Chapter 5

As Jacob walked in the cabin, he felt like he was walking into a jail. Rue had a giant Cyclops brother that was funny and Percy, Alexander had Nico and Hazel who looked funny, but Jacob had Jason, the popular guy. He walked in and saw Jason and Piper making out behind the statue. Jacob, feeling completely awkward, walked out and closed the door. He closed his eyes. That was embarrassing; good thing they didn't see him.

Rue and Alexander walked by. They were laughing and talking.

"Hey Jacob!" Rue said as her and Alexander stopped. "You look like you just seen a ghost! Come on!"

Jacob scampered off the steps. Alexander raised an eyebrow.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yea," Jacob breathed. "I just wouldn't go in there right now."

They looked like they had no idea what Jacob was talking about. He smiled. They went walking around the woods.

"Didn't Chiron say to get some rest?" a voice behind them said.

The three turned around and saw Drew, the daughter of Aphrodite. They could tell by the piles of makeup she had on perfectly.

"Rest shesh!" Rue said. "I'll be fine."

Drew rolled her eyes. "Please," she scoffed. "You're the first one here and you think you know everything. But, well, I don't want to mess with the Juvi."

Rue's fist clenched and her teeth gritted. "What did you call me?"

"A Juvi. What? Do you not like me calling you that?"

"Whatever, Cake-Face," Rue said, her grip loosening and a smirk growing on her face.

Drew's eyes got big. She put her hand on her hip and rolled her neck. "I will tell everyone what you did!"

"I don't care," Rue shrugged. "How'd you find out?"

Alexander and Jacob looked at each other confused.

"Trust me," Drew said, "Aphrodite cabin can find out more than people think." She got in Rue's face and growled, "I will make your life a living hell."

Percy and Annabeth saw Rue and Drew and began sprinting – just a little too late.

Rue balled up her fist and punched Drew right in the side of the mouth. Drew screamed and fell to the ground holding her face. Rue kicked Drew in the side. Drew began screaming cuss words at Rue, calling her a female dog and worse. Rue just smiled. Piper and Jason ran out of Jacob's cabin and sprinted towards Drew. Drew came back to slap Rue when Piper grabbed her arms and pulled her back.

"What happened?" Annabeth asked, stepping between Drew and Rue.

"She started it," Rue said.

"Yes, well I'm finishing it," Chiron said.

"It's not the first time she's done something like this," Drew hissed. "She's done worse! She's stole from stores!"

Rue lurched forward with her fist ready when Jacob and Alexander grabbed her and pulled her back.

"You know," Rue said as Jacob and Alexander let go of her arms, "I don't like you."

Chiron face-palmed. "Drew, go see the Apollo cabin. Rue – don't bother Drew. Understood?"

They both said yes sirs with a not so happy tone. Rue turned around and walked away. Jacob and Alexander followed her. The crowd faded away.

"What did she mean 'Juvi'?" Jacob asked.

Rue shoved her hands in her pockets and looked behind her. "Here's a tip since we three have to go on the quest together: DON'T make me mad."

"Why?" Alexander asked. "What happens?"

Rue closed her eyes as she walked. "I don't want to be kicked out of another place."

"Ah, you aren't going to be kicked out!" Alexander said.

Rue stopped and turned to the woods. She looked at the boys and smiled. "Come on," she said. "Let's go!"

They walked through the woods. Chiron had warned them not to go in the woods alone, but they were with Rue – and she was not passing up this opportunity. Once they got so far, they found this giant rock. It looked sort of like a fist if you squinted and turned your head to the right 180 degrees.

They stood by it, looking up at it.

"Whoa," Alexander said, "how high do you think it is?"

"Thirty feet easy," Jacob said. They looked in between them and saw an empty gap where rue was a few minutes ago. They looked at the rock and saw Rue climbing it. They followed.

When Rue got to the top, she smiled. She sat down and dangled her legs over the side. As soon as the boys got up there, they sat down, each on one side of her. They were silence as they looked over the camp.

"Hey Rue?" Jacob said.

"Yea?" she said.

"Why'd she call you Juvi?"

Rue sighed and didn't answer for a long time. Finally, she answered. "I've done some things that have gone on my record. I've been to Juvi before."

"Why?" Alexander asked in shock.

"The cops thought I killed my mom." She put her head down. "I didn't. My mom was a nice lady until she had me right after she met that bastard that she called fiancé. He's the one that killed her. He's the reason I was in jail."

"But wouldn't that be taken off since you didn't kill her?" Jacob asked.

Rue looked up, her eyes sad. "It was, but it wasn't because of that."

Quietly, Alexander said, "Did something happen between you and your mom's fiancé?"

She looked down and wiped a tear away from her eye. She didn't want to tell them, but she figured she might as well get it out.

"He… tried to kill me," she said. She sniffled. "He put a gun to my head and threw my stuff out on the street. I moved in with my grandma and… you guys want to head back?"

She got up and began crawling down. They followed her down and she got ahead of them. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets and she had her head down. Alexander and Jacob ran over to her and apologized for bringing it up. The conch horn blew for curfew.

Alexander cussed. "We missed dinner! Crap! I wanted me a sandwich!"

Rue smiled. "Race y'all back to the cabins!"

She sprinted off and they chased her. She got there first. They said good night and walked inside their cabins.

As Rue stepped into the Poseidon cabin, Percy and Tyson were changing. Rue jumped and looked towards the wall next to her.

"WHOA!" she said. Percy and Tyson jumped. Rue made a mad dash to her room and closed the door. Then, all three of them busted out laughing. After laughing, she changed into her pajamas. There was a gigantic knock on the door.

"Come in!" Rue yelled. She was playing Temple Run on her iPhone. Tyson walked in.

"Night-night little sister!" he said. He gave her a hug (again, picking her up and setting her down) and walked out. Percy just yelled night. Rue put her phone on charge, turned the lights out, and closed the door. The sound of the waves came and it kind of sang her a lullaby.

But she had too much on her mind. Alexander was HOT! His black hair, his tan skin, his whole muscular self, his voice, his cute laugh – everything about him made her heart skip a beat. But then there was Jacob… He was cute, but he seemed kind of nervous. He wasn't like her. But…

Ugh, guy drama.

Rue rolled over and fell asleep, but she couldn't stop thinking about Alexander and Jacob.