that, after the epilogue, I'll label the story as Complete. However, I will post a VERY SPECIAL July 4 chapter if I get 20 comments from 20 DIFFERENT people. So, get commenting. And invite your friends to comment too! :P

DISCLAIMER:

Katie, Travis, Will, Miranda, Camp Half Blood, etc. I do not own them. Riordon does. If I owned them, Katie's and Travis's relationship would be mentioned in the books. So... yeah...

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They are penguins!