The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 158 - Ariana - An Avenger To Love

(No- I'm not- Alex- you can do this by yourself- oh, goddammit, just 'cause you're a goddess doesn't mean I have to follow your orders!

Very well then. Fine.)

Hi. This is Ariana, and I hate this already, but a few people have bribed me into continuing this story for a few chapters. 

What is the bribe, you ask? It's some of those awesome cold-pressed sketch sheets that give my pencils smooth flow. Not many people realize the importance of sketch pads. There are so many varieties to choose from, and each has its own-

Okay. Okay. I'm not diverting off topic. 

As we sat on that cab, I couldn't help but feel nervous. I hadn't seen him in years. And I did not want to, to be honest. Fury was bubbling in me. He had the gall to call me up- after all these years- because he thinks I owe him one? 

I owe nothing to any one. 

And I'm always ready to prove that fact.

So again, there I was, with a couple of teens and adults, talking to them about my love life of all things. What a brilliant choice of topic. 

We got off at Interstellar. I looked up at the old building. He was always at the R&D lab, with John Bowser. Always.

I led them up to the door of the lab. By them, yes, I mean the kids. However, I didn't want them sneaking into our conversations, making comments about my personal life, etcetera.

"Look, you stay here," I told Annabeth as I reached for the door. 

"But why?" Alex pouted.

"Just- please," I said. "Let me handle this on my own. Please."

Will stared at me too, giving me the whole 'puppy eyes' thing. I thought it might work.

"Look- there's seats and all that," I said, pointing to the chairs outside. "Just- sit down, have a drink, and stay away."

"Fine," Alex pouted even more, and they stomped off. 

I took a deep breath in. Okay. Battle armor.

I pushed the door and walked in.

He was sitting alone on a stool, with his feet on the bench, rapidly rolling a rubber ball from side to side across the bench, his fingers flickering swiftly over the top of the ball.

"You're here with someone," he remarked.

"Yeah. Problem?"

"I asked you to come alone."

"You asked me to come alone if possible," I said, frowning. "You didn't tell me the specifics."

He stood up, and started walking across the lab.  

Oh my gods. He was doing the cheekbone thing.

He stopped right in front of me, his brown eyes boring deep wells into me. I felt myself go red. My ears were getting hot. I couldn't read him. I wanted to choke the life out of him and scream. "Did you hear from your sister?"

I scowled. "A, I don't really care enough about her to even think about her, and B, no, I haven't heard from her." I really wanted to put something cold on my cheeks. "Besides, looking after her, tending to her needs," I turned away, "was always your friend's job. Not mine."

"In case you're interested, she's still CEO. So... she can't call you up. Or even me, for that matter."

I scoffed. "Good for her. I guess our father really would be proud of her sharp skills."