Forbidden (A Luke Castellan Love Story)

Chapter 43

Avery’s POV
            After Luke and I talked there was a huge weight released off of my chest when I opened up to him. It felt good that I could trust someone with something like that. Grey was there for me but it was different. Sharing that with Luke? I felt like I had a stronger and deeper friendship with him. I thought it was strange how one second he could be the most intimidating person you had ever met and then the next he was the sweetest person ever, but I loved both those things about him. He could be strong but caring at the same time. 
        When he held me when I cried, it made me feel so much better. Not only had it felt comforting but I never got a lot of physical attention when I was younger. There was no one there to hug me in the orphanage.
        Telling Luke that and feeling so open to telling him about my past surprised me. I hadn’t shared that with a single soul except for Grey and even then we hardly talked about it. Sharing that with Luke was one of the best decisions that I had made though. When Luke held me I felt so calm and peaceful. It felt perfect with his arms wrapped around me and my face buried in his chest. It felt so perfect that even now, after everything happened, I don’t feel embarrassed crying in front of him.
        After I told him everything and I was sobbing in his shirt what he told me next surprised me. After I told him that he got really protective. Him promising to keep me safe? It only made me like him more and it made me feel safe when he was around me. Over the short amount of time that I had been here, I had developed a huge crush on him and it just kept growing.
        After that encounter with Luke, we went through out the rest of the day staying close together but not mentioning anything about what we talked about, instead just going through our normal day and acting lie nothing had happened. It was a nice feeling to know that I could trust him and that he understood about hard subjects.
        That night, like every other night, I couldn’t sleep and I climbed to the roof and just thought until late in the night. I was what people call a night owl. I could stay up until the sun rose the next morning. But when it came to walking up? Usually I wasn’t the nicest person.
Right now, it was almost Dinner time on Friday and I couldn’t stop drumming my hands on my leg. I was getting nervous! Capture the Flag was right after dinner and I couldn’t stop thinking about it!
        All the campers said that it was really fun and that it helped us for our training because we got to fight in real life and experience the rush of the battle.
        Honestly I was excited, but I was so nervous too. I was new and I didn’t know any of the rules and I wasn’t all that good with my sword yet. Luke had taught me more moves and I’d been improving with it but I just couldn’t do combat with it. I wanted to rely on my knives because they were simple, easy and I was comfortable using them but Luke wouldn’t let me, telling me that I needed to practice on my weakness’ first then to start on my talents. I was frustrated but I trained hard while Luke pressed me further and further every day. Eventually I was decent but not near as good as the other campers. I still wanted to rely on my knives but with Luke around I couldn’t. He told me I could practice with them alone but when it was our cabin training I had to use my sword.
        Annabeth and I had become pretty close friends as well as Thalia. Annabeth helped to train me with my knives because she had a dagger as well. We both practiced when in our free time when we had it at same hour. Unfortunately, that wasn’t very often and I ended up training alone. I had gotten really good with my knives and I felt really confident with them. Grover had told me that I have ADHD because I wasn’t born to sit still and instead was born to fight and move around. With my knives, I knew that was true. When I fought with them I just relied on my instincts and let them take over for me.
        Currently I was walking to the Amphitheater. My friend from the Apollo cabin, Lucy, said that there were some instruments there and my hands were itching to touch something musical.
        Over the years I had taken lots of music classes but I had always been a prodigy on the piano and guitar. And right now I needed to get my mind off things and play something to help me relax.
        When I walked in, it was empty and I silently thanked the Gods. I never sang or played in front of anyone because I was too embarrassed but when I was alone I could let go and be myself.
        I walked over to the piano and traced the keys and smiled. I positioned my fingers and I started to play Love the Way You Lie. [A/N: If you haven’t heard it I suggest you do! My favorite singer for this song is Skylar Grey! I love her voice! Click the link to listen to her!]
        My hands readied themselves at the song that I had memorized. I started to sing and my hands flew across the keys remembering every note. I let myself get lost into the music and put my heart into it as I sang.
        I was so into the music that I didn’t notice anyone that came to watch.
        After I was done I sighed contently and smiled at the keys until I heard someone say, “That was… incredible.”
        I jumped from shock and turned around to see Luke leaning against the door with a smile on his face.
        My eyes widened and I jumped up away from the piano, “How-how long have you been standing there?” I stuttered.
        Luke looked embarrassed and looked down running an hand through his blonde hair, “The whole time.” He said, his eyes darting up at me and then back at the floor again, a pink blush on his face.
        Immediately after he said that my face turned a deep shade of red from embarrassment. I covered my face and turned away from him. “Oh gods, that’s so embarrassing.” I said close to tears.
