~~~~~~~~ 13 ~~~~~~~~~

I stared at my mom's image in the Mist. "I was hoping you could teach me how to make those cupcakes, the blue ones." I explained, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Sure." She assured me. It had only been a little over a week that she'd been back. Gabe was gone and she had recently listed him for sale, which made me smile. I was right - my mom is the most wonderful person in the world, and she's definitely capable of taking care of herself. "But Percy, why? I mean, you'll come home for your birthday, at least, won't you?"

I nodded. "Definitely."

"And have you decided? About coming home this school year, I mean?"

"Uh…."

"I see." She gave me a small, sad smile. "Take your time, Percy. Now, blue cupcakes?"

I nodded, grateful she'd let me go so easily from making that decision. "Yeah. For my friend, Annabeth. It's her birthday in a few days, so I want to make her cupcakes."

My mom grinned and nodded, then talked me through making the cupcakes. It took me a few tries, but by Annabeth's birthday, I had a good enough batch to surprise her with. Travis Stoll had managed to get me the right ingredients from the city. I was just adding the last sprinkles to them when someone knocked on the doorframe behind me.

"Hey, Percy?"

I whirled around. It was one of Annabeth's older sisters. She had the same blonde hair as Annabeth, but stick straight. Her gray eyes were framed by blue glasses and she was wearing a Camp tank top - I hadn't realized there was a tank top version.

"Um, hi. What's your name again?" I asked. I hadn't gotten to stay at Camp long enough before my quest to learn everyones' names, and the names I did know got jumbled together.

"Sophia. Look, we know you don't have any cabinmates, so we thought maybe you could join us for Annabeth's birthday party tomorrow. You know, the Camp tradition stuff."

I blinked. I hadn't realized there might be Camp tradition stuff. "Uh, sure." I agreed. "What kind of stuff?"

She tossed me something. It looked like a noise maker, the kind you blow on New Year's Eve. "Bring that with you in the morning, before the sun rises. We start with a proper wake up for the birthday girl."

"Uh…. I made cupcakes." I added, sounding as uncool as I felt.

Sophia smiled. "That's a great addition, but first we gotta stick to tradition, ok, newbie?"

"Sure. Uh, anything I should do?"

Sophia shook her head. "Nope, just be outside the Athena cabin in the morning, I'll let you in."

She turned to leave and I thought of something. "Will Luke be there?" I hadn't really seen him since we returned from our quest. I worried he might be jealous or something.

"Uh, not sure." Sophia admitted. "He'd have to get it cleared with Chiron since he's a cabin counselor. And the Hermes cabin is so big, it'd be hard. I'm sure he'll make time to come see Annabeth, though. Maybe during his free time."

That made sense. "Ok. Just wanted to make sure someone had invited him, you know?"

The next morning I managed to get up in time and went across the green to the Athena cabin. Sophia welcomed me in. I was a little stunned to see the place decked out in party decorations - balloons, streamers, banners, the works. Another one of Annabeth's siblings handed me a party hat, which made me feel like a dork. We all gathered around her bed and I watched as Sophia counted down on her fingers - three, two, one.

As soon as we blew the noise makers, Annabeth lunged up, her knife in her hand. Everyone except me seemed to expect that and stepped back. Sophia yanked me back just in time to not get skewered.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Everyone cheered, as if I hadn't nearly been stabbed.

Annabeth's eyes slowly lost that hunted-look and came back into focus. She grinned and hugged each of her siblings. I wasn't sure if she meant to include me in that or not, but I was happy she did. I didn't have a lot of friends, and I was grateful she was one of them, even if she was annoying sometimes.

All of Annabeth's siblings started a drum-roll on their legs, so I tried to join in. It ended as one of them presented the worst decorated Camp T-shirt I'd ever seen in my life. Glitter glue was all over it. There appeared to be sequins attached to it, as well as some super fake flowers and feathers. The back of it proudly proclaimed in bold writing BIRTHDAY GIRL. The R in birthday was backwards - probably what happens when a cabin full of dyslexics tries to write your birthday message. I would've been mortified to wear it, but Annabeth was grinning as she pulled it on.

