Perfect Timing: a tratie story

December // Chapter 13

Travis Stoll

I nod approval at a camper as I walk by them. Apparently Chiron decided the Hermes cabin doesn't need an extra day of sword training and opted to pair us with the Demeter cabin for hand to hand combat today. Of course I see no problem with that, we'll be back to sword fighting tomorrow and now I get an extra lesson with Katie.

Well, at least I would if I didn't have to go around making sure no one is getting hurt. Turns out, both our cabins kind of suck at hand to hand combat. It doesn't help that every five seconds Ellie- Elizabeth, whatever- and Kylie call me over for help. Normally I wouldn't mind, but what Katie said the other night is really bugging me and the corrections they're looking for are a little too, uh, hands on.

"so if I needed to punch someone it's supposed to come from, like, here?" Ellie asks, blinking up at me and resting her hand on my shoulder

I laugh casually, trying to hide my discomfort, I still find it strange that I used to flirt with girls like this all the time. "Well actually, the power for all your movement comes from your core"

"oh so it's supposed to be from here?" she begins to trace her hand down towards my stomach and I jump back

"Yep so you get the idea. Good work over here by the way." I give her a friendly smile and keep walking past before she can say anything else.

I see Katie standing a few yards away with her arms crossed, half heartedly keeping an eye on her siblings. I notice her look over to where Ellie and Kylie are giggling before going back to scanning the crowd.

I sneak up behind her and put my hands on her shoulders, "boo."

She jumps slightly then shrugs away, rolling her eyes.

"Why aren't you practicing, Kates? afraid of hurting someone?" I tease

"trust me, there are some people that I'd be fine hurting." She looks away from my face just long enough for me to follow her gaze

I try to suppress a smirk, "I knew you were jealous"

Red creeps onto her face as she scrunches up her nose, "I have absolutely no idea what you mean"

"So it doesn't bother you that Ellie-" she raises her eyebrow and I clear my throat "Elizabeth, calls me over every five minutes to 'correct her stance'"

Katie crosses her arms, "Well I guess it's not your fault her stance is always wrong, is it?"

"So we agree that someone liking me isn't my fault?" I note

"So you're admitting that they like you?" She steps closer staring up at me angrily

I lean down, daring her to get closer, "You seem awfully frustrated for someone that isn't jealous"

"I'm not jealous!" She exclaims, causing a few people to turn their heads. Her face turns an even brighter red somehow and she lowers her eyes to the floor "I'm not jealous. Just annoyed that they're inflating your ego, that's it." With that she turns and makes a point of calling a correction to one of her siblings, signaling the conversation is over.

I open my mouth but realize anything I say will make the situation worse. And so the vicious cycle starts over: she's ignoring me so I'll brainstorm another prank tonight to get her attention. In the morning she'll yell at me, later I'll try to apologize to her. She'll get my hopes up for a few days only for me to mess it all up again. This love-hate relationship thing is getting exhausting.