(A/N Well, here's your Christmas present everybody. A happy chapter. Well, I don't really celebrate Christmas, but I needed some girl talk.)
Chapter 8: Girl Talk
I stood up and walked out into the hallway. The crying was coming from one of the cabins.
I opened the door and found Hazel lying on the bed. It didn't seem like her style. This must've been Frank's room.
His bow was hung over a desk that was covered with paper that had some sort of symbols on it.
"Hazel," I asked, "Are you alright?"
"No," She cried.
"Maybe you just need to," I paused. "Find the rainbow in it. After a storm, the sun comes out and a rainbow appears. Hope appears after the worst days. After tears are shed."
"We met Iris once," Hazel said. "The rainbow goddess. Did Percy or… or Frank ever tell you that."
I shook my head. "No."
"She was a bit crazy, I think," Hazel said. "But Frank said that she told him, 'Don't lose hope, Frank. Rainbows always stand for hope.' She was right and so are you."
"Maybe Leo's right and I am philosophical."
Hazel laughed. It was good to hear.
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Hazel said.
Piper opened the door. "Hey guys."
"Hey," I said.
"Leo was driving me crazy, so I decided to find you guys," Piper joked.
"Leo's driving all of us crazy," I said. "Oh, Piper can you explain something?"
"Sure, what?"
"What did Leo mean when he called me hot?"
Piper and Hazel laughed.
"It's slang," Piper said. "It's like a word for pretty."
"Aren't we looking for the girl he loves?" I asked. "Why would he call me pretty, then?"
Piper shrugged. "Twenty first century. Boys do that."
"Will you smack him for me?"
Hazel laughed.
"Sure" Piper joked.
"Leo must really love this girl," I said quietly.
"He does," Piper said. "He never stopped looking for her. The whole thing about if you love someone, you should let them go is stupid. If you love someone, you should always be there, or at least try to."
"Always be there," I repeated.
"What are you thinking about, Ari?" Hazel asked.
"Nik," I said. "I need to see him again."
"And you will," She said. "We all will someday."
"I don't want to wait until someday," I said. "I'm going to find a way to the Underworld."
"You will," A voice on the other side of the room said. "We all know you can do it."
"Thanks, Annabeth," I said.
"Does anyone feel like explaining this century to Ari?" Hazel asked jokingly.
"Why not?" Annabeth said.
"Why do people use all those metal things? What were they called, umm… cars?"
"They're faster than walking," Annabeth said. "Everything is about being fast to the mortals."
"That's stupid," I said.
"I guess," Annabeth said. "But it works."
"Ari," Piper asked. "What was your time like?"
"Well," I said. "I'm not completely sure. My father was the king and I couldn't exactly go out and play because, well you know…"
"You're a princess?" Hazel asked.
I nodded. "I guess. I've never been a proper one."
"Yes, you have," Annabeth said.
"So, does this time have a king?"
Hazel shook her head. "A president, who is elected."
"That's strange,"
"I guess it is," Piper said.
"So, what was being a princess like?" Hazel asked.
"Before I was like this?" I said. "It was annoying. My tutors all hated me. Most of them barely lasted a week. Then, when I was eleven, I got Cassia. She was my best friend. She wasn't afraid of me."
"Ari," Piper said. "You keep hinting that you weren't always like this."
"When I turned eight," I said. "I was playing tag with some of the village children. I was it. I tagged that boy and he… he fell over. Dead."
"Oh, Ari," Hazel said. "You never told us."
"You never asked," I countered.
"Are you okay?" Piper asked.
"I'm fine," I lied "I didn't know him. I've lost more important people since then."
The dinner bell rang.
"Let's go eat," Piper said.
She and Annabeth left the room.
"Hazel," I said. "It really will get better. I know that more than anyone."
"Thank you, Ari," She said. "But I don't think I'm the one that needs help."
"Rainbows, huh," I said. "Let's go eat."