[Drew Tanaka scowled as she packed up her equipment.]

What's there to say?

[She pushed past me, walking fast. Her eyes remained forward, cold and hard.]

There was a battle. People died, Luke was defeated, and we won. End of story.

["What about Silena?" Drew walked faster.]

Silena betrayed the camp. She's nothing but a filthy traitor.

Now get out of my way, sweetie. I don't have time to chat with nosy, little unclaims.

[Jake Mason sat in one of the few chairs in the camp's forgery. He sat on the edge, head down, and stared intensely at a Rubik's cube in his hand.]

I don't know what to say. Annabeth, Percy, and Nico can give you all the details of the war. Will, Clarisse, and Malcolm can probably fill everything else in. What's the point of asking me?

["I just want to know what you think of the war. Did you think it was pointless like Clarisse?"]

Pointless? No.

I could understand why Luke did what he did.

I was kicked out of my home when I was ten. A satyr found me by chance and brought me here along with the kid he was picking up. For three years, I stayed in the Hermes Cabin. Three years. If you think the cabin is crowded now, you should see it back then. There wasn't even room to walk to the door and mornings were utter chaos. Luke had to set a limit of three minutes for the bathrooms. Inspections were always borderline passing.

I remember Luke would take an Advil after every morning routine. He looked so tired.

But anyway, I knew who my father is. My mother told me before she slammed the door on my back.

And I was good with my hands and fixing things, so there's that.

But years passed. Dad didn't claim me or answer my prayers. I spent my days sulking and watching kids be claimed before me.

I had given up being claimed but then Beckendorf came along.

Within a day, Hephaestus's symbol, a red hammer, shone above his head and bath the dining pavilion in its red glow. It felt like someone punched me in the chest.

I ran out of there as the cheers began.

I wanted to leave. Anywhere would be better than here, waiting for a sign that's never going to come.

I ran to Half Blood Hill and scaled up Thalia's Pine. When I was at the top, and I could see all of Camp, I took out my Rubik's cube. Mom said it was my father's gift to me when I was born.

I prayed to my father to please show me a sign. To please show that he still remembers me.

There was nothing. I heard nothing. I saw nothing.

He didn't care and I hurled the cube out into the fields.

...

None of them really care. Malcolm, Miranda, Drew stayed just as long as me in the Hermes Cabin. A lot of demigods aged out of camp unclaimed.

Nothing changed after Luke left. Not even when a quarter of the camp went with him.

They didn't try to talk to us. They didn't claim their children. They didn't try to earn our loyalty. They expected everything from us yet gave nothing.

I felt bitter from just being forgotten. I could never begin to imagine how those demigods on the streets felt. It's no wonder why Luke was able to recruit hundreds, thousands of demigods.

I'm not saying Luke was justified in what he did. There must have been a better and less costly alternative. We lost many friends. There were too many casualties. So many people were hurt.

[Jake rubbed the bridge of his nose.]

You said you talked with Drew?

["Yeah, but she didn't really want to talk."]

Drew's actually pretty considerate and a great friend once you get pass her cold, bitchy exterior.

Most of us find a way to cope. Her method isn't one I approve of but I'm not one to judge.

You need to go. Athena's cabin is using the forgery soon and you don't want to see the crazy stuff they can make.

Trust me. There's a 95% chance you'll get your head sliced open.

And I am not dealing with that again.

Chapter 5: Shame

Author's Notes:

Thank you to I'mALazyProcastinator for grammar checking this fic!