Wisdom's Daughter

18

Tessa chose to ride with Allison and Lydia. While Allison dropped Lydia off, she said, "I need you to promise that you won't say anything about what the hell just happened."

Lydia gave her a nod. "I'll promise not to say anything about what just happened if you can tell me what the hell just happened."

Tessa sighed. "It's... complicated."

Lydia shot her a look. "Well, how 'bout either of you start with why Derek was there? Or where Jackson went, or what is wrong with Erica? Or why does Tessa have a dagger? Or do you two need a minute to come up with a plausible lie?"

Tessa glanced at Allison and she shook her head, but Tessa spoke. "The other stuff is kind of complicated. Me too, I suppose. I'm a demigod. Daughter of Athena, goddess of the wisdom and strategy. My dagger is Celestial Bronze. Doesn't hurt humans."

Allison frowned. "Aren't demigods just myths? There was this book series."

Tessa huffed. "Demigods aren't myths. Believe me. A series of books? Oh, gods."

She gave her a slow, confused nod before turning to Lydia, who was staring at Tessa in shock and confusion. "Part of the reason why I'm asking is because Scott and I aren't supposed to be seeing each other, okay? It's better if you just keep what you know to yourself."

Lydia sighed. "Fine. I'll keep what I know about you and your boyfriend -- which is nothing -- to myself."

Allison frowned at her. "Hey. He's not just my boyfriend. You get that, right?"

She grabbed Lydia's wrist, and Lydia tried to get it off. "Let me go."

Allison let out a sigh. "Just for one second, please, try and remember-"

"Remember what?"

"Remember what it feels like. All of those times when you see him standing down the hall and you cannot breathe until you're with him. Or those times in class when you -- you can't stop looking at the clock because you know that he's standing right out there waiting for you. Don't you remember what that's like?"

Lydia shook her head. "No."

"What do you mean, "no"? You've had boyfriends."

"None like that."

Tessa smiled, thinking of the relationship her half-sister had with her boyfriend. Percy and Annabeth were great together.

Allison glanced at her friend. "Tessa, do you feel the same way? About Stiles?"

Tessa laughed. "No way. Stiles and I are just friends. Nothing more. I doubt we'll ever be more."

While Lydia walked inside her house, Allison drove off to Scott's. It wasn't a far drive, but enough of a drive that they could have a nice chat.

Allison turned to Tessa for a second before turning back to the road. "Stiles is head over heels for you, you know."

"Is he, now? Allison, I know. But he and I are just friends."

"I don't think that's what he wants."

"I don't want a relationship more than friends. I mean, something could happen later, but for the time being, we're just friends."

Allison parked her car and said, "Just give it time, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

The girls exchanged a smile before Tessa walked inside the house.

The next day at school, Allison and Tessa were called into the principal's office. Gerard gave her a smile while she frowned at him. "Why am I here? I didn't do anything, far as I know."