Blossom

Strange should be my middle name.

Things happen to me all the time. Sometimes, I'd think I'd gotten crazy. I saw things. Things that weren't for my eyes at such a young age. I've gotten used to it, over the years, thinking everyone's childhood was like that. I'd grow up and tell myself that I had nothing to worry, I was as normal as the boy next door,

Oh how wrong I was.

It started when I was a baby. My mother cleared off when I was barely new to the world, leaving my dad alone. He'd never been the same since.

His eyes were foggy and misted the adoration for my mum, long since gone. Nothing sparked those eyes now. They were just grey. Nothing like the sapphire blue eyes he had.

I think I'd inherited my eyes from my dad. I'd never seen my mother before. The most I'd been able to get out of my father was that she was blonde like me and beautiful. That was it before he'd tell me to "Run along now and read your books," I didn't even know her name. Dads never seemed to talk to me. Just stare endlessly into space.

My eyes were blue, sparklingly ocean blue but my irises seemed to change colour every second. Beautiful, yet eerie. I still remember the primary school bully teasing me and calling me a witch. But right after that I recall telling him to "Go away" and he did, with a dreamy look on his face.

I started becoming popular in Year 7 because of my looks and the ability of making people do what they wanted. I was never vain though, never. Me being alone with my father, never going to Greece, Spain or France, ever, kept me on my toes. Just staying at home reading books because Dad could never afford going on holiday with only one budget.

Dad used to be rich though. He was a manager of the company 'Fresh', a company making bread. Until, he lost his job since Mum left him. He became moody, depressed and wore black clothes like he was mourning Mum's leaving. He worked as a librarian at the local library, never interested in books though and always checking books in a bored voice.

The thing is, no matter what I wore or put on, it always looked fashionable or stylish on me. An old bag suddenly became a Gucci Purse. A baggy skirt became a miniskirt with a black and gold belt. An old T-shirt became a white blouse with a V neck. Things I didn't notice until other children pointed them out.

Of course, with my looks, everyone reckoned I was rich. They thought I lived in a mansion with a balcony and a swimming pool. They were rumours which I never heard until I had at least 20 people wanting to come home with me.

I had honey blonde hair which fell until my hips with red luscious lips that always looked like I'd applied lipstick. My teeth were perfect and white. I had a heart shaped face. My skin was tanned and always…glowed.

Other kid's parents would tell me I could make it as a model. They told me I would break hearts. They said I was perfection.

When I started teenage hood, I didn't get a single spot on my face. I couldn't seem to get embarrassed. The world was my oyster.

In Year 8, everything changed. I did Greek Mythology class. That was the class that changed everything.

Greek Mythology has always come easy to me. It was a language I just understood without thinking about it. Sometimes, whenever I got angry, I cursed in a strange language I didn't understand, sending people backing away from me quickly. My mother was probably Greek I thought though I never knew how I'd learnt the language.

Sometimes I wished my mum never went. I don't know if she even named me before doing a runner. Seeing all the other girls with mums that smiled, asked how they were doing and gave hugs made me feel like a knife was being twisted in my stomach. I'd longed so much for a mum that would give me treats and tuck me in bed. So much, I'd almost wish Dad would hurry up and marry someone else.

I moved on, I supposed.

Not like Dad.

Anyway, I was just going to enter Greek Mythology until I heard a snarling sound. I whipped around suddenly, hair flying in the air. Nothing. It was probably just my imagination.

I felt like something of someone was breathing on me. Hot breath. I sighed. If it was Tucson Winters, telling me I smelt like perfume I would scream. Cautiously, I nudged around until I came face to face with a …

Dog.

Not just a dog. A black dog. With red fiery eyes glaring into my soul. I screamed and dropped my books running away from that… that beast. Everyone stared at me as I shrieked down the corridors, telling everyone to run for their lives. The children looked puzzled as I pointed hysterically at the dog.

'It's just the school's puppy,'

'I didn't know you were afraid of dogs!'

'It's not a big deal. Calm down Blossom, you look crazy,'

Were they the crazy ones? There was a literal black dog about to eat us!

Until I heard muttering.

'It's a hellhound, Annabeth,'

'Yeah, I think I know Percy. I actually learned all my beasts of the Underworld. Hurry up, she's an untrained half-blood, this isn't going to last long,'

'Fine. I'll distract, you stab him at the back,'

Out of the shadows, I saw a blonde haired girl and a boy with black floppy hair and sea green eyes. Huh. He was kind of cute. I didn't know any boys like that in school- if I'd known he came here, I would've chatted him or flirted with him. Wait what? Flirting? Since when did I flirt?

The girl took a cap out of his pocket and immediately turned invisible. I gasped, but no one said anything. They were still looking at me. The boy waved his arms and said 'Come here you ugly beast! Demigod for sale here!'

Demigod? What was that? Shaking my head, I turned my attention to a knife floating in mid air, ready to strike. This 'hellhound' had its focus on the boy.

The knife came closer and closer…

SLASH!

The hellhound howled and evaporated into dust. I turned around looking for an explanation but none. Apart from the two 'demigods'.

'My name's Annabeth. This idiot here is Percy. It's not safe here; we're going to Camp Half-Blood.

They lead me into a white van which said 'Delphi Strawberry Service. I wanted to scream, yell and run away, telling everyone they were kidnappers. I couldn't though. There was something that told me they were my friends, not enemies.

That's right, honey, don't run. Just look at them! Such a cute couple!

I shook my head. I must be imagining things. Voices?

Oh, sweetheart, don't be afraid. Follow them. Then you'll find answers.

I did want answers; I did. So I asked the Annabeth and Percy, 'Where are we going? What's happening?'

Annabeth sighed. 'We're going to Camp Half-Blood. It's only safe for people like us. And that was a hellhound from Tartarus, pit of evil. Proves you're a demigod,'

'I can't be a demigod!' I said. 'Look, I'm not a god or anything like that. I don't have powers. I can't control anything or make things float like that,'

Percy laughed warmly.

'Kid,' he said, 'You are a demigod. Why would a hellhound attack you? They hunt down demigods. Camp Half-Blood has boundaries- monsters can't attack us there. Anyway, I guess you have ADHD and dyslexia, am I right?'

I stared at him.

'I-I do have dyslexia. And ADHD,'

'You can probably speak Ancient Greek as well,' Annabeth said, 'You do Greek Mythology? Do you understand the language clearly?'

'Y-yes,' I stuttered.

They knew me. They were people like me. So, satisfied with my answers, I fell asleep…

'We're here!'

Annabeth's voice cut through my thoughts like a hot knife through butter. Here where? I blinked and peeked out of the window to see…

A strawberry field.

'This isn't some prank is it?' I asked trying to contain my anger if it was.

'Nah, it isn't,' Percy grinned. 'It's just the start. Follow me,'

'Start of where?' I questioned but he was already making his way up the hill to the woods. So without further questions, I climbed up after him with Annabeth and a dagger behind me, wary of any monsters hiding in the shadows.

'This is Camp Half-Blood!' Percy shouted behind him, running towards a clearing like an over-excited toddler.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and muttered, 'Boys,'

I couldn't help but be impressed at the marble pillars and the view from where I was standing. 'This isn't a dream right?' I asked Annabeth.

'It isn't or I'd been having the same dream for 10 years,' she smiled. 'It's amazing isn't it? Especially the architecture. Definitely the architecture.

So taking a deep breath, I walked into the safety of Camp Half-Blood, after a screaming Percy, running away from a boy playing with fire and with Annabeth behind me, rolling her eyes continuously, I couldn't help but feel like at home.