The Third Camp

Chapter forty five: Neptuna

Once we got back to our cabin all of the other girls kept talking about how they thought that they saw Carrie look at them.

"Did you see his eyes?" One of the girls squealed.

"Sparkling and bright." Another sighed.

Soon the whole cabin was talking about how hot he was. All except Doleo, Liza, and I.

"So, how'd you do?" She asked.

"I actually shot a bullseye!" I exclaimed.

"Good, good."

"Why aren't you talking with the other girls?" I eyed her.

She started laughing, "I've known Carrie long enough to know he would hate this. But I guess it's better than them talking about all the times he messed up."

"Yeah," I started to wonder, "How many girls in this camp like Carrie?"

"Too many to count. Girls can be so stupid sometimes."

"Does he know about—"

"Yeah, if you pay attention every time he makes eye contact with a girl he times it to when she swoons."

"Seriously?"

"He told me himself." She shrugged. "Of course that rule doesn't count when he's looking at a instructors or cabin heads, just campers."

"Does he ever date?"

"Please, no way. He has to keep up a reputation: no soul. It's mostly for council though. And he's never found any girl he really likes, as far as we know."

"Really? No girl he's ever liked, huh?"

"Not one. Except maybe Grace but we don't really count her."

"Why not?"

"They sleep in the same cabin, only praetor in the history of Camp Ops that has had one of another gender as their co-praetor."

"They sleep in the same cabin?" I asked.

I was almost too jealous to hide it. How dare another girl be sleeping so close to my boyfriend!

"That's how council reacted."

"Who's council?"

"Wait, let me show you." Doleo pulled off her dog tag and set it on the ground.

A shimmering white wall erupted from the dog tag but turned black. It was a cone-like room, it was obvious that whoever was being questioned sat in the rickety old wooden chair at the lowest level of the room.

"Wow." I murmured.

"It's more terrifying in person." She shivered and picked up her dog tag, the dark room disappeared.

I heard another girl from my cabin speaking. "I wish he would date. I mean, obviously he would date me. So maybe I should just ask him out."

I growled quietly and clenched my fists.

"But he doesn't date so don't dream like a crazy person." Doleo rolled her eyes.

"Even if he did date why would he ever date you?" Another girl shunned.

"I don't know, maybe a little something in his drink in the morning."

"Don't you go talking about using a love potion!" Doleo growled, "It's against the rules!"

"Maybe," The girl started to think, "Or maybe a spell..." She jumped onto her bed and grabbed a book, ripped it open then quickly started to scribble down something.

I clenched my fists even tighter and felt my nails digging into my palms. There was soon blood, I slowly unclenched my hands and told Doleo I would be in the clinic, getting them wrapped.

"Why?"

I showed her my hand and she nodded, "Go ahead." She frowned. "What happened?"

"Doesn't matter. I'll be back in time to go with you all to lunch."

I walked out the door, still fuming, and headed to the clinic. When I got there, I asked for some wraps, and Alivia carefully wrapped my hands.

"Thank you." I nodded to her.

"No problem." She smiled.

I hurried back to the cabin, aware that we would be marching off to lunch soon. Doleo nodded to me when I came in and got in line.

Once we reached the Mess Hall, I sat in the corner, alone. I didn't want to sit near anyone, because boys would just be disgusting pigs and girls would infuriate me. Once I sat down I looked at my plate. Six pieces of sushi appeared. I smiled, then picked one up and ate it. As I was chewing, there was a tap on my shoulder.

I turned to look up at whoever was bugging me.

"Hi." The boy said. "I'm Caleb."

"And I'm Neptuna. Hi."

He sat down next to me.

"So what do you think of Carrie as a praetor?"

"As long as I've been here, he's made a great leader." I frowned at Caleb, getting defensive, "Why do you care, aren't you a camper?"

"Not exactly."

"You, get your butt in your seat." Juventas grabbed him by the arm and dragged him toward the front table.

"Bye then." I laughed.

My eyes landed on Carrie, who was watching me from the head table. He winked at me then began to eat his food.

Is my face on fire? I think my face is on fire.