Camp Half Blood: One "Salty" Adventure

Chapter Seven: end of chapter 5

Rose's POV:

"Hey Rose."

"B-Ben!?"

"...yeah it's me." He said looking at the ground shyly.

"You..." he looked up with hope. "You humiliated me and tried to drown me at that stupid party! Why the hell are you here!?"

"Rose, I think we should talk."

"I don't want to talk to you about anything!"

"Rose, please."

"I can't believe you have the nