Percy had let us sleep in, which didn't help me much. Bad dreams had plagued me all night, full of blood and fire, of a tall man in a black suit, a scowling boy with dark brown hair and angry black eyes, and a hoard of armadillos telling me about what a failure I was.
I moaned as someone lightly shook me awake by my shoulder. "Up and at 'em, Clio." When I opened my eyes and saw the cheerful, friendly face close to mine, I remembered another dream I'd had last night, in which the same face was even closer. I flushed and sat up instantly.
Hector's eyes were bright, cheeks a healthy color again. He was wearing a fresh Camp Half-Blood t-shirt without blood splattered on it. His brown hair seemed longer and darker, falling even more into his eyes, curls turned more to waves, and I realized it was because his hair was wet. Hector must've taken a shower; he smelled good too. Fresh and distinctly, satisfyingly masculine.
"Mornin' Sunshine." My best friend held up a McDonald's bag. "Breakfast burritos to make your tummy happy."
I snatched the bag instantly. "I love you," I murmured simply on reflex, mesmerized by the joy of fatty, fast food.
"Love you too," he said easily, fingers brushing mine as he passed me, headed over to check his backpack. I blinked. Maybe we were best friends, but he'd never said that before. Then again, neither had I. But I'd just been joking, thanking him for the food. I shook away the thoughts, pulling out three breakfast burritos. He knew I'd be hungry.
Burrito in hand, I scanned the room. Archer was in the process of mauling what seemed to be his second bacon, egg, and cheese bagel, while Aquila contentedly sipped some coffee. Percy beat Archer, and seemed to be on his fourth, while Annabeth just smiled and shook her head at him. I was amazed. Where the crap did he put that stuff? He wasn't the slightest bit fat. I had the suspicion that he probably had an eight pack. I didn't used to think they existed until I accidently walked in on Hector when he was changing in the morning and had yet to put his shirt on. That was another awkward time, but we'd just laughed it off.
Frank was on guard, staring out the window while taking occasional bites of his own breakfast, while Nico predictably sat in the darkest corner of the room, quietly devouring some pancakes in a lake of syrup.
After I'd eaten, I got to take a shower, since Archer and Aquila already had, and I sighed in the pleasant feeling of the warmth of the water trailing down my body in streams. I got out feeling more refreshed and alive than I had in a while, putting on clean clothes and brushing out my hair. I left it down to dry, brushed my teeth, and left the bathroom to make sure my bag was packed.
It was, and everyone had seemed to have finished their breakfast, stretching and getting ready for travel. After I'd felt Hector's eyes following me for a while as he crouched on the floor by his pack, I turned to him with a raised eyebrow like, What?! He just smiled. "I never realized your hair was that long," he said.
"So?"
"So it's pretty," Hector told me, shrugging, and then hoisted his backpack onto his shoulder.
He turned and began to talk to Archer. I stared at him, gaping. What was with him lately? First, he kisses me, then the 'love you too' comment earlier without a trace of sarcasm, and now he's telling me my hair is pretty? Before, we'd had many talks of things we'd never told anyone else – it was a best friends thing. We'd pranked, laughed, trained, argued, and shared dreams together, but he'd only ever complimented me when he knew I was feeling down. But I was fine now.
I frowned. That must be it. He must think I'm still feeling bad from yesterday with my angst session. I sighed, feeling a strange disappointment from the middle of nowhere. I'd tell him I was fine later, so that he could stop feeling obligated to cheer me up. It really wasn't even working; it was just making me nervous.
As it turned out, Percy had called two minivan taxies to our motel, and after we'd checked out, Percy instructed my group to board one and his, the other. I quickly wove my hair into a braid on my right side. While the rest of them were getting on, he pulled me off to the side.
"Try going to get a train or a taxi to upstate New York. Clues and dreams always tell you where to go. Follow your instincts." Then, he pulled a kind of metal disk from his pocket. There was a plastic covering over a big, red button in the middle, like the covers over fire alarms to prevent accidental activation. "Take this. If you change your mind about needing my help, just push the button. We'll be able to track it and I'll come with reinforcements as soon as I can, okay?" He smiled. "Take care, Clio, and I hope to see you again, life insured."
I returned the smile and took the disk with no intention to use it. "Thank you for everything, Percy. I can see why everyone talks about you so much. Hope to see you too."
With a last shake of the hand and encouraging squeeze of the shoulder, the Savior of Olympus was off with his friends, back to Camp Half-Blood. I watched the van leave wistfully until Hector called me to get in our taxi.
