The Sun and Sky (Volume 2)

Char | Awkward Situations

Char held up two shirts. One was a red blouse and the other was the exact same, only in white.

She looked to Charlotte, who looked almost finished with packing.

"Charlotte. Which one?"

The daughter of Jupiter frowned. "Char, we're going on a quest, not to a fashion show."

Char pouted. "I know that, but I want to be prepared!"

"But why are you bringing nice clothes? It's a quest."

"I WANT TO LOOK GOOD AS I SHOOT MONSTERS!" she gave the two blouses another hard look, and shoved them both in her bag as a final decision.

Charlotte shook her head. "Liam said to pack lightly, and I agree with him. It's not wise to overpack on a quest."

"Well how do you know?" she snapped, angry that she disrespected fashion. "You've never been on one."

"Yeah, but-"

"Well, what are you taking?"

Charlotte paused. "My sword, a dagger, water, a hairbrush, and an extra set of clothes."

"You're serious?"

"Yep. Mason said that there would be food on the ship."

"Fine," Char pouted. "I'll just take the red one. It's not worth getting the white one dirty." She yanked the white shirt out of her bag, though she still struggled to zip her oversized, yellow and gold backpack. She needed her full body weight to close it.

Charlotte smirked and threw her own backpack over her shoulder, attaching her sword to her side. "Ready to go?"

Char looked around the room one last time, then glanced out the window at the starry night sky. She would miss camp, but she made a promise to herself that the entire crew would make it back. "Yes."

She braced herself and hauled her giant backpack over her shoulder. It was almost heavy enough to make her all over, but she did her best.

Charlotte, making sure Char caught her balance, took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's go."

* * *

The camp looked almost completely abandoned at such a late hour.

A few buildings buzzed with activity but most of them were lights out.

Only minutes after Char and Charlotte left the Barracks, Char's back began throbbing in pain from her extremely heavy backpack.

"Why did you let me take this much stuff?" Char whispered to her best friend while they were yards away from their destination.

Charlotte, who was making sure the coast was clear, smirked softly. "I warned you."

Before Char could say another word, Charlotte grabbed her hand quickly and they sprinted behind the Bath House.

Two figures waited for them.

Mason and Liam.

"Gods of Olympus, Char! What is in there? I said pack lightly," Liam whispered loudly, pointing to her bag.

"Couldn't...decide," she managed, panting from the tiring sprint. She hauled her bag off her back and it landed with a thud onto the floor.

"SHHHH!" they all glared at her.

"If we get caught, we're over," Liam said, constantly checking for passing by demigods. "Let's hurry this up. Charlotte, could you help me with the sewer?"

Charlotte took off her bag and knelt down next to him.

The two of them pried at the barred man-hole cover, while she and Mason stood awkwardly, watching them.

And with that, Liam and Charlotte disappeared down the black sewage abyss, leaving her and Mason alone in awkward silence.