To understand what happens next, you should understand Nyssa's point of view.

.Harley woke me up at 4 in the morning again, ugh I love him but that kid needs to learn how to sleep in.

Being year rounders together meant no matter how many other kids we had in our cabin, I was always going to be woken up when he needed something, or he had a bad dream. This time he dreamt Leo was in trouble.

I took him down into the tunnels beneath cabin nine, to our secret hideout. We'd built it in the winter, and Sam was the only other person who knew about it since Harley insisted on showing her.

''Nyssa, Leo was being attacked by a bunch of people in purple shirts, they were angry at him'' Harley cried.

Leo was awfully annoying and stupid, but I was worried too. We hadn't heard from them in days, they hadn't contacted camp since the day they'd planned on arriving at camp Jupiter.

.I hugged him, wiping tears tears from his eyes ''Leo's gonna be fine, he's really... good at being Leo. Remember how he got the dragon from the woods to help him on his quest, or how he found bunker nine?''

Harley's face lit up '' Yeah! His dragon was the coolest. And I didn't know we had a secret workshop, but Leo found it'' he rambled on forever about how cool Leo was till he finally nodded off again.

I carried Harley back to his bed, and finally went to sleep again. For once I didn't dream at all and it was wonderful. I woke up again at 7:30 and got ready for the day.

First I made my bed then I got dressed and brushed my hair. I sat down for breakfast by myself, normally I sat with Sam but she wasn't there yet so I got my toast and scraped some eggs into the brazier.

I saw Sam sit down at table seven with her cabin, Kayla pointed to me and whispered something in her ear. Why were they talking about me? Did Kayla think Sam liked me? I could feel the sweat on my forehead, I didn't like Sam like that, I couldn't, she was just my best friend I told myself. She came over and sat with me finally.

I immediately she stole a piece of my toast, maybe Apollo made a mistake and she really was a Hermes kid? She knows I hate when people take things off my plate, so I took it back.

''Don't touch my toast'' I mumbled.

A devilish grin formed across her face, gods I hate when she does that.

''You're cute when you're angry'' she smirked.

Did she just call me cute? Why was I getting this tingly feeling, Sam was flirty with everyone, even Drew. She was staring at me, was my face turning red again? I had a habit of turning blush red when I got nervous, did I just admit to being nervous around Sam? Nope that didn't happen.

''I'm not cute'' I grumbled, and it probably came out a lot grumpier than intended but to be fair Harley did wake me up at like 4 this morning.

I saw Drew coming from the infirmary, she looked better, well at least better than last night. I've never liked her very much, but maybe we could be friends now. I'm worried about her. Sam told me what Aphrodite said to her, it was awful. Sam waived for her to come sit with us and she did, Drew willingly sat with us? I was really shocked.

''Hey'' she said ''just because I don't hate you doesn't mean we're BFFs all of a sudden''

Drew sat across from me.

Sam and I high-fived ''she likes us'' Sam said, and she looked genuinely happy about it. Was it wrong that I was feeling slightly jealous?

I laughed. ''She so does''

Drew looked like she was about to disagree, but she never got the chance because Conner, Travis and Pollux joined us. We were quite the strange group of people to become friends but we did, and now Drew was a part of our group. Pollux shoved a plate full of fruit in front of her.

''Eat it'' He demanded, with a smile of course.

And reluctantly did, she didn't even put up a fight this time.

Just then Harley came running over, yelling ''Nyssa, Nyssa guess what?!''

''What?''

Harley was bobbing up and down ''Chiron said I can get a guitar! Sam will you please teach me?'' Poor Sam, she couldn't resist Harley, Sam loved him like a little brother and their friendship was too cute.

''That's really more of Austin's thing-'' he didn't let her finish that sentence

''pleaseeeee'' he begged

''Okay''

He gave Sam a huge hug and then looked at Drew, I don't blame him, he's never really been a fan of Drew and he I guess he didn't really know what to think about me and Drew being friends. Honestly neither did I, but maybe it would be one of those friendships that nobody understands but just work somehow. Like Clarisse and Selina.

Thinking about Selina I almost cried, she'd been head counsellor of Aphrodite cabin before Drew and she died last august in the war. She was a hero, no matter what anyone else says okay?

''It's okay buddy were friends'' I told Harley, giving him a thumbs up

''Okay'' and Harley ran over to Drew giving her the sweetest hug, then left to go tell everyone else about his new guitar, that Sam was gonna teach him how to play. I could see Chiron smiling, he gave Sam a nod of approval.