It was about a half of an hour to get to the train station, where we paid our taxi and found a way to a counter to get tickets for Plattsburgh, which was the closest station to the town on the address that Hera had given me when we looked at the map in the station. When we got into our seats in the train car, Aquila and Archer kept looking everywhere, nervous about monster activity while crazily ADHD Hector beside me played with a My Little Pony toy he'd apparently got in his Happy Meal, making it neigh and gallop over the window ledge. I rolled my eyes and smiled, staring past him out the window.
Soon, both our resident son of Apollo and daughter of Athena were asleep, Archer's head against his arm on the window and Aquila's on her shoulder. I smirked. She'd be embarrassed when she woke up. They seemed to grudgingly get along more though, lately, so I decided not to give her a hard time later. I didn't understand why they were tired, but maybe they'd had bad, demigod dreams too.
My ADHDness made me twitch and constantly bounce my feet. I wish I'd brought something entertaining; even a book, despite the dyslexia, would be welcome now.
But it soon proved that Hector has something to turn my attention to, but it was not rock, paper, scissors or tic tac toe, as I had hoped. While I was taking up Archer and Aquila's job of scanning the car for any suspicious activity, Hector cleared his throat and said, "Um, so, where are we, exactly?"
I frowned, looking out the window. "I don't know. I haven't seen any signs."
"No," he sighed, "I meant we. As in us. You and me."
I raised an eyebrow. "We're sitting on the same bench across from Archer and Aquila."
To my surprise, his expression morphed into a scowl. "Will you cut that out?"
"What?!"
"You're completely avoiding what I'm trying to talk about, and it's getting old already. It's not like you're in denial; I haven't exactly been subtle."
"What in the name of the gods are you talking about?" I said, bewildered.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Hector breathed out. "You are so effing difficult."
I crossed my arms. "What am I supposed to do when you don't say what you're talking about?"
He rolled his eyes. "Good gods, Clio, why on earth do you think I kissed you?"
I wished desperately that my face wouldn't boil again. I couldn't believe he'd just mentioned it bluntly like that. "Um, 'cause you wanted me to shut up and decided to do it creatively?"
His jaw muscles worked tensely. "You know, being the granddaughter of Aphrodite, I thought you would be more intelligent in this subject. Then again, your grandfather, Ares, could account for the stupidity-"
"'Stupidity'?! Who are you calling stupid, Hector Veloxson?"
"You, Clio Concorden." He turned toward the window, and I wanted to hit him. Hit him hard in that stupid, slightly attractive, straight jaw. What in gods' name had I done to deserve this?
"What is your problem?"
"My problem?" he seethed. "If you don't know, you're a complete-"
"Idiot? Moron?" I supplied, voice shaking slightly.
Hector looked at me, startled at the hurt in my tone. Yesterday he'd told me that the screw-ups weren't my fault, that I wasn't a complete failure. Now I was stupid again. I pulled my knees up to my chest and stared away from him. We rarely fought, and never about something that I was too dim to understand.
He hesitated. "Clio-"
"Forget it," I said, hugging my knees harder to me. "Just help me look for monsters."
"There aren't any," he countered stubbornly. "Look, Clio-"
"No, you look," I interrupted again. "I know I'm stupid, I know I'm incompetent, but shoving it all in my face right now is not going to help us finish this quest. So I suggest you shut up and keep those thoughts to yourself until we're done with our mission."
He didn't help me look for monsters. He just watched me steadily for a few moments, and then gazed straight in front of him, expressionless.
I was tired. I was getting hungry again. I wanted this to be over so that I could go to my dad and give him a long hug. I was pissed at the gods, myself, and my best friend. I kinda wanted a hug from him too. I didn't look for monsters either; I buried my face into my arms and let the silent tears slide down endlessly, figuring they'd have to stop at some point. They didn't even when I closed my eyes and slipped into a deep sleep.
Hello, demigods!
Tried to update a bit sooner! Even one word in the little review box down there would make my day, so have at it, folks.
So... Why is Hector such a jerk, right? And they've gone a long time without monsters... A bit too long, in fact... Anything you guys want to happen with everything and anything?
Anyone excited for the Sea of Monsters movie? I'm not sure; after the Lightning Thief flop, I'm a bit too scared to watch the next, but what do you all think?
Tell me what you think, my good peoples, and have a fabulous day!
Mizpah,
~LoneStorm