Her whole cabin carried her to the dining pavilion, and Annabeth was laughing the whole time. I went to sit at my table. I have to admit, today it was extra apparent that I was alone at Table 3. Annabeth's table was decorated with a tablecloth and confetti and I watched as she and her siblings teased each other with inside jokes.

Mr. D stood up to start the announcements. "Yes, yes, there's another birthday for one of you brats. Enjoy." Cheers went up around the pavilion. "Now, as a reminder, the archery range is still closed today after the Demeter cabin's mess up -"

"We didn't mess up!" Katie called out, "But when people insult Demeter, then you'd best believe we'll turn your arrows into trees again!"

Clarisse got up from the table, doubtless to start a fight, when Chiron pounded his hoof against the stone floor, calling for attention. "Quiet, quiet everyone. While we work to handle the new influx of trees, please talk to your counselors about other activities for your usual archery timeslot. I've heard the climbing wall has recently been resupplied with lava."

Excited murmuring broke out everywhere. I was still not very fast at the climbing wall and did not like the idea of new lava, but since I was even worse at archery… well, I figured I'd better find an appropriate activity for that time.

I was heading to go start my normal schedule when one of Annabeth's siblings, a boy I didn't know but had seen her with, grabbed me and pulled me along with the rest of their cabin. "Come on, Percy. Today you're an honorary Athena kid - how else will you ever know what Camp Half-Blood does on birthdays?"

I have to admit - I had to swallow a lump in my throat. I'm not used to having a lot of friends - or any friends. Grover and Annabeth were my first real friends in years, and I definitely don't have siblings. Grover had left on the Fourth of July, and I missed him a lot - but for one day, the entire cabin all acted like I was a part of the group. I joined in arts and crafts - where all our usual supplies were replaced with candy and frosting to make cookie art of the gods. We went to combat practice where we all went through combat exercises but with silly string instead of actual weapons. Annabeth ended up totally covered, but was laughing and smiling more than I'd ever seen her. We had a picnic lunch in the woods and not one of Annabeth's siblings seemed to find it out of place that I was still there. Luke managed to join us for lunch, but sat next to Annabeth the whole time. He did give me a nod and a smile, so maybe he wasn't jealous after all, just busy.

A chimera-shaped pinata was next - complete with quarterstaves to bash in the pinata and blindfolded, dizzy demigods to attack it. Chiron seemed to really enjoy getting to work the pinata to make sure none of us got a good swing in.

At the end of the day, I was exhausted - something about trying to keep up with the Athena cabin during a game of ultimate frisbee must've done it. But I still had my cupcakes at the Big House so I went to go fetch them. I was pulling them out of the pantry when I heard someone behind me.

"Hey!" Annabeth said, "You weren't leaving, were you?"

"Oh, uh, no, I uh -" I held up the Rubbermaid I was holding. "I made cupcakes."

Annabeth's smile faltered. "For me? Really?"

"Uh, yeah. I mean. I didn't know if you guys had plans for that, or, you know, special Camp cakes or something, but my mom helped teach me how to make these. And I think there's enough for everyone."

She grinned and helped me carry the cupcakes back to the pavilion. As we walked together, I quietly said, "I really appreciate it, you know?" She looked quizzically at me, so I explained. "You know, inviting me to your birthday stuff."

She shook her head. "We can invite any of our friends. And you're my friend, Seaweed Brain."

I felt all warm and fuzzy, hearing her call me her friend. It was strange, but nice. "I hope you had a good birthday."

"I did, yeah. Hang on." We were passing Half-Blood Hill. Annabeth carefully stacked her Rubbermaid on mine, then reached in for a cupcake. She turned to look at me, a mixture of hope and worry in her eyes. "Uh, I always…. Leave a cupcake for Thalia. Do you mind if I -"

"No, go ahead." I adjusted the Rubbermaids in my arms so I could balance them better. "Do your thing."

She gave me a small smile, then turned and walked up the hill. I watched her sit the cupcake down on the roots of the tree and press her hand against the trunk. I wondered, for the hundredth time, about Annabeth's past, about what it was really like to have lost her closest friend and to have spent years at Camp, making these memories and traditions. But before I could think too much, she was trotting back down the hill.

"Thanks." She said quietly, wiping tears from her eyes. I pretended not to notice.

"No problem." I agreed as she took back half the cupcakes. "Now, is there a special Camp birthday song I should know before we light these?"