•as the world caves in•

•a race goes wrong•

I felt bad for Percy.

He was absolutely embarrassed about Tyson being his half-brother, and other campers didn't help. I didn't know how to help, it was as if anything I said made him worse. I knew he Percy didn't want to take it out on me, but Annabeth and I were always on the other end of his anger.

I sat with Annabeth and Percy, catching up on teaching Percy random Greek knowledge. I was laid across the grass on my side, Percy and Annabeth on a stone bench. "Could we be a trio for the races?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Normally it's a duo, but there has been some trios in the ancient Olympics."

I smiled. "Your mom made the chariot, Percy, your dad made horses, and..." I trailed. "I can be emotional support?"

They both laughed and Percy nodded. "We'll own that track. Let's finish up this chapter and then start our sketches."

I beamed at him before looking back down at my book, swatting his foot away as he tried to kick me.

•.•.•.•

We sat by the lake, working on our designs for what our chariot could be, wanting to incorporate something from all of our cabins.

Drew came up with some other Aphrodite kids and sneered at us. "Jackson, need some eyeliner for your eye, oh... sorry, eyes."

I rolled my eyes as they walked away, howling with laughter. "Just ignore them. Drew is a brat."

Annabeth nodded. "It's not your fault you have a monster for a brother."

"He's not my brother!" Percy snapped at her. "And he's not a monster!"

"Don't get mad at me!" Annabeth shouted back. "Besides, he technically is a monster."

"Well, you gave him permission to enter the camp."

"Only to save Coriane!" Annabeth defended. "I'm sorry Percy. I didn't expect Poseidon to claim him."

"What do you have against Cyclopes anyway?"

I looked at Annabeth. I looked back at our sketches. "Just forget it."

"You're treating him like he's horrible," Percy poked me. "He saved your life."

I grabbed my books, Annabeth quickly following. "If you're gonna defend him this much, stop complaining about him and make a chariot with him!"

"Maybe I will!" Percy shouted.

"Fine!"

I turned on my heels and walked away, Annabeth following. "Is it just us?"

"I don't know." I mumbled.

Annabeth sighed. "I'll see you at dinner."

•.•.•.•

Days passed, and nothing seemed to change.

Apart from my love for Charlie. He took Tyson under his wing and helped teach him to forge, allowing more teasing to Silena.

Percy, my equal in sword fighting, now completely avoided me, and honestly, it hurt. Annabeth and I kept on working on our chariot, but it wasn't the same without him.

I spent more time trying to study on how to save Thalia's tree, but I couldn't get far, I was hoping Annabeth could do more research but she was more preoccupied in other things.

•.•.•.•

The morning of the race was humid and hot and sticky and every work that could sound like what I described.

On the sides of our chariot were owls and doves, painted grey and pink (Silena wanted to help a little, that's all I allowed).

Annabeth agreed she'd be our driver and I would defend our chariot, which I was fine with. I wasn't confident in my driving skills at all and I wasn't about to test it here.

Charlie lent me some extra stuff he made, (thanks Silena!) and of course, Tyson also helped to make them.

Percy approached us, telling us about some dream with Grover, wearing a wedding dress?

I watched Annabeth and him argue, before leaving. She huffed. "I guess we have to talk with the Oracle."

I groaned. "I'm gonna cry." I looked at the trees, full of screaming birds. "After my ears bleed."

The moment the race started, Connor and Travis Stoll, crashed into the Apollo cabin, who then crashed into them. The Stoll brothers were idiots sometimes, and by that I mean all the time.

Annabeth was the best driver out here, as we were way ahead of everyone else, allowing me to simply sit and try to not fall out.

That was until the birds dive bombed into us. Annabeth slowed down and I leaned slightly over towards Percy in his chariot.

"Those birds will strip everyone to bones if we don't stop them!" I shouted to him, to which he nodded.

"There's too many!" Percy shouted as we approached. I gave him a nod. "Chirons collection?"

"Yep!" I shoved Tyson off of his chariot, leaving Annabeth to defend for herself as Percy drove us down to the Big House. Percy was a horrible driver and I had to hold onto him so I wouldn't die. "You suck!"

He pulled to a stop. "Sorry?"

I grinned as I rushed inside and grabbed a boom box, Percy finding a CD. We raced back to the track, and in classic 80s fashion, I held the boom box above my head as the song played.

The birds went haywire and flew skyward, allowing our archers to fire at them.

Tantalus came down. "Brave! We have our first winner!" He grinned, handing the golden laurels to Clarisse. Then looked at us. "And now the punish the troublemakers who disturbed this race."