Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Warnings: Violence. Language. Implied f/f.

Just Be Friends

Chapter Three

Thalia I

Thalia was anxious.

She threw glances at the tent every once in a while as she paced. Knowing Persis was in there with that stuck-up Nightshade and her goddess, being converted into an all-girls let's-hate-on-boys club drove the daughter of Zeus up the wall. Thalia wanted to storm in and haul the daughter of Poseidon out before she agreed to something she'd regret. The only thing holding her back was that Persis wasn't so weak to give in.

Thalia knew Persis didn't want to be immortal. The girl loved her friends and mortal life to a fault, being immortal and losing them someday wasn't something she wanted.

Also, Artemis could easily blast her to bits for being rude. And, Persis disliked Zoe as much as she did. Agreeing to be a Huntress would mean spending an eternity with that mythic bitch—Persis couldn't be that suicidal.

The tent's flap was shoved aside. Persis stepped out, looking furious and frustrated, but still the same old Persis—no glowing moonlit skin or anything.

Thalia was so relieved she nearly slung an arm around her friend. She managed to restrain herself by shoving her hands into her pocket, grumpily asking, "How did it go?"

"We risked our lives to save them," spat Persis. "and Bianca decided to join a girl's club even though she has no agenda against boys!"

"Unbelievable!"

Thalia and Persis glanced at one another before breaking into snickers. It was funny how they'd finish one another's sentences. But recalling Persis's earlier statement, the age old anger flooded Thalia.

The daughter of Zeus seethed, running a hand through her hair. Without spiking it up, her hair was nearly shoulder-length. Persis had said that her hair was pretty if she let it down like that—not that she cared, really, she didn't. Her hair wasn't as much of a hindrance as she'd thought.

"It's all that Zoe's fault!"

Persis looked amused. "You know her?"

Thalia gritted her teeth, and before she could stop it, her tongue had moved and spat out, "If it was any of your business, Persis—"

"Right," the daughter of Poseidon said, a flash of hurt crossing her eyes. "Sorry." She turned away.

"That wasn't very nice, y'know?"

Thalia jumped slightly, but tried not to let her surprise show on her face. It wasn't good for her reputation if word got out that she was so easily caught off guard. She crossed her arms over her chest protectively. "What do you want, di Angelo?" she demanded. The little brat of a new demigod was smirking at her, amused. Persis was right, this boy wasn't just annoying, he was someone whose bad side you don't want to be on.

She wondered if he was a child of Hermes, or even the minor goddess Eris. She'd seen some Eris kids in the Hermes cabin with the same look. But all of them had red hair and red eyes, this boy didn't have the same complexion—and Bianca seemed too nice to be an Eris kid.

Just to wipe that smug smirk of his face, the daughter of Zeus added, "You should be telling your sister that."

This took Nico by surprise but he didn't express it much other than the raise of an eyebrow. Thalia felt a little sorry for him that his older sister was going to abandon him. She gritted her teeth in anger; the simmering anger she felt when she got news that Bianca had joined the Hunt was surfacing again.

It wasn't directed at Grover for running off and getting them in trouble, wasn't directed at Annabeth who chose to recklessly endanger herself, and certainly not at Persis. She felt a flash of regret for snapping at the daughter of Poseidon. She was pissed at Bianca after all, why did she take it out on her friend?

Bianca had a little brother, he wouldn't be taken away from her and yet, she had chosen to abandon him without thought. Thalia had a little brother too, but she had lost him no matter how much she wanted to keep him. She despised people like Bianca who didn't know how to appreciate what they had.

Thalia watched sorrowfully as Nico headed over to his sister who had beckon him over.

Maybe, just maybe, she'd show the brat around once they got to Camp to ease his loneliness.

Surprisingly, Persis still talked to her.

If it had been the other way around, Thalia would've waited for Persis to apologize before she even consider talking to her. Well, this was one of the daughter of Poseidon's admirable trait, she supposed. Persis was forgiving (sometimes, she was impossible to win over though; her mood changed constantly) whereas Thalia was the complete opposite.

Didn't they say something about opposites attract?

