Finding it

Edited: KATIE 1

We don't say anything. We sit in silence at the pier above a lake and just let our feet swing beneath us. The summer morning air feels fresh and nice against my skin even though the season is ending. The end of summer. The start of fall. Tomorrow, two to three campers from each cabin will be setting off to go to New Rome. We are both one of those campers.

As we sit on the pier after just having picked fresh strawberries from the field, our fingers stay intertwined. He stands up and holds my hand up to his lips as he places a gentle kiss on the back of it. "Milady," he says sweetly as he helps me up.

"Milady? My lady, my ass, Stoll." I say as I push him into the water. "After all those years and years of teasing and pranking, you call me, your lady. Like I'm some fairly tale—"

He cuts me off by popping up out of the water and giving me a kiss. I kiss him back in return and when we separate our lips from the other's he grabs my leg and pulls me into the water with him.

"Gods, my bad, Katie-Kat," Travis says sarcastically, laughing. "Come on, our lessons are starting."

"We're soaked though," I shake my head at him.

"There's always spare clothes at the training room," Travis reminds me. I let him intertwine our hands together again. As we step into the big room many give us funny looks.

"It's his fault," I say to the watching campers while pointing a finger at Travis. Everyone looks away in complete understanding. I place the strawberry basket down where they won't be crushed.

"You're such a little liar," Travis smiles as he playfully shoved me. "You're the one who started it."

I just laugh at him.

"You think that's funny, do you?" Travis pulls next onto a big training mat used in hand to hand combat sparring.

"Actually, I do," I smirk and put my hands into fists.

Travis lifts his fists too and smiles in challenge. He rushes towards me and my smirk falls off my face as I try to side step away from a punch, but I'm not quick enough. But the punch doesn't connect to my chest, instead Travis picks me up and tosses me over his shoulder.

"Travis put me down!" I laugh.

He spins me around and the both of us start to laugh until both of our stomachs hurt. Unfortunately our playfulness combined with our soaking clothes has made the mat wet, and soon Travis slips, bringing both of us down. I land with my body on top of Travis' stomach and I hear the one get knocked out of him.

He quickly recovers and both of us begin laughing again. That is, until we hear someone clear their throat behind us.

Looking up we meet Chiron's eyes.

"Travis, Katie," he says. "I see that the two of you have learned to get along."

Scrambling to get back to my feet, I feel my face redden.

"Hey, good morning, Chiron!" Travis sits up on the floor.

"Good morning," Chiron sighs. "Although it's fantastic that the both of you are no longer arguing, I do wish you'll still take training seriously? Especially since the trip to New Rome is soon."

"Yes," I say, "Sorry, Chiron."

"Sorry," Travis offers, standing up next to me.

"Go get dried off, please."

"Yes, Chiron."

We watch as the centaur moves away, helping the new children of Apollo in their archery lessons. Travis unleashes a withheld laugh and I nudge him with my elbow. "What's wrong with you?" I scold, but even I can't keep a serious face.