Thirteen
The lake was particularly crowded that afternoon. After 3 pm, when most people had already gone through their daily activities, several parts of camp would get like that. After all, we're demigods and we're there to one day become great heroes. But we're still teenagers in the middle of summer.
Loud music, laughter, water splashes, the sun shining high in the sky. And girls. In bikinis. Demigod girls. Camp Half-Blood was paradise. Me, Markus and the sons of Dionysus were lying on the grass under the shadow of a tree. We had left our sisters taking care of the celebration preparations, after all women are more dedicated and detail oriented than men.
- This right here, man. This is why I love this place. – Kevin said. He was wearing sunglasses, but not because of the strong sunlight. Let's just say it was for strategic purposes. Cause no one knows where or at what you're looking when you're wearing sunglasses.
- I wish I could be Argus right now. Have 100 pair of eyes so I could look at all of them at the same time. – Markus said, chewing bits of grass.
I took a look around the lake. More and more people were arriving every minute, the whole place looked like a party waiting to happen.
It was when the thought occurred to me.
- Dude, is there any camp regulation regarding the consumption of your wine? – I asked Nicholas, who responded without changing the expression on his face.
- Wine is the beverage of heroes, of victories, of glory. And here at camp, the law of the gods prevails over normal age of drinking laws.
- Paris, are you thinking what I'm thinking? – asked me Joe, a mischievous smile on his face.
- Well, you guys are the sons of the god of wine and celebrations. I'm amazed you didn't think about it earlier. I mean, look around you. The stage is set, man. – I said.
- Kevin, what do you think? – Nicholas asked his older brother, a rare smile on his static face.
- Kevin?
- I swear I didn't know water and sunlight makes the skin of a daughter of Iris shine like rainbow. – said the head of Cabin Twelve.
- It's like some Edward Cullen shit. Except beautiful, oh so beautiful. – Markus said, his eyes exactly where Kevin's were.
- Kevin, did you hear anything we said? – Joe asked, tapping his brother on the shoulder.
- We don't have that much stored right now and we can't risk running out of wine before the celebration. Maybe we could grab fifteen bottles max. – Kevin said, taking out his sunglasses and admiring the rainbows with his own eyes.
- Girls in bikini, a lake and Dionysus wine? Paris, why is it that you always have the best ideas? – Markus said standing up.
- It'll be like a small preview of our celebration. Just sit there and watch what our wine is capable of doing. – Joe said, tapping me on the shoulder.
I waited while he, his brothers and Markus went to Cabin Twelve to pick up the bottles. And that is the last thing I remember till this next memory.
The music was even louder, the lake even more crowded, the girls danced and sang out loud, red plastic cups were everywhere and I, Paris Monroe, was jumping and singing in the middle of the crowd, while Markus showed off his dance moves. It was like watching Michael Jackson with hooves. I had no idea my satyr friend was that good of a dancer. The twilight painted the party in orange and blue and I felt like I had no weight. The aphrodisiac blood in my veins boiled, everywhere I looked girls were looking and smiling at me. Your life changed a lot, Paris Monroe. And for the better.
The Cabin Twelve brothers commanded the party, acting as DJs and making sure everyone there was having the best time. I took a long sip of wine and my cup was empty. I turned around and went towards a table under a tree, where the bottles stood, more than half of them already empty. I grabbed an opened one and filled my cup, my heart pumping adrenaline non-stop. Partying with Dionysus wine is an unmatched experience. You feel light-headed, full of energy, capable of doing anything, of making that night the most incredible of your life.
I put down the bottle when a voice sounded behind me.
- Wine in red plastic cups? Very classy, Paris Hilton.
I turned around and squeezed the cup a little bit too strongly. I was lucky not to have spilled any of the precious drink. Serena Grace was before me, wearing nothing but jeans shorts and a red bikini top. A glance of her abs and waist and suddenly the effect of the wine seemed like child's play.
Her fingers touched mine as she reached for the cup in my hand, she slowly took it to her lips and had two long sips, her green eyes focused on mine. A single drop of wine remained on her lips and she wiped it off with her strawberry red tongue.
- Underage teens and drinking. It's as if I never left Hollywood.
- Where's your fan club, by the way? – I asked. It was the first time I saw her without a crowd following her every step.
- Distracted by the party. Or maybe they're getting used to me being here. There were fewer people following me today. But, anyhow, I just wanna enjoy my momentary freedom.
