Chapter 2
I stepped into the Apollo cabin. It still smelled like pine needles and cinnamon, just like it always had. I placed my clothes into several drawers. I laid out my sheets, comforter, and pillow on my bunk. It was in the back corner, and had a stellar window that looked right at the beach and the forest. Then my best friend half sister, Elizabeth came in. "LIZZIE!" I screamed as I ran toward her. I immediately gave her a big hug, but it was more like I was constricting her.
"Can't…. breathe…. Daphne…" She croaked. I let her go immediately and helped her unpack her things on her bunk, which was right below mine.
"How was your school year? Is that dumb step dad of yours, David right? Oh is he out of your life yet? Have you met any special guy? How are Ronnie and Aaron? They're so cute, with those chubby cheeks of theirs." Elizabeth unrolled questions at me like those renaissance scrolls. I had to cut her off, "Okay, okay, one at a time girl! School was good, straight A's, no David's sadly still here and with revenge for me in his step. No, I haven't hung out with any guys, though I've had my eye on one, Ronnie and Aaron are out of first grade. And they don't have cute cheeks, they just use those to hide their enormous fangs." I replied, taking a few deep breaths afterwards.
"Well, well." She said. It was the most amazing thing I had heard in a while. Elizabeth said two words… and she wasn't continuing!
"And you have got to check out this baby, Lizzie. Make way for… this!" I announced as I flaunted my bow around.
"Oh my gods… Daphne! That is sooo cool!" She squealed. Her eyes bulged out as she held the bow as if it were my child. Well, it probably will be, until I'm married.
"Yup, I haven't used it yet, wanna check it out with me at the target range?" I invited.
"Yes, yes, YES! I wanna see what this thing can do. Oh, and James came here yesterday, by the way. He'll want to see this too." James was one of the best archerers in our whole cabin... Besides me, of course.
"Sure, thanks." I replied, "And on the way I want to say hi to Chiron and Mr. D too." I said as I started out the door, with my bow over my back and a slew of arrows in a container. And I wouldn't have it any way else.
Walking with Elizabeth for one minute was the best thing that had happened to me that whole year. The only good things were my grades and that I think some guys liked me. Nothing good besides that all year.
We went into the Big House to see Chiron, Mr. D, and Percy Jackson himself playing pinochle together around a coffee table. I had to make this quick so I wouldn't have to draw attention to myself. "Hi, Chiron! Hi Mr. D, Hey Percy," I said. I placed my hands around my back.
"Ah, Daphne! How's my favorite archerer doing?" Chiron said, he got up from his spot on the couch to give me a hug. Mr. D just grunted, and Percy stood up as well.
"I've been doing good, thanks. Sorry for interrupting your game, I just thought I'd say hi before I go to the target range with Elizabeth. Can I ask you something, Chiron?" I asked.
"Sure, my dear! What is it?" He said with sheer curiosity.
"This is my first bow, and I wanted you to see how I did," I said sheepishly as I showed him the bow.
He didn't say anything for a few moments, running his hands through the parts of the bow. Percy loomed over his shoulder, trying to look like he knew everything about bows.
"Very, very good, Daphne! I haven't seen such a skilled piece of weaponry made in a while!" He proclaimed.
"Thank you Chiron, but even I know that nothing is as good as Riptide," I grinned.
"We'll see soon enough, I guess. Right Chiron?" Percy asked.
"Hush, Percy! She won't know about that for a while." Chiron whispered to Percy, "So, Daphne, get that bow down to the range and tell me how it goes, okay?"
"Sure, thanks again. Sorry for interrupting your game." I took my bow, arrows, and Elizabeth and went to find James.
We headed down to the beach, to check for James. Sure enough, he was playing volleyball with some of the kids from the Ares, Athena, Apollo, and Aphrodite cabins. And no, I don't know why they chose to be with kids from all of the God's cabins that start with A.
"James!" I hollered, "I'm here and Elizabeth and I are going to the arrow range to test a new bow I made. Do you wanna come?" I yelled.
He was right in the middle of a game when I called, but I didn't care. He stared at me, almost frozen, and let a ball plunk onto the ground right at him. He stood there for a few more moments, and then sprinted off to my side. "Daphne! How have you been?" He asked, giving me a hug. "Good, thanks. I made a bow over the school year and I wanted to know if you wanted to test it out with me. Unless you are too occupied with your volleyball game," I teased.
"Ha ha, there's no way I would rather play a wimpy game with a bunch of wimpy girls when I can hang with my favorite half-sisters!" He replied, draping his arms around our shoulders. And with that, I led the way to the range.