The Thief // pjo

Chapter Thirteen // Even More Plot Twists and Goodbyes

    When I say I was the talk of the camp, I was not exaggerating.

    Like, I don't think I have ever been looked at or stared at more in my entire twelve years than I did when it was announced who I was at the campfire and shroud-burning the first day I was at Camp Half-Blood.

    Like, while Percy and I were burning our shroud that was oh-so-graciously made by the Ares cabin (it was literally made from an old bed sheet with x-eyed smiley faces on the edges and the word LOSER in the middle), every time I looked up, people were watching my every move like I was some kind of circus act.

    I wanted them all to stop, but I couldn't just be mean, so I decided to just smile nicely and join in on all the festivities as best I could.

    I was even trying to be kind to Clarisse and her siblings, and they just glared at me and looked like they were planning on murdering me in my sleep.

    But OH WELL! They weren't gonna scare me away.

    I formally met Dionysus, the god of wine, and he just gave me a disgusted look but nodded in acknowledgment of my existence, "It's not a pleasure to meet you, Sara Evans. Stay out of my hair, and we can all enjoy the rest of our time here."

    The guy had been banished to camp for being frisky with Zeus's favorite nymph, so now he was here being our "camp counselor," if you could call him that.

    So it was his problem, but I just nodded and walked away, making a face that made Percy snort and Annabeth snicker.

    Percy led me to Cabin 3, Poseidon's cabin, and the second I stepped onto the porch of the low, gray stone cabin, all studded with seashells and coral, I felt like I was at home.

    It was like it was carved right from the bottom of the ocean.

    It smelled like seawater, and my body relaxed at the sight of the glowing abalone walls and the six bunks made of coral with silk sheets.

    I was suddenly so tired.

    Percy wrapped an arm around my shoulders and said, "Go get cleaned up and then get to bed."

    I nodded and headed to the bathroom, where I found a plain black t-shirt and a pair of sea green pajama shorts waiting for me.

    I hopped in the shower, rinsing off and washing my hair like seven times before I stepped out of the surprisingly warm water and got dressed in my pajamas. I stumbled out of the bathroom, rubbed my face, and picked an empty bunk just across from Percy's.

    He was looking at something on his nightstand when I dropped onto the mattress, curling up without covering myself with the blankets.

    I was basically unconscious when my head hit the pillow, and I heard my brother laugh.

    The floor creaked just a bit as he moved to my bunk and pulled blankets over me as I curled in on myself more, snuggling into the satin pillows.

    "Night, Sal..." He snickered.

    "Night, Perc..." I muttered before I literally passed out and surrendered myself to Hypnos.

†††

    Camp was my new favorite place on earth.

    I spent days learning and expanding my knowledge of the Greek language and Greek history, training with different people in the arena, and spending a ton of time on the lake.

    In other words, there was never a dull moment.

    Percy, though, had been nearly jumping out of his skin after he got a letter from his mom.