history of man // percy jackson & the olympians

11 | can't catch me now

THE BOY FLASHED HER A SMILE AND CHUCKLED. his laugh echoed through andromeda's ears in a way that entranced the girl for a moment. "no problem." he assured her. "happens all the time in this place. name's dylan."

she sighed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion. "andie." she told him. "look, i'm supposed to be doing something or meeting someone, but i can't remember who, or what."

dylan grinned. "sounds like you're having a good night."

andromeda chuckled, trying to shake off the disorientation. "yeah, i think you're right." her smile then quickly dropped as she tried to remember when she walked into the casino. "wait, but isn't it the middle of the day?"

dylan froze for a moment, before shrugging.  "night, day, it's all the same to me." he told her, before gesturing toward the bar. "want a drink? might help jog your memory."

andromeda hesitated. amidst the myriad attractions, the allure of the drinks beckoned to her, each glass adorned with an enticing glow. the sweet aroma of concoctions seemed to whisper promises of temporary bliss, luring her closer with an almost irresistible pull.

the glasses shimmered like jewels, their colors dancing in harmony with the casino's intoxicating ambiance. the urge to take just one sip grew overwhelming, as if the drinks themselves conspired to seduce her into losing track of time.

but, fighting against her whole body, the girl shook her head. "no, thanks." she said with a smile. "it's gonna bother me all night until i remember why i was chasing you."

dylan raised his eyebrows, as if he were sure she was going to agree to have a drink. "are you sure?" he asked. "the night'll go faster once you do."

the temptation swirled around her, each cocktail a promise of blissful forgetfulness. yet, just as the allure reached its zenith, a distant melody caught her ear. "is that a karaoke machine?" she asked. "i gotta check that out." she leaned in closer to the boy, a playful glint in her eyes as she realized just how cute he actually was. "but if i change my mind i'll be sure to let you know."

dylan's smile widened. "sounds like a plan. see you around, andie."

the enchanting pull of the karaoke notes momentarily overshadowed the temptation of the drinks, leading her towards a new distraction in the labyrinth of delights. andromeda couldn't shake the feeling of forgetting something important, but the allure of the lotus casino kept her exploring its enchanting depths.

the crowd cheered as a young boy and girl left the stage, and a satyr got on stage and began singing.

the melody felt like a breath of fresh air in andromeda's lungs as the satyr began singing 'my heart will go on' by celine dion.

"this song is so beautiful." a woman behind her wearing a red sparkly flapper dress quipped. "what's it called?"

andromeda furrowed her brow. "my heart will go on." she answered. "it's from titanic."

the woman widened her eyes. "they sang this on the titanic?" she asked. "how do you know?"

andromeda let out an awkward chuckle, now deeply unsettled by the woman. "it's from the movie." she told her. when the woman just stared blankly at her, she continued. "you know, leonardo dicaprio, kate winslet?"