Chapter Text
Percy Jackson arrived on the first day of summer. Along with many other new campers, one of them named Andrew.
Anytime a new camper arrived at camp, Annabeth would give me updates when she would learn more about them. “I think she might be the one,” she would say every time until they would show no special attributes and she would stop studying them.
The Apollo campers have to take turns volunteering at the infirmary in the summer. I just so happened to be volunteering the day after Percy arrived, so I was the one who had to watch over him as he nurses back to health.
Annabeth stopped by multiple times to see if he had woken up yet as well as his satyr, Grover. When he would stir, Annabeth would ask a million questions just for him to go back to sleep.
Having to do infirmiry duty was so boring. Even with Grover there to talk to, I found myself nodding off. It seemed pointless for 2 people to be watching over Percy so I let Grover watch him while I loitered around the halls. The infirmary building is connected to the big house, so I strolled around the wrap-around patio of the big house until Mr D, who was eagerly looking for someone to play cards with, invited me to play with him. We played for a while until Percy showed up.
After Percy had a talk with Chiron, the immortal trainer asked if I would show Percy around camp. I obliged and started the tour.
Percy seemed a little timid at the start, I started to break him out of his shell as we walked. I remember what it was like to be the new kid at camp. It was Reese who did the same for me.
I ended the tour at the front of the Hermes cabin. I made Percy promise that if he had any questions, ask me or the head Hermes counselor, Luke.
The next day, at combat training, Annabeth insisted on me offering to be Percy’s new sparring partner so that she could see his skills against mine. Me and Annabeth were about equal in combat skills, but she insisted that I offer because I was closer to him.
A week goes by and Percy is claimed by Posiden.
The night Percy was claimed, there was a knock on cabin 7’s door. I opened the door to see nobody. And not as in Odysseus, there actually was no one there. This has happened many times before, but just in case some younger campers weren’t ding dong ditching me I whispered “Annabeth?” Into the night.
“Hey. Meet me at the tree,” the night whispered back at me. I grabbed my shoes and slipped out the door.
For the next few hours she talked fast with excitement creeping into her mood. A quest was expected soon since Percy is obviously the demigod in the prophecy.
A few days later, just as she predicted, Percy had been given a quest. He chose the 3 people to go with him quickly, Annabeth, Grover, and me.
The day I left for the quest I gave Reese a large hug. I promised to bring back stories of the first time leaving camp since I was 8, and she returned the promise with a warm smile, and a heart full of growing jealousy.
Once we returned the people at the camp treated us 4 as hero’s. I think back now to how much more jealous this made Reese. Nonetheless, she welcomed me back with a hug and insisted on hearing all about it.
The summer is finally nearing its end and it turns out Reese and Annabeth are going away this year. It will be the first year I am alone since I got here.
Since the first day of summer, Reese has had her eye on this boy named Andrew. He was the same age as her with light skin and blonde hair. During free time she would spend her hours sitting on a bench pretending to read as she watched him play volleyball.
“I know this seems random right now, but he plays a big part later Leo,” I said to Leo who looked confused.
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A few months before the next summer is when the camp's barriers started to weaken. More monsters started to slip in regularly until there had to be groups of half-bloods on the perimeters of the camp 24/7.
Chiron had also taken a leave and was replaced by Tantalus, which was just amazing.
Reese arrived on the first day of summer just like the rest of the campers. This summer, I am 13 Reese is 14. At first glance of seeing her again, I can already tell something is different. She looks more done up than usual, and it looks like she has done her makeup to look older. Is her hair dyed lighter?
I mentioned this to her and asked why she looks so grown up, “I couldn’t stop thinking about him this year Cleo. I just really wanted to look good this summer so maybe I can catch his eye.” Since when is Reese this obsessed with boys?
From the beginning of the summer, to when I left for the quest for the fleece, I noticed something different about Reese. She would have days or sometimes even weeks where she would be super negative and go into almost a depression. Then, she would eventually pop out of it and be perfectly normal again. Reese has never been the type to crash like that. But now, Not only was her appearance different, but also her emotions.
Near the middle of the summer Percy, Tyson, me, and Annabeth take our unscheduled quest for the fleece. I was nervous at first when we left, we had no idea what we are doing, but I was so happy to get to leave camp again.
When we returned the whole camp praised us for saving the barriers, even if Thalia had returned. When I got back from this quest was when I finally started to realize the jealousy that Reese had for me.
Before I could ask her about it, summer was ending and to my surprise, I was invited to live with Annabeth for the school year. We would get to go to school together, I would finally get to leave camp for a while.
When Reese found out from some of Andrew’s friends that he was staying for the year, she decided to stay at camp as well.
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Even though we only got half way through the school year, it was something I had never experienced before. I met so many new people and learned so many new things.
I say I met so many new people, but in reality the new environment I was put in made me revert back to when I was a kid. I became shy and I didn’t have any desire to talk to anyone else besides Annabeth.
Annabeth’s dad was so caring. I liked to think if I had a dad growing up he would be like Mr. Chase.
When we finally arrived at camp with Nico and Bianca Di Angelo in December after our fail at Westover, I thought that seeing Reese would be just like old times. But, as we reunited I could feel something was off. She was awkward, and acted like I was an old friend that she had already moved past. Instead of spending every minute with me, as she used to, she had made new friends. Paige and Elise. Paige was a daughter of Ares, and Elise a daughter of Hypnos.
She acted like I didn’t even exist, and would only speak to me when I talked to her directly.
Thinking back, I think that this wouldn’t have hurt me as bad as it did if I hadn’t just lost Annabeth. She constantly filled my mind with worry if she was okay.
Reese’s obsession with Andrew had also grown so much over the semester. I talked with Paige and Elise when Reese wasn’t there one day. They mentioned that one day, in November, she snuck into the Ares cabin and stole one of his shirts to sleep with. They giggled. “Wait, does that mean they are dating now or something?” I asked.
“Hah, that would be a miracle. She just has a really big crush on him but is too scared to actually talk to him,” Paige said.
“Wait, she's never even talked to him before?”
They shook their heads and giggled.
What the hell.
Near the end of that week I was standing with Percy near the fire when I noticed an angry Reese storming through the crowd headed to the cabins. I left Percy and sneakily followed, trying anything to see if I could find any reason for Reese’s coldness towards me.
They stopped at the front of the Apollo cabin door. Reese yelled something angrily at the two girls. They looked hurt as she slammed the door in their faces. ‘So much for that’ I thought as I headed to the restroom.
As I was using the restroom, the door opened and someone quickly came inside. She ran towards the nearest open stall and slammed it shut. I heard her slide down the wall and then the crying started. Crying turned into sobbing, sobbing turned into a breakdown. I felt awkward, she didn’t know I was in here. But, I also felt awkward because I knew those blue converse. It was Reese.
I decided it was best to leave and I slipped out of the door.
The next day at breakfast Reese didn’t eat, but stared at Andrew sitting very close to a girl. She looked pale, and like she hadn’t slept.
She looked like this for the rest of the week anytime I saw her. Until Monday, when she was back to her normal and bright self