𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗜𝗘! 𝙥. 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣 ¹

First Kisses and Magic Cups

CHAPTER THREE: LYDIA

After Percy had left, Lydia was left with her own thoughts. She drew circles with her index finger on the railing as she reflected on the previous interaction she'd just had.

It had been a long time since she'd last spoken about her father, even though she thought about him every day. She believed he wasn't a terrible father, only that he was going through a lot of difficult things all at once. Lydia didn't even spend that much time with him, getting taken away at the ripe age of eight.

All Lydia wanted was to stay. She wanted to be with her dad. She didn't want to be taken away.

It was a pretty traumatic memory for her. She remembers being dragged away and her fathers' vacant stare as he made no move to intervene. Lydia couldn't be sure if he had said anything. It wasn't like she could hear anything over the sound of her screams and cries.

Lydia blinked herself out of her darkest memory and looked down into the water.

"Guys?" She called out, her body leaning over the railing.

A series of glubs and blubs followed, as her friends surfaced, leaning their arms on the pier.

"Hi, Lydia!" One of the naiads greeted enthusiastically. Lydia immediately recognized her as Cressida and smiled as she sat down, taking off her sneakers and stuffing her socks inside them.

She lowered her feet into the water and leaned against the railing.

"Hello, Desdemona." Lydia greeted with a teasing smirk.

"Weren't we just pesky naiads'" Desdemona retorted, pettily.

"Desdemona! Lydia is our friend," Cressida defended, elbowing her in her ribs. "She obviously didn't mean it."

"She's right, Des. I didn't mean it." Lydia nodded. "Not about Cress, anyway."

Desdemona launched half her body out of the canoe lake, effectively soaking an almost dry Lydia all over again. Laughing, Lydia playfully shoved Des back into the water and wrung out her soaked orange t-shirt.

"I can't help you anymore, Lyd." Cressida said, waving a hand. "You're just asking for it at this point."

Cressida was a pale girl, with long brown hair that floated in waves all the way down to her hips. She had round, soft features and hazel doe eyes. Desdemona was similar in every way except for the constant sneer on her face and sharp eyes. Either way, Lydia considered them friends and since they couldn't be too far from the canoe lake, she told them all of her deepest darkest secrets. Secrets even Annabeth didn't know.

The campers didn't really interact much with the naiads, so she was even more assured of the safety of her secrets.

"So," Cressida raised an eyebrow. "Who was that?"

Lydia inwardly groaned. She knew Cressida would never shut up about this.

"He's just the new kid." Lydia said, flatly. "He's lost and confused."

"Is that how you speak about your friends, Lydia?" Desdemona chided, an evil gleam in her eyes. "You don't seem like a very good friend."

"I'm just saying. It's not whatever Cress is thinking."

"Yeah, right." Cressida rolled her eyes. "You think he's cute."

Wait, is this what Annabeth felt like she when she would tease her about Luke?

"I don't!" Lydia denied. "I'm just trying to be helpful, you know? Take Annie's advice for once."

"Navigate this mess together." Desdemona quoted, making exaggerated hand movements, depicting a lot of tongue action and kissy faces. "Sounds like a commitment to me."