Drew seemed flustered as if little kids didn't normally give her random hugs ''did he- I thought- your brother is adorable'' she finally came too

Conner laughed ''you good Drew? You look like you've never had a hug before''

''Thanks'' I said watching Sam. Who was totally plotting to steal my last piece of toast

''Oh and Drew? Just because we're friends now don't think you're safe from our pranks'' Travis said, rubbing his hands together in a scary way. I don't understand how Sam sees him as a loving older brother, protective maybe but kind and caring? I don't know.

She whispered something to Drew, all I could make out was the word tomatoes, so I assume it was about getting revenge. She slipped Drew a pink and red string bracelet and she put it on right away, that didn't make me jealous because all of us had them, plus Sam had made me two so ha.

We all enjoyed the rest of our breakfast sharing laughs and telling stories, we even had an inside joke now. Sam punched pretty much everyone in the shoulder at least once, that I didn't understand, but I didn't mind either. Drew ate all her fruit and half piece of toast. It was my toast though, MY TOAST. How dare she, don't get me wrong I'm glad she ate, it wasn't a lot but it was better than three bites. But why my Toast?

After breakfast I did my part of the cabin nine chores, and there's a lot. Cabin nine is a lot bigger than you'd think, we have so many tunnels, it's hard to keep track of which leads where. I finished mine quickly though, because I promised Pollux I'd help him in the canoe race. I wasn't very good at water sports in general but Pollux insisted.

We were about half way across the lake when Pollux decided to ask his burning question.

''So you and Sam? Do you like her'' he asked casually, like it was no big deal.

Sweat beaded my face ''I-I... no'' I sputtered. Its not like I was ashamed of being gay okay? Everyone at camp knows, it's just not something anyones ever really talked about with me, let alone anything to do with liking sam.

He stopped rowing ''are you sure?'' I have to admit Pollux was persistent

''Fine, yes I like her okay'' I mumbled splashing water at him

Pollux shot up '' what I couldn't hear you''

''I said I like her okay'' I yelled, maybe a bit too loud.

''Knew it'' And he started to paddle again.

Was it that obvious? But how could I not, she was free spirited and bold, never afraid to be herself. The way she danced with me the day we met, her flirty personality, I was in love with her, but what if she didn't feel the same way? Or worse, she liked Drew?

Pollux promised not to tell, but he also said if I told Conner he wouldn't be mad. Apparently Conner owed him 10 bucks, they were betting on me, damn.

We lost the race by a landslide but honestly I think Pollux asked me to be his partner just so we could have some time to talk. I didn't mind though, I trust he won't tell, Pollux is notoriously good at secret keeping. Plus we got to bond a little bit and I'm almost certain he has a crush on Drew, but I won't bug him about it, well at least not yet.

I spent my afternoon in the forges with Harley, working on this thing he called the three legged death race. It sounded awful, but it made him happy and kept his mind off Leo which was an added bonus. We were working on the traps when Malcom Pace, temporary head of Athena cabin came running in.

''Cabin 6, five minutes'' he paused to catch his breath ''tell everyone'' and then he took off again without another word.

Harley looked at me ''No idea'' I shrugged.

We walked to cabin six, and it was full of basically all the year rounders

''What's so important'' Sam asked, and everyone just kinda stared at Malcolm waiting for an answer.

He jumped up on a chair '' the hunters are here, and this time we're gonna win capture the flag''

Everyone cheered.

Malcom got out a map ''The plan is simple, Ares will be positioned here, here and here because you're broad'' he said pointing to red Xs on the map ''Archers in the trees because you're our eyes in the sky, except Sam. You'll get the flag and take it here to the drop off point, where someone will give you a fake flag and take the real one, Sam go this way and umm Nyssa, yes you'll go this way with the real flag. Any questions?''

Any questions? Really Malcom that plan was heca complex and you wanna ask if anyone has questions, of course they do. For instance I don't know, like can we even duplicate their flag? That sounds like cheating and cheating is not the way to beat the hunters.

Everyone's hands flew up immediately.

''Yes Katie'' Malcom gestured for her to stand on a chair.

''What about everyone else?''

''There's about twenty eight hunters, so we've decided on a game of 15 vs 15.

So the four from Apollo, the 6 in Ares, Nyssa for speed, the stolls for a distraction and Lue Ellen from Hecate cabin, she's powerful so I need her here'' and he pointed to his map ''any further questions?

