The image was cut off after Jason took in his hands the little red dart that the goddess offered him.
"Piper?" Leo doubted if he should say anything after seeing that confession from his friend. But she had her head down and did not move.
"Piper". He put a hand on her shoulder shyly and expected her to shake it but as soon as he touched her she launched herself into his arms and started crying. Spasms and sobs that left her breathless made her legs tremble and she dropped to the ground, dragging Hephaestus' son with her.
"Piper please say something." Leo was desperate, he had never seen her like this. It was not for less after seeing what they had seen but he did not know what to do.
Finally, after a few minutes, she raised her head. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying, and tears kept running down her cheeks.
"You... would like some chocolate? ". It was the only thing that occurred to him to say. It wasn't the brightest thing in the world but it made his friend smile.
"It's not fair". She said, ceasing to smile.
"Piper ...
"Why didn't he tell me? I have the right to know".
"Now you are being unfair."
"Me?". She looked at him strangely, as if she had told him that Dionysus was the kindest and most loving god of all.
"Think about what he feels ...
"For Annabeth and not for me?" She snapped.
"No!"
"Then what?"
"Imagine all that he felt when he woke up from the fog on that bus with us."
"I...
"He did not remember anything at all and then woke up with a girlfriend and an amazing best friend." said winking.
"And the first person he falls in love with is Annabeth." She said ignoring the last part. "What about me?"
"Don't be unfair Piper. You do not know if he is truly in love ... Keep your heart open".
"You are the second person to tell me that."
"Follow the advice."
"Since when are you so good at giving advice? Here I am, the daughter of Aphrodite is me and I'm a mess". Leo suppressed a smile when Piper's gaze reminded him of someone else's.
"You're fine?"
"Are you?". The boy said avoiding the look of his friend.
After a while, Piper said.
"Do you still have chocolate?"
"Come with me, beauty queen." He said holding out a hand to pull her to her feet.
"You still think about her, don't you?"
"Always"
...
Aphrodite's box contained: scented candles, chocolates, rose petals neatly arranged in a box, a red silk blanket, photos of me with Annabeth of every moment we had been through together (I don't know where she got some of them), a CD full with slow music and a travel case with my name that filled with: lotion, aftershave, deodorant, a comb, toothbrush and toothpaste and in the back pocket, there was a blue plastic package ... which I will not tell you what it was (I blushed just by reading the label).
"Aphrodite must have gone mad."
"I know what I'm doing, Percy." I heard her voice in my head and blushed, even more, imagining what she wanted Annabeth to prepare for her. The photos were the only thing that convinced me to do something. I had to give them to her to remind her that she loved me.
"Hey, Perc ...
I hadn't noticed that I had left my cabin door open and that the Stoll brothers were looking at me with a grin.
"Wow Percy, you wouldn't have bothered. We love you too but don't misunderstand things". Connor said winking at me.
"Leave it, Connor, he's had enough with Jason and Nico after Annabeth."
"Easy, Travis, I thought we were better already."
"I see you are no longer green." Sure enough, the color was gone, only their eyelids and ears were left green.
"Man, but how hard did it take to remove the color!"
"We spent more than two hours scrubbing ourselves until we did it."
"The hardest part was the butt, right Travis?"
"There are things, Connor, that I would rather NOT say."
"Okay, okay, sorry. Forget what I said, Percy".
"No problem, I don't want to listen to that."
"And what is all this?" Connor said looking at the things scattered on my bed.
"A gift from Aphrodite."
"Man, if Annabeth sees these things, she will murder you."
"You think I don't know? I have to think about how to get her back without scaring her".
"With these photos, you could have a possibility, I will give you a copy of mine to help you".
"Why do I want photos of you?"
"Well, yes, you are a seaweed brain," Travis said hitting me on the back of the head.
"The photos I have of you and Annabeth, and there are way too many".
"Some in little compromising positions." Connor winked at me as my face reddened.
"Like what?"
"Let me think...ah! like the time you and Annabeth were here alone, remember? It was raining and you left the curtain open, she was sitting on your desk and you ...
"Yes, I know, I know! Shut up!"
"Why doesn't Aphrodite help me too? I also want to get my girlfriend back". Travis pouted.
"I do not know, maybe...
"Percy!" Someone yelled from outside.
It was without a doubt Annabeth's voice, I ran out when she called me again and saw her running towards me. I ran to meet her but before I could touch her there was a white flash that blinded me. When I opened my eyes Annabeth was gone.