"Claire!" Sky yelled from behind me. I got up from where Clarisse pushed me and turned around, head spinning. How could that half-blood have a silver streak?

No person would dye that on purpose, I don't think. "Sorry, Sky. I just-" "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Sky screamed. Did I mention that Sky is deathly afraid of

Clarisse? She is. "Well Sky I had to try to do something for her!" Sky took a deep breath. "Sorry, Claire. I just don't want Clarisse to beat the crap out of you.

Why didn't you use your charmspeak on her?" Oh gods. Why didn't I? I'm such a vlacas."Oh my goodness Sky! I'm so dumb! I didn't even consider that!" Sky

tossed her red hair back and laughed her tinkly laugh. "You're losing it Cee. Why did you need me anyways? Just wanted me to freak out?" I laughed too. Sky

is just contagious! "I actually need you to do a painting for me." I replied with a mischevious grin. "I see..." Sky grinned too. We walked into the Apollo cabin

and I told her about the silver streak in the girl's hair. Sky listened thoughtfully. "I don't know Claire. Was it the exact same color as Percy and Annabeth's?"

She asked. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure it was." "Because as any artist knows," Sky began one of her artistic pearls of wisdom. "It's all about the color!" "If you say

so, Picasso." I always say that after she produces a pearl. Sky made a face at me. We got to Sky's corner of the cabin and she turned to a new pristine, white

sheet on her easel. "Okay." Sky pulled out a few brushes, but stopped and put them back before turning to me, almost as an afterthought. "What style?"

"Um...whatever looks most like a photograph?" I know nothing about the arts. Besides makeup. That (unfortunately) I can do. "Okay, so I'm then thinking

Renoir..." Sky trailed off while madly grabbing for brushes and paints. "Oh. Kay?" I think I'll let the master do her job. "Oh yeah!" Sky cried suddenly. She turned

to me with a crooked grin on her face. "What exactly am I drawing again?" "Oh! I never told you, did I..." I smacked my forehead with my hand. "Okay, so I was

spying on Percy and Annabeth, and they were all cutesy and adorable...anyways she was leaning her head on his shoulder, and he was playing with her hair. I

saw this from the back, and they were sitting on the Sound beach with this brilliant sunset in front of them. Both were wearing their CHB t-shirts and jean

shorts. Annie's hair was down. Anything else?" Sky had been madly scribbling things down as I talked. "Nope, that's all I need! Awwww you're SO lucky! I wish

I could have seen that..." Sky trailed off as she did often and began to lightly sketch the scene I had just described. As I watched the adorable scene come to

life before my eyes my mind drifted. How in the world did that half-blood have that streak? That was the only thing that stood out to me on her at all. She was

a petite little thing, with silky,curly black hair and olive skin. Her eyes were exceptionally pretty, they were a deep chocolaty brown. Now that I think about it,

she looked a lot like Bianca and Bailee. I wonder what her name is. "Oh Clairrrrrre!" Sky singsonged in her beautiful Apollo-child voice. "Oh Skyyyyyy?" I sang

back. Sky winced. I'm not the greatest singer. She shook her head and smiled at me. "My sketch is all done!" Sky stepped back from her easel. On it was the

scene I had observed on the beach, in PERFECT detail, minus color. "Wow Sky that's incredible!" I cried in wonder. Sky smiled tentatively. "Um Claire? You um,

ought to go back to your cabin. I glanced out the window. It was dusk, and the sun was but a red sliver in the sky. "Oops! I'm going. See you tomorrow Sky!" I

lept off the bed and out the door. As I walked to my cabin I managed to avoid the cleaning harpies who would eat me. I arrived safely at my cabin. I snuck in as

quietly as I could but accidentally stepped on a stray eyeshadow palette. "You're late." sneered Drew as she stepped out of the shadows, looking irritably

perfect for this time of night. "I'm sorry Drew! I didn't realize you cared!" I placed a hand over my heart and wiped away a fake tear. Drew rolled her impeccably

made-up eyes with no bags. "Oh don't worry I don't care, I would actually be quite glad if those ugly little cleaning harpies ate you!" Drew replied cheerfully.

"Good to know nothing's changed." I muttered. "But regardless, you are my responsibility as honorary head counselor while Piper is visiting New Rome with

Jason," Drew began, walking towards the closet. She turned to me with blazing eyes, lit like a cat's in the dim lighting. "So you have two choices. I report you to

Chiron and let that old centaur decide what to do with you." Drew smiled as evilly as the Siamese cats in Lady and the Tramp. "Or you buckle down and help me

to plan this dance and start acting like a true daughter of Aphrodite." Ugh. Of course she would ask this. "Drew, as much as I would LOVE to plan a dance to

break up THE cutest couple at camp," Drew's face turned as red as I could see in the dark cabin."I'm going to have to pass. Mom paid me a special visit, did you

know?" Drew's face turned even redder. "No. You're lying. You just want me to leave you alone." "On the contrary," I unsheathed Fierce and flashed it in Drew's

face. "Mom gave me this. She said that I may not be traditional, but I'm her favorite." Okay so I twisted that last bit a little. Who cares? I have a plan now.

Drew's face turned redder than a tomato. I held back a triumphant smile. "You. Little. Beast. You're lying and I know it." Drew turned to leave. "And I'm going to

Chiron right now. "No you aren't" I put every ounce of energy into that charmspeak, since Drew can resist rather well. Drew stopped dead in her tracks YES!

"Turn around" Drew slowly turned to face me, with blank confusion on her face. "Go to bed and forget about this" Drew walked in a trance to her bed, laid down,

and closed her eyes. Success. I too changed into pajamas and laid down in my own comfortable bed. Tomorrow I will go to Sky and we will finish the picture,

and show it to Percy and Annabeth, and- Suddenly my plans shattered from a shrill scream outside the cabin. The voice was unfamiliar. The half-blood.