Kisses

Albany saw the kiss. She couldn't help but smile. Katie was closed off when it came to boys. Jeremy was the only exception. Back at camp, Albany knew Katie used the pranks as an excuse to hate them. But Katie didn't hate Conner as much as she hated Travis, yet they do the pranks together. Albany knew she had to get them together.

"Why are you smiling?"

Albany turned around and saw Conner leaning on one of the pillars at school. It was the end of the day and Albany got tired of waiting for Katie at the car so she went to find her at the school. When she reached Katie's locker, she saw Travis kiss Katie.

"It's nothing. What are you still doing here?"

"I could ask you the same."

"Looking for Katie"

"Looking for Travis"

They looked into each other's' eyes. And busted out laughing.

"Why are we laughing?" asked Conner

"I don't know. I guess I needed to get my mind off things so, I just started laughing. I'm weird that way."

Albany sat down on a bench and watched Katie blush. She smirked.

"Found them" she said.

"Why are they blushing?" asked Conner as he sat next to Albany.

"They kissed"

It was Conner's turn to smirk. He saw the bag Albany had.

"Why does your bag look so heavy?"

Albany hesitated.

"I'm… I'm moving"

"Today?" Conner raised an eyebrow

"Yup. Today's my last day at Maui High… And Katie's last day. So you got what you wanted."

Conner faced Albany. Their conversation on the beach replayed in his mind.

"Listen, Albany, I need to get Katie back to New York. She won't leave without you. Could you…"

"I'm not gonna tell her to leave. That's up to her. But when I go back to New York, she will too"

"Albany, I didn't use you. If you're thinking that, well, don't. I really needed her back at camp. She wouldn't listen to me, so I needed your help. In the process of getting your help, I earned a new friend."

Conner thought Albany would say that He only knew her for a few days, but what she said next caught him off guard.

"Camp?"

Conner almost panicked. Almost. He remembered that Albany was a demi-god. She was playing with him.

"Yes, Camp. As in the place you and Katie are heading to."

Albany smiled.

"You're smarter than what Katie gives you credit for. How did you find out?"

"I didn't know until you said you were with Katie when she left. I started to look into everything and thought about your words. You said 'swore' instead of 'promise'. The only way you could have remembered that was if she swore on the River Styx. Whose daughter?"

"Undetermined"

Conner was astonished. Albany was seventeen and still didn't know who her godly parent was.

"Shocking. I know."

"Don't you ever wonder who it is?"

"Well, yeah. I was mad last year. That's why I left. Katie just tagged along."

"Because she was tired of our pranks" Conner rolled his eyes.

"No. If it happened to someone else she would be laughing. She was tired of the embarrassment, the judging, the labeling; the assuming."

"She left because of that?"

"Conner, think about it. At camp, people labeled her as the bossy, uptight, daughter of Demeter. You've seen her here. Is she really that bossy?"

"No…"

"Is she uptight?"

"Around you, No. Around me and Travis, Yes"

"Who would be stupid enough to let their guard down around you two?"

"Apparently, you. You know who I am and what I am capable of doing, yet here we are having a relaxing talk."

"The emotions I show on the outside are different than my emotions inside. Not everyone shows their emotions. Some build a wall so that they won't get hurt."

"Oh yeah, like who?"

"Drew"

"Drew?"

"There has to be a reason why she's such a bitch."

"How do you know all this?"

"That day at the beach, I wasn't lying. I travel a lot. I meet new people and learn more about them"

"About the day at the beach…"

"Yeah?"
"There had to be a small lie or two in that conversation. How did you get so good a lying?"

"I wasn't lying. I choose my words carefully. Even if I did lie, you wouldn't be able to catch it."

"How?"

"I lie, a lot. So much I can lie to a person straight in the eye. Besides, I always have my walls up."

"Walls?"

"It's like a cover story. They stop people from figuring me out. Very few people have."

"Have I?" asked Conner

She looked at him right in the eye

"You tell me"

Connor started to lean in. Albany mirrored his actions. Soon, his lips were on hers. She tasted like Watermelon.

Someone cleared their through. Connor and Albany jumped apart. They saw Travis and Katie watching them with amusement in their eyes and smirks playing on their lips.

"Hate to interrupt but we have a plane to catch, Albany. Plus we have to pick up Jasmine" said Katie

"Uhm… yeah. Let's go…" Albany's eyes followed Katie's hand. she smirked. "Of course you'll have to let go of your boyfriend's hand first."

Travis and Katie both blushed. Connor laughed.

