A.N.: so this is the first chapter, and I posted it along with the preface, so there's not a lot to say…
Disclaimer: no, as I said in the preface, I DON'T OWN PJO!
One: Drew's Perspective
Mornings in Cabin Ten are hell.
To give you a better picture, it's a ton of people scrambling around, trying on different outfits, cleaning up their bunks so their comforter is wrinkle-free, and elbowing each other out of the way to get a spot near the mirrors in the bathroom.
But I've long since adjusted.
I push my sleeping mask back from my face and tuck it under my pillow. It was mid-October, and the crisp fall air had leaked in through the windows, causing my skin to erupt in goose bumps when I threw back my sugary pink and black polka dot twin bedspread. I gave my poster of Hunter Hayes a quick smile before clambering out of my bunk. Below me, my sister Carrie is still sleeping, snoring a little. I can't help but think she must be getting close to her time of the month, because her face is breaking out.
I drag my trunk out from beneath our bunks and sift through the orderly piles of clothes, opting for a pair of designer jeans and a lilac colored silky top with a v neckline that plunged. Thank the gods for Victoria's Secret t-shirt bras. The worked like a charm for shirts like these.
Pushing my way past Mitchell, I dashed into the bathroom and snatched up an empty stall. I'd showered last night, so I didn't need to this morning, but I was going to need to straighten my hair. Otherwise, these beach waves were not going to cut it.
I exchanged my nightie for the clothes I selected and emerged, tucking my pajamas back in my trunk and gave a now awake Hannah a little shove for some extra room at the bathroom counter. I needed a lot of room for my make-up time. It took about thirty minutes to do my face, but the result was worth it. Smooth, poreless skin, no blemishes, with a slight flush to the cheeks. Glossy lips, a light brown smoky eyes and a thin, perfect line of liquid liner before I took an eyelash curler to my lashes and coated them with mascara.
And after that… hair. Methodically, I divided my hair into sections and flattened out any resistance with a flat iron set on three hundred degrees. My hair was dark, dark brown, nearly black, and thick, but not to resistant to straightening, thank the gods. Otherwise, it would've taken a lot longer to do my hair. When that was done, I pinned some of it back from my face and grouped the rest into an artful low bun at the nape of my neck that looked chic and effortless.
I looked at myself in the mirror, the bright lights from above bearing down one me.
Perfect.
And without further ado, it was breakfast time.
You might be wondering what it's like to have Piper as head counselor. To be honest, it's not that bad. Really, she reminded me of Silena.
But I was Drew Tananka. And we'd had more than a little spat over Jason since she'd arrived at camp last year. We regarded each other with cold looks across the table, her kaleidoscope eyes boring into me with a particular kind of scorn she reserved just for yours truly as she dug into her strawberries and cream oatmeal. I helped myself to my smoothie and toast, careful to not get butter on my shirt.
That's one of my social rules. Never ruin your clothes. You can simultaneously ruin your reputation if you do.
Harsh? Well, so is beauty.
Annabeth and Percy were both late for breakfast, and I briefly went over all the possible causes in my mind. There were, of course, both PG and explicit explanations to spread as rumors. And as much of a slut as I may be, I'm not so bad as to go into detail.
And then there was the most-likely-the-truth explanation. That either one of them had woken up in the middle of the night, again, with bad dreams. And trudged across camp to get to the other before climbing in bed with one another and falling asleep with their arms around each other, holding on so tight it seemed like they would never let go.
It's when I see things like that that I'm reminded that love can make and break hearts. Call it petty, but as a weapon it's ruthless. I mean, look at Helen and Paris. Their love started a war that killed thousands of people. And then you have the Hunters that pop in every once in awhile, chirping about how love is worthless and stupid.
Tell that to the history books, why don't you.
I cleared off my plate, sanitized my hands with Lacey's Bath and Body Works Candy Apple hand sanitizer, and was on my way back to the Cabin when I was stopped by a voice calling out my name.
Well. If it isn't Will Solace himself.
Ask anyone at camp, and they'll tell you that Will is hot. Maybe not as hot and selfless and reckless as Percy, or kind and concerned and handsome as Jason, or even as dark, mysterious and broody as Nico, but he's at that happy medium, and qualifies as serious eye candy. And he's musical.
But I don't care about that part.
"What?" I asked politely, giving him a small, suggestive smile, arching a manicured eyebrow. I stopped just short of the steps and glanced back, cocking a hip. Either this was reasonably serious, or he wanted hang later. And I was used to it being the latter. We had a sort of friends with benefits thing. Neither one of us was very good at talking, so it worked reasonably well, if you asked me.
The benefits are nice, in case you're wondering.
"Chiron wants to talk to you," he answered, shrugging. I un-cocked my hip and strode past him, not looking back to check if he smelled the air for the last traces of my signature Coach perfume left in my wake. I was too busy being curious. Chiron rarely ever talked to me. There was never much of a reason to, if you catch my drift. I didn't even attend the head counselor meetings anymore.
He was waiting on the porch of the Big House, seated at a table with a deck of cards, in wheelchair form. Probably waiting to beat Mr. D. in pinochle, yet again.
"Chiron?" I hurried up the steps, and he looked up from the deck he was shuffling. "Will said you wanted to talk to me."
"Ahhh, yes," he nodded, smiling a little. Was it just me, or did that smile hint at uneasiness? "Your father called, and wanted to talk to you. I think it was something about attending mortal high school this year."
So, yeah, second chapter… I'll update my other stories soon, I just need to work through this stupid writer's block. It sucks, it really, REALLY does, trust me. Anyways, please do review, it would mean a lot. And thanks so much for reading! Love you all!
Xoxo-NotsoSugarQueen