- So, no fan club. Does this mean you're Miley or Hannah now? I'm confused.
- Right now I'm just Serena.
She held my hand and took me to a near tree. We seated, leaning against it and shared the same cup of wine.
- You've been here for how long? – she asked me.
- A few days. I thought it'd take a long time for me to get used to this new world, but, somehow, it's as if this has always been my reality. It's weird, I don't know how to explain it.
- It's like that with everyone. – Serena started – After the initial shock, everything becomes familiar. This was always our world. It was in our blood since we were born. I was 12 when my mom told me the truth about my father, after an insane P.E. teacher tried to kill me during lunch break.
- How were you claimed? – I asked, running my fingers through the black rose mark on my forearm.
- I wasn't. My mom always lived in this world. My grandparents were demigods, a son of Zeus and a daughter of Aphrodite. – she said, pointing at my birthmark – And she was born with ability to see past the Mist. She knew my dad was Apollo the moment they met. I'm really lucky cause he was there while I grew up, at my first school choir concert, a few Christmases…
- So when you heard the truth, you just… - I glanced at the drawing of a sun on her forearm and Serena nodded her head.
- I looked down and there it was. It had always been there, but the Mist prevented me from seeing it. – she said, stretching her arm so I could clearly see the black sun mark – Knowing the truth about yourself leaves you even more vulnerable to monsters, so I started coming to Camp Half-Blood every summer till I signed my contract with Disney, three years ago.
- And how did you survived? I mean, your face was everywhere and you're a demigod. Every monster in the world must've known who you were.
- Travelling a lot helps a bit. Even so, there were countless incidents these last few years. The worst one was just about a week ago. I almost got killed. I was distracted, feeling too safe behind the Mist. I had no choice but to come back to camp for the summer. So I could be reminded of who I am and why I put the people around me in danger.
People stared at us, curious as to what was Serena Grace doing sitting under a tree with the son of Aphrodite. Seven letters came to my head and my heart raced.
- How do you handle it? – I asked, pointing at the people who couldn't stop staring at her. – I mean, sure, being famous must be fun and all, but being famous twenty four hours a day, everywhere you go must be tiring.
- You get used to it. – Serena smiled at me – Fame is an interesting power. A simple gesture, a word, a smile is capable of making someone's day special. I think that's what gives me strength to keep going. At any moment you can create a memory someone will never forget. They'll always talk about the time they spoke to Serena Grace in the street. And that memory will always make them feel good. It's quite a power, too bad most famous people don't realize how much it means.
- Oh, I'll definitely tell everybody about the time I talked to Serena Grace under a tree, watching the sunset and sharing a red plastic cup filled with wine. – I said, making her laugh.
- How is it that you can make even red plastic cups sound romantic?
- Anything can be romantic as long as you have the right person beside you.
My heart fell like four stories when Serena said nothing and her green eyes sparkled. We remained in silence for an eternity, just looking into each other's soul. I was completely still, I didn't wanna make a single move that could ruin that moment.
Serena swallowed dry and her eyes glanced at my lips for a second. My heart raced even faster, but not as fast as…
- Paris.
This. I was so scared I stood up at once and banged my head on a tree branch. I felt dizzy and it took me some seconds to realize what had happened. Eyes were staring at me, but they weren't green, they were big and blue.
- Paris. – Alexandra repeated, smiling confused. Her eyes went from me to Serena and then back to me. Without hesitating, she then put her arms around my neck and kissed me right there, in front of Serena and everyone. People cheered and shouted, she kissed me passionately and took my hand.
- Serena, hi. Its great having you back at camp. It's been what? Three years? – she said, her face filled with satisfaction.
- Something like that. – Serena said, a mischievous smile on her face. – It's good seeing you again, Alexandra. Heard you became head of the Athena Cabin. Congrats.
- Thank you.
- Well, I'll be going now. –Serena took one last sip of the wine and squeezed the empty cup – See you around, Paris Hilton.
She gave me a not very subtle smile and Alexandra tightened her grip around my hand.
- Ouch!
- It was about time everyone knew about us, Paris. – she said, kissing me again and pressing her body against mine.
I enjoyed the moment, happy to have Alexandra as my… Girlfriend? I don't know, maybe. I was certain of only one thing, she definitely took that decision a little less than a minute before, when she saw me with…
Oh gods, what have I gotten myself into?