Chapter 2:
I woke up with my head throbbing and my stomach killing. I could barley remember last night and what had happened. On shaky legs I stood up and noticed that all of the girls were up and whispering. I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock. It was late. Twelve. Usually everyone would be eating lunch by now.
"What's the matter?" I asked and the girls just glared at me.
"Why do you care?" One of them asked rudely and I made no attempt to argue with them. I got up and hurriedly got dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue button down shirt. As I walked out of the cabin someone stopped me from it was Zakk from the Hades cabin with his friend Nico. I smiled kind of bright at Zakk. Since I didn't have a lot of friends in my cabin I usually hung out with other people and the Hades cabin was only more than happy to talk with me.
"Hey, Zakk. How's life?" I asked. His dark brown eyes looked at me. I suddenly remember that my hair was not combed and my shirt hadn't been ironed in a long time. God, why is it that I always make an idiot out of myself in front of cute guys?
"Fine, Cassandra. How are you?" he asked as he brushed some of his black hair out of his eyes so we could see his blue highlights. My heart started to beat faster. I pinched myself.
"I'm good." I said all on one breath. Zakk seemed to know exactly what was racing though my mind despite my attempts to act cool. Zakk grinned and we all kind of stood awkwardly. Something told me that they knew more than they were letting on. "So, what's up with camp?" I asked. Zakk shook his head. I herd about last night.
"You should just rest a little. You don't need to worry about it." He said. I started to wonder how many people knew I had punched Kirk but my mind soon drifted back to the camp.
"No, I want to know." I said Nico and Zakk looked at each other. Zakk nodded and Nico shrugged. He was about to start talking when Poppy Grey Dionysus daughter bounded up to us.
"Guys, did you here? Rachel's got a new prophecy!" she said excited. I nodded at both boys. They laughed. Poppy stopped.
"Hey, Cassandra, Herd about last night! Must have felt awesome!" she exclaimed and I groaned.
"Hey, Poppy. How many people know?" I asked. Zakk coughed and Nico looked at his feet. Poppy seemed to be calculating the number in her head. I put my hand up in desperation. "Don't even answer that. I swear, the most I can get is kicked out." I said and then in a more hushed voice I added, "That's what everyone would want, right?"
"Not true!" Poppy said and she requested back up from the two Hades campers who jumped right up to help.
"Trust me, Cassandra. No one wants you gone." Zakk said and Nico was about to say something when Rachel came dashing up to us.
"Nico!" She yelled and we all turned around. She ran up to us and caught her breath.
"What's up, Rachel?" He asked.
"It's about the prophecy. Can I talk to you in private or away from…" She said motioning in my direction. Everyone looked shocked Rachel was usually sweet and kind.
"Sure, whatever you say, Rachel. I feel so loved." I said snappily and Rachel made a motion to touch my shoulder don't touch me I said and I pulled away from her grasp. She looked hurt. I took off and I could here people yelling behind me. I didn't know where to go. I was a little scared. I could talk to Chiron but right now all I wanted to do was sleep. I had short legs so running for long distances were a challenge but I decided to go to the waterfront. When I got there I could see Aaron Graves talking with Texas. That could not be good. I got closer to here what they were saying.
"Ya' think that because you're the son of Zeus ya can walk around and do whatever ya want?" Texas yelled in her usual slang way of talking. Aaron rolled his eyes at Texas.
"Well y'all better listen to Texas because Texas is queen of the world." He snapped back sarcastically, mocking her accent and her tone.
"Shut up! I swear that I'll-" Texas started but Aaron raised a eyebrow at her.
"Texas, are you really going to do this after what happened last night?"
"What happened last night?" she asked gravely but it was clear that he knew what she was talking about.
"We kissed, Texas." He said lowering his voice. Texas blushed and I wanted to burst into tears. Has everyone met that special someone but me? I decided to pretend that I'd never heard it but a voice called my name very quiet.
"Cassandra." Nicole's voice said. I groaned. I was such an idiot. I was standing behind her tree.
"Nicole, please just don't talk to me."
"Um…you're sobbing your eyes out and leaning against my butt. It's kind of my business." I quickly pulled up from her trunk and blushed. She laughed and morphed into the girl that I'd seen last night.
"Sorry, Nicole. I'm just a little emotional right now."
"Yah, I know but you made some new friends!" She said and I shook my head. If anything I'd made some new enemies. "The Ares cabin is just beyond happy with you! I herd their head counselor say 'good for that little scrawny girl. That Kirk guy really needed to be taught a lesion.' Coming from Clarisse La Rue that's a complement!" Nicole said and I sighed.
"It's just a little hard to be the third wheel." I said and Nicole was about to say more when I got up to go.
"Wait, Cassandra." She said but I ignored her. I didn't want pity and I didn't want sympathy. I wanted to be alone and the only place where I might actually have a shot at that would be the big house but when I got there all of the head counselors were there. Chiron smiled at her.
"Cassandra my dear. Do sit down. I believe that we should talk." I did but, feeling strangely since all eyes were on me.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"I believe that Rachel, Poppy, and Zakk owe you a apology." Chiron said. Poppy started to gush.
"I am so, so, so, so, so, sorry, Cassandra! I swear we have a reason. It's just that-"
"Why don't you let me tell her?" Rachel said gravely. I nodded.
"I want to here. Why was everyone disoriented?" I asked. Chiron sighed and nodded at Rachel.
"I know how you felt before you came to camp and I know what love feels like-"
"I don't want your pity! I want some answers!" I said and I pounded on the table. Clarisse looked at Rachel and then at me and smirked.
