I clenched my fists and began to tremble with rage, immediately the sunlight that illuminated the cabin one was blocked by the shadow of a huge wave that threatened to bathe us all.
"Percy calm down." Butch used the most condescending voice he had and put his hand on my shoulder.
I was still looking at the rainbow and the wave grew a bit more because of what I saw. Annabeth was starting to wake up, opening her stormy gray eyes little by little, and looked down at the hand that rested on her waist.
"Percy". She murmured leaving me stunned and causing the wave to fall soaking everyone on the sand.
Then she turned her head and when she saw that Jason was holding her, she smiled and turned to face him. My anger returned.
"She said your name".
"So I didn't imagine it?"
"No, she did it."
"But...
"Jackson!" Did I mention how sweet Clarisse's voice is when she's upset? (note sarcasm).
"Love". Chris said in a whisper that only I heard. I could tell from his name alone that he was suffering as much or more than I was from not being with her.
"You are responsible for me being soaked! Where's my spear?
I didn't know where to hide, I looked terrified at Chris as he just smirked at seeing Clarisse.
Just as she was less than ten meters from me, a voice came from behind her.
"Clarisse". The anger she had towards me disappeared as soon as she heard Malcolm's voice.
"Malcolm! ". she ran towards him forgetting me and without even looking at Chris next to me.
"I thought we would train together."
"Sure!". They walked together and she took him by the hand.
"Jerk!".
"I think I know what you mean about Malcolm."
"What am I supposed to do? Hit him every time he gets close to her? She will continue after him and keep hitting me".
"Do what he does, slowly approach her. And don't stop hitting him, just do it when she doesn't see you. She is YOUR girlfriend, make it clear to him".
"I see you have no problem hitting him."
"Let's say I owe him some punches for being so overprotective with Annabeth, now tell me what do I do? How do I get them out of there?"
I didn't have to wait for him to answer me because little Evan came with the answer to my plea.
"Percy, Percy! I know how to make them come out".
...
Evan planned to put himself in danger, we would burn down the Athena cabin with him inside. Everything would be controlled obviously. I wouldn't let anything happen to Evan, let alone burn my girlfriend's cabin, it would certainly make her go out, but it would also kill me if she knew it was me. The only thing we had to do was, with the help of some guys from Hephaestus put smoke coming out from the cabin, it really seemed to be on fire.
"ANNABETH! Help! Help!". Evan was screaming quite well, Annabeth ran out of Jason's cabin, I was surprised that she went through the shield without any scratches. She ran into her cabin and to save her little brother but we did not count on Jason's intervention, he invoked an enormous cloud that immediately soaked cabin six. The Hephaestus' boys practically swam out.
The rest of the day passed calmly. We convinced everyone to train except Hazel and Nico they were still in their boxes.
The good thing was that from so much training we managed to leave them all exhausted. By dinner time everyone was asleep. Malcolm, who had a bleeding nose (again), and the rest of Athena's boys took Annabeth to her cabin and promised to lock it for the night. The same did those of Ares and Demeter.
After seeing Will's attempt to serenade Piper, he was knocked unconscious by her bad mood and a pretty bad punch, we were all in the dining room together. When a glow blinded us.
"Aphrodite".
"Mother!". Piper went ahead and ran to her mother, from her look I thought she was going to hit her, I mean, I would have done it with pleasure but she just stood in front of her and looked at her.
"Dear..." The goddess tried to caress her but my friend did not let her get close to her.
"Dear?! How were you capable to do this to us ?! To me?!"
"Oh dear, I had nothing to do with this."
"How can you say that? It was YOUR darts that caused everything! Drew! Everything is your fault!". I wanted to yell at her too but I stopped myself when I saw the expression on Aphrodite's face.
"Piper, it's true, it was my darts and I told Drew to do it but I was forced to do it."
"Forced?" I couldn't control myself, I had to know.
"Yes Percy, forced. Forced by those who want to impose their pride over the feelings of others".
"Who?".
"Doesn't anyone come to your mind?" Who is so proud?" asked the goddess raising an eyebrow.
"Athena and ...
"Your father".
"By their ridiculous bet, I had to do this. But I added a little more fun for myself and to the irritation of others".
"But...
"Love affairs are always entertaining." She said smoothing the edges of her dress.
"You mean you made my girlfriend fall in love with someone else just to entertain yourself?" Chris was pointing Clarisse's spear to the goddess.
"Nobody forces me to do anything, not even Zeus himself without paying a price."
"Is that why you cast a spell on Jason too?" Piper asked hopefully.
"My dear, you still haven't noticed."
"Noticed what?"
"Think of the prophecy."
"But...
"We'll talk later Piper." The goddess raised her voice a little looking at all of us while she touched her daughter's hair, which was immediately perfectly combed.
"Listen to me. What you have to do to solve everything, is simply to make them fall in love with their respective partners again".
"Only that? Easy". Travis said with a touch of sarcasm in his voice.
"The same tone as your father. Yes, only that, if the couples are made for each other as some are, it will be easy for you".
" And if not?".
"Well ... you will know."
"I wish you luck". She started to glow and we all turned our heads immediately.
"Percy, Piper, I have a pending talk with each of you." That said, she disappeared and the dining room was plunged into darkness again.
"Easy or what?"
"Yes, if you consider that Clarisse and I started dating after I went crazy in the maze. I just have to do it again".
"And me? Do you know how many pranks I played on Katie before she realized I liked her?"
"Not to mention the number of times she hit you for it."
"I just have to beat an army and save Jupiter camp again to make Hazel fall in love with me again."
"I would need another 5 years". I said regretfully remembering everything Annabeth and I had been through before we started dating.
"You, little starfish are without a doubt the one that has it more difficult".
"Connor".
"Okay, okay, starfish, I'll shut up."
...
When I was back in my cabin about to go to sleep I heard Aphrodite's voice in my head.
"Percy is time for our talk."