Flower Food || [P. Jackson] ||

Chapter 5: I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom

There was a large lot surrounded by Greek columns and pillars. Inside the pavilion were a dozen different tables, and it soon dawned on Percy that there was a reason kids began splitting off and sitting with purpose.

"Are you all sitting based on your cabin?" Percy asked, puzzled and slightly concerned when he watched two campers exchange a kiss and then part to go to Hermes and Aphrodite respectively.

"Every kid splits based on their parent. Camp rules. Luckily you can sit next to me since you're still unclaimed," Luke said reassuringly, side-hugging Percy briefly. "Oh, hold on, my brothers are being a menace again. Oy, Travis, Connor!"

Luke quickly marched away towards the large crowd where the two curly haired boys that had started betting on Percy's spar were juggling what looked like to be rags put on fire.

Yikes.

Percy was left alone, standing in the middle of the pavilion as more and more campers started to fill each table. The first three were noticeably empty, and he watched as a group of blond heads and grey eyes led by the slight figure of Annabeth approached table six.

For a brief moment, she made eye contact with him, and Percy felt like his ears were going to burst into flames when she smirked and glanced down at the training sword still attached to his hip.

There was something warm in her gaze, maybe even admiring, and Percy had never seen such a look on a pretty girl, much less directed at him.

He broke the gaze, embarrassed that he couldn't stop staring at the back of her neck where her ponytail allowed him to look at the soft curls that painted her skin, and instead made a small noise of surprise when he saw a familiar figure sit down at table four.

Demeter.

Calli was alone, and Percy recalled the way she mentioned she didn't have siblings, and furthermore how he'd practically abandoned her back at the Hermes cabin.

He glanced at table eleven, where a large number of campers were already sitting, and he hesitated before he turned and walked straight for Calli's table instead.

She glanced up and lilac bloomed in her eyes as she said, "you're not supposed to be here."

He tried not to feel guilty at her slightly cold tone, and he said, "well, that's only based on your parent, right? And since I'm unclaimed I thought I... I mean, it's not like we know for sure I don't belong in the Hermes cabin. Maybe I'm... also a child of Demeter?"

His voice trailed off weakly, and he wanted the ground to swallow him whole as Calli continued to stay silent.

Finally, she sighed softly, and she sent him a half-smile as she said, "I really wouldn't want that to happen."

He squinted. "Huh?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "nevermind. You can sit, sugar, just keep your head down and Chiron will probably let it slide."