        “No, no, no, no, no!” Luke said and ran to me, taking my hands from my face. Tears fell from my eyes and I closed my eyes not wanting to look at him. I had just embarrassed myself horribly in front of the one person that I wanted to impress.
        Luke put my hands on my chest and moved his hands to hold my face. “Hey, Avery, no, no, don’t think that.” He said his voice soft and calming, “That was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard! Stop no, shhhh, it’s okay. You don’t need to be embarrassed. It was amazing. I didn’t know you could sing. I’m sorry that I watched you. Hey, come on please don’t cry.”
        I opened my eyes to see concern written on his face and I let my hands drop to my side and looked away again with my eyes closed and tears running down them. Luke’s calloused hands still held my face gently and titled my head up to look at him. “Hey, Avery. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” He wiped my tears with his thumb, “I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?” He asked looking pained.
        Looking back at him I nodded and he looked relieved and let go of my face. I wiped the rest of my tears. “I-I’m sorry Luke. I just, I don’t l-like to sing in front of people.” I said looking away.
        “I understand that. I’m sorry it was just so beautiful that I couldn’t help but listen.”
        A blush covered my cheeks and I looked up at him through my eyelashes. “You thought it was beautiful?”
        “Of course I did!” Luke said, “I haven’t even heard the Apollo kids sing or play that good!” I giggled and he smiled. “Anyway, I came to get you for dinner, I uh…” Luke paused, “I uh…thought we could walk together.”
        I smiled. “I’d love to.” I said and Luke’s face broke out into a smile.
        “Great! We had better get going unless we want to do the dishes tonight.” Luke reminded and I nodded as we left and started to walk towards the mess hall.
        “So,” Luke said and glanced at me, “Where did you learn to sing and play like that?”
        I shrugged, “I don’t know. I was always involved in musical classes and I used to take a guitar and piano class and I don’t know, I just fell in love with it. And I used to take a choir class too.”
        Luke nodded. “That’s cool so, any ideas on who your Godly parent is?”
        My shoulders sagged a little bit. “No idea. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. What about you? Do you think you know?”
        “By your talents in archery and music? I’d say that you’re a child of Apollo but you don’t have the hair and eyes for it. Then again, some kids don’t.” He shrugged. “Are there any Gods or Goddess that you don’t want to be you’re parent?”
        “Hermes.” I said without thinking and put a hand over my mouth, my eyes wide.
        Luke raised an eyebrow. “Why?” He asked.
        My heart raced and i felt like my tongue was twisted. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t tell Luke that I didn’t want Hermes to be my Godly parent because then I would be siblings with Luke. I couldn’t like him if we were siblings. “I-ah… I don’t know.” I said but Luke didn’t look convinced. “I just don’t like stealers and liars.” I said quickly then mentally face palmed. “But it’s not like his kids are bad it’s just- oh gods I messed this up didn’t I?”
        Luke laughed, “No, its fine, Avery. I think I understand what you’re saying. And us Hermes kids don’t take offence.” He said and smirked. “We take pride in our abilities.” He winked and I giggled. “Personally I wouldn’t want you to be a Hermes kid either.” Luke said and I felt a slight pain in my chest.
        “W-why?” I asked trying to ignore the sting. Was he saying that he didn’t want to be siblings with me?
        Luke closed his eyes and shook his head and muttered, “Oh gods,” then he said louder, “I just meant it like- I didn’t’- I don’t- You know what? Forget it okay?” Luke said and waved it off walking faster I heard him mutter under his breath about someone being stupid and my chest hurt more. Was he talking about me?
        I slowly made my way to the mess hall where Luke already was. I looked up at him and smiled but he didn’t make eye contact. That didn’t exactly make me feel any better.
        Letting out a sad sigh, I went and sat next to my friends but wasn’t in the conversation at all. I was picking at my food with my hand rested under my chin looking blankly at my food feeling awful.
        Everyone seemed so absorbed in their own food that they nobody noticed, at least almost nobody. Someone tapped my arm and I turned around to see another one of my close friends; Silena. She scanned my face and nodded as if confirming something. She grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the rest of the campers with me letting out a startled yelp.
         “Silena what the heck?” I asked once we were far enough that none of the campers could hear us.  
        “Who is it?” She asked her hands on her hips.
        “Who’s who?”
        “Who is he?” Silena pressed.
        “What? Who’s he? What are you talking about?” I asked and she just gave out a long exasperating sigh that sounded like, ‘what am I going to do with this girl?’
        “Who’s the guy that made you like this?” Silena asked, like the first time she asked it was obvious.
        My eyes widened and my mouth was slightly agape. “H-how did you know that?”
        Silena smiled, “Child of Aphrodite, honey. Now who is he?” She asked impatient.
        “Well they guy that I like-” I started but Silena cut me off.
        “What in Hades, Avery! You haven’t told me who you like!” She said, “I need to know this! Who’s the lucky guy!” She asked excitedly.
