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ONE, mystery boy
❀ ✿ ❀ ✿
THE KNIFE HIT THE center of the target, wood shavings falling from the point of impact. Aster Reed hoped that it didn't leave too much of a mark, or the Apollo kids would kill her. She had already been banned from using their targets, but they were so much better than the ones reserved for knife throwing.
Sighing, Aster turned away from the targets, knowing her knives would return to her in the form of earrings—a gift from her mom for her birthday two years ago. It wasn't like Demeter had shown up or anything. Like all the gods, she had just left them at the end of Aster's bed, without a card or anything to indicate what they were or who they were from. It took a little tinkering and some assistance from Annabeth to finally figure them out, but the eight earrings of assorted styles were now her prized possessions. Even if her mother had been the one to gift them.
Speaking of the daughter of Athena, she was late. Aster tried not to be annoyed, but that was like asking a cat not to lick themselves clean. Aster wouldn't describe herself as the warmest person—but she hadn't always been that way. Her mind briefly drifted to that quaint Vermont village that she hadn't seen in five years. Aster shook her head, pushing any painful memories to the back of her mind. It was better to leave the past in the past, Aster always told herself, no matter how many times Chiron tried to make her think differently.
As soon as Aster felt her earrings replenishing themselves, she heard a familiar warm, gravely voice call her name.
"Hey, Aster!" Annabeth said, jogging to where she stood. "Sorry I'm late."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Aster replied. "What, were you re-reading The Odyssey for the fiftieth time?" Even though she rolled her eyes, she couldn't help a grin from slipping onto her face.
Annabeth Chase and Aster Reed had been thick as thieves since they were seven. Though they had met under less-than-ideal circumstances—on the run from monsters—their bond was close and unbreakable. Annabeth was the ice to Aster's fire, the brain to her brawn. The blonde girl was the quickest to get through to Aster, and sometimes the only one. Hence why the girls had a standing sparring date every week.
"Before we start," Aster said, "I need your help moving these targets back, or Lee is going to kill me. Probably from a hundred feet out."
Annabeth huffed, but followed Aster towards the faded wooden targets. "If he did, you would deserve it. You won't keep getting away with this forever, you know."
"Maybe, but the last two times I've been caught, I talked myself out of it."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Well, the last two times, Micheal was the one to catch me, but I told him Miranda had a batch of cookies with his name on it, and he went running."
Aster and Annabeth giggled together. Not only did Micheal Yew have a crush on Aster's half-sister Miranda, but everyone in camp knew what a master chef she was.
