Daughter Of Lightning - Book 1(Percy Jackson x OC fanfic)

CHAPTER 20

(Ella's POV)

The next afternoon, June 14, seven days before the solstice, we reached Denver. We hadn’t eaten since the night before in the dining car, in Kansas. We didn't take a shower since Half-Blood Hill. I'm sure it was obvious.

"Let’s try to contact Chiron," Annie said. "I want to tell him about Percy's talk with the river spirit."

"We can’t use phones, right?" He asks.

"She's not talking about phones.” I said.

We wandered through downtown for about half an hour. The air was dry & hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis.

Finally we found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. We went toward the stall farthest from the street, & kept our eyes open for patrol cars.

We were four adolescent kids at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his doughnuts would figure we're up to no good.

"What exactly are we doing?" Percy asked, as Grover took out the spray gun.

"It’s seventy-five cents," he grumbled. “I’ve only got two quarters left. Nora?”

"Don’t look at me," I said. "The dining car wiped me out."

Percy fished out a bit of change & passed Grover a quarter.

"Excellent," Grover said. "We could do it with a spray bottle, but the connection isn’t as good, & my arm gets tired of pumping."

"Less talking, more working, Grover!" I said.

"Shut up." He mumbles.

"What are you talking about?" Percy asks.

Grover fed in the quarters & set the knob to Fine Mist. "I-M’ing."

"Instant messaging?"

"Iris-messaging," I corrected. "The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, if she’s not too busy, she’ll do the same for half-bloods."

"You summon the goddess with a spray gun?"

Grover pointed the nozzle in the air & water hissed out in a thick white mist.

"Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow." Annie said.

The late afternoon light filtered through the vapor & broke into colors. Annabeth held her palm out to me. "Drachma, please."

I handed it over. She raised the coin over her head. "O goddess, accept our offering."

She threw the drachma into the rainbow.

"Half-Blood Hill." Annie requested.

Then through the mist we saw strawberry fields, & the Long Island Sound in the distance. Standing with his back to us at the railing of the Big house was a sandy-haired guy in shorts and an orange tank top. He held a bronze sword & was staring intently at something down in the meadow.

"Luke!" I called. He turned, eyes wide.

"Nora!" His face broke into a grin. "Percy & Annabeth, too? Thank gods! You guys okay?"

"We’re..uh..fine," Annie stammers. She tries to straighten her dirty T-shirt, & comb the hair out of her face. I made kissy faces at her which Luke notices. She glares at me.

"We thought-Chiron-I mean-"

"He’s at the cabins." His smile fades. "Some issues with the campers. Where's Grover?"

"I’m right here," Grover called. He held the nozzle out to one side & stepped into Luke’s line of vision. "What kind of issues?"

Then a Lincoln Continental pulled into the car wash, its stereo turned to max hip-hop. The car slid in the next stall, the subwoofers vibrated so much, it shook the pavement.

"Chiron had to-what’s that?" Luke yelled.

"We’ll take care of it." Annabeth yelled back, relieved to have an excuse to get out of his sight. "Grover, Nora come on!"

"What?" Grover said. "Why me?" I added.

"Give Percy the nozzle, come on!" she orders, ignoring me. She was still mad about earlier.

Grover mumbled that girls were even harder to understand than the Oracle. I laughed.

"Even me?" I ask innocently.

"No! Of course not! But don't tell Annabeth."

"Deal!"

He hands Percy the spray gun & we followed Annie. When we reach the guy's car she says.

"Get him to turn the volume down."

"Why me?" I asked again.

"Well, you've got powers, use them."

I knock on the car window, few seconds later it rolls down. The guy was about 16, brown hair & hazel eyes. Cute, but not my type. Percy was way better looking than this guy. He stares at me for a good ten seconds. I knew I looked horrible but suddenly he snaps out of it & says.

"Woah, y-you're so beautiful. Are you real?"

Behind me Annabeth began giggling, while Grover told her to shut up. I wonder how he thought I was beautiful, clearly I looked like I'd been dragged through hell.

I snapped out of my thoughts & quickly said.

"Could you turn the volume down?"

"Oh-oh, s-sure!" He turns the volume down.

"Thanks for cooperating. Come on, guys."

"W-wait, could you tell me your name?"

I stop & turn to look at him. I made my eyes glow & my hair changed it's colour.

"What was that?" I ask sweetly.

"N-n-nothing!" He screams in terror, rolls up the windows, & the Lincoln peeled out of the car wash. We continue walking & a little ahead, we all burst out laughing.

"Oh gods! His face was priceless." Annie said.

"We should've send Grover instead." I say.

"I know right?" She says.

"Hey!" Grover protests. Annie high fives me.

"Annie? I'm sorry about earlier." I say

"It's okay, I forgive you. By the way, you're wondering why he called you beautiful? It's cause you really are. You should take a look at yourself in the mirror." She said.

I froze, my jaw hanging open in shock. Was she serious? I follow them in a trance while they still laugh on about the guy's reaction.

I kept my promise guys..one more chapter 😉

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Take care my lovely readers.❤
Alice signing off.
XOXO.