ICARUS, p. jackson [1]

Chapter VI

tw: gory descriptions , feeling of being stalked

" NOTHING GETS DONE WHEN YOU NEVER LISTEN "

             IN A WAY, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THERE ARE GREEK GODS out there, because you'll have somebody to blame when things go wrong. For instance, when you're walking away from a bus that's just been attacked by monster hags and blown up by lightning and set on fire by your best friend out of fear, and it's raining on top of everything else, most people might think that's just really bad luck; when you're a half-blood, you understand that some divine force really is trying to mess up your day.

So there they were, Annabeth, Grover, Dittany and Percy, walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank, the glow of New York City making the night sky yellow behind them, and the smell of the Hudson reeking in their noses.

Dittany was severely annoyed, but she kept her expression neutral. She knew out of the four of them, she was the most mature and wouldn't put the blame on anyone, but she could practically feel the hatred between Annabeth and Percy radiate in waves, mostly from Annabeth.

She shut her eyes tight, muttering, "I swear to Hephaestus, if they start to argue—"

"You shouldn't have looked back!"

Dittany cursed, and Grover patted her shoulder in sympathy.

"What did you want me to do? Let you all get killed?" Percy snapped back.

"Here we go again!" Dittany snapped at both of them. "Nothing gets done if you argue, so if you two can just get your heads out of your asses and let us continue before the world falls apart from the big guys in the sky!"

"And you!" Annabeth turned to her, and Dittany raised an eyebrow back in challenge. "You're the one that set the bus on fire!"

"To get you to have some sense and leave the fuck out!" Dittany retorted hardly, and Annabeth reeled back. The dark haired girl only continued. "Now, can we please go on, now? We're not getting anywhere by blaming each other! If you can't get over your ego, Chase, you can kindly keep your mouth shut until you have something to suggest."

The blonde glared at her. "You should—"

Percy just groaned and faced away from Annabeth.

"A logical suggestion," Dittany sighed, then shoved the girl out of the way to continue forward. "Let's go, Grover."

Grover went by her side, sending sheepish looks to the two other demigods.