Thorn In My Side

Coriander

- hidden worth -

Beside her, Travis tensed. Katie glared at Zack, for a moment no one spoke. The Zack broke the silence, "Can I talk to you Kate?"

"Don't call me Kate."

He sighed, "Can I? Alone?"

Katie crossed her arms, "Whatever you have to say, Travis can hear it to." Travis nodded, surprised that she had said that.

Zack looked annoyed but walked over and sat across from them. "Kate," He began.

"Don't call her that." Travis said quietly.

Zack glared at him, then turned back to Katie, "I'm sorry,"

"What?"

"I'm sorry for the other night."

Katie was too surprised to say anything, but Travis wasn't, "Good." The son of Hermes muttered.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning, I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Why?"

"I got a quest." He said proudly, as if a suicide mission was something to brag about.

"But why the suddenly change of heart?" Travis demanded, "Why are you acting like this?"

Zack faced him, "Aphrodite, I had a vision of her."

"What?"

"But, the gods have gone silent..." Katie muttered.

Zack shrugged, "She gave me a quest. I have to prove my worth." He looked out at the sea, then stood, "Be good to her." He said bitterly to Travis. Then he looked at Katie, who was still trying to resist the urge to punch him. "Saying sorry doesn't make it okay." She said quietly.

Zack leaned forward, "Does this?" He leaned even closer, as if he was about to kiss her. Before she could even process what was happening, Travis had pushed him backwards and the son of Aphrodite was on his butt in the sand. "Have fun on your quest." Travis said cooly, then he helped Katie to her feet and led her away.

They walked along the edge of the woods, it was getting dark now and the stars were bringing to come out.

"Are you okay?" Travis asked gently.

Katie watched her feet, it was she could do to prevent herself from crying. Left, right, left, right. She tried to match her steps with Travis'.

And the son of Hermes just walked with her, he didn't make jokes or talk. He just walked next to her, in silence.

"Thank you." She said shakily.

Travis shrugged, "It was my pleasure."

More silence, nothing but the sound of their footsteps and the loud voices of campers at the camp fire across camp.

Then Katie spoke, "Does he think that makes it okay?" Travis shrugged. "I guess he thought that leaving camp would make it better."

"It doesn't! He still did it. And then he tried to kiss me!" Katie was so full of emotions that she felt like she could cry.

"He's just jealous. He just realized he missed out on the best thing that would ever happened to him." Travis said gently.

Katie looked up at him, "You think so?"

"I know so." He said confidently.

She nodded and looked up at the stars, suddenly she had a thought. "I wonder if Percy and Annabeth are okay?"

Travis looked up at the sky, "No idea." He looked down at her and froze, in the moonlight he could see a tear tracing its way down her cheek. "Hey, what's up?" He asked.

Katie just shook her head, she didn't know what to say, so much was going on. As if being a half blood wasn't hard enough, she had to worry about an upcoming war, Zack, her friends in tartarus and abord the argo and school.

Then, impulsively, Katie held out her arms, for a moment nothing happened and she felt like an idiot. Then Travis was holding her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "Hey," He said gently, "It's gonna be alright."

Katie nodded into his chest. She felt embarrassed that Travis had to see her like this. But at the same she couldn't think of anyone else who she'd rather comfort her.

He led her to the demeter cabin and opened the door and let her inside. He flipped on the light and she walked over to her bed. She sat down, exhausted.

Travis looked down at her, "Do you need anything Gardener?" His blue eyes were full of worry, his mouth frowned. She muttered a smile, "I'm fine."

He still looked worried, "Are you sure?"

She nodded, "I'll be better in the morning."

"If you say so..." Travis turned reluctantly.

Katie lay down and rolled over, the she cursed, the aloe. She'd completely forgotten about it. "Actually, Travis." She called out. He turned at the door, "Yeah."

"Can you come with me to plant this? I don't.... I don't really want to alone."

"Of course." He grinned at her, "Want to take this too?" He pointed at a coriander on the floor beside the door. It was in a pile of dirt, just waiting for Katie to plant it.

She nodded and got out of bed. She wrapped her blanket around herself, she felt safe. She looked up at Travis, who smiled at her, "What?" She asked.

"Nothing."

She was too emotionally exhausted to press him, she just put on her shoes and scooped up the coriander.

"I'm sorry Im such a mess." Katie apologized as they walked to the greenhouse.

"You aren't a mess, Gardener. Everyone has bad days." The way he smiled at her made Katie's heart flutter, maybe she should give him a chance, maybe Travis Stoll wasn't so bad. Then she pushed that thought aside, she didn't like him. And he didn't like her. Katie sighed, he never would.

an update??? again???? whattttt????