I wake up, my head hurting. I don't open my eyes. The only thing I remember about yesterday is I fought a few monsters, got really hurt, and passed out. My body aches. I feel someone playing in my hair. "You probably can't hear this. But, it's gonna be okay. We're safe under a tree. Nobody's around." I hear Percy say. I open my eyes. His eyes are closed, tears coming down his face. "Percy, what happened?" I ask. He opens his eyes. "Olivia." He says. My head's in his lap. I lean up and hug him. "Percy, you saved me." I say. "I didn't do anything." He says. "You put me here, didn't you? Got me to safety, protected me?" I say. "Yeah, but that's nothing compared to you fighting all those monsters." He says. "It is to me. You're my hero, Percy Jackson." I say. "But I didn't-" He begins. I kiss him. "You're amazing." I say. I look into his sea-green eyes and smile a bit.
He helps me up. "Ouch." I say. "Sorry." He says. "It's okay." I say. He helps me walk for a little bit and then I walk on my own. He got everything. He carries the bag and gives me my ring. I braid my hair again as we walk and I put on my beanie. We walk for a little bit in silence. "You think people are looking for us?" I ask. "The camp is probably." Percy says. "Why do they care about me? I mean, you're the important one." I say. "Why wouldn't they care about you? You're awesome." He says. "Thanks, but I'm being serious." I say. "Me too." He says. We walk around a corner of a building and I'm almost knocked over. "Sorry!" She yells. I stare at her. She has black hair. She turns to look at us. She has brown eyes. Then a cyclops runs after her. Then something shocks me. I look at her wrist and see a bracelet. It's purple and green, just like mine. I start to freak out. "Nina!" I scream and run after them, turning my ring into a sword.
Percy runs after me. I get close to the cyclops and start to swing when it turns around pushes me to the side. I have scrapes, bruises, and cuts. I stand up and chase after the cyclops again. This time I surprise him and stick him in the chest. He turns to dust. "Olivia!" Percy shouts. I start running again. "Nina! Stop!" I yell. She stops. I go in front of her. "Nina." I say. "Olivia?" She asks. "Are you okay?" I ask. She nods. Percy catches up to me. "Nina, this is Percy. Percy, this is Nina." I say. "You two know each other?" Percy asks. "I snuck into a music class. She caught me. Turns out she did too. We ran away together. We both had dad problems. We were best friends. Until the accident. I thought you were dead." I say. "I'm alive. Barely." She says. "What accident?" Percy asks. "Long story, short. I was in a car accident with my dad. He died, they couldn't find me. They thought I was dead. I hid for a long time, so they wouldn't. Until that thing chased me out of hiding." She says.
"Nina. What'd it say?" I ask. She laughs. "Bestie, it told me I was the daughter of Aphrodite." She giggles. I look at Percy. She stares at me. "Why aren't you laughing?" She asks. "Nina.. I don't think it was kidding." I say. "So you mean, Aphrodite's real? And I'm her daughter?" She asks. "She is real... but I don't know if you're her daughter yet." Percy says. "How do you find out?" She asks. "She has to claim you." Percy says. "I was claimed by Athena. And Percy was claimed by Poseidon." I say. "But you're definitely a demigod." Percy says. "So where were you going?" She asks. I look at Percy and then back at Nina. I tell her about my dream. I leave out the part about Percy because he's there. "You should go to Camp Half-Blood." Percy says. "No way. I'm sticking with my best friend. And you're not gonna be the one to stop me." Nina glares at Percy.
"Woah, Nina. Percy's cool. He's my boyfriend." I say. "Oh, I'm so happy for you." She smiles. She steps toward Percy. "Hurt her, and I crush you." She says. Percy looks at me, and I smile. Nina's always been there for me. "So, she's coming with us?" Percy asks. Before I can say anything, Nina says, "Yes, now let's go." We start walking. My phone rings. "It's Grover, do I answer?" I ask. "Yeah." Percy says. "Hello?" I answer. "OLIVIA!" Grover yells. "Yes, Grover." I say. "Are you with Percy? Are you okay? Where are you? Why don't you come back to Camp Half-Blood?" Grover asks. "Yes I am, then yes I am. I'm doing something, and I'm no where." I say. "What are you doing?" He asks. Percy explains to Nina about the Greek gods and stuff while I talk. "None of your business." I say. "I'm your protector!" He says. "I don't need a protector." I say.
Grover goes on and on about us coming back and him being my protector. "Olivia, we have a problem." Percy says. I look ahead and see a couple of Cyclopes. "Grover, I gotta go." I say. "No, Olivia!" Grover says but I hang up. I put my phone up and turn my ring into a sword. Percy turns his pen into a sword. The Cyclopes see us. "Stay behind us, Nina." Percy says. Percy and I walk up to them. One tries to grab me. Percy starts to fight the other one. Nina watches. "Look, big guy! I have been through so much in the last few days, and unless you want to become pixie dust, I suggest you back off!" I shout. It backs up. "I'm hurting right now! And I don't have time to deal with you! If you don't-" I yell and then it knocks me on the ground. My whole body starts to hurt again. I stand up, slowly. "Oh now it's on!" I shout and run towards him. I kick him and stab him. Then finally I jump and stab him in the chest and he turns to yellow dust. Percy defeats the other one.
"You were awesome." Nina says. "Thanks." I say. Percy picks me up. "What are you doing?" I ask. "I know you're hurting." He says. "Yeah, a lot. But you don't have to carry me." I say. "But I want to." He says. Grover keeps texting and calling but I don't answer. "How many more days until the solstice?" I ask Percy. "Four days. And we have no idea what the prize is." He says. After a couple hours, Nina goes into a McDonald's and gets us food. Nina gets a hamburger, Percy and I share a large fries. "Dude, you're carrying the bag and me. So, put me down." I say. "No." He says. "But how can you eat?" I ask. "I don't know." He says. "Just let me walk!" I say. "No. You've been through a lot in just a couple of days. Cuts and everything, so you are not walking." He says. "Fine, at least eat." I say. I pick up a fry and as we walk and feed him. I start laughing.
After a long time we start to talk about where to settle for the night. We decide to sleep in an alley. Percy puts me down behind a trash can. Nina sits next to me and in a few seconds she's snoring. Percy sits on the other side of me. We eat what's left of our fries. "You're the greatest dude ever, you know that?" I ask. He puts his arm around me. "You're the greatest girl ever." He says. I smile. "WHAT THE HECK?" Nina screams and jumps up. I realize she's glowing pink. Her hair's fixed and she has a dress on now. "No way." Percy says. "I don't know about the gods much. But let me guess. She just got claimed by Aphrodite?" I guess. Percy nods. She sits back down. We get out a blanket for her and Percy and I share one. "Stupid dress." She mumbles. Then she snores again. Percy keeps his arm around me. And soon, I'm asleep too.
