They stayed that way for a few seconds then slowly pushed away from each other.
"Jason…I…what was that for? I thought you and Octavian had something to tell.
"You didn't like my surprise?"
"No, I loved it. I really loved it." Reyna blushed hand gently grabbed Jason's hands. "I just thought you and Octavian had something to tell me, something important."
"Octavian was coming, but last minute he told me that he had some important augury stuff to attend to outside the temple of Jupiter. You know Octavian he's always so busy with stuff. He just couldn't fit you into his tight schedule today." Octavian snarled at the lies that were coming out Jason's mouth. Octavian had been waiting here the whole time. He was just waiting for Jason like they promised, but it was obvious that Jason had other plans in mind.
"Oh…yeah he is pretty busy, but he usually takes the time off if it's really important."
"He just wanted to talk to you about some of the things he had been seeing in the auguries lately that's all. I on the other hand had something very important to tell you." Jason smiled and handed Reyna his bouquet of roses, typical flower arrangement. At least Octavian had considered Reyna's favorite flower when picking out his bouquet of flowers.
"Reyna for the longest time I've had strong feelings about you. I didn't know what to make of them, but I finally realized what they've been saying. Reyna I really, really like you. I want to know if you feel the same way." Jason paused and took in a deep breath and waited for Reyna to answer.
"Jason I don't know what to say. I'd love to go out with you, but I don't feel like I'm ready to start a relationship yet and plus I had another person on my mind besides you on my mind as well."
"So you don't like me. I understand if you like this guy more me. I'd rather see you happy with him than to have to see you sad with me."
"No, it's not like that… I'm old enough to date, but I don't feel ready to have a boyfriend yet, but Jason that doesn't mean that you can't buy me a hot chocolate some time and hang out with me by the lake for a couple hours. I'd love that." Reyna paused and smiled up at Jason and gently kissed him on the lips. "In other words, I really like you to, Jason Grace."
Octavian stepped back from the scene and ran for his dad's mansion in New Rome. He couldn't believe that Jason had done that. Jason had promised him and he broke that promise in every way possible. He even bad mouthed Octavian in front of Reyna. What kind of a friend tells lies about their friend to make the girl like them more and hate the friend? Octavian remembered his first thought when he found out that Jason was a son of Jupiter; bad things happen to sons of Jupiter and people that associate with them. Octavian should have listened and not gotten involved. Jason was a monster among men.
Octavian ran up to the door of the mansion and knocked on the door. His face was read and his eyes were red and swollen from the tears. His hair was a mess and his clothes were sweaty and smelly. Gerald, the Martini's personal butler opened the door and looked down at Octavian with confusion
"Young master, Octavian, you look dreadful. What happened, if I may ask?"
"Is my dad here? I need to speak with him, please." Octavian pleaded. Gerald opened the door and let Octavian inside.
"Your father is sitting on the couch eating a bowl of ice-cream. Honestly the man just spent three hours working out and is now going to put it all back on. I don't understand that man, sometimes." Gerald rolled his eyes and pointed to the living room.
Octavian walked past the spiral staircase and entered the large living area. A large flat screen T.V hung on the wall on the other side of the room. Large, comfortable, cream colored couches were arranged in a semi-circle around the room which had personal cup holders and for drinks and popcorn when Octavian and his father sat down for movie night every Saturday.
Octavian looked around the room for his father. He wasn't hard to spot. He was the only person in the room. Octavian's father had gotten quite fat over the years. His six pack was far from gone and replaced with a pudgy belly. His dark hair had been going grey over the years and his wrinkles and increased to a few to many.
Octavian's dad scooped up a large spoonful of ice-cream and opened his mouth when he noticed Octavian standing next to him.
"Seriously, dad" Octavian shook his head and reached out his hands for the bowl of ice-cream.
"No, Octavian I just got it. Just one more bite, please!" Octavian's dad pleaded as Octavian swept the bowl out of his hands.
"It's not good for your health. I don't want to lose you to. I've already lost, Luke and mom I can't lose you to." Octavian marched into the kitchen and put the dish into the sink and walked into the kitchen and sat back down next to his dad.
"Oh and by the way, Happy Birthday, my little one. You're eighteen now! You're growing up so fast." Octavian's father paused and brushed his fingers through Octavians' hair. Octavian tried his best to not make eye contact so his father wouldn't see his swollen eyes and stained face. "You look so much like your mother. You remind me that she was once a sane person. I know that sounds weird, but you know why I left your mom. She had forgotten about us and you. I didn't want you living with someone like that. You needed someone who was constantly going to care and protect you out of love." Octavian's father sighed and looked leaned forward to see Octavian's, which Octavian was trying his best to hide. "Octavian, are you alright, sweetheart? You look official. Have you been crying?" Octavian's father pushed hair out of Octavian's face and looked deeply into his swollen blue eyes.
