Katie

Their stupid pranks were killing me. They have been pranking specifically me constantly for three weeks now I can't take it any more. They were the Stoll brothers.

"Katie, get out of bed will you? It's almost lunch time and you missed breakfast too" Miranda tugged on my covers.

"I'm not feeling good Miranda I'm just gonna stay here"

"Is it because Travis and Conner have been pranking you so much lately" I just nodded

"I'm not gonna risk water balloons dropping on me the minute I open the door" I rolled my eyes

Miranda sighed and sat at the foot of my bed " I talked to Conner and he said that he had stopped pranking you two weeks ago. Now its just Travis"

"I don't care I just can't take anymore of their pranks. It's only been three weeks since summer vacation started and I finally escaped that hell hole and came here only to another three torturous, prank filled months, it seems no matter were I go I'm miserable."

Miranda understood what I meant and nodded in sympathy. My home wasn't exactly warm, cozy, and somewhere I like to go.

"That reminds me I got a letter from your…um step-mom." she handed me an envelope, patted the side of my head and left the cabin for lunch.

Katie, I don't care if you're fighting some stupid monster or at a war, I need you to set up for a party for me and my friends… SO GET YOUR ASS HOME!

SHIT! I quickly scrambled out of bed and put on a pair of black Nike sneakers. I quickly wrote a note saying I had to go home and would hopefully be back soon, and then I grabbed my bag full of ambrosia, nectar, and some clothes and ran out of my cabin and towards the big house.

"Chiron" I huffed resting my hands on my knees.

"Yes Katie" I looked up to the centaur.

" I need to get home ASAP. Can I take Nightwing?" He nodded knowing why I had to get home I thanked him quickly then ran to the stables and over to my pegasus Nightwing.

"Hey boy can you take me home" I started petting his snout and he neighed in response.

I took him out and got on.

He ran a little flapping his wings and eventually was in the air. He flew for what i guessed was and hour then finally stopped in front of my house, thankfully no one was outside. I quickly got off and grabbed an apple from my neighbors tree and fed it to Nightwing.

"Thanks boy now go back to camp ok" He snorted then took off. Quickly, I ran up the steps to the light green house in front of me and opened the door.

"I'M HOME STEPHANIE!" my 'mother' Stephanie came down the stairs…looking furious CRAP!

"WHERE WERE YOU? I HAD TO RESCEDULE THE PARTY TWICE!" she screeched. I flinched. She was an old lady who was in her early thirties but looked forty. She had stringy blond hair and green eyes. She was a smoker and alcoholic but my dad didn't know or if he did he didn't let on.

"I got here as soon as I got the letter" I whispered

"That was two days ago!" she grabbed onto my left bicep…HARD!

"I'm sorry" I looked down hoping she would forgive me.

She grinded her teeth then talked through them. "We will talk later, right now I need you to set up for a party. You have an hour" I quickly nodded then ran to the kitchen to get things ready. Stephanie started chatting on the phone with her friends about the party. I rolled my eyes but continued to work.

Finally I thought, I was done setting up for the party and it had been going on for about four hours without a single problem…and of course I had to jinx it. As I was walking with two glass cups in either of my hands I tripped and the glasses broke. 'Shit' I thought as I slowly got up.

"Look what you did you Klutz pick all of that up. NOW!" Stephanie shrieked again.

"Sorry" I slowly picked up the big shards of glass with one hand and settled them on my other hand.

"Ahh" I cut my finger, of course I did. I finished picking up the pieces ignoring the blood trickling down my finger. I got back to my feet then walked outside and threw the shards of glass into the trash. I walked inside and saw people getting up and getting ready to leave.

Once everyone had left Stephanie turned to me and snarled "Clean up, I want this place spotless then we can talk about your punishment for being late." She walked up the stairs.

As for me I took a deep breath and started cleaning up. There was food all over the floor and Styrofoam plates hanging from the chandelier. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and started cleaning, throwing all trash in a big black bag. As I cleaned I thought about camp.

I honestly wished I were back at camp. I would rather be in bed scared of a stupid prank from the Stolls rather than here where I was going to get punished later apparently. The Stolls…Travis…why does he have to do this to me? I've had a crush on him since we were fifteen. I was in the strawberry fields all alone crying after the Titan war over all the campers we had lost. Travis found me and I half expected him to call me weak and laugh at me, but he walked over to me and silently wrapped his arms around me. I cried into his shirt for hours and he cried on my shoulder. I think that was the first and last time I saw a vulnerable side to him. I sighed again as I walked up the stairs to my room.

