Chapter III- Maria King

It had to be the desperation in her deep gray eyes.

Otherwise my secret place would remain just that.

Mine and secret.

I'd found it during one of my first weeks at camp.

It was my place.

I went there when everything was too much.

The only other person who knew about it was Olivia, I hadn't even told Becca or Skylar.

"Dr. Pepper?" I asked, hand poised for the mini fridge.

"Do you have diet? I think, I think I might be the reason..."

"Stop that! If you weren't close to tears, I wouldn't tell you this, but you are really pretty."

"Thanks... But so are you, I mean purple eyes, a purple streak..."

"Violet." I said firmly, and handed her my special soda.

"Cherry Coke? I thought you said Dr. Pepper..."

"First off, Cherry CocaCola, secondly, you looked like you needed it."

She managed a weak smile.

"You won't tell anybody about this place right?" I said sweetly, using my Hermes Persausion.

"Yes ma'm... Wait! NOO!" She knew what I was doing.

"Don't do that to me!" She protested.

"Sorry, it's just, this is the only place I can go to escape my brothers, and Leo, and well, everyone. And, everything..." My voice sounded shy and pitiful, I could tell that much.

"I won't tell, if you won't."

"Then it's settled, no one tells. About the, problem, I could spy on him, I have an invisible cap too."

"But why don't I do it?" Athena, your daughter can be so dumb sometimes.

"Because, if you make a mistake and make a sound Percy will ask if it's you, you'll pull of your cap and he'll think you've been spying on him. If I do it then I can say, 'Opps, I was practicing with my invisible hat, just got it and all that, sorry for disturbing you.' See?"

She nodded.

"And he won't suspect I'm working for you cuz we hate each other!"

"Why do you hate me?" Annabeth asked, startling me.

"I've always been jealous of you. I mean, Beautiful blond hair, smarts, a boyfriend like that, everything! When I overcame my fear of spiders (The same Therapist who got Percy over his hate of Evil cookies helped us...) and you didn't I was like, 'Yes! I finally have something that's better then her!' I got smug... Sorry."

"It's okay." She said.

"Maria? It's time for dinner..." Travis called.

"Travis honey, I'm exhausted and taking a nap, Tell Chiron that Annabeth and I won't be out for dinner kay? Malcolm too, about Annabeth anyway." I cooed.

"Why do you put so much effort into that?"

"Boys minds are fragile things, you have to tell them exactly what you mean or they'll break." I explained.

"Gotcha. So will you spy for me tommorow?"

"Sure."

Duhn, duhn duh! So you likey?