Forbidden (A Luke Castellan Love Story)

Chapter 39

Avery’s POV
            The next day was pretty boring because Luke was gone for important ‘camp counselor training’. Dang that seminar.
            I was walking to the Pegasus stables when I ran into Grover. “Hey!” I smiled.
            He smiled back. “Hey I was just looking for you!”
            “You were?”
            “Yeah so um… so…you know how I’m a satyr?” Grove asked and I looked at his furry bottom half and laughed.
            “Kinda obvious.” I said and he just rolled his eyes playfully and continued.
            “Well because satyrs have things called searching licenses. Basically we go out and find demigods and bring them to camp.”
            “Okay,” I said and nodded for him to continue.
            Grover looked sad, “Well I’ve…ah… got to go on another mission.”
            “What?” I asked.
            “I can’t stay at the camp; I have to get demigods here to protect them.” Grover explained but didn’t look to happy about the idea either.
            “When are you leaving?”
            “Today.” He said lowly and I gasped.
            “You can’t leave today!” I cried but he shook his head.
            “I have to, Avery.”
            “H-how long will you be gone?”  
            The satyr shrugged, “I don’t know, it depends on how quickly I find someone and bring them back to camp.”
            A tear slide from my eye, “Okay.” I said miserably, trying to not be selfish and want Grover to stay.
            “Hey,” Grover said trying to cheer me up, “I’ll be back.”
            “I know,” I sniffled, “It’s just, I don’t want to lose a friend that I just made.”
            Grover smiled and engulfed me in a huge hug. “I’m so glad that you forgave me for everything. You’re a really good friend.” He said and I laughed, my arms wrapped around him.
            “Just come back safe, alright?” I asked and he pulled away smiling and nodded.
            “We can Iris message.” Grover said, having it sound like a reminder but I looked at him puzzled.
            “What’s that?” I asked.
            Grover face palmed, “Gods, we haven’t told you anything have we? You will have to ask someone cuz I got to go.” Grove thought about it and a smile spread across his face, “Why don’t you ask Luke?” He said in a tone that said, ‘I know you like him’
            I blushed and playfully punched his arm. “Stop.” I said and Grover chuckled.
            “Bye Avery.” Grover said.
            “Bye Grover. Come back soon.” I replied and he nodded and jogged (If satyrs can jog) to the hill where you could leave camp. I smiled sadly, I was going to miss him but I was glad that he was trying to help other demigods.
            I turned around and walked to the stables quickly, trying to get there before most of the people. It was free time and most of the kids liked to go to the stables and practice.
            Rushing towards the stables I pulled the 4 sugar cubes out of my pocket that I promised Ace. He sure was going to be happy to get these.
            Hiding the sugar cubes in my hand, I ran until I got to the stables and walked quickly over to Ace’s stall. He must have heard me coming because his head popped out of the stall and he whinnied happily.
            “Hey bud.” I said petting his nose with my free hand. He nuzzled my hand closer while I looked around the stables and slyly opened my left hand with the sugar cubes. Ace neighed excitedly and crunched them as soon as he saw them. I laughed and continued to pet him until another one of my friends came over.
            “You ready for capture the flag in two days?” My friend Erin, from the Athena cabin, came up to me, putting her saddle on her Pegasus.
            “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I don’t really know how to play.”
            “After you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy.” Erin encouraged, “You’ll learn the rules when they announce it, during dinner.” 
            Giving Erin a smile she returned one, “You’ll do great. I can tell.” She gave me one last smiled then led her Pegasus away. I continued to pet Ace and was so swarmed with my own thoughts that I jumped when one of the swinging doors to the stable across from me slammed shut.
            Spooked by the noise, Ace- along with the rest of the Pegasus’ in the stables- reared up and started to neigh and move about widely. “Woah!” I yelled and tried to calm Ace down. “Woah boy!”  I grabbed on to the base of his neck and calmed him down until he just looked skittish and was lifting his hooves off the ground and putting them back down. “Good boy.” I congratulated but heard another person yell.
            “Woah Shade! Stop! Woah girl!” Someone frantically yelled.
            I turned to see a boy having trouble with his Pegasus. My eyes widened as I saw him struggling. The Pegasus was completely out of control and no one else was in the stables to calm her down.
            Quickly, I ran over to help and just in time too. The Pegasus reared up and was about to crush the guy’s head but I ran over and knocked him out of the way, 
            We both landed with an ‘ufh’ while I landed on the top of him and he landed on the bottom. We stayed that way breathing fast until I raised my head up to look at his face but sucked in a breath. The boy was really handsome. He short blond hair that was spiked up in the front and striking grey eyes.
            He seemed taken aback by me too and it took us both a while to get back in the real world. “T-Thanks.” The guy said. “You saved me.”
            I nodded but we quickly jumped apart when his Pegasus started getting even wilder. I raised my hands trying to calm her down. “Woah!” I yelled, “Woah girl! Easy, easy now.” I said in a calming voice and soon the Pegasus calmed down enough to only shake her head every once in a while. I smiled at the accomplishment and the boy came up to me.
