Chapter 5: Adults and Crushes
Anya was spent, she had to admit. After trying the climbing wall that was set in the easiest level, she immediately fell, one attempt after the other. After which they recommended archery, in which she almost hit Mr. Jackson in the eye. He told her not to worry because he himself used to do that. Grover commented that he has no idea how Mr. Jackson can shoot his very self in the eye, but he was still able to do it.
The day continued to pass with Mr. Jackson and Grover explaining to her about Greeks and whatnot.
It wasn't exactly the thought of other gods existing that bothers her. She pretty much understands that there are a lot of religions out there. But Gods having children in the twenty first century was really bothering. She'd understand if it's like a descendant thing. Like the gods were their great great great something grandfather or grandmother. But it wasn't just that. It was literally a parent-child relationship.
Though if it is like that, who can be her parents?
"We don't really know. There are a lot of gods and goddesses out there after all." Grover muttered munching his tin cans. Yes, they were tin cans. She herself was surprised at that.
"Well maybe you're a legacy." Mr. Jackson said finishing his coke and giving it to Grover. "Though, we don't really get many legacies unlike in Camp Jupiter."
"There's another camp?" Anya asked relishing the burger that they got her. Though, they said something about not telling anyone else.
"Yeah, we're Greeks. They're Romans. That's much about it." Mr. Jackson explained but she let it slide. She wasn't really a fan of things like History or race.
"Mr. Jackson—" before she can continue, Mr. Jackson's phone rang.
"Oh. Sorry about that." He smiled apologetically and answered the phone.
She looked at Grover since it might be rude if she stared at Mr. Jackson but the look on Grover's face made her worry.
"Is something wrong?" She asked with her brows scrunch.
Before Grover can answer, Mr. Jackson's voice became louder and angrier, though he looked like he's trying to calm down.
"Like I said I'm helping out at the camp. We talked about this already." She heard him said his lips turning in an upset line and his eyes flickered with anger.
"Fine. I'll go back." With that he ended the call and sighed heavily as his shoulders slumped.
"Problem with Jessica?" Grover asked as he offered another coke to Mr. Jackson.
"We already agreed that I can go this weekend. Then suddenly there's an architectural seminar she had to go and told me to go home straight." He whined and gulped down his coke. "She doesn't really think much of me."
As he said the words, his green eyes looked dull and helpless and as if he's drifting somewhere else.
"Hey. It's okay. How's Charlie anyway?" Grover asked and this time Mr. Jackson's smile returned.
"He's super smart, unlike me." He said with a sigh and smiled at her. "Sorry, I probably looked like an idiot right now."
"No." Anya immediately answered. "Mr. Jackson you shouldn't let her words bring you down. If all your stories are real then, you're awesome! You saved the world countless times!" She beamed him a genuine smile. It's the least she can give him.
"She called me Mr. Jackson." Mr Jackson chuckled at her. "Gods of Olympus, I feel so old."
"You are old." Grover added with a laugh and patted Mr. Jackson's back.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say you're old." Anya said embarrassed and tried her best not to look like it.
"What do you call Grover then?" Mr Jackson asked and Anya looked at Grover.
"Grover?" She answered confused. Grover was older than her obviously. He's probably around the age of nineteen or twenty as she thought.
"Well, do you know how old he is?" Mr. Jackson asked his usual carefree smile and mischievous eyes glinted. "Make a guess."
"Um" She mumbled trying to assess whether Grover is an adult who looked like a teen or a child who looked like a teen. "Nineteen." She guessed and Mr. Jackson laughed together with Grover.
It was obvious that at that point they were probably making fun of her.
"Okay, he's not nineteen." She scowled annoyed thinking how great of adults they are.
"Sorry, we're sorry." Mr. Jackson said between laughs and tousled her hair.
"Hey!" She whined. Even if her hair is short, they're still hard to comb.
"He's forty eight." Mr. Jackson said with a serious face and she swore he's joking. There's no way Grover can be over thirty.
"No way!" She almost screamed and Grover patted her head nicely.
"Yes way!" Mr. Jackson cheered and laughed. "He's older than me you know."
"You're lying." She stated and realized maybe everything was a lie. Like any moment now there would be cameras revealing themselves and she's in some prank show. And they'll be all like 'YOU JUST GOT PRANKED' and she'll have to curse all of them because in that span of short time, she actually opened up herself. Then Grover smiled at her.
"I'm really forty eight. Satyrs mature half as fast as humans Anya." He said with a smile and she felt bad doubting them.
"Oh." Was the only thing she said and Mr. Jackson ruffled her hair again. She figured there is no escape to his ministrations already.
"Anyway I got to go." Mr. Jackson said as he straightened himself and waved goodbye. "Just call me Percy, Anya." With that he made his way out towards Thalia's tree.
"So this is the new camper." The man in the wheelchair said with a smile.
It was dinner time already and she was seated with the kids from the legacy cabin. Well since no one claimed her, they decided that she might be a legacy and placed her there. Though, they said if she would want she can stay in the Hermes cabin. She decided that it might be a bad idea. The kids in the Hermes cabin somewhat looked too mischievous for her own liking.
"Hello. I'm Anya." She smiled back nervously.
