Hi guys! As a sort of peace offering for not being online in forever, I have a second chapter :) I'll start updating a lot more frequently. Maybe more often if you all review, so do it :)
As I was walking up to my cabin, it was pretty quiet. Some of the campers were awake, and I heard the distant clashing of swords came from the arena. It was weird, but I was already completely accustomed to the whole demigod thing. I accepted all of the magic and monsters and that my dad is Poseidon and in some cruel joke my name was the same as the Disney Princess who was a daughter of Neptune.
I heard the light strumming of a guitar. Conor was sitting on a log near the firepit, humming quietly to a song. I held my trident charm until it morphed into a sword. I playfully swung it so that it touched the tip of his neck. He chuckled.
"Really? You just got that yesterday, you don't wanna get it confiscated due to abuse," he said.
"They can't do that," I replied, sitting next to him. "I've only been here for a small amount of time, and I can tell that much. What are you doing up so early?"
"I rise with the sun. Child of Apollo and all that. And what about you? I distinctly remember you always grumbling about how mornings were evil. And you have dark spots under your eyes," he said, stroking my cheek a tiny bit. I blushed. "Have you been sleeping alright?" I turned away and he coughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"No," I said honestly. "But I'll get over it. Listen, do you maybe want to fight in the arena for a bit before breakfast? I really want to learn how to sword fight," I said. He smirked.
"Yeah, sure. But I have to warn you, I might be too good for you," he said cheekily. I stood up and grabbed his hand, pulling him off the log with his guitar. "Hey, I have to go put my guitar back, at least!" he protested.
"You can put it on the side," I replied. And when he laughed, I realized his laugh was the best sound I have ever heard.
I walked into the hall with Percy. I've been here for a couple of weeks, and I found that I changed somewhat. I gained a lot more muscle, and I felt a lot happier. I also made a couple more friends. But the majority of people eyed me with suspicion. Apparently, children of Poseidon were rare, and virtually never survive to be 15, especially outside of camp. Some even thought I was a spy for Kronos' army.
I quickly ate breakfast and went with Percy to train. He'd always beat me, but I was getting better with every spar, and I even beat him once. We would fight for about two hours, and then we would separate. I'd take Ancient Greek with Annabeth and he'd go to the lava rock-climbing wall. Then, I'd go to archery with Conor. Him being a son of Apollo, he completely kicked my butt. But I got him back in canoeing.
As the weeks kept going, I felt a certain tension between Conor and me. It was subtle, but it was there. He'd sometimes brush his hand against mine, and he said some things that made me think that my crush on him was mutual. But he'd never make a move or anything.
The fireworks were coming up soon. Percy told me about how on the Fourth of July, the Hephaestus cabin makes this absolutely amazing firework display, and it's mostly like a couple thing. So I thought that maybe Conor would ask me to it. But apparently not.
So here I was, the third of July, and I was already deciding that I would hang out with the Stolls at the fireworks. Conor probably invited someone else. So I let out my frustration by jogging on the beach.
Stupid son of Apollo, I thought as I kept going. I went past the border and into the public beach. I used to scoff at the girls who want guys to make the first move. I mean, asking Conor straight out if he liked me would make everything so much easier: but I was too chicken.
A part of my mind nervously wanted to turn around and go back to camp turf. But, I mean, I was only 300 feet or so outside of the border. What trouble could I be in?
And as a creature lumbered towards me, I thought, a lot apparently.
A green, scaly body came quickly towards me: a drakon growled at me, baring its nasty sharp teeth. It did not seem like it just wanted to have a nice chat over tea. I grasped my trident charm and went up to it.
I dodged its teeth once again, and retaliated with a quick stab in the neck of the dragon. It was like a never-ending game: I'd attack, the dragon would lunge, and the cycle would begin again. Finally, I managed to sink the blade deep into its side. With one more ferocious roar, it exploded in a poof of gold dust, leaving a single fang. I picked it up, proud but still in shock of what I just did. I just killed a dragon, and I didn't die! My ADHD totally over came me, and my brain whirred with adrenaline. I was about to start to run back into the camp before something else happened when I felt a searing pain in my abdomen area: I looked down to see a gash in my shirt with a nasty green and red cut. The stupid dragon succeeded in biting me with its probably venomous teeth.
I began to sprint as fast as I could to the camp. Come on, Arielle, you can do this, I thought to myself encouragingly. My legs began to feel like jello but finally I saw the cabins in the distance. But my happiness was short lived when I collapsed on the sand, thinking at least if I did die, at least I died with some sort of family.
CLIFFHANGER.
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