            “Thanks.” He said, “Shade gets so spooked by noises. I should have known better than to slam the stable door shut.”
            “No it’s fine. I’m just glad we could calm her down.” I answered.
            “Really thanks. Twice! I could have been trampled if it weren’t for you, and Shade might still be going nuts.” He said patting her in turn she nipped at his hair playfully as if to say she was sorry. “Hey it’s alright girl.” He said to her. “It was my fault.”
            I smiled at them while he turned back to me and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’m being rude. I’m Chase.” He said sticking out his hand.
            “Avery.” I smiled, shaking it.
            “Yeah I know you.” He smiled brightly. “You’re the cute new girl in camp that’s staying in the Hermes cabin.”
            I blushed and looked away but nodded.
            “I’m a son to Athena.” He said and I looked back at him.
            “You’re Annabeth’s brother?” I asked.
            “Half-brother,” Chase corrected, “But yup, she’s in my cabin.”
            “Cool.”
            Chase rolled his eyes playfully. “Not when she keeps the light on all night when she reads.” I laughed and he smiled. “Whatcha doing in the stables?” He asked. “Shouldn’t you be doing an activity?”
            “It’s our free time and I wanted to spend some time with Ace.” I said and Chase’s eyes widened when I said the name Ace.
            “Seriously?” He asked, and I nodded confused. “Does he like you?”
            “Yeah.”
            Chase looked mystified. “Really?” He asked again.
            By that point I was even more confused, “Yes, why?”
            “It’s just-” Chase shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it. “Ace usually doesn’t let anyone come near him. It’s usually only a few campers and even then he’s kinda a jerk to them.” Ace neighed in the stall in front of us and I laughed.
            “Watch out.” I warned. “He can hear you.”
            Chase laughed and I joined in. “Well,” I said, “I better go back to Ace.” He nodded and smiled.
            “I hope I can see you around some time Avery. You seem really cool. Not only are you beautiful,” he said and I blushed, “But you’re fun to talk to too.”
            “Thanks,” I said shyly and he smiled and nodded then turned to his horse.
            I bit my lip and then walked over to Ace while Ace seemed to be glaring at Chase. “What’s wrong boy?” I asked and Ace just glanced at me and glared back at Chase and stamped his foot. I raised my eye brow at him but shrugged it off and grabbed a brush and started to brush Ace off while his body relaxed and he had a look of pleasure on his face.
            While I brushed Ace I heard Chase call over, “Hey Avery.” He said and I looked over. “You’re not doing it right.”
            I blushed, embarrassed. “Sorry, I’m new at this.”
            “No, no.” Chase said, “You’re fine. You haven’t learned. Hang on and I’ll show you.” He quickly finished what he was doing and jumped over the fence and came into the stall that Ace was in. Immediately Ace backed away and neighed angrily at Chase but I put a hand on his neck.
            “Be nice.” I warned Ace and he gave me a ‘do I have to look?’ and I nodded sternly to which Ace looked like he was rolling his eyes and let his lips vibrate together in a discontenting tone.
            “Put your brush back on his neck.” Chase commanded while I did as I was told. “Okay now stroke his neck.” I started to but Chase shook his head. “You want longer strokes here,” He put his hand firmly on mine and I blushed at the contact. Chase was super cute, not cuter than Luke but definitely cute.  
            “Now do this.” Chase instructed and started to move our hands in long stokes down Ace’s neck. We did this a few times until Chase stopped and held our hands there for a moment. “Good job.” He whispered and looked at me smiling, our hands still touching.
            “Thanks,” I whispered back and looked away, taking my hand from his.
            “Hey,” Chase said and took hold of my chin. “Don’t look away, I want to see your beautiful face.” I blushed and Chase smiled, “And that beautiful blush of yours.”
            I bit my lip and looked down then back up at Chase’s eyes. He stroked my cheek with his thumb and we stared at each other’s eyes.
            Slowly, Chase started to lean in but I realized something; I didn’t want to kiss him. I had just met him! But I didn’t want to be rude so I didn’t pull away, I didn’t have enough courage to.
            I looked nervously at him. Why do I have to be so awkward when it comes to guys? I asked in my head.
            Chase and I were so busy, with him leaning in, and me freaking out, that we didn’t notice someone walk into the stables. Chase was an inch from my lips when someone, a very angry someone, yelled. “Hey!”
            We both broke away, me slightly relieved because I didn’t kiss him and Chase looking irritated. I turned to see the person but then the color immediately drained from my face when I saw a furious and livid Luke.
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A/N: Ohhhhh cliffhanger!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chase will be important later. I wanted Luke to be jealous of someone, cuz a jealous Luke; is a HOT Luke!! Who's with me!!??? Anyway, I hope you guys liked this!! PLEASE comment!! 
        -Breann