Love Games (Leo Valdez/ PJO Fan Fiction)

Chapter 20 - It's the Conversations that I Keep

Faye's POV

I recall my single year in high school: my freshman year. I went to a school for rich kids, a Catholic elitist high school. It was called Bennet. 

At school, the students would act likes saints, sent from Jesus himself. Outside of school, they were insane, party animals with minimal parental supervision. They would constantly attend parties and do drugs without their parents even daring to think they'd do such a tasteless act. Needless to say, I didn't fall in to any of the crowds there. In fact, I was the weird loner girl who was secretly an athiest (oh the sins). 

There is a point to this, I swear. But the reason these students would keep doing stupid things like partying and drinking and what not is because of their parents. Their parents were too busy away on business trips to pay attention to their teenage and "saint-like" sons and daughters. These kids would throw their own parties to spite their crappy parents and crappy childhoods. It was an act of rebellion, if anything.

Okay, so here's the point. Demigods grow up without one parent, it's a given. It would make sense for a lot of them to be troublemakers, and don't get me wrong; a lot of us are. My question revolves around the fact that the Aphrodite kids are often times the ones who cause problems at camp. We have the (secret) Love Games, we break hearts, we sneak in vodka. It's us who are the stupidly rebellious students at Bennet, it that makes sense. 

The actual question is related to WHY it is us. Why do we have to be such awful people is what I don't understand. Was it our single parent? I doubt it. Is it because of Aphrodite? Perhaps. I've come to the conclusion that we're supposed to play a stereotype, like how kids at public schools inhale tons of drugs during school hours. Like how rich kids are supposed to be obnoxious and snotty. We purposely act like beautiful, oblivious fools to take advantage of each other, as well as everyone else. 

Aubrey's actions make these millions of thoughts crowd my mind, making it impossible to even fathom any other topic. I'm still walking- running now. I need to get away. Guilt plunges into my stomach, eating at my insides. I can't shake the feeling that this is all revenge against my "victory" with Leo. Yet I don't feel like I've done anything. 

The sun begins to set, a faint pink with hints of orange stretch across the once blue sky. It's almost picture perfect, but the colors don't blend correctly and it looks sloppy. A breeze pushes me forward, almost forcefully as I reach the grey bunker. "Leo?" I call out, hoping my voice was loud enough for him to hear.

The door to the bunker swings open almost immediately, revealing a soot-y faced Leo. His hair is also covered in black soot, as well as his clothes. I almost laugh at the sight of him, but I restrain myself to an amused grin. I lick my thumb and press it to his cheek, wiping off some of the grime. It only smears, but I'm not paying attention any more. It's almost as if we're having a staring contest, gazing into each other's eyes until one of us dares to part. 

It's me that breaks the eye contact first, then cough awkwardly. I'm pretty sure under the layers of soot, Leo blushed a dark shade of red. "Come on in," he pulls open the door and steps to the side. 

I marvel at the sight of the chariot. I would like to say it's just a normal chariot, but I've never seen a chariot so magnificently beautiful in my life. I'm absolutely speechless. My mouth hangs wide open, ready to spew words of praise and amazement, but all that comes out is, "That's..."

"I know I need to fix up a couple of things," Leo tells me bashfully. 

I roll my eyes playfully, then kiss him on the cheek. "This is absolutely beautiful. Did you work on it all day?"

Leo licks his lips and counts using his fingers. "Only seven hours... straight."

"Well it looks like we're all set for tomorrow," I joke, elbowing him in the ribs. 

Leo clutches his stomach. "Gods, I'm hungry."

"I'll go grab you some food," I say, releasing my hand from his. I didn't even realized I grasped onto it mindlessly. 

"No," Leo tries to say, but I silence him with a quick peck. 

"I won't be too long," I assure him, then blow him a kiss goodbye. 

It isn't until after I leave and trudge through the endless leaves and shrubs that I remember Aubrey's horrible act. Only innocent Leo could have made me forget about all my problems, and only think about him. Leo Valdez, you are both ruining and making my life. 

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Leo's POV

I think I'm in love with her. Her every movement makes me watch carefully in curiosity. She fascinates me with her intelligent speech and strong personality. I've spent several hours working away on this chariot without being able to think about anything else. Faye. Faye. Faye. I'm currently still working and hammering nails into boards when I hear footsteps.

"Leo?" A voice calls from the other side of the heavy metal bunker door. I jump to my feet and pull open the door. 

Her eyes are heavy with disappointment, and her posture fails. Her back bends forward, defeated. I originally believe that she's upset with me, but when her eyes meet mine, they fill with life, excitement, and joy. A smile peeks onto my lips, and my heart caves in at the very sight of her. It almost hurts. 

A million thoughts crowd my mind, I don't want to screw this up. I don't want anything to ever go wrong. Whatever we have is special, and I don't think I'll willingly let it go. I know my entire body is most like covered in grime and filth, but Faye doesn't seem to care at all. In fact, she attempts to clean my cheek with her thumb, but it only smears a bit. 

After an awkward silence, I let her inside to see the chariot. Her jaw drops in what I believe to be horror, and I can feel my heart drop into my stomach. "That's..." she starts, but never completes her stomach. I've worked all day for this, and she hates it. I'll just need to restart and fix everything.

"I just need to fix a few things," I tell her, shrugging. 

"This is absolutely beautiful," she tells me sincerely. "Did you work on it all day?"

I nod, then mentally count the number of hours I've been working. I lick my lips when I reach the final number. "Only seven hours...straight."

"Well," she starts, looking satisfied with the gold colored chariot. "Looks like we're all set for tomorrow." Faye elbows me in the ribs playfully.

I'm definitely relieved. She doesn't hate it. I don't have to work on it all night. Thank the Gods. My stomach rumbles randomly. "Gods, I'm hungry," I complain, immediately wanting to take it back. 

"I'll grab you some food," she lets go of my hand. I grabbed it upon her entering the bunker. 

"No," I begin, but she stops me by quickly pressing her lips to mine. 

I sigh, knowing she's already walking towards the door. "I won't be too long." She blows me a kiss goodbye. 

I'm in love with her. I know it. My heart is still caving in, yet racing at maximum speed at the same time after she has left. My head floods with unnecessary thoughts of how I looked and how messed up my hair was. Her eyes are beautiful, but I love her personality and her free mind. My attraction to her is pointless, crazy, stupid, foolish. Yet every time I see her, I find my feelings only multiplying. Fallon Mitchell, what in the name of Hades have you done with me?

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A/N: Sorry for late chappy. Stupid wattpad screwing up my chapter. Grr.. I wrote this completely new chapter and I'll tell you, it went in a completely unexpected direction. 

So... 16+ votes on this chappy for the next one (ABOUT THE CHARIOTS YAY). I know this chapter was a filler, but a very important one with IMPORTANT INFORMATION (hint: think about my subtle hints and PREDICT)

Thanks for everythings guise :)

-Em