Ugh of course there's still more question,I thought Athena kids were smart

''Yes Sam go ahead''

Sam had everyone's attention ''Are we aloud to use a fake flag?'' She asked

''Chiron said we can't duplicate our own flag, but he didn't say anything about there's, no further questions? Good go get ready''

I quickly strapped on all my armer, then Sam helped me fix it. I got good luck wishes from the whole Hephaestus cabin, a hug from Harley then we were ready. He gave Sam his lucky car, no fair. I had my sword, the fake flag and a small duffel bag of traps, but not the deadly ones of course. Sam thanked Harley and then we left to go join our team.

''Thanks buddy'' she said, giving him one more squeeze.

''Go win'' he said, hugging me goodbye.

We met everyone at the woods, of course the stoll brothers were fashionably late as always, Drew was there to show her support and she even gave me a hug. Like we were real friends, Drew and I are real friends! That's new.

Chiron blew his horn and I took off sprinting, it was easy to find the drop spot now all I had to do was wait. It only took Sam a couple minutes before finding the flag, then we switched. I could hear someone close behind her.

''Good luck'' She whisper ''run fast''

I took off running, the plan was simple: don't get caught. All I had to do was book it across the boundaries and we win, easy right? Or so I thought. My first problem was Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, Lieutenant of Artemis and one Hella powerful demigod.

''She's got the flag'' Thalia screamed running after me.

Think, what should I do? I couldn't win a fight against her in any way but maybe I could pull an Athena and out smart her. I kept running but I slowed down, and just as she got close I dropped to the ground. She didn't have time to stop so she ran right into me and went flying, I jumped to my feet and kept running''

''Sorry'' I shouted, pushing forward. I was almost there, I could see the boundary line, it was the creek as usual. Just a little bit faster I told myself, just a little bit faster.

I couldn't stop, so I accidentally ran into a hunter sending us both flying back into the creek. On the plus we'd won, on the down side I'd just accidentally tackled a hunter into a freezing creek.

helped her up just as the horn blew ''sorry, I'm Nyssa by the way''

She smiled ''good game, I'm Hunter''

A hunter named Hunter? How ironic.

We walked back to camp together, I think I accidentally made a new friend? She tried to convince me to join the hunt but I explained that was really my thing, she was really nice about it though. Sam came out of the woods a little while later and stood beside me.

Chiron got everyone's attention ''congratulations campers, for the first time In many years camp half-blood one our honorary game of capture the flag against the hunters of Artemis'' Everyone cheered

''THREE CHEERS FOR MALCOLM'' Conner shouted.

All the campers shouted back ''HIP HIP HOORAY''

''THREE CHEERS FOR SAM'' Travis yelled.

The camp shouted back ''HIP HIP HOORAY''

Sam moved from my side to the front of the crowd ''THREE CHEERS FOR NYSSA'' she screamed.

The camp shouted back ''HIP HIP HOORAY''

She pulled me close, like really close, wrapping her arms around my hips and kissed me on the cheek. I almost fainted, why did she have to be like this, it's agonizing.

'' You were amazing'' She whispered.

I smiled trying to hide my red face ''you too''

Everyone was super excited about the win during dinner, I heard the hunters were even planning how they would redeem themselves next time.

I was eating dinner at table nine when I saw Sam get up and walk away. I motioned for Pollux to follow me because I was worried about her, she didn't look so good. Thalia got up but then she looked at Drew and sat back down.

We followed Sam to the amphitheatre when I saw a girl behind her, a hunter, the one in her photos, she must have been Phoebe. They started screaming at each other, Sam was in tears.

I wanted to run to her, and I tried but Pollux got in the way '' Pollux she needs me ''

''Just wait'' he said crouching behind a tree

''But-''

''This isn't our fight Nyssa'' he said it with sadness, that's when I realized that he wanted to run to her, to stand up for her, to protect just as much as I did. Just in two completely different ways.

They finally stopped screaming at each other, they were acting calmer

A tear fell from my cheek '' Pollux did they-''

''Umm... how are you feeling?'' He held his arms out

I clutched my chest ''I'm not okay'' and I sobbed into his shirt, he wrapped me in a warm hug but I still felt cold inside

'' Every heartache fades away'' he whispered holding me tighter ''come on let's go''

And we went back to his cabin, I couldn't face anyone else, especially not Sam.