"Thalia!" cried Persis, a wild light in her eyes. "Up! You're burning the forest!"

Oh, shit, she'd been staring too long at her companion. Thalia fumbled with the wheels for a moment before arms from behind nearly encircle her to reach the wheels. "Di Angelo?" she yelled, incredulous. "What the Hades are you doing?"

"Saving your ass!" snapped the demigod. "Up!"

For a twelve year old, Nico knew how to drive. Once they were stabilizing in air, Nico slumped back into his seat. "He should've let me drive," whined the young boy.

Thalia tried to ignore him, and the skies stretching oh so low below them. Wait, so low below them?

"Down!" Apollo yelled from somewhere behind the three. "Cape Cod's freezing over!"

Persis wiggled her hand over Thalia's stunned and stiffed ones, to yank the wheel down. Thalia tried to step on the brakes, so that they could switch drivers, but by mistake, she stepped on the accelerator.

"Loosen up," said Nico, staring at her in disbelief. "You're going to get us all killed, Airhead!"

Thalia's temper flared. "Shut up, when I get my hands on you, you're dead, Deadboy!"

"Enough," said Persis. "Wait till we land safely before you guys kill one another! To the pool!"

"I can't stop it!"

"Take the wheel, Lord Apollo!"

"To the pool!" Typical thing for the daughter of Poseidon to yell. Panicking, the daughter of Zeus did as told. Too late did she realize that she couldn't swim.

"But I can't swim!" Nico protested, opening his mouth to reason with the girls, make them think more rationally.

Too late — BAM!

Thalia had barely enough time to close her mouth before the bus crashed into the pool. She gurgled; her eyes stung with pain. She knew some people could keep their eyes open underwater but she couldn't. The cold of the water pricked her skin and raised goosebumps.

She struggled to open the door but a prodding hand on hers stopped her from trying to force it open. Wait till the water fills up, a voice spoke in her head. Thalia barely registered the voice as Persis's. She could project her thoughts underwater?

The door was ripped open and Thalia was shoved out. She would've continued sinking down with the bus had Persis not caught her. The daughter of Poseidon kicked her lips and they shot upward. With no grace, she dumped Thalia onto the grass before diving back in to rescue the others.

Thalia hacked water.

She was resigning herself to spend a day without her favorite jacket but apparently, campers fell into the pool a lot. A few Aphrodite kids rushed forward, carrying an elaborate machine and blasted Thalia with hot air. When she stood, she was already dry. It got to be one of the more productive things the Aphrodite cabin had came up for the Camp even though she suspected the idea wasn't supposed to be for everyone's benefits.

Her boots got wet anyway.

Thalia glared at Nico who was clawing at his throat for air. "It just dried!"

The boy ignored her—wow, did he have a 'tude or what? Thalia was barely restraining herself from punching him as it was. Did he want to try her patience?

Persis dragged a few Huntresses onto the shore. The naiads helping their mistress and shooting Huntress after Huntress up from the pool. The daughter of Poseidon glanced pointedly at Zoe. "You better to a headcount, we might've missed someone. Don't come crying to me if they drowned or something."

Zoe glared at the impudent girl who ignored her.

Apollo climbed out of the water, dry as if he'd never taken a swim, and flashed them a brilliant grin which went ignored. "Wow, he's hot," Thalia muttered.

Nico glanced at her oddly. "He's the sun god."

She glared down at him. "That's not what I meant!"

"If he rejects you, you planning on joining the Hunt, or what?"

Letting out a frustrated yell, Thalia stormed off to the Big House. So much for playing nice with that brat.

Boys, she thought condescendingly.

She nearly tripped over thin air when she registered her own thoughts. Holy shit, she sounded exactly like Zoe! Terrible! The swim must've drowned a few of her brain cells.

Shuddering at the thought of being remotely like Zoe, she hurried to the Big House.

A.N: Thanks for so much review last chapter! Keep up that number of reviews and I might find myself updating everyday! ^0^ Do you guys read Naruto? If so, I'd like you guys to check out my Naruto fics.

Question: Do you have any suggestion as to how they should bond?

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