"So, Lila. I was thinking. You're hot. I'm hot. Go on a date with me."

"Nice logic. But, no."

Travis did a double take. No girl had ever rejected him before. Except one. "What?"

"No, Travis Stoll, I won't go on a date with you."

"That's a first." Or a second. "I'm totally awesome. Plus, if you go out with me, I won't prank your cabin for a week. How 'bout that?"

"I won't go out with you because it's so obvious you're doing this to make someone jealous," Lila replied, rolling her eyes.

Dammit. "How'd you know that?"

"Please, Travis. I'm the daughter of Aphrodite," Lila said. "Also, the fact that you're conveniently asking me out in front of that very same girl, and glancing at her every two minutes, helps."

Travis gaped, and flicked his eyes towards the girl sitting in the strawberry fields. He watched as her brow furrowed in concentration, trying to grow the sapling. He watched as it slowly grew, causing a smile to erupt on Katie's face as she glowed with pride. Just for one plant. Travis chuckled, smiling fondly at her.

"Wow, you've got it bad, haven't you?" Lila said, glancing from Travis to Katie.

Travis snapped his gaze back to her, and tried to control the flush spreading across his face. "I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered. "I'm just trying to ask you out."

"Don't try to hide it from me, Travis," Lila said, eyes narrowed. "You really like that girl, and I'm going to help you get her."

"Really?" Travis exclaimed, smiling. "How?"

"Leave that to me," Lila giggled. "My speciality is love, after all. Really, Travis, the whole camp knows you like her."

"Oh gods. Does 'the whole camp' include Katie?"

"No, no. Both of you are totally oblivious about it," she said gleefully. "That's what makes it so cute!"

"Uh, Lila?" Travis asked nervously. "Does she like me, too?"

"Travis Stoll, feeling insecure. You must like her more that I thought," Lila replied. "Not just another conquest, is she?"

"No way!" Travis exclaimed angrily. "Not Katie. Although, she is fun to prank."

"Yeah, I heard what happened last time," Lila smirked. "She wouldn't shut up about it."

"I knew she liked me!" Travis smiled. "I just need to get her to realize that."

"Which is exactly what we're going to do, my friend," Lila said, linking her arm with his.

"Hell, yeah! Operation, make Katie jealous, is a go!"

"What she sees in you, I'll never know," Lila muttered, dragging Travis towards the cabins to get him ready.

If they'd glanced back, they would have seen Katie Gardner staring jealously after them.

Not that she'd ever admit she was jealous.


"One more spray-and there! You look perfect, Travis! Well, as perfect as you can look."

"Thanks," Travis muttered sarcastically, looking at his reflection. He looked amazing, as usual. Lila had managed to make his hair sit, and had put Travis in his usual jeans, with a black, button down shirt. But Hades, she'd put a lot of cologne on him. "How can you stand that much smell?" he asked, fake choking.

"Girls go crazy for it," Lila said suggestively, trailing her finger down his arm.

Travis looked at her, and Lila sighed. "Fine. Katie, not me. I get it."

"I know, I'm pretty irresistible," Travis smirked, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't touch the hair!" Lila snapped, slapping his hand away. "You have to look perfect!"

"Are you sure this will work?" Travis asked nervously.

"Yes, I'm sure. It was your idea, Travis."

"Last minute jitters."

"Not very normal for you, I'm guessing?"

"Not at all," Travis admitted. "I just...I guess this is the first girl I've ever wanted-liked-this much. I guess I just want one chance with her."

"That's so sweet!" Lila cooed, smiling dreamily. "Don't you worry, Travis! We're going to make her so jealous, she'll melt in your arms."

"Oh, yeah," Travis smiled. "So, can we go yet?"

"Yes, Romeo."

"Romeo? That romantic dude? Sweet!"

"You know Romeo dies, right?"

"...Never mind."


Travis and Lila walked past the Demeter cabin for the thousandth time that evening. "This is getting to be a bit obvious, Travis," Lila whispered. "At least stop glancing there every two seconds and try to look like you're interested in me."

"But I can't even see her face in the window!"

"Maybe she's out, then?"

"Fine, we'll wait here till she comes back," Travis said, frustrated.

"Relax, Travis," Lila said, rolling her eyes.

After about five minutes of Travis pacing up and down and Lila regretting she'd ever agreed to help him, they heard voices approaching the Demeter cabin. "That might be her! Quick, hold my hand!" Travis said, excited.

"Wait, I think she's with someone," Lila frowned. "Hey! That's Blake Winters, from the Apollo cabin!"

"A guy?" Travis growled. "What's she doing with a guy?"

"Going on a date with him, maybe?" Lila replied, grimacing. "Well, let's go in front so she can see us!"

