The Third Camp Trilogy: The Chaotic End

Chapter twenty nine: Neptuna

"You are an idiot, Neptuna. A total idiot."

"Gods, Grace! You scared the shit out of me!" I yelled, stumbling backwards.

Grace was sitting at my desk, her feet resting on a stack of paperwork. I sat down in the chair across from her, on the other side of my desk.

"Nice place you got here." Grace looked around, taking in the sea-blue walls.

Behind the desk, there was a framed picture of Percy and I, as well as the signed certificate that said I was the Camp Ambassador. On the ceiling, there were quotes like, "Do not judge my story by the chapter you walked in on. -Unknown." and "I'm much more me when I'm with you. -Unknown." as well as "I want you. All of you. Your flaws. Your mistakes. Your imperfections. I want you, and only you. -Unknown." Another quote up there was "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it live it's whole life believing that it is stupid. -Albert Einstein."

I think my favorite one up there was "I can and I will. Just watch me. -Unknown."

In the corner next to my desk I had a mini fridge that was filled with as much lemonade and water as it could hold. My desk stood in the middle of the wall facing the door.

"So why am I now a complete idiot?" I frowned at Grace.

"The last person that broke up with him threw... Wait, what do you think is the evilest way to break up with someone?"

"Text, probably."

"Try inviting them to a romantic picnic then pushed into Tartarus. And I'm pretty sure that yours was worse for him."

"How—"

"You know, he's trying to save someone's life." Grace glared at me.

"Look," I gave her a glare. "She's an ex. But that's not why I hate her. I hate her because she tried to kill Carrie. I don't care that she doesn't remember anything. She still tried to kill Carrie. And she might try it again if he goes to see her. And excuse me if I would rather not be worried about him when he's thrown into hell again."

Grace sighed and shook her head.

"Breaking up with him wouldn't prevent you from worrying. It would make you worry more."

Honestly, I couldn't deny that.

I remembered something she had said a moment ago.

"Wait, Grace, how could this have been worse for him than being thrown into Tartarus?"

"Nep, you're the first person he's ever really, truly loved. In Tartarus last week, he thought you were being tortured. That's why he was so panicked when he came back." She told me. "That's why he felt so awful when you got a scar from Nyx."

"...I..." Not knowing what to say, I sat there in shock.

He really cared that much?

I mean, I care just as much, of course, but...

Carrie. The emotionless rock of a Praetor, being terrified when he saw his girlfriend being tortured?

"I'll leave you to think about it." Grace snarled then got up to leave. "Tell Carrie you're sorry."

I looked at her blankly.

Then she opened a portal and left.

I sat there for a few moments, silent.

Then I got to my feet and grabbed a sheet of blank paper.