Once I got to my room I took off my shirt and was about to take my tank top of as well when I heard a wolf whistle. I quickly turned to my bed and found Travis sitting. I had a panic attack and put my hand to my heart.

"Holy Demeter you scared the live out of me…literally!" I took a deep breath. I was used to Travis coming into my house because whenever Conner and him got into fights I would always have to reconcile them... ironic right?

"Well I wasn't feeling so good so I took a quick nap and had an…uh dream, about you and I wanted to make sure you were ok." he scratched the back of his head. I went into my walk in closet and shut the door after me.

"What was it about?" I changed into boxer shorts and walked out towards my full-length mirror hung behind my door.

"Um you leaving camp till you walking up the stairs." I froze, my hand on my pony because I was about to take out my ponytail.

"R-really now" I turned to him and sat down on the bed in front of him.

"Why haven't you told anyone yet?" His eyes were full of concern, which was odd cause his eyes always had a mischievous glint and a lopsided smirk plastered on his face.

"Miranda and Chiron know" I chuckled

"Why do you still put up with her then? Why don't you just stay at camp for like forever?" His eyes were pleading me.

"Because she had threatened to personally come to camp and beat my lights out in front of the whole camp." I tilted my head and shrugged. Anger flashed in his eyes then he looked at my finger. His eyes slightly widened as he grabbed onto my index finger.

"You're bleeding" He whispered.

"It's fine" I yanked my hand away from his.

Suddenly I heard a pounding on the door causing my head to whip in that direction "In the closet, keep quiet and don't come out no matter what. Please." I whispered hastily and pushed him into my closet closing the door after. I quickly ran to the door and opened it to a drunk and dreary eyed Stephanie with a bottle and whip in either hand. She pushed me in and followed.

"You think that just because you save the world your all high and mighty don't ya" She slurred "Well your NOT!" she went to talk a sip from her bottle but it was empty she got angry, "NOW I'M OUT OF BEER AND ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! FIRST YOU COME TWO DAYS LATE TO SET UP FOR MY PARTY THEN YOU BEING THE CLUMZY BITCH THAT YOU ARE, FELL AND BROKE MY FAVORITE GLASS CUPS!" she took her bottle and smashed it on my head. I felt a rushing pain go from my head down and my vision blurred as I collapsed to the floor screaming in pain.

"IT'S ALWAYS YOUR FAULT!" with every word she would whip me and I would cry out in anguish. "ALL THE MONSTERS ARE YOUR FAULT! YOU STUPID, WORTHLESS, DEMIGOD!"

"I'm sorry" I cried "I'm really sorry please stop please!"

She finally stopped "Next time be on time otherwise I will send you to the hospital" she walked out of my room and I continued crying on the floor. I heard a door open then close. I felt someone touch my cheek and I flinched away instinctively, shut my eyes and crying.

"Hey it's me Travis remember" he tried. I just kept on crying right on.

"I'm going to take the pieces of glass off you head ok" His voice was so full of pain yet I felt comforted by it. He slowly took the shards of off my head. I flinched a little when he grabbed onto my wrists.

"Katie look at me" I turned to him but refused to open my eyes. He cupped his hands around my cheeks and I grabbed onto his wrists. "Katie please?" His voice sounded so desperate, I reluctantly opened my eyes and met a pair of deep-sea blue eyes. They were worried and I could see the pain in them as well, almost as if me getting hit hurt him more than it actually hurt me. He smiled sadly "Your gonna be ok trust me alright?"

I stopped crying and sniffled then nodded. "Good because I was starting to miss the old uptight and bossy Katie Gardner who would yell at me and Connor and threaten to strangle us with her plants of death." I laughed ignoring the aching pains all over my body from the whip.

He smiled then let go of me "Now you got any ambrosia?"

"Ya" I got up slowly but almost fell back if Travis hadn't caught me by the arms.

"Ok you know what? You missy are gonna sit on your bed"

"No no I'm fine" he gave me a 'Are you kidding me?' look. But I just shook my head in defiance. He sighed.

"Aahhh" He had picked me up bridal style.

"Travis put me down," I hissed

"Ok" He walked over to my bed and gently set me down on my turquoise and white-stripped comforter.