"Rachel got a prophecy and we think it's about Apollo. The reason everyone was being a jerk to you is because you punched Kirk, which was totally awesome!" She blurted. I gasped.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.
"Because we knew how hurt you'd be." Texas said. She's walked in with Aaron and I looked at my feet.
"I want to know the prophecy." I said. Mr. D jumped to answer.
"I don't think that would be a good idea, Andra Landerson. We're trying to help you and you're-"
"I don't want to here it!" I yelled, thinking of before camp and what I'd had. "I want to know the prophecy." I breathed and Chiron looked grimly at me. Rachel touched my hand and recited.
"Nine shall go east to the ancient oracle's cave. Thanots shall visit the truly brave. One shall feel the sun god's wrath; a star will illuminate a darkened path. The sacred seal of trust a friend shall break and a ancient curse new love shall awake."
"Well that just made my night." I said. Percy stood up.
"I vote we need a quest. Rachel said that five should go east to the oracle's cave. We need five people to go. I'll lead." He said. I shook my head.
"No. I will." I proclaimed and stood. "You herd the oracle. We need to go east to the oracle's cave. My vote is that the ancient oracle is Cassandra. Apollo's lover and east is the direction the sun rises. I want the quest."
"No, Cassandra." Kate Great said. She was vice head counselor for the Apollo cabin. "You need to stay here. He's my father. I'll go. It's obvious that this prophecy has to do with Apollo. I'll take four of my siblings."
"That's not faire! I want to go!" Everyone took a sudden interest in his or her shoes. Chiron was the first to speak.
"Cassandra, my dear, I don't know what this quest is about. We know nothing but what Rachel told us. Annabeth, would you agree?"
"Absolutely. As head counselor for Athena I would like to take the quest." She said and looked around seeing who would challenge her. I glared at Annabeth. I didn't know why everyone suddenly wanted the quest but I sure as Hades knew why I wanted it.
"I want the gods forsaken quest!" I yelled. "If I can't get any support from our authority figures here will any of the senior counselors side with me?" I shouted, loosing it. Clarisse stood up and smirked at head counselor for the Nike cabin (Kirk.)
"Hades yes! Give Cassandra the quest! Come on!" Clarisse yelled and tried to get a chant started but sat down when no one responded. Chiron sighed.
"Cassandra, my dear. If I give you the quest you must promise me to not let your emotions get in the way. You can't let your-um-former friendship with the Apollo get in the way of this quest, whatever it be."
"I want to take it!" I proclaimed vehemently. Nico sighed and put his arm around me. I'd seen him as a brother during my time at half blood. There had always been little sparks of a relationship but no one wanted to make the move and he was in a relationship with Kate.
"Are you sure you can handle this, Cassandra?" he asked. I nodded and rested my head on his shoulder. "I'll go with her, Chiron." Nico said and he raped his spare arm around my shoulders. Chiron sighed for the hundredth time.
"Cassandra, you shall pick the people you will take." He said and I could tell he didn't like the idea of me leading but I needed something to not only get out of camp but to see Apollo again. I needed to resole the issue even if it was as simple as telling him It was done. Or telling him that I can't stop thinking about him. Telling him I can't stop thinking of his piercing green eyes and his shiny smile. The way he listened to me. His gentle manner. I stopped myself before my emotions started to run away.
"I'll take Nico and Kasey. I'll want a child of Apollo, so Kate can come to." I breathed. "Zakk? Will you come?" I asked the child of Hades. His face lit up.
"Anytime!" He exclaimed.
"Andrew and Texas. You'll need to come." I said. Then I breathed. That was all that I wanted. I didn't want to take nine people along. I didn't expect it but Aaron Graves raised his hand.
"I want to come. I feel that I could help a lot, Cassandra." He said and I shook my head.
"That's all I want." I said but Chiron was quick to say no.
"My dear, we've broken the rules before and it never works out. You need more camper, though I will admit eight is a high number." I exhaled.
"Then I'll take Aaron to. That's all though." I said. Chiron shook his head again and walked over to me.
"Take Kyra Sawyer to." He said. My mouth dropped open but Texas was (as always) the first to speak.
"We are not taking that little, witch!" she yelled. I swear on my life she should just stay in the Ares cabin forever.
"Dakota Forest, will you pipe down for a minute!" Mr. D said and Texas sat down and mumbled something about being the god of diet coke and not doing anything for the world. I nodded, not wanting to fight.
"We'll take Kyra." I said and with that the meeting was adjourned. Clarisse came up to me afterword's and I really didn't feel like talking to her.
"I swear that if she does anything to you I'll smash her lipstick tubes right over her head."
I attempted to smile. "Thanks, Clarisse." I said because it's never good to have the Ares cabin on your bad side and it's even better to have them on your good side. She pulled me a little aside from the trail back to our cabins.
"If anyone knows how you feels it's me. I wanted to impress my father so bad, of course it's a little different because Ares is way cooler than Aphrodite and you also want to find your boyfriend Apollo." She said and I figured that it was her warped idea of trying to sympathize with me.
"Thanks, Clarisse. Keep in touch with me when I'm gone, ok?" I said because what else could I say and she smiled almost kindly and said;
"Don't push your luck, Aphrodite jerk." She said. "See you, Cassandra and if this conversation happened I swear to you, you'll be drinking toilet water." she said.
"It never happened, don't worry, Clarisse." I said and walked back to Kasey's cabin to stay awake the whole night and think about the prophecy.