𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐒 - luke castellan.

BACK AGAIN

b a c k  a g a i n
venus's pov.

━━━━━━━

For the last two years. Luke and I would spend our whole year at camp. He had no home and I didn't either. He had not school and I didn't either.

So, we would stay at camp. Sit by the lakes late at night or have bonfires with the remaining of the campers left. Stay in each other's room.

Pull pranks on each other. Read to each other. Mimick plays. Practice sword fights. Watch him play the piano.

Stop. Thinking. About. That.

But you know, I won't be doing that anymore. Cause, very very disappointingly he turned out to be a traitor. Working for Kronos.

Who would've thought?

And I don't have the heart to stay here at camp. Every corner will remind me of him. And I want to hate him with my complete heart and mind and soul.

I folded my last clothing before putting it in my dufflebag, I froze realising what I was doing. Luke taught me to that.

To create space, he said.

I clenched my jaw before grabbing my bag and making it upside down, to remove all the clothes and then I messily stuffed them into the bag, not caring if it made it hard to close the duffle bag.

I am leaving my summer clothes behind because I know I'll be back. But the rest of my two -- almost three -- years are packed away in suitcases, a duffle bag, and a backpack.

I had talked to Chiron, telling him that I wanted to stay at an orphanage. I tried making up an excuse but he could see through me.

Annabeth is also going to meet her dad so I have another reason why I won't stay at camp.

I walked out with my bag over my shoulder as I walked towards the tree where I saw my friends.

"Wait, you got it?" I asked, yelling as I was afar after seeing the happiness on their faces.

I ran towards them, "yes!" Grover exclaimed, happily. We hugged before he showed us the searchers license.

"Officially authorised to begin the quest for pan!" He exclaimed.

"Where are you gonna start?" Grover asked.

"Well, it seems like every inch of the natural world's been checked, noted, and footnoted. And then checked again. The council's theory is that Pan is always on the move, and it's all about timing. But... no one's ever bothered to check the seas," Grover told.

"I know some people in management out there, if you ever need some help," Percy said.

"I'll find you," Grover said. We all looked at each other with small smiles on our faces.

"Listen... let's make a pact. Right now. No matter what happens, we meet back here next year. All of us. Right here," Percy said.

"Deal?" He asked.

We smiled before Grover raised his arms for a group hug and we all joined.

━━━━━━━

I stared at the building of the orphanage. There's a nervous feeling in my stomach. I was ripped apart from the comfort of camp because staying there felt unbearable because of Luke.

And now I felt like throwing up once again.

I will resent him forever for doing this to me. I will hate him forever and I will hate myself forever because I know that I won't hate him completely with my whole heart.

I stood by the door, glancing at Chiron who nodded at me and then I rang the bell.

We were now sitting inside the office, waiting for the administrator to come. Chiron was sitting on his wheelchair by the desk and I was behind by the window, leaning against the wall.

I'm back where I ran from. I'm back to where I felt unwelcome. I'm back to having no home.

Maybe this time it won't be that bad. Because I have friends. And I am also aware of who I am.

Venus.

Daughter of her conceited mother.

Aphrodite.

The administrator walked in, looking up to greet Chiron before she glanced at me and froze. She tilted her head, staring at me confused.

"Wait... you're the runaway, right?" She asked.

I hesitantly nodded, embarrassed. I recognised her too. A little. She remembers me from that. Runaway.

"Venus. My name is Venus," I introduced.