The Child of Hera

Chapter 27-Luke

Birdie ran ahead of Luke.  Wow she was awesome.  But he had just kissed her.  Twice!  He promised himself that he wouldn't do something so mean.  He was obviously going to hurt her.  It was unavoidable.  He was just that evil.

"Come on, slow-poke!" Birdie yelled from up a hill.  

Luke hurried to catch up with her.  They were on their way to canoe lake, since that was where Leo was running.  He saw some of the other demigods watching the chase.

"I caught them kissing!" Leo yelled to everyone, "BIRUKIE FOREVER!"

"I'm gonna kill him!" she growled on Luke's right.

Then someone caught Luke's hand.  Then another person.  People kept grabbing the couple, and they found themselves hoisted onto the camp's shoulders.  He looked over at Birdie, expecting to to see her smiling, but she looked terrified.  Her eyes were wide as the campers carried them over to canoe lake.

Why are they carrying us? he thought.

When they got to the lake, the group pushed the two into the water.  They ended up in the middle of the lake, with Birdie thrashing like she was having another nightmare.  Her eyes were wide with fear.  Her jacket seemed to have slipped off in the chaos, so now her wings were soaking wet.  They were flapping and splashing water everywhere.  

Luke tried to get over to her, but she was moving too much.  Eventually, the naiads seemed to take pity on them, and they got pushed out of the lake.  

Birdie was shivering, so Luke walked over and put his arm around her.  Her eyes were still wide, like she had seen a ghost.  Her teeth were chattering, and she looked like she wanted to cry.

"What just happ-ppend?" asked Luke through the shivers.  

"It's a camp tradition," answered Annabeth uncertainly, "Whenever a couple gets together, we throw them into the lake."

"N-n-never  d-do th-that ag-g-gain," said Birdie.

Luke suspected that she wasn't just shivering because of the cold.  She was downright terrified.  It was then that he realized that she never went canoeing.  Or swimming.  Was Birdie afraid of...water?

"You ok, B-birdie?" he asked.

"Ye-yeah.  I'll be fine."

A lot of the people looked really awkward.  Usually this tradition made everyone laugh.  Including the victims.

Two different campers ran up with towels and Luke wrapped Birdie up in both of them.  He pulled her into a tight hug.  Her hair was slicked to her face and both the water and tears fell onto his chest.  

He guided her out of the crowd, and to her cabin.  He sat her down on her her bed, and sat down next to her.  When he put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder, he felt her tears fall onto his shirt.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked.

She shrugged.

"Please?"

She sighed, "I've always been afraid of drowning.  Daddy and I had a pool in our back yard when I was about five.  I...almost drowned.  I was unconscious for almost and hour.  He was...he was really scared.  I always had nightmares after that.  I found myself avoiding water at all costs.  I wouldn't bath, or even drink anything.  I was starting to get sick.  Eventually, Daddy talked some sense into me.  I accepted showers.  I drank small bits of water."

Luke smiled reassuringly.  

"But...I'm still very afraid of it.  When I'm surrounded by it...it's unbearable.  I never...never..."

"Hey, it's ok.  You'll be ok."  He squeezed her shoulder and kissed her forehead.  "I'm here."

He saw a ghost of a smile play across her lips.  Her lips.  Oh, he so wanted to kiss her again.  Could he resist?  Maybe?  Oh, who was he kidding?

Luke slid his hand up her arm and traced her neck.  When her reached her jaw, he lifted her chin up.  She looked at him with those big, dark, blue eyes.  He pulled her lips to his.  

They kissed for several long moments, or it might have been half an hour-or possibly several sunlit days.  He didn't really care.  There could have been a crowd of people. Gods, they could have been on Hephaestus TV for all he cared.  

He stroked her back and ran his fingers through her tangled, wet hair.  He felt her hands over his shoulders.  He never wanted this moment to end.

Her hair was dry before someone came to check on them.  Annabeth, Piper, and Hazel all walked in on the couple at the same time.  Piper shot her hands up into the air and yelled,"I called it!"  Hazel covered her eyes and squeaked.  Annabeth rolled on the floor with laughter.

Birdie and Luke blushed profoundly, and Annabeth just laughed harder.

Awwwww!  They're so cute and awkward.  Who got the reference I made with sunlit days?  Hint: Harry Potter.  Vote, comment, make me happy please!  Thanks for reading this far and sticking with Birukie and my evilness all the way.