Thorn In My Side

Calla Lily

- beauty -

When she walked out of the bathroom, Katie was surprised to find Travis sitting in one of the chairs by the window. She was just as surprised that she didn't mind that he had stayed.

She walked over and looked over his shoulder at what he was reading, "The language of flowers." She read allowed, "I didn't know you were interested in that kinda stuff."

He smiled sheepishly at her, "Oh yeah. I've read it before, it's a good read." She couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"I should probably take the laundry to the harpies."

"No need, I already did."

Katie looked up at him, shocked, "Really?"

"Yeah, it was my fault anyway."

She smiled as she finished brushing her hair, then she walked over to the bathroom and picked up the flower, "Well I'm gonna go plant this, see you soon Stoll."

He walked after her, "Wait, can I come?"

"I mean sure, if you want. But why?"

"Well I want to know why it was in your sink, it's not an experiment. You're a terrible liar."

"I'll have you know I'm an excellent liar." She shot back.

Travis looked somewhat surprised, "You lie? I thought Katie Gardener didn't break rules."

Katie sighed and he followed her to the greenhouse.

As they walked across the common, Travis said. "We're late, doesn't that bother you?"

"Not really. I'm with you so they'll just assume you're the reason."

"I am the reason."

"True."

They walked up the steps and into the big house. Down the hallway they walked into one of the lounges. Annabeth was helping an Aphrodite boy. Clarisse and Chris day together, trying to figure the forms out. Zack lounged on a couch and winked at Katie as she walked in, "Hey Kate."

She ignored him and smiled at Annabeth, who had looked up from what she was doing, "Thanks for joining us."

Katie smiled, "Sorry we're late."

"Why are you late?" Chris asked.

"Probably busy making out in the greenhouse and lost track of time." Clarisse said with a laugh.

Katie threw her pen at the daughter of Ares but she just ducked.

"That's where you're wrong, La Rue." Zack said, sitting up and patting the seat next to him, silently asking Katie to join him. "Kate would never go for someone like him."

Katie sat down, disgusted, as far from Zack as possible. Travis plopped down next to her, "Clarisse, how did you know? You're smarter than you look." He put an arm around Katie's shoulders and she shrugged him off, "You wish. Now if you excuse me, I forgot to get my forms because someone made me spill tea on them."

"Guilty." Travis admitted as she left the room.

She was on the porch when she saw the calls lily. It was in a pile of dirt, just like the pink carnation had been. She smiled as she picked it up. Apparently she had one more stop to make before she could return.

* * *

"Done." She set her pencil down and let out a sigh. "That took longer than expected." She looked up to see that everyone but Travis had left and that it was now dark outside.

Travis looked up from a comic book he had found, "Finally, what now?"

"Now," Katie said standing up, "I go to bed."

The son of Hermes shook his head, "You're so boring."

"Fine." Katie sat back down and crossed her arms, "What do you suppose we do?"

Travis smiled, "We should watch something." He stood up and walked over to the stack of VCR's in the corner. "What about Hercules Busts Heads, season 2?"

"Hercules what now?"

Travis shrugged and picked it up, "It says that it's the second season of the award winning show, Hercules Busts Heads, obviously. And apparently.... it has some pretty bad reviews."

"Sounds perfect."

He smiled at her again, the corner of his mouth twitched and his eyes sparkled. Then he put it into the tv and plopped down next to Katie. "Just so you know, if you fall asleep, I'll blow an air horn in your ear to wake you up."

"Noted."

Then he reached over and grabbed a blanket. He wrapped it around his shoulders, then something he wasn't expecting happened, Katie scooted over and yanked on the edge of the blanket, "What are you doing?" He asked.

"You aren't the only one who's cold, you know."

Travis could literally feel his body heat going up. Gods she was adorable. She scooted next to him, taking most of the blanket, but he couldn't care less and he wasn't about to point how that there were plenty of other blankets she could have used.

As she watched the show, he watched her. He loved how her hair fell in curls around her shoulders. Her brown eyes reminded him of dark chocolate, deep, rich, amazing.

"Why are you starring at me?"

Travis blinked, he hadn't noticed that she was looking at him. "Um, you just look nice." That was pathetic.

"Pardon?"

"I said you need to get a life."

"You need to get a life." She replied, she yawned and rested her head on his shoulder. He froze, what should he do? Gingerly Travis moved his arm so that it was around her waist.

Instead of hitting him, like he was expecting, she just adjusted herself so she fit under the blanket better. "You're warm." She commented sleepily.

"Is that your way of saying I'm hot?"

She snorted, "In your dreams."