"Mallory," Luke called.
It's been two months since Luke came back from his quest. I've been tromping through the woods looking for something to fight.
"I thought you weren't speaking to me," I said.
"You have to listen to me," He said. "Mallory, please."
"What?"
"We can change the world, just like I said I was going to," he said. "Topple our stupid parents."
I nodded. "Okay, I like where you're going with this."
So, Luke explained his great plan. We would wake Kronos.
"How?" I asked when he was done.
"We need to wait for a while," He said. "A few years to set it in motion."
"In the meantime, are we friends?"
"Friends," Luke smiled.
One year later, we had not spoken of Luke's plan, but I knew we both thought of it.
No one had been allowed out on a quest since Luke's failure. Annabeth, now eleven years old, was constantly begging Chiron to let her go on one.
"Remember what I said, Annabeth," Chiron always answered. "Someone special must come first."
Someone special… The gears in my mind clicked.
"Luke," I found him in the Sword Arena stabbing dummies. "Chiron's waiting for a child of the Big Three."
"How do you know?"
"I'm sure of it, Luke. He always tells Annabeth that she has to wait for someone special."
"This could help with… you know what."
I nodded.
"Happy birthday, Mallory," Luke said.
"What?"
"October 17th," Luke said. "Your birthday, right?"
"Yeah," I said. "I'd forgotten. I'm fourteen today."
One year and two months later, the year-round campers went on a field trip to Mount Olympus. I knew what Luke was planning.
"This is crazy," I said. "You're going to get killed."
"Kronos spoke to me," Luke said. "And he said to."
"You're crazy,"
"Mallory," Luke said. "I have to do this. I thought you understood."
"I do understand." I said. "I don't want you to get hurt."
"I am being hurt." Luke said. "Every day by these stupid, ignorant gods. I'm just giving us a fighting chance."
The next morning, the gods were going crazy.
"What happened?" I asked Annabeth, pretending not to know.
"Zeus's master bolt is gone." She said.
She no longer seemed like a child. She seemed older somehow and… not the point.
"Where's Luke?" I asked.
"I'm right here." Luke walked into the room. "We all have to leave now."
Almost six months later, Luke was setting the plan into action.
That's when it all went downhill.
"Percy Jackson," Annabeth announced, "meet cabin eleven."
"Regular or undetermined?" I asked.
"Undetermined." Annabeth said.
All of the Hermes kids groaned.
"Now, now campers," Luke said. "That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."
"This is Luke," Annabeth blushed. "He's your counselor for now."
"For now?" Percy asked.
"You're undetermined," Luke explained. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."
Patron. He said patron and not father.
"How long will I be here?" Percy asked.
"Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined."
"How long will that take?" Percy asked.
We all laughed at that. I almost wanted to tell him the truth. To tell that little kid that he might be stuck here forever. I said nothing.
"Come on," Annabeth said. "I'll show you the volleyball court."
"I've already seen it." Percy said.
"Come on," Annabeth said and dragged him outside.
Everyone started laughing again.
I walked over to Luke.
He smiled. A huge smile that I hadn't seen in years. "It's starting."
A week later, after Percy had been claimed, Luke tossed me a newspaper.
I skimmed the article on the front. It was about Percy and had a phone number circled in black marker.
"And?" I asked.
"Put it in his doorway." Luke said.
Only a month later, Luke told me his plan.
"I gave him the shoes," Luke said. "They should kill him. When I tell you to run, you get out of camp. There's a ship in New York called the Princess Andromeda. That's the one you get on. I'll meet you there."
It would be easy. I'm sure no one would even notice that I had left.
Four months later, I sit on the Princess Andromeda, bored to death.
"Luke," I said walking over to him.
"Not now, Mallory," he said. "I'm busy."
I walked onto the empty deck and sat on a bench.
I could feel tears seeping out.
"Happy birthday, Mallory," I said to myself. "You're sixteen now."
Luke walked onto the deck.
"Hey," He said. "Look I'm sorry, but we're about to change the world. You should be excited? I'm about to change the world."
"You're many things, Luke Castellan, but I wouldn't call you special."
(A/N Sooo, how was it? Review or else my Octnaricorn (Octopus + Narwhal + Unicorn) will devour you.)