"Now where is the Ambrosia?"

"Bathroom, the mirror on the right opens" I pointed to the bathroom.

He raised an eyebrow "The bathroom? You put food in the bathroom?"

I rolled my eyes "I have to hide it from the she-witch next door" I swore I saw anger swell in his eyes…or maybe she smashed the bottle to hard over my head and I was seeing things.

He walked into the bathroom and I started thinking. Why does he suddenly care about me so much? He should be at camp right now not here. The only time we ever even get along is when they are having sibling issues or during battle.

"Here" I hadn't even realized that he was back. I took the zip lock bag from him and popped a square of ambrosia in my mouth. It usually tasted like kit-kat but right now it tasted like spicy ramen, which was weird. I could already feel the pain in my head retreating and the wounds on my body turn to scars.

"Why are you still here you need to get back to camp" I slightly shoved him towards the window.

"No I don't, I left once everyone fell asleep so no one even knows that I'm not there" he came back and put my feet in his lap so he could sit. Weirdo.

"Why do you care about me so much Travis? Cause honestly all you ever do is prank me, our cabins are basically rivals, we rarely get along, and-" I couldn't continue because Travis' soft lips pressed against mine. I was shocked at first and I just stared at him. His eyes were closed and his eyebrows knitted in concentration. After a second I responded to the kiss and tangled my hands into his curly brown hair. After a little bit we pulled apart for air. Our foreheads rested against each other's breathing heavily and eyes closed. TRAVIS STOLL HAD JUST KISSED ME!

"That's why" he softly whispered then half laughed. "I always had a crush on you ever since the Titan War when you got stabbed by that Empousi and blacked out. All I could think was that I had to protect you at all costs and that's what I did."

"Really know?" I smirked

"Ya"

My cheeks flushed "Good because I've had a crush on you since after the war too"

"So I got a question" His smile widened

"Shoot"

" Will you be my girlfriend?"

"I'm gonna have to think about that I mean the new kid from the Dionysus cabin is pretty cute" He frowned

"YES!" I laughed and pulled him into a kiss.

"Great which means I'm not leaving you tonight then" Travis pulled me into a hug.

"What do you mean" I frowned

"I'm not leaving my new girlfriend in the hands of that whack job" He growled

I smiled and let go.

"I don't mind you staying, besides my dads not gonna be home for another week and Stephanie will probably be sleeping for half of tomorrow."

"Let me go grab you some sweats" I walked into my closet and got a pair of black sweats that say Malibu Beach across the left leg. I walked back to him and threw the sweats at him.

"Go change" He nodded and went the bathroom to change. He came out a few minutes later shirtless and in the sweats.

"They are a lot cozier then I thought"

"That's because their boyfriend sweats" He raised an eyebrow "What it said that on the tag…literally and boyfriend sweats are really comfy" He laughed.

I climbed under the comforter and patted the spot next to me. He looked kinda shocked but nevertheless he lay next to me.

"Why doesn't your dad say anything to her? If I were him I would have kicked her sorry ass onto the street, I'd never let anything hurt my kids."

"Really now" I couldn't help but smile. He realized what he said and turned a little red.

"Don't avoid the question."

"Because in front of him she acts like and angel." I sighed and I turned to him, scooting closer so our lips were only inchs away from each other; he stiffened a little. I looked up at him putting on my best innocent face. "Is something wrong Travis?" He shook his head quickly in a no. "Are you uncomfortable?" 'He was so easy to tease' I thought as I watched his face turn deep red.

Suddenly the left side of his lips curved up into a smirk, and I paled, if a son of Hermes ever smirks in you presence you should probably run for your life. Suddenly I felt his cool hands wrap around my bare waist. I'd grown out of this tank top but it was my favorite so I still wore it. It stopped just above my belly button. I gasped and my eyes widened, he yanked towards him and my hands flew to his shoulder. I could feel my cheeks burning.

"The better question is are you uncomfortable?"

"Not in the slightest" with every word I pulled my lips closer to him little by little until they were just barely…just barely touching. "You surrender Stoll?"

"Never Gardner" he closed the space between our lips and I was whisked away to cloud nine. My brain went blank and all I could think about is how right and perfect this felt.

I pulled us apart and Travis pouted "Good night" I laughed

"Good night beautiful" he kissed my temple. I fell asleep feeling completely safe from the world in Travis' arms.