[2] 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 ― l.valdez ✓

010.

「010. mother knows... something 」

CHERRY ADAMS perhaps was now admitting she did sort-of... kind of have a crush on leo valdez. but what annoyed her about the whole situation was they were on a quest with a very aggressive chaperone. which meant every time she was even bold enough to perhaps talk to leo- and maybe begin to say something about it- coach would burst in, perhaps yelling something like "door open!" or "push-ups! gimmie twenty!" the only brightside to the whole thing was now cherry's arms were incredibly strong and... whatever benefits came from doing an odd eighty push-ups a day.

there were also several negatives. but that was probably given. for one thing, she didn't even know if leo liked her. he was so focused on running the argo ii that sometimes the only time they had to talk was before curfew or in the engine room- or just her coming by to water the plants in his room (even if he was hardly in his room).

so that morning, she'd decided that she'd wake up early- knowing leo would be awake. she'd grabbed the new overalls overalls that were cut so they were at normal jean-short length and shoved a white top with it, deciding to march confidently to leo who was currently trying to dock the argo.

"cherry!" leo greeted her, a big grin on his face, "you're up early!"

"yup," she nodded awkwardly.

"you just extra excited to go ghost-hunting?" joked leo, "do you have your whole ghost-buster kit and everything?"

she rolled her eyes at him, smiling at him, "sadly, no. i left that back at camp along with the ectomobile." he snorted and she grinned, hoping perhaps he couldn't see her huge red blush, "which reminds me! i need you to tell coach hedge he needs to feed goldie!"

leo smiled, "you really love that mouse, huh?"

"course i do!" cherry responded immediately, "he was confined in medea's shop for so long... i'm glad i've been able to free him. he looks so much happier now!"

leo smiled, looking like he was about to say something before deciding on something else. "well... i need to- you know- continue the whole docking the ship thing."

"of course!" she blurted out, nodding her head, "so... should i just-?"

"...yeah."

why was it suddenly so pathetically awkward?

barbie didn't like the fact jerald had gone silent. now, when she says 'silent' she doesn't mean she was taking an extra long nap and barbie couldn't use her powers. nor was there any emotional barriers jerald had to clear through. generally speaking, after percy and barbie had sort of made up, she was a lot less mopey and annoyed. no, when she says jerald had gone silent- she means exactly that. as in, jerald was still awake- still there in her mind. but she'd gone silent. not speaking, simply just helping barbie with her powers. she'd tried everything to make her talk. everything from annoying jerald- to begging jerald to talk to her.

nothing.

and it was starting to annoy her.

so as she walked down south battery street with the other girls, she probably looked like the most insane out of them all. her face was scrunched up like she was constantly thinking of something- which she was.

it was a warm day, and perhaps cherry had tried lifting her spirits by wearing the overalls barbie'd made. perhaps. she wasn't sure. but it made her feel heavily unredressed. which was actually quite shocking since barbie was never underdressed. that wasn't her thing. dressed simply in a blush pink t-shirt with some shorts and sneakers, she looked the most casual out of them all.