Flares | Leo Valdez

I. I Get A Little Too Sucked Into My Books

My name is Y/n L/n. Typically, this is where the main character yaps about how they're not like the other kids at school; how they're bullied, abused, or even have superpowers. Well I don't have any of that going on. My life is as normal as normal can get. I have two parents who love me, a brother who I fight with on occasion but would do anything for, and I'm not bullied. I have friends, but mostly prefer to read in my room rather than hanging out on the weekends. They just accept this as part of me.

I read a lot. Mostly I just re-read my favorite series over and over again, because change is scary and I read for comfort. I also read fanfiction, because what else is there to do when you've finished the same series for the third time in six months? For me, my weapon of choice is Percy Jackson and the Olympians. More specifically, the second series in the Riordanverse: The Heroes of Olympus. Don't get me wrong, the original series is insanely good, and I wouldn't say Heroes of Olympus is better than it by any means, but the Seven will always have a special place in my heart. Especially Leo.

Leo Valdez was my first crush. I don't mean first fictional crush, either. I mean, my very first crush. Never before had my heart raced when a name was spelled, or had I blushed when thinking of someone. I was thirteen years old at the time, and Leo Valdez had totally captivated me. I often spent evenings after school reading fanfiction of him, or drawing him in my sketchbook, which is what I had been doing on the night it happened.

It being the incident. Let me back up and tell it from the beginning.

I had gone to high school that day like normal, tired from staying up scrolling through Tumblr the night before. I had my phone in my pocket, earbuds in my ears, and my copy of The Lost Hero in my backpack. It was shaping up to be an acceptably average day.

I had gone to my classes like a good kid, taking notes in history and finishing my math homework in class. I didn't do this because I was an overachiever or because I was especially smart, as one might think. No, I did things this way because I had eight hours from the time I got home until I had to go to sleep to do whatever my nerdy little heart desired. Homework would cut into my reading time.

Once I stepped off the bus, I speed-walked the remaining distance to my house. It was three pm, and I planned on trying something new tonight.

During last night's escapades deep diving TikTok and Wattpad, I had discovered something called "shifting". I'd never heard of it before, and I was skeptical upon reading about it, but lots of people insisted it worked. Shifting is basically just lying on your back and meditating, and supposedly it's capable of sending you mentally to another universe. People used it to visit Hogwarts or Panem, hell, I'd even heard of Dream SMP realities. Tonight I was going to try to visit Camp Half-Blood.

To be fully honest, I didn't believe it would work, but I forced myself to shove those negative thoughts to the side. It would never work if I convinced myself it wouldn't. Besides, I wanted more than anything to see the lush strawberry fields and smell the campfires in person, so I might as well try.

Making my way into the house, I checked that no one else was home. I'd need some peace and quiet if this were going to work, and my little brother bursting in asking to borrow my airpods was not peaceful or quiet. Once I made sure the coast was clear, I shut myself in my room and dimmed the lights, leaving it dark aside from my fairy lights. I put in my earbuds and played my Camp Half-Blood playlist, shutting my eyes and getting comfortable. I allowed myself to drift off and...

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I must've laid there for two hours, because when I got up for some water, my parents were home from work.

"Hey, sweets, how was school?" My mom looked up from the dinner she was making, which smelled suspiciously like meatloaf. I hated meatloaf. "Um, it was fine," I said. "Nothing too exciting."

I got water from the fridge and stood there drinking it, halfheartedly listening to my mom's animated story about her coworkers. My dad didn't even pretend to listen, scrolling on his phone from the comfort of the couch. Lucky him.

I couldn't help but feel disappointed that it hadn't worked. As much as I doubted it, I had gotten my hopes up. I had really wanted to see all the cool stuff described in the books, maybe even meet some of my favorite characters. Oh well, I supposed.

I ate dinner and had mindless conversation with my parents and my brother. Jack was in 6th grade soccer, so he had plenty of stories to share about school and practice, which I mostly tuned out. After choking down my mom's meatloaf, I made my way back upstairs to my room. Even if shifting didn't work, I could still have a good night.

I shut the door and pulled out my sketchbook, sitting down at my desk. I opened the book to a page with a few doodles on it, all Leo Valdez with different expressions. I began to work, drawing him confused, happy, sad, and angry, doing this for hours before feeling myself become tired. Deciding to call it a night, I shut my sketchbook and turned my bedroom light off.

I sighed, lying back down on my bed and turned on my playlist, sticking my earbuds in and closing my eyes once again. I began to feel the dread I always felt before going to bed on a school night. At some point, who knows what time it was, I felt my eyelids get heavy, and I felt myself drifting off.

I wasn't sure how long I'd been asleep, but I began to stir when I heard someone calling my name. I must've been really out of it, because I didn't recognize the voice.

"Y/n. Y/n! Wake up, we're gonna be late!"

I sat up in bed, hitting my head on the ceiling. "Ow..." I rubbed my sore scalp, confused as to why the ceiling was that close to me. It was then that I realized that I wasn't in my room. I started to internally panic as I took in my unfamiliar surroundings. It looked like some kind of dorm room, and I was on the top level of a bunk bed. There was a wardrobe in the corner by the door, and another one on the other side of it by the trash can. There were two desks opposite each other, with the bed in the middle. Standing in the middle of the room, hands on her hips, was a girl my age with dark skin and choppy brown hair, as if she'd cut it herself. Her multicolored eyes were mesmerizing, and she smiled gently at me when I made eye contact. "Are you okay, Y/n?"

To be honest, the answer was no, but I couldn't bring myself to say that. I didn't want to worry her. I had no idea who she was, but something about her just seemed so... familiar, and she certainly seemed to know me. Was I going crazy? "Uh... yeah." I shook my head, climbing down from the top bunk.

"Okay, well hurry up and get dressed, we're going to be late. The boys are waiting for us in the cafeteria already. And bring your backpack, I don't think we're coming back here before we leave." I tried to ask questions without letting the girl know I had no idea what was going on. I definitely didn't belong here. "Leave?"

Choppy haired girl furrowed her brows. "Yeah...? The field trip, remember?" Clearly, I did not remember, because she blinked at my confused expression. "Grand Canyon? Ringing any bells?" She put a hand up to my forehead. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

My throat started to close up, and I felt a chill up my spine. Grand Canyon field trip? The boarding school? This girl...

Oh shit. Oh fucking shit.

"You know, if you're sick, I could totally stay here with you. The trip is probably gonna be lame anyway, so I'd be happy to take care of you instead. In fact, lemme go tell Coach Hedge—" I pulled her back by her wrist, swallowing hard. I knew who this girl was.

I took a shaky breath. "No, Piper," I said. "I'm okay." I managed a smile. "I promise."