"No, wait!" Travis said, pulling her back behind a tree. "Lets see what they're doing."

"We can't spy on them!"

"Shut up!"

They watched as Blake and Katie made their way up to the Demeter cabin, Blake's arm around her waist. Travis watched them through narrowed eyes, and Lila anxiously watched Travis, willing him not to do anything stupid.

Blake dropped her at the door of the cabin and gave Katie a hug. He leaned down to kiss her and Travis clenched his jaw, fists curled, then breathed a sigh of relief when Katie turned her head in the last minute, the kiss landing on her cheek.

Blake smiled at her, said something then turned to leave. Katie watched him head back to his cabin, and then headed towards the beach.

Travis waited for a minute, then got up to follow her. "Wait, Travis! What about the plan?" Lila asked.

"Screw it," he said, following Katie.


"Oh, Katie! Didn't think you'd be here, too," Travis said nonchalantly.

Katie looked up at him with a small smile. "Hi, Travis. I like coming down here. Nice place to think about...stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

"Just, stuff."

"Yeah, that clears it up," he snorted.

"What do you care, Stoll? How was your date with Lila?"

"How did you know about that?"

"I saw you guys when I was leaving my cabin."

"To go on a date with that Blake guy from the Apollo cabin?"

"How do you know that?"

"I saw you," Travis said sullenly.

"Where?" Katie frowned. "We went out of camp!"

He turned to her. "Out of camp? Katie, that's dangerous!"

"I thought you sons of Hermes thrive on danger."

"That's Ares."

"Oh, yeah."

They were silent for some time, when Travis spoke up. "So, Gardner...you really like him?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, Stoll. First date and all. You like Lila?"

"Nah, not my type."

"Blond, tall, Aphrodite girl not your type?" Katie asked skeptically.

"Nope."

"I take it your date didn't go so well?"

"You sound happy about it."

"That's indifference, Stoll. Don't flatter yourself."

"Sure, Katie," Travis smirked. "Actually, the date didn't really go...as planned. Didn't work out."

"Sorry," Katie said, not feeling sorry at all.

"How 'bout yours?"

"Amazing," Katie said happily. "He was a total gentleman. He's smart, kind, funny, so handsome..."

Travis gaped at her. "So why didn't you let him kiss you?" he retorted.

"How do you know I didn't?" Katie asked, eyebrow raised.

"Uh-well, I-"

"It was our first date, Travis. I don't let guys kiss me for the heck of it."

"You let me," he reminded her.

"You didn't give me much of a choice," she said, blushing.

"You kissed me back!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"I'm not having this argument with you again, Stoll. Point is, I'm going out with him again."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"But he's an asshole!"

"You don't even know him, Stoll!"

"Do too!"

"Oh yeah? What's his last name?"

"Asshole!"

Katie sighed. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing," Travis muttered, planning his next huge prank. Which would be on the Apollo cabin.

"If it goes well, try not to compare his kiss to mine," Travis said bitterly. "He won't be able to compete with that."

"We'll see, Stoll," Katie said, laughing. "We should head back. Don't want the harpies to find us."

"Let them."

"Sorry?"

"Nothing."

Katie glanced at him, cocking her head. "When's your next prank, Stoll? Its been too long."

"Why? Can't wait to be kissed again? I can do that right now."

"Shut up," she said, blushing. "See you later," she muttered, getting up and walking back to her cabin.

"See ya," Travis said, watching her. He sighed and turned back towards the water, feeling incredibly stupid and upset. Really upset. He couldn't stand seeing her go out with another guy. He had to tell her. Next time he saw her, he resolved, he'd tell her everything.

He heard footsteps behind him. Katie! He turned around. "Katie, I-Lila?"

"Hey, Travis," she said excitedly. "Well? What happened?"

"She's going out with that Apollo guy again," he snapped, trying to push past her.

"What? Why? Didn't you kiss her or something?"

"I wish."

"Then why was she walking back towards her cabin, blushing and smiling like some love-struck fool?"

"Uh-"

"She was trying to make you jealous, you idiot!"

"By doing what?"

"By going out with Blake!"

"Why would she do that?"

"YOU did that!"

"But she could just tell me!"

"You could just tell her."

"Where's the fun in that?" he said, frustrated. "Hades! Girls are so confusing!"

"We aren't, really. I'm sure you must have given her some reason to think you were jealous."

Travis thought back on his 'asshole' comments and sighed. "Yeah, I guess I did. Gods, I should just turn gay."

"That would ruin everything!" Lila giggled. "Don't worry! We're gonna get her!"

"No, no way," Travis said, walking away. "Not we. Me. I'm never listening to an Aphrodite girl again."

"It was your idea!"

Travis continued walking, ignoring her. Apollo was gonna wake up the next morning with a TP'd cabin.


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