Hey, guys! I'm back with a Frazel chapter and a Reynico one again which I really hope you will like… So, here we go, forgive me if I don't do this properly, I kinda don't ship Frazel that much. So sorry! Happy Reading!
"Look! We're here!" At the excited scream of Hazel, the group of friends looked out of the bus windows. They had indeed arrived at the zoo!
Hurriedly, Coach Hedge led them off of the bus and into the zoo, where they began their tour. The group of seven friends walked in pairs, Percy with Rachel, as she wouldn't let go of him, Calypso and Piper, Jason and Leo, Frank and Hazel, and Reyna and Nico.
Walking next to him, Hazel asked, "Which is your favorite animal, Frank?"
Frank thought for a while before answering, "Lions. What are yours?"
Hazel smiled. "Mine are horses. I've always loved horses since I was little."
Frank grinned. "Hard to believe that since we are best of friends while lion and horses are staunch enemies."
Hazel laughed. "Yes, but then lions don't really have allies."
Frank agreed and so they walked on talking and laughing till the students were taken to a nearby restaurant for lunch. The group ordered some food and was waiting for the food to come, sitting on a large table. Sitting beside Hazel was Frank who was struck by a thought.
"Hazel, what do you love to do the most?"
"What do you mean, Frank?" Hazel asked, not quite understanding.
"Well, what environment do you like the most? The situation you would most likely want to be in? The way things are supposed to be in that situation?"
Secretly, Hazel like Frank, and the way she would have wanted anything to be is with him. But she skipped this part out when she said, "Hmm. Well, I would like a nice shady tree and… light."
"Light? What kind of light?"
"Any kind. Candles, lanterns, or even better… Fireflies." Her eyes gleamed as she said the last word, her mind painting out this scene.
Frank smiled. "You've got a lovely imagination."
"Oh, I'm lovely most of the time." Hazel smiled at his compliment.
"Not most, your lovely all of the time," Frank said, making Hazel blush a little.
"Thank you, but I won't say always." Hazel said modestly. She was saved of her embarrassment because the food arrived just then.
Reyna who had been eavesdropping on this whole conversation leaned towards Hazel who was eating her lunch. "Is it just me or is someone interested in you?" She whispered.
"Reyna," Hazel said, her eyes widening. "We're just friends."
"As yet. Soon, you may become more." Reyna winked at her making a flustered Hazel drop her fork. As she bent down to pick it up, Frank did the same, their hands touching just as they tried to catch the fork.
Their heads bumped lightly and they looked up at each other, their faces centimeters apart. They would probably have stayed that way for a little while but Reyna cleared her throat as she smiled a little. That seemed to steer the two out of their trance.
Hazel straightened immediately while Frank picked up the fork and handed it to her. "Thanks," Hazel said with a smile.
"Welcome, lovely girl," Frank said, winking at her as Hazel smiled, blushing when she knew the reference.
"I don't lie, do I?" Reyna whispered in hear ear again. "And if I'm not wrong, you like him too, don't you?"
Hazel was shocked at being asked such a direct question. "Reyna! Of course not! How could you think so?"
"Come on Hazel, admit it. You like him." Reyna grinned, sure that she liked Frank more than ever.
Hazel took a deep breath regaining her color and then answered. "Okay, fine. I like him."
"Hah! I told you!" Reyna beamed. "So, what plans lie ahead?"
"I really don't know, Reyna," Hazel sighed. "Things will go the way they will."
"I like your confidence," Reyna smiled, leaving Hazel to finish her lunch as she turned to Nico. "Feeling better after talking?"
The two had had a lovely walk, quite ignoring the animals, absorbed by the talking they had decided to do. They had shared their most painful experiences, embarrassing moments, funniest jokes and a lot of understanding had bonded them strongly.
"I guess so," Nico tried for a smile.
"That's my boy," Reyna said dramatically and they both laughed, a sight that surprised Jason and Percy.
"Why, whatever is Reyna doing to you? We've never seen you smile so, much less laugh." Jason said raising his eyebrows at the pair.
Reyna shrugged. "That's what happens when two friends talk."
"Friends? Why does it strike me it's more than that?" Jason smirked.
"Nothing of that sort, Jason," Nico snapped at him.
When left alone again (as alone as can be on a group table), Nico asked Reyna, "Reyna, do you mind if I ask this question?"
"Mhmm?"
"Why did you react so badly when Leo called you 'Queenie' at the party the day before?" Nico asked.
Reyna stopped eating almost immediately. She hesitated. Nico gently prodded. "We shared everything today, right? Can't you share this?"
Reyna sighed. "I- My father used to call me Queenie way back when we had with the whole family. I loved it when he called me Queenie. But…"
"But?"
"But after Mother's death, when we attacked him his last words were, 'Queenie, please forgive me. I'm sorry'. Which made me feel really guilty about doing whatever I did."
"I see." Nico said, not quite knowing how to reply.
"That spoilt the name for me because a Queen is supposed to be nice whereas I was so far away from what a Queen should do."
"No, Reyna." Nico protested. "It's not your fault. You were just defending yourself. It was his fault and he apologized. It's none of your fault."
Reyna sat silently for a while pondering about his words. "I think your right. But the name is just spoilt for me now. I think it's better if we leave the past in the past."
"I think so too, Reyna," Nico smiled at her. "It's much simpler."
With a lighter environment between them, the pair enjoyed the rest of the day and retired to the resort much happier than they had been several years ago.
Here we are! Okay, so this was the next chapter… to be really very honest, the story is really getting a bit too boring for me so I decided that I'm going to skip a few days in the middle and jump to the last three days so that we can sclick the climax out of the picture and then THE STORY ENDS! Wooohooo! Okay, sorry.. I'm just so excited to get my hands off this story.. See you next time guys!