Chris told me that he needed some time alone so I left him. His new siblings surrounded him, welcoming him back into the Hermes Cabin like he had never left. A good choice on their part. If they had given him any problems, I would have punched them into next week.

But I still couldn't help watching them with jealousy and worry. What if the Stolls told him bad things about me? How I was overly violent or that I majorly disliked children of Hermes? What if they convinced him that he shouldn't be near me?

Eventually I had to leave before my hovering became creepy. I retreated to the armory. Sherman walked in a few minutes later.

I kept polishing my sword without looking up.

"I want to be alone, punk. I'm busy." He rolled his eyes and sauntered in.

"I don't really care. And you aren't busy. You're just moping and it's pitiful." I glared at him.

"What's your point?"

"Mostly that your moping is pitiful and pathetic," He sat down next to me, smirking. "And pointless." I raised an eyebrow at my brother.

"You're making less sense than usual, brat." Sherman rolled his eyes.

"If Chris isn't interested or whatever, it's because he's-"

"An idiot?" I scoffed. "Are you trying to give me a brotherly talk about romance? Didn't think you had that in you." Sherman glowered at me.

"Shut your mouth and let me finish. No. If he isn't interested, he's probably terrified of you and the fact that you are a deadly warrior and a child of Ares. And if he's scared of that fact, he isn't worth your time." I stared at him.

"That might be the nicest thing that you've ever said." Sherman frowned at me.

"To you?" I smirked at him.

"To anybody, punk." He punched me in the arm and stalked off muttering about stupid sisters but I was confident that he was hiding a smile. I grinned and went back to cleaning my blades.

The moment I left the armory, I was ambushed by Silena Beauregard, the daughter of Aphrodite.

"Clarisse! Just the girl I was looking for!"

I glanced at her weirdly. The two of us had never really talked before. She was too busy doing whatever children of Aphrodite did when they weren't messing with other people's love life.

"What do you want?" I responded bluntly. She smiled widely. Silena was beautiful. She had sparkling blue eyes, glossy black hair tied into a neat bun, and a winning smile.

"I came to offer my advice. My mom told me about you and Chris. First boyfriends are always the hardest." I glared at her.

"I don't need-"

"The first and most important rule is to be yourself. If you change yourself and someone else falls in love with that changed version, then they aren't in love with you. They are in love with an illusion. And I think Chris has had enough illusions."

I blinked at her. That- that wasn't what I was expecting. It was oddly deep for a child of Aphrodite. I thought she'd come and forcefully give me a makeover.

"Thanks," I mumbled. Silena beamed at me.

"Okay, I have Chris in the Big House lounge. He thinks he is waiting for Chiron. Get in there. Talk to him. Make this happen. You deserve to be happy." I stared at her and she winked at me. "I'm the daughter of the love goddess. I'm sneaky by nature." Silena turned to leave. "Go on. He won't wait forever."

Chris was sitting on a couch in the Big House living room, sipping cold lemonade. He almost spit out his drink when he saw me.

"Hey, Chris." I mumbled. He continued to stare at me. Why had it been easier to talk to this punk when he was insane?

"Are you okay? Um, settling in?" I tried. Chris glanced away from me awkwardly.

"Chris, c'mon, talk to me."

"What do you want me to say, Clarisse?" He whispered. "I abandoned you."

"You came back," I argued weakly.

"No. You found me weak, pathetic, wandering madly through the desert. Travis and Connor told me that you treated me for months. I almost laughed. You, the skilled daughter of Ares, were caring for a traitor turned madman. I most certainly wasn't worth it." Chris drew his knife from the sheath and stared at it contemplatively. His voice was so bitter, it broke my heart. It sounded like he was giving up and it absolutely infuriated me. I slapped the knife out of his hand.

"No. I did not stand by your bedside for months waiting for you to decide that you aren't worth it!" My face was a bright red. "You were- are my friend. I want you to be more, you stupid punk!" I was definitely blushing by now. I did not just say that aloud. He was going to think that I was stupid. Chris just stared at me in shock. Then a slow stupid grin spread across his face.

"You know, there is this great campfire going on. I heard the smores are delicious. Care to join me, Clary?" He offered me his arm as if he was a gentleman. I bit my lip to keep from grinning.

"You're an idiot." I still took his arm.

We had chosen a private spot that was covered with shadows. Chris was keeping me entertained with corny jokes and card tricks. I don't think I've laughed that hard in years. I doubted I had been this happy since Chris had left.

We weren't dating. Chris needed more time to recover, become fully himself again and I could wait.

I heard faint whispering in the shadows. I turned to see the Erotes' grinning faces. They smirked at me when I caught their eye. Anteros, the brat, winked at me. Hedylogos made kissing faces and Hymenaios was still making wedding plans. I glared at them until they disappeared. Chris looked at my face and laughed when he saw my expression.

"Who are you glaring at this time?" I smirked at him. "None of your business, punk. Just feel lucky that it's not you." He chuckled and put his arm over my shoulders.

"Oh, don't worry. I feel very lucky but are you sure that you are okay with us, you know, being us in public? I was a traitor, Clarisse." I entwined my hand with his.

"Yes. I'm fine, Chris. It's great, actually."

And it was great. I was Clarisse, the daughter of Ares, the fierce warrior and skilled swordswoman, the demigod who explored both the Labyrinth and the Sea of Monsters and I was going to let my father and the world know. But at the moment I was Clarisse, a girl who was going to enjoy her first time out with her first not-boyfriend. And if anyone had a problem with that, I would introduce them to my fist.