Set just after Trials of Apollo. Rated T for kissing.

Calypso brushed a lock of hair air behind her ear, nervously straightening her shorts.

Leo sat upfront, driving and humming along to some god-awful boy-band music. He heard her sigh and turned around, grinning. "'Sup, Cal?"

He saw the look on her face and his smile faded. "Calypso, the seven are amazing. My best friends in the world."

Festus chittered angrily and Leo patted his head. "Except for you, buddy."

He went on. "I mean, you know Percy -" she flinched and he continued - "and you'll get along great with Piper. Everyone likes Jason, and it's hard not to love Frank Zhang. You'll get along great with Hazel, and even though Annabeth can be a bit tricky at times, she's a good person." He said this all in one breath, and it knocked the wind out of him.

"Yeah, thanks," Calypso nodded then paused. "Um, about Annabeth . . ."

"Ohhhhh," Leo said knowingly, realization washing over him. "You're nervous about Annabeth. Come on, Cal. You don't have to worry."

"I did curse her, Leonidas."

"Eh, that girl's been through Tartarus and back. She can cope."

Calypso bit her lip. She still hadn't told Leo the extent of her curse, or how cruel it had been. "But Leo . . ." she started, but he cut her off with a yell.

"We're here! Hell-oooo, Camp Half-Blood!"

Nerves reigned in Calypso's stomach. She didn't think she'd ever felt this scared before.

Leo took her hand and led her across to the ping-pong table, where several demigods were seated.

The only one he could recognize was Percy, and though it pained her to admit it, he was by far the cutest guy there. Windswept black hair and gorgeous sea-green eyes and tanned, Meditteranean skin. She sighed.

There was a beautiful girl with caramel-colored hair and dark, tanned skin with eyes that seemed to change colour and sparkle in the light.

"Piper!" Leo hugged her. "Piper, Calypso," he gestured to them in turn. "Calypso, Piper."

Piper smiled and sat next to them. The cute blonde boy beside her with the glasses pulled her toward him, grinning at Leo. "Dude!"

Introductions were made - Percy, Hazel, Frank, Jason, Piper - when a pretty blonde girl walked in. Calypso immediately noticed how beautiful she was: tanned, golden skin, hair the colour of sunlight and stormy, dramatic grey eyes.

She put a finger to her lips and walked up behind Percy, who hadn't noticed her yet. She slung her arms around his shoulders and neck from the back and kissed his temple. He turned around and his grin lit up the room.

"Annabeth!" Percy pulled her onto his lap and she rested her head on his chest.

"Seaweed Brain," she smiled, then noticed Leo and scowled.

"Valdez -" she started, and for some reason Leo his behind Jason. "You are in SO MUCH TROUBLE, you wouldn't even believe it - I mean, if I had a nickel for every time someone stayed on that STUPID ISLAND and came back and CRASHED THEIR OWN FUNERAL, I'd be rich! And -"

"Actually," Percy murmured. "You'd only have two nickels. Not that rich."

She glared at him, sat down and stuck her AirPods in her ears. Piper leaned forward, tapping Annabeth's arm and whispering something to her.

Calypso flinched, knowing that they were talking about her. Annabeth looked up, glanced at Calypso, and for a second, a hint of anger flashed across her face.

It was quickly replaced by a smile. "Hi! I've heard so much about you!"

Calypso smiled back and Annabeth went back to whispering with Piper. Percy played with one of her long blonde bangs.

Over the following weeks, Calypso watched Annabeth. She knew it was creepy and pretty weird but she wanted to know why Percy had chosen Annabeth over her.

She loved Leo with all her heart, of course, and knew he was The One, but this was something she needed to know.

So there she was, sitting underneath a tree and watching Piper and Annabeth film a TikTok. Demigods weren't supposed of have phones, of course, but Calypso wasn't going to be a snitch. And besides, it was mesmerizing watching them dance.

They were just about to finish when Percy and Jason snuck up behind them and lifted them by the waist off the ground. Piper shrieked in surprise and wriggled away from Jason, and Annabeth grabbed Percy and pushed him against the tree, kissing him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and they only broke apart when Piper said, "Oh my gods, get a room."

Calypso liked Annabeth, but felt a twisting in her gut. She was unbearably jealous and it was crushing her.

She wanted Piper as a best friend.

She wanted a life at Camp Half-Blood and those beautiful eyes and tan.

Leo walked up behind her and she collapsed against him, sobbing.