"It's nice to meet you, Anya. I'm Chiron. I manage this camp together with Mr. D." He said and pointed towards the man who looked drunk but was only drinking diet coke.
"You mean he's really a god?" She asked with curiosity in her eyes. It's not every day she can see a god after all.
"Yes, I am little missy." Mr. D muttered annoyed and she yelped surprised from the sudden appearance. "Another headache, are you?"
It wasn't really a question. And she knew at that moment that she shouldn't be messing with this drunk from diet coke god.
"This is Anya, Mr. D. She's just arrived." Chiron said calmly like he's used to dealing with the god's foul stare.
"I can see that." The god scowled and Anya just couldn't help herself. Yes, the god is able to teleport. So is that it? Is that what makes you a god? If she can teleport then does that mean she's a god? Well that sounded ridiculous. Then what is it? What is it that makes them gods?
The questions just kept on bubbling in her mind and she just have to ask.
"What makes you a god?" She mumbled quite loudly and she immediately covered her mouth. She can hear her cabin mates stiff and laugh.
"Can you believe this kid?" Mr. D asked annoyed. His eyes looking so disinterested and offended at the same time. "Asking a god what makes them gods."
He shook his head in disapproval and muttered to Chiron.
"You should watch this kid. Next time you know, she's already became a dolphin." With that he vanished literally and left only the scent of freshly picked grapes.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't help it." Anya reasoned out though she's pretty sure she's already in the black list of Mr. D.
"Don't fret my child. Mr D was simply wasn't in the mood as you call it. We have encountered some problems. But don't worry he won't be turning you into anything." Chiron explained and she was thankful for it.
"So is he really a god?" She asked again.
"Yes he is." Chiron answered with a smile. "Though the capital G God, that's a different matter."
Then Chiron explained the rest and she somewhat understood it better than how Mr. Jackson and Grover did it. Probably because when they explain it they mostly went back to how cute Bianca was.
After dinner there was this game they called capture the flag. The leading cabin was the Nike Cabin and they were pretty much smug about it.
"You're coming with us okay?" An Asian girl with dirty blonde hair from the same cabin as hers said.
"Okay but I don't know how to play." Or fight. It was pretty much that.
She knew the rules just from Mr. Jackson and Grover's explanation earlier but still fighting against other campers was still foreign for her. Especially when it looked like the Ares and Nike cabins were teammates and her cabin was one of their opponent.
"It will be fine. We're paired with Hephaestus and Athena. And Athena always has a plan." She said like a mantra.
She was immediately taught how to hold a sword, use it and disarm an opponent. It wasn't much and she pretty much sucked at disarming and using it but they said it will be fine. She'd get the hang on it.
Then they laid out the plan and she was thankful she's on the defence with some other regal looking kids from the Aphrodite cabin. No one was to leave their post unless reinforcements were needed. They told her all she has to do was not let anyone reach the flag. Even if your legs were cut, you crawl.
She thought that was too much for a friendly fight but figured it was said for encouragement .She hoped at least.
The sound from the conch horn immediately ignited the competitive light in her teammates' eyes and she literally prayed that they were kidding about the legs.
She was stationed near the river where they said would be the safest because no one really uses that path and she hoped again that they were right. To her right were two Aphrodite kids checking their nails and trying to check their reflection in the water.
She wanted to tell them that maybe it's not a good idea to be that close in running water because the water was really running fast but the other kid from her left caught her attention.
"Dylan." He said and she was pretty sure her name was Anya and still is. She looked around and noticed the guy was in fact talking to her.
"No. I'm Anya not Dylan." She said wondering where the heck did that name came from. It was even a guy's name.
He smiled. His multi coloured eyes (they were changing) crinkle in delight and he shook his head ever so slightly as he looked down smiling, making his dark bangs hid his eyes. And it was the kind of smile that people gave her when she accidentally fell on the ground. She immediately frowned.
"What?" it was then when she noticed her mistake. HE was Dylan. The guy was introducing himself to her. Way to go for first impressions. "Oh god." She mumbled embarrassed at herself.
"That's okay." He said trying to hide his huge smile behind his crossed hands. "I just said my name like that. I'm partly at fault." He said his eyes peaking from his bangs and she heard her heart beat. She was a sucker for crushes after all.
"Are you doing that on purpose?" She asked probably slightly blushing. Thank god it was evening already. He probably didn't notice.
"Stop flirting around." A girl from the Athena cabin came from the bushes and she immediately thought 'was reinforcement needed somewhere else?'
"What's wrong?" Asked the brunette girl and they immediately took notice. The girl came from the other side of the river.
"Hecate!" Dylan yelled and dashed straight to the Athena girl and attacked followed by his siblings who's muttering about how crazy the mist is.
"What do I do?" Anya asked in panic. This was not part of the plan. They were supposed to be just standing around and not fight.
And before she knew it, the Hecate girl was coming straight towards where the flag is. She immediately remembered that she'll have to crawl or her legs will be cut. Or was it the other way around? That didn't matter anymore. So she placed herself in front of the girl. But as pathetic as she is, she was just pushed a little harder and stronger than she'd imagine. Then she felt it, the water, the river, the pull of its streams. She couldn't breathe anymore.