"I…I…well…Jason…can we just talk about this later. I don't feel like talking right now." Octavian folded his arms curled up into a ball.
"No, we are not going to wait till later. I want to know what happened." Octavian's father grabbed Octavian's chin so they looked at each other face to face, but Octavian looked away. "Octavian, look at me. Octavian," Octavian looked at his father with angry expression swept across his pale face. "I love you very much. As your father I want to know what is bothering you. You can trust me, right?"
Octavian nodded his head and sighed.
"Alright, I'll tell you." Octavian told his father what happened. Pain swept across his father's face as the story came to a close.
"Oh, Octavian, come here little man." Octavian's father wrapped his arms around Octavian and gently cradled him back and forth. "I know it hurts. Love hurts. I felt that way when your mom lost it the year I took you to Camp Jupiter. I had lost the woman I had loved because of a curse and the loss of her other son. It pained me to know that in her mind Luke had replaced everything including you and me."
"Why does this keep happening to me?" Octavian cried into his father's shoulder. "Every time I get close to someone something goes wrong. First Luke runs away then mommy forgets about me. Now Jason broke my promise and told lies about me in front of Reyna. I don't want to lose anyone else, especially you, daddy. I love you." Octavian whimpered. Usually Octavian wasn't a person to break down into tears. In fact the only times he can recall doing it was with his dad. He felt so safe with is dad. His dad had taken care of him and brought him here to this amazing camp. He was the only person who Octavian felt truly loved him.
"Octavian, it's getting late. You should head on up to bed. I love you very much, little man." Octavian's father kissed him gently on the forehead and slowly got up from the couch and walked to the master bedroom. "Gerald, make sure that all the lights and electrics et turned off, thank you." His father closed the master bedroom door behind him.
Gerald turned off all the lights but the ones up on the second floor and the ones that hung over the stairs.
"Gerald, I thought my dad said to turn off all the lights?"
"I'm waiting till you get to your room. I know how scared you are of the dark, young master, Octavian." Octavian smiled and walked up the stairs and into his room and closed the door behind him. Octavian's room had changed much since he first arrived at New Rome, six and half years ago. His walls were still blue, stuffed animals and books still stuffed his bookshelves with the addition of scrolls and a few of his favorite weapons.
Octavian slipped into his pajamas, blue boxers and a white sleeveless undershirt, brushed his teeth and turned on his night light and climbed into bed. Octavian closed his eyes and tried his best to forget about today, but he couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes all he saw was Reyna and Jason kissing and that's when the dream started.
Octavian was standing in the Senate building watching Jason and Reyna. They were laughing and joking around. They looked happy together. Jason paused and looked over at Octavian and the room became dark and the feeling of fear swept over him.
"What are you doing here, scarecrow? Reyna is mine. She even wants to be with me not with you. You thought she would want to be with you?" Jason laughed. "In your dreams."
"Reyna, we're still friends, right?"
Reyna looked over at Octavian with a confused expression.
"Who are you again?" she asked.
"It's me, Octavian your best friend."
"I don't know anyone named Octavian or remember having any association with an Octavian. Jason's the only man I've known and plus why would I want to be something like you? I mean look at you. You're nothing more than pale, useless legacy of Apollo. You'd be lucky if a girl even looked twice at you." Reyna laughed. The sound echoed through the senate building. Reyna smiled and her and Jason grew became giants, in fact the entire room was bigger. Octavian had shrunk.
"Reyna, I was at the temple, please, believe me!" Octavian cried, but his voice wasn't audible in the large room. Reyna looked down at Octavian and snarled.
"LIES! You were just too busy to show up! Your auguries and silly prophecies were far more important than me! Jason was right about you, Octavian, you're a monster!" the ground shook beneath Octavian's feet and Octavian plummeted down an endless black pit with the haunting words circling around him; 'you're a monster'.
Octavian jolted out of bed sweat beating down his pale, white face. His heart was beating at an uncomfortable rate. His head was spinning and he felt as if he was going to vomit. Octavian looked around the room and took in a deep breath and the uneasy feelings slowly subsided. Octavian sighed and slowly pushed away the covers and touched his feet to the cold, carpeted floor. Today was going to be a long day.