Fire and Wisdom [Leo Valdez]

IV - Caroline

Grover lead Caroline outside the airport and called a taxi, and the yellow cab drove up. "Take us to Delphi Strawberry Service," Grover informed and climbed in with Caroline as the driver pressed a button and some numbers appeared. Caroline looked out the window and watched buildings pass by while Grover did the same on his side. The two stayed quiet during the ride, but Caroline wondered why—and how—Grover knew her name. Did he stalk her and she didn't realize it? It took them around an hour to get to a place that had a white fence that had the words Delphi Strawberry Service written in the same writing as Grover's shirt. She could see strawberry fields with a large blue house in the middle of it. "It's beautiful," Caroline smiled and watched Grover give the taxi driver some cash and he lead her out to a pine tree in front of the fields. She followed him into the fields, but Caroline could see strange looking cabins. "What is this place?" She wondered, "Camp Half Blood. It's a place for demigods to train," "But, I'm not—" Grover cut her off when he grabbed her wrist and ran over to the house with Caroline trying to catch up. This guy is fast, She thought and was pulled up the steps to the porch and inside, where two men sitting at a table playing a game of cards, with one of the men in a wheelchair. "Chiron, I got Caroline like you told me to." The one in the wheelchair made his way over to them and smiled. "Good work, Grover. You must be Caroline Thompson." Caroline nodded, "Yes, sir." She said politely, and Chiron chuckled, "No need to call me that, Caroline. Just Chrion should do the job," the other man with a black beard rolled his eyes and quickly took a card from Chiron's side of the table, hoping nobody saw him as he put it in his stack. "Mr. D and I were just playing a game of pinochle if you'd like to join us." He offered. "No thank you, Chiron. Card games aren't really my thing." Caroline declined kindly, and Chiron shrugged, "That's fine. Grover, could you show Caroline around the camp, please?" He asked "Sure," the curly haired boy lead Caroline outside, where she got a better look at the strange cabins. As they were walking, Grover gasped. "Oh my gods," Caroline followed his gaze, and she saw a grey owl image above her head. "What is it?" She asked "You're a daughter of Athena! I knew there was something special about you!" Caroline was pulled to a grey cabin with an owl on the door, where a curly blonde haired girl was reading a book on architecture, not paying attention. "Annabeth?" Grover asked, and the girl looked up "Oh, hey, Grover," she put her book away and hugged him. She looked at Caroline, "Who's this?" she asked "Oh, this is Caroline Thompson. Apparently she's a daughter of Athena, too! Just got claimed," Caroline looked at Annabeth with a smile "Good. Have you showed her around camp yet?" Annabeth asked. "Well... no," Grover admitted and Annabeth sighed, "Guess I'll do it then. C'mon, Caroline. Let's go," Annabeth lead Caroline in front of a random cabin, which reminded Caroline of some over-sized motor-home, but this had a smokestack that was active. "This is Cabin Nine. It houses Hephaestus' children." A lightly tanned skinned boy with wild curly black hair stepped outside the cabin. "What's up? I'm Leo Valdez, hot stuff." He grinned, and Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Leo, this is Caroline Thompson. I'm showing her around camp," Leo's brown eyes lit up. "Cool! Due to how hot you are, you could be Aphrodite's daughter!" Annabeth punched him in the arm really hard. "Leo!" She scolded, "She's a daughter of Athena, you idiot. And stop hitting on her!" Leo rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say, Annabeth." With that, Caroline was pulled away by Annabeth and towards another cabin, but she looked back at Leo and blushed at him. He's cute, she thought. A-am I in love with this guy? I don't even know him! She shook her head as Annabeth looked at her, "You alright?" She asked, "Yeah, fine," Caroline looked at Leo one last time, and she saw him do the same and she felt like blushing again for one reason: she was in love with him. Leo Valdez.