They boys dropped Lynn and I off at the nearest outlet center, with a wallet that magically filled itself wiTh mortal money. They continued on to Home Depot where they were getting things our new house needed. I had barely stepped out of the car when Lynn grabbed my arm and dragged me around the corner of the complex.

The dank alley she stopped in smelled of grease, exhaust fumes and rotting meat. The smell made me want to vomit. The gnawing hunger I had been feeling all morning disappeared as I breathed in my first breath of the disgusting air.

The horrible smell didn't seem to affect Lynn, I suppose her growing up in New York City having something to do with it. My best friend's black hair stirred slightly in the breeze but she didn't appear to notice. Her dark eyes flashed with anger towards me and i flinched back involuntarily.

"What aren't you telling me?" she hissed. Her fist slammed hard into my shoulder and I bit my lip.

A voice, one much like the one I heard after I nearly drowned, told me to stay silent. I wanted to listen to it, I truly did, but this was my best friend. Lynn was the person I told everything. She was the person I turned to after the war. She was my true nearly constant warnings to not get involved with Apollo rung in my mind. Besides Apollo was her father, how could I tell her that I was dating her dad.

"Nothing," I lied. She glared at me harder. She must have some extra sense when it came to lying. I mean I can convince the entire camp that the sky is really purple, but Lynn always saw through it.

"There is something going on between you and my dad," she snapped, "I mean the fourth of July was bad enough, but I saw you two after the first capture the flag,I saw him carrying you out of the woods, which I know you were not in all day because I searched everywhere! Now what's going on? You're not pregnant are you? You know Zeus will kill you if you are, right?"

"I'm not pregnant," I hissed, looking up, a sort of habit if you will. "Your dad and I are just friends. He wanted to make a friend that he didn't sleep with, that's all."

"That would've worked on me if I hadn't seen the way he was looking at you this morning," she laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh, but one full od malice. "I mean he looked like a man who had been stranded in the desert and you were a nice big bottle of Poland Spring!"

"Fine," I snapped. I started to tug on one of the strands of my hair. I took a deep breath. Then words started to pour out of me like a flood. "We're dating. But we're not doing anything. Its more like we both really, really care about each other. I mean he leaves me notes every night and I really love him, but were not having sex! I just-"

"Slow down, doll-face, I said tell me, not spill your guts." Lynn giggled. "So, are you happy?"

"Beyond happy," I ducked my head slightly, embarrassed. Lynn shook her head.

"You know, right now you remind me of my mom, right after dad showed up to tell her what he was," she sighed. "just be careful alright, I really don't want to see you end up like her."

"I will be."

"Wait a minute," Lynn started too smile," Did you just say you love him?"

Outwardly I just shrugged. On the inside however I was plAying back our conversation. Could I have really said I love him? I barely knew the man how could I say I love him? she must've misheard me.

"So what are you doing for your birthday?" Lynn asked as we started out of the alley.

"No clue," I smiled, glad that the interrogation was over and I had not been smitted. Is that even a proper word? You know what who cares? This is my confessional and I'm gonna say smitted!

"Is dad taking you anywhere?" I nodded.

"He won't tell me where though," Lynn just laughed. A real laugh, head thrown back and everything.

"Well then we must make you the hottest shit to ever walk the face of the earth!" Still smiling she grabbed my arm and dragged me into the stores.

A/N So Im alive and super sorry I had writers block for some reason I couldn't get words to work anymore. Also Junior year is more work than I expected but I'm still going to try and update regularly. Please please leave a review

XOXO