Love the Impossible

Chapter 12 - Octavian's P.O.V.

"Who were you talking to?"

"What?"

"In the kitchen were you talking to someone?" She sighed.

"Just the new augur. He Iris Messaged me"

"New Augur? But the spirit of Delphi is dead"

"He doesn't really do anything. He's 100% more annoying than you ever will be and more incompetent than a dead deer so" I took a bite of my sandwich, nodding.

"But Camp Jupiter is okay right?"

"Yeah, they're thriving"

"Good" I sighed. I don't know why I care, or why I want Camp Jupiter to be successful. It was always my home, but also at the same time it never was. People didn't accept me, but I was needed. not wanted, not liked, but needed.

I'm not needed here. But maybe, I'm wanted. I think I am. I think Rachel wants me here. She's so nice... But this isn't my home. I've never had a home really... It's not my home, right? Or is it? I eat the sandwich and contemplate. By the time I've decided it could be my home there is a loud knock on the door. It's sort of a knock. Rachel gets up and let a confused and unhappy Percy Jackson in. He marched over to me. Of course, I was still wearing a camp Half-Blood shirt, so we matched, which was kind of infuriating and weird. Even our shorts were the same.

I never wanted to be dressed the same as Percy Jackson ever again, but since no one else noticed, I kept that thought to myself. In a matter of seconds, I found myself off the ground. Scum bag Percy Jackson had lifted me, effortlessly, and now held me like I was a rag doll that he was angry with. He could have gutted me like a stuffed animal, which would have been an ironic second death for me, and much too reminiscent of the scene with that ridiculous panda pillow pet he'd had once.

"You're supposed to be dead!" he yelled. He seemed so angry, too. His hands shook "I finally thought the world was rid of scum like you! I was at peace! Life was starting to get good again! The camps are happy! And you had to come here to mess everything up!" he screamed as he shook me. I was getting dizzy.

"Percy, stop it!" Rachel said, looking anxious.

"How are you still alive?! Why are you here?!" He was really really angry. I was starting to realize that Percy Jackson was a bad enemy to have.

"I did die... I escaped the Underworld, I don't know how, and I appeared here. It was an accident, I would have never chosen here but..." He dropped me. I landed painfully on the ground, maybe bruised and with a headache but otherwise fine, at least my guts weren't covering the floor. He seemed almost as shaken as the person who had literally been shaken. Rachel also looked pale. He looked at her.

"Rachel, it... it might be the labyrinth. It might be rebuilding itself. It's the only explanation for how he would be able to escape the Underworld and end up here" Rachel paled even more.

"The labyrinth is bad news. When he came, he was being chased by hellhounds. Monsters can get through with no problem and there ware a lot of monsters down there we don't need to tangle with again" Percy nodded at her explanation, then narrowed his eyes at me.

"You're leaving. You don't belong at Camp Half Blood or Camp Jupiter."

"Yeah, trust me, I know. 19 years of no friends kind of clued me in on the fact that I don't fit anywhere. I'm moving to Alaska. That should be far enough from you, Jackson" I said. I don't know why the fact he shared so much with Rachel bothered me so much, but it only added fuel to the fiery hate I already felt toward him.

Rachel laid a hand on my arm.

"You don't have to" she said.

"What are you talking about? Of course he has to! He should be in Eternal Punishment! If he's going to go and be alive again, then he might as well be as far out of our hair as possible"

"He's not a bad person, Percy-"

"He killed Leo!" She went silent.

"Percy's right, Rachel. I don't deserve to stay. I'll miss you, but I'm going to have to go, aren't I?" Percy nodded, seeming almost smug. Rachel looked hurt and my heart broke a little more. I had to look away for a few seconds. I didn't belong here or there or Alaska. I did belong in Eternal Punishment. But, I'd been so hopeful... I'd almost been happy.

I could have been happy with Rachel.

But of course, I can't, because I'm not a hero. I'm a bad guy. It's impossible for me to change.