Apollo's Daughter

The Best Day

After Greek Mythology class, it was free time.

I was hanging out with Travis and Conner, with my lyre on my lap. "Play it again, please?" Travis asked with puppy eyes. Conner nudged him. ''Stop being a baby, Travis!" He said. "Yea, Travis!" I said imitating Conner's voice. "Stop!" Conner said. "Stop!"  I copied. "Ugh!" Conner said. I kept copying him until we were laughing to tears. 

"So, anyway, can yo-" Travis said, but I didn't let him finish. I started plucking until I was playing, Finnegans Wake. Travis smiled and tapped his feet. Conner kept trying to distract me by doing silly dances, so I closed my eyes and concentrated on the music. 

When I got finished, Travis still wanted more, but I told him I think my Lyre needed to recharge. (Of course, this isn't true but he believed it). I knew Travis liked me, but I don't know if I like him. I mean, I know I said it awhile ago, but for now, I think being friends is fine too. I can stop him from getting into trouble. 

Travis invited me into the Hermes cabin, so I went with him. Of course, Conner came too. Everybody turned and looked at us. I heard someone say, "Look! It's Travis and his girlfriend!". 

Travis got mad. I mean, not Ares mad, but pretty mad. "She is not my girlfriend, freaks! Would you just leave me and Hope alone!" he said grabbing my arm. "Let's go!" Travis drug me out of the cabin. Conner stood in the doorway. He lead me all the way to the beach and onto the pier. "Hey!" I said. "I had to get away from them, Hope! They can't get a joke!" He said with such force he almost fell into the ocean, but I caught him. "Watch yourself, Stoll," I said jokingly. He burst into tears. "Hey, hey! Don't cry, please!" I said, watching him collapse to the ground. 

I sat next to him. "Sometimes life gives you problems, Travis. This is one of them. Ignore it, and it won't go away. Answer it, and it will run away. I think you did a great job defending yourself--us--thanks, Travis," I said, squeezing his hand. He began to tremble, but then calm down. "Thank you, Hope. I needed that," he said turning to me. We stared at each other for a moment. We both got up. "Well, better go. Will is waiting for me," I said walking away. But instead, he turned me around and did something unexpected. He-he kissed me. Right there and then, on my second day of camp. 

We split apart and my hand trembled. "Thanks, Travis. I needed that," I said my voice cracking. "That felt good," he said, smiling. I pulled a strand of my dark-brown hair over my ear. "May I?" I asked. He nodded. I took Travis's hand as we walked back to camp.

That was possibly the best day of my life.