Pretty isn't Pretty - Jason Grace

I.V.

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Part one. Chapter five.

Bacchus

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Aris didn't sleep. She just laid in her bed and stared at the ceiling for quite some time. Of course it didn't help that the faun, Coach Hedge spent a whole hour banging on doors and yelling along the hallway the entire time.

"Lights out ! Settle down ! Try to sneak out, and I'll smack you back to Long Island !"

"I'm from California, dipshit," Aris had mumbled as she rolled her eyes.

She stared at the bronze beams on the ceiling. Her cabin was pretty nice and cool, just how she liked it. She always liked it cold so she could snuggle into blankets. Apparently, Leo had programmed their quarters to adjust automatically to the occupant's preferred temperature. The mattress and the pillows were really comfortable.

"Fuck...." Aris breathed, rubbing at her face.

She sat up and clapped, the light in her room turning on but not burning too bright. She sighed and slipped out of bed. She already knew herself well enough to know she wouldn't sleep.

Aris had trouble sleeping when she was alone. It was fine in barracks since there were bodies around her. Not as good as when she would fall asleep next to Jason though. Despite how much she hated to admit it, it was always easier to sleep when he was there. She had managed during the quest but it was because she was with Percy, Hazel and Frank. Sleeping alone was a challenge for her. When she was alone, there was nothing there to stop the demons from crawling into bed with her and clawing her with their sharp nails.

She rummaged through her bag taking in the small inventory what Hazel had packed for her. Two pairs of jeans, a few tops, a long skirt and a dress along with some clean sets of underwear, security shorts, her toiletries and the clothes she had changed into for bed (black yoga pants and a white cropped tank top) plus the hoodie she had hung on the back of the desk chair in her room.

Aris chuckled when she also noticed her copy of Anna Karenina at the bottom of the bag. Looks like she wouldn't have to spend all night staring the ceiling after all.

🖤💔🖤

"Thar she blows ! Kansas, ahoy !"

Aris raised unimpressed eyebrow at Coach Hedge before rolling her eyes and focusing on her book again. "Hey."

Aris looked up and smiled. "Hi Frank."

"You look nice."

"Your girlfriend has good packing skills," Aris shrugged. She looked down at herself, she had decided to wear her blue skinny jeans and a black tank top with her hoodie. Her knives were strapped to her thigh on a holster.

Frank smiled at her, before tilting his head. "Did you sleep okay ? You look tired."

"I'm fine. Unfamiliar environment. It'll take me a second to get used to it," Aris easily lied.

"Hey !" The pair turned to see Percy approaching with a wide grin on his face.

He looked in splendid form, dressed in a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and faded jeans, looking as Greek as ever. Aris wrinkled her nose. "Why orange ?"

Percy shrugged. "Why purple ?"

"Purple's prettier than orange."

"Says who ?"