*Lowers head apologetically.* Please don't kill me! I know I haven't updated in forever but I've been super busy! What with school, and track ( just finished regions!) and my friends, I've been on overload! But here is the 11th chapter of The Only One! Uh-oh! Is that admittion I smell?!

If there's one thing I had always enjoyed, it was always knowing what's going on, when it's going on, and where it's going on. That probably explains why it didn't take me long to figure out the whole child of the big three prophecy.

Had. Was.

Not anymore.

Not to long after I got out of the infirmary and was back to working and training in camp, I stumbled along a little secret.

The reason why Nico had been avoiding me for days now. The reason why all the guys gave me these sly smiles when I walked past, and the girls (my age anyway) gave me looks of pure death. The reason why Bianca would change to subject when I asked if I made Nico mad at me somehow.

Oh, gods. Why? Why him?!

Yes, I found out how Nico saved me from drowning. The entire story, from beginning to end. Mouth to mouth, CPR, whatever you wished to call it, the point being his lips had been up against mine.

He'd kissed me. My first kiss and I wasn't even conscious for it! And the worst part? I wish I had been.

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the lake sparkled a thousand different shades of blue. It was a beautiful day, and I was miserable. Ever since the beach party, things had changed. Percy had left camp, to enjoy his summer outside. Annabeth—who I had become pretty good friends with—had returned to California to watch over Mount Tam. Bianca was never in because she was constantly reaping soul after soul because of the abnormal amount of unplanned deaths due to monster attacks. I never got to see Molly and Chaos because they had to do a bunch on short quests for Chiron.

The only other person I ever saw on a regular basis was Nico and he'd taken to avoiding me as soon as I was out of the infirmary. I couldn't even tell him about my strange dreams. The one's with my other self in them. She kept urging me to travel to the underworld that my answers would be there. Problem was what were my questions?

As I trudged past the Big House with a storm cloud hanging over my head, I heard a voice call out to me.

"Ashlyn? Is something the matter?" I turned and saw Chiron standing at the bottom of the stairs. I didn't particularly like him because he put me in the Demeter cabin, but I heard that he gave very good advice.

I sighed in answer.

"Walk with me." He said. I walked towards him and he began a slow trot towards the archery range.

"I know that something's the matter. What is it?"

"What would you do if something awkward happened between you and your best friend, but you didn't know how to fix it?"

"Ah, this has to do with Nico."

"Yes."

"He hasn't been speaking to you as of late?"

"No, he avoids me completely."

"Typical. He's too shy to say anything."

I sighed again. "But the thing is, I miss him. We had become really good friends…"

"Maybe that's what you need to tell him. He might understand the fact that you're lonely," Chiron answered.

"But…what if he thinks I'm just being clingy? He's used to being alone."

Chiron was silent for a moment before saying, "Look there he is in the arena. Go and talk to him if you feel up to it."

Maybe Chiron wasn't so bad. "Thanks. I will." I turned and ran towards the arena where Nico was practicing.

"Nico!" He dropped his sword and turned toward me with wide eyes.

"Ashlyn."

"That's my name, don't wear it out," I answered quietly. Even more quietly I said, "Can we talk?"

Nico shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Um…I'm sorta busy. Maybe later?" He turned to leave but I reached out and grabbed his wrist.

I lowered my head to where my bangs were hiding my eyes. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you," Nico muttered but by the tone of his voice he didn't believe it either.

"Is it because of what happened at the party? I know everything," He tensed. "And I'm not mad. I'm happy, because you saved my life."

"I…I—"

I looked up, right into his deep brown eyes. "Is that it? Because I miss you. I miss my best friend."

"Ashlyn…"

"But if you just don't like hanging around me, I get the point. I'll leave and I won't bother you again if you want." I let go of his wrist and stepped back.

"Ashlyn that's not it," He said in his ever calm, husky voice. "I was just a little embarrassed."

"About what? Saving me? That's embarrassing?"

"About…"

"About what?!" I was getting a little impatient.

"About KISSING YOU!" He snapped a little than he needed to because several heads turned to stare at us. I wouldn't give it five seconds before the whispering began. Just my luck, the Aphrodite cabin had to be hanging around.

"Did you hear that?" I heard one girl say.

"Awww! They're having their first lover's tiff!" Silena chirped.

I blushed and looked down. Right on cue.

"I was just a little embarrassed okay? I'm sorry if you felt like I hated you or something."

I looked back up again. He was looking down and blushing. I smiled and then started laughing. He looked at me and said "Hey! You wanted to know so don't laugh at me!"

"Sorry, sorry. Heh. I just couldn't help it, don't know why though."

"Hn." I smiled again.

"Good to have you back."

"Huh?"

"I missed you," I said repeated then gave him a quick hug and backed off saying, "See you later!" I felt really happy, at last.

I was standing in front of the campfire as everyone rushed towards the pavilion for lunch. A boy from the Hermes cabin stood in front me, looking down at his shoes.

"There was something you needed to say to me?" I asked, knowing full well what was coming. This had been happening ever since I first came to camp.

He looked up and directly into my eyes. "I like you. I was wondering if you would go out with me…." He trailed off at the end. I gave him a weak smile.

"I'm sorry, but I just don't feel the same way. I can't go out with you." His eyes took on a sort of coldness.

"It's that Nico kid isn't it?" He asked me bitterly. I actually winced. Did I like him like that?

I did.

"Yeah."

"I don't see what's so great about him anyway. He never talks to anyone and he walks around looking all gloomy, like someone's about to die in front of him. Why can't it be me? I can change!"

I smiled quietly. "You're you. He's him. That's what makes him special, and that's what makes you special. I'm not the right girl for you. You need to find someone who will cherish you no matter what your faults are, no matter what your pluses are." I turned and began to walk away. "I'm sorry."

"What makes you think that you're the right girl for him?"

I stopped and looked at him. "Oh, I'm completely wrong for him. That's probably what makes it right." And with that I turned and jogged to the pavilion.

As different parts of camp floated past my view I thought peace at last.

How short it lasted.

At last! She finally admits it to herself (and someone else) that she likes Nico as more than just a friend!

Chants: One more month of school, HEY! One more month of school, HEY! One more month of school, HEEEEYYY!

Woot! Woot! I've got one more month of school, and two more weeks of track! I can do this!

~*Stardust897*~