        I bit my lip and my cheeks tinted pink. “I-it’s Luke.” I whispered and Silena squealed.
        “Oh my gods! He is one of the hottest people in camp! And- oh gods- you two look so cute together!” She started rambling and her voice started to get louder so I covered her mouth with my hand.
        “Be quiet!” I told her. “He’s going to hear you!” I hissed.
        She rolled her eyes and pried my hand away from her face. “I’m trying to be excited for you.” She said.
        “I know Silena but I don’t want him to know. He-he basically just told me he hated me.” I said softly and her eyes widened.
        “What?” She asked.
        “Well Luke and I were walking here and he was asking if thought anyone could be my godly parent and I told him no. Then he asked if there was anyone that I didn’t want to be my godly parent and said Hermes.” I put my hands in my face. “I didn’t realize that he would ask an explanation about it. I just blurted it out! I obviously don’t want to be in the same cabin with me because then we would be siblings and I couldn’t like him. I made an idiot of myself trying not to give anything away then he told me that he didn’t want me to be his sibling either.” I said and Silena gasped.
        “He said that!” She asked disbelieving.
        I nodded. “Then I asked him what he meant and he got all weird. Then he said “Forget it okay?’ then walked away looking angry and he…” I paused and closed my eyes. “He said that someone was stupid.” I looked back up at Silena to see her shocked. “W-was he talking about me?” I asked close to tears.
        “There is no way in Hades that he was talking about you Avery!” Silena argued. “He-I-” She looked back at the tables and was glaring at someone but I couldn’t tell who. “Hang on,” She said angrily and stomped towards the Hermes table.
        I looked confused at her but soon I realized what she was doing and my eyes widened. “No wait!” I yelled and ran over to her but I was too late. Silena yelled Luke’s name and when he turned to her, Silena slapped Luke straight across the face. Gasps rang out among the mess hall. I froze in place, not believing that she would do that. I thought she would have told him what I said but this was much worse.
Luke held his cheek and when he looked back at Silena he removed it to have you see Silena’s handprint on his face. I expected Luke to be upset and explode at her but he looked just as surprised as everyone else.
        Everyone’s mouth hung open but Silena wasn’t done. Her fists were clenched at her side and she was seething at Luke. “You-you-” She started and then started to curse in French at Luke, which the Aphrodite kids can do fluently.
        A few of the guy Aphrodite kids were snickering, obviously knowing what she had said while the girls gasped at what she was saying. I must not have been very clean because one of the older girls covered one of the younger girls ears.
        I snapped out of my shock and ran to Silena and held her back. She fought me and started cursing at Luke more. “Silena, Silena!” I said and finally she glared at Luke once more then looked back at me and sighed. She stopped struggling and I let go of her. She tried to calm her breathing and once she was done she held a finger at Luke.
        “Be warned Luke!” She threatened,  “Having a daughter of Aphrodite as an enemy won’t suit you well! Be warned in your love life!” Luke’s eyes almost bugged out of his head. He glanced at me panicked but not for the same reason that I thought. I thought he was looking at me so I could say something to take the punishment off but I was far from it. He started shaking his head at Silena looking as if he was going to beg for forgiveness and he didn’t even know what he did.
        Silena whirled around and stomped off towards the Aphrodite cabin leaving Luke’s eyes wide and everyone else’s mouths open. Everyone was completely taken back and surprised at how Silena had acted. She was usually so calm and gentle, fun loving and always smiling but now…. Woah.
        Luke’s hand reached up to touch his cheek and winced at it. One of the Apollo kids, Lee, came up to Luke and put a hand on his shoulder chuckling, “Let’s go get that taken care of.” Luke nodded numbly, probably still shocked by what had happened, and followed Lee to the infirmary.
        Chiron stomped his hoof on the floor to get everyone’s attention. “Back to eating campers.” He demanded and everyone immediately went back to eating but the chatter was louder than before because of the previous events. I heard, ‘what was that about?’ ‘If I said anything like that my dad would kill me!’ ‘did you see the mark on his face?’ and lots of other things.
        I looked over at Chiron and he gestured over to me. I climbed up the steps and he put a hand on my shoulder and led us a little ways from the campers. “So you know what that was about?” Chiron asked and I nodded. Luckily he seemed to know that I didn’t feel comfortable talking about so he just nodded as well. “Would you mind checking up on Silena? We are choosing teams for capture the flag and she is the cabin counselor. She will be deciding if the Aphrodite cabin is playing or not as well.”
        Again I nodded and Chiron looked pleased. “Thank you. Now hurry along, we don’t want you to miss the instructions.”
        I ran off to find Silena thinking that it was a good thing that I was her friend. Being on her bad side didn’t look all too fun.