"Aww. Dows little Trawis have a giwlfwend?" commented Conner, who was talking like a baby

"Says the guy who got caught lip locking a girl that he met less than three days ago" countered Travis

It was Conner's turn to blush and Travis' turn to laugh. Katie smirked at Albany. Albany looked unaffected.

"At least our kiss wasn't an accident" said Albany

Conner knew she was lying. That kiss was totally an accident. But Travis and Katie didn't know.

"Are you two, together?" asked Katie. There was something in her eyes that Conner couldn't decipher. But Albany could.

"Maybe we are, Maybe we aren't. That's for me to know and you to find out."

Conner was impressed with how well and easy Albany could lie. She makes the kiss as if it weren't a big deal and when questioned if they were an item, she didn't confirm yet deny it.

"What-" Katie's question was cut off when Albany interrupted.

"Shouldn't we get going? Or would you like a kiss from you boyfriend first?"

"WE'RE NOT DATING" screamed Travis and Katie

"Then why are you two still holding hands?" countered Albany

The couple in question ripped their hands apart and stared walking toward the car. Albany just smirked at the easy win.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

Albany's smirk told him all he needed to know. Nothing happened.

"See you at camp, Stoll."

XxX

Jasmine was not a stalker. Her best friend would disagree.

"Jazz, just ask him!" said Starlight Master

"I can't, Star! I'm leaving today, remember. Besides, what would he see in me?"

"I don't even know what you see in him! He's emo, Jazz. You're upbeat, he's a downer. You're energetic and bright, he's EMO!"

"Star, you don't know him. Enough with the labels. Just because he likes black does not make him emo. There's something more. I know there is."

"Do you know him? How do you know he's not a downer? How do you know he's not emo? You don't know him very well, either!"

"At least, I'm not judging! Stop it with the assuming. What's your problem anyway?"

Star sighed.

"Family problems. Jessie kept bugging me about Katie. Dad is throwing himself into his work again. Mom cares about her flowers more than me. And my best friend is moving away"

"aww" cooed Jasmine. She hugged Star. "There is nothing that will come between us."

"Just call"

"No phones allowed"

"that makes things so much simpler" said Star, sarcasm dripping all over.

"Video chat, Facebook, and Yahoo Messenger" said Jasmine.

The duo hugged once again until a certain boy walked up to them.

"Hey, Jasmine. Starlight." Greeted Nico

The duo broke apart. Jasmine gave Nico a small smile. Star scowled.

"Do. Not. Call. Me. Starlight" said Star

"Whatever. Can I talk to you for a minute" he faced Jasmine. She nodded.

"Sure. Star was just leaving, anyway"

"But I-" Star's protest quieted down when she saw Jasmine's pleading look. "and I'm leaving"

Once Star was gone, Nico looked at Jasmine.

"Why were you two hugging anyway?" he asked

"I'm moving"

"Moving?" repeated Nico

"To New York. My brother and his friends have to go back to their boarding school. They can't leave me here, so I'll be attending the school"

"I'm moving back to New York today too"

"I thought you weren't moving back for a few months"

"Something came up and now I have to move back by today. Probably the same thing that made your brother go back as well."

"Probably. Is that what you needed to talk to me about?"

"No. I found this and thought it was yours" He pulled out a chain with a caduceus handing on it. Jasmine's hand went to her neck; feeling for the necklace her mother had given her. It was hers.

"Yes, where did you find it?"

"I saw it come off when you came out of the girl's locker room"

"Can you…"

Nico seemed to know what Jasmine was talking about. He put the necklace on Jasmine. They looked each other in the eye and leaned in. Nico's lips were centimeters away from Jasmine's when Star cleared her through. Jasmine glared at her best friend.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm pretty sure Jeremy would not approve since his car is coming here right now"

Jasmine turned around. Her back was facing the basketball court and her front was facing the parking lot. Sure enough, Jeremy's truck was coming toward them. Jasmine gave Star a grateful smile. If Jeremy caught her, who knew what he would do. She faced Nico. She did a daring move and kissed his cheek. Then she ran to the truck.

XxX

Jasmine was thankful. Her brother did not see her quick kiss. Albany, however, did. She had been giving Jasmine these looks. Jasmine couldn't decipher what they meant. She looked around the plane in the seats in front of her, were her brother and his girlfriend who were sleeping. Behind her, were Albany and Katie who were also sleeping. Beside her was Casey who was also sleeping. Why is everyone sleeping? Because it's a plane, smarty!Am I really having an argument with myself? And Katie thought I was a daughter of Athena.