Camper Chaos! (Book #4)

Chapter 8

Clover POV

Now, this next part will sound really sad, but that wasn't even half of it. I had Leo leave for this next part because it is really important and he didn't need to know about it. 

I sighed, ready to make the call. The mist, the wet kind, made a rainbow in the sunlight, ready for the Iris Message. I shifted my weight on the deck chair and tossed the coin into the colors. It disappeared and I said,

“Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me Rick Riordan at his house.” The rainbow shimmered and I got a perfect view of the writer typing on a computer.

“Rick!” I called. He turned and smiled at me. I smiled back at him, but I had to talk about a tough subject with him.

“Oh dear Clover! How can I help you?” Rick asked. I sighed,

“We need to talk about Leo.” The smiled melted off of his face and he closed the door to the room.

“Alright, I’m listening.” He said. I told him everything. My plan, the pain I was feeling when I was around him, and the future. When I finished, I wiped the tears off my cheeks. The subject was never easy to talk about.

“Oh, I see.” he said, leaning back in his chair.

“Is there anything else I can do?” I asked, my voice cracking. Rick shook his head,

“Sorry my dear. The future needs to keep it’s course, or Leo will make totally different choices that could change the whole plot line. Keep to the books. I am sorry, but that is the only way.” I sobbed. I had found someone had amazing feelings for and I had to give him up. In a way that only Annabeth would understand. Except mine wouldn’t end so happy. I sniffled and said,

“Thank you Rick. This world is amazing.” He smiled and blushed slightly,

“My son helped, but thank you for the comment. Stay alive!” he said and waved his hand through the mist. The connection broke and  I stared at the remains of mist in the air. I looked down at my lap and cried. I cried for a while, I don’t know how long, but I only stopped when a voice asked,

“Are you okay?” I looked behind me and saw Annabeth Chase looking at me in concern. I sniffled,

“Not really. I understand what you are going through.” Annabeth seemed surprised how easily the topic flipped, but she sat down in a chair next to me.

“What do you mean?” she asked. I began to tell her everything, everything I told Rick, except about her future of her finding Percy. I finished by saying,

“and that is what I am going to do.” Annabeth looked shocked, but seemed to understand my reasoning.

“Oh Clover..... I don’t know what to say.” We just sat there, staring out at the sunset on the horizon. I wiped the tears off of my cheeks held my head high.

“Annabeth, you are a great role model.” She scoffed,

“Yeah right. I am a pretty big failure.” I looked at her in disbelief.

“What? You’re not even close to being a failure!” Annabeth smiled, but it looked sad.

“It was my fault Percy disappeared that night. I should have gone with him to his cabin, I should have stayed at the campfire longer with him, I should have done something else....” This time it was her turn to look down at her lap and cry.

“Annabeth, it wasn’t your fault.” I said. Annabeth looked at me, sadness filling her eyes,

“How can you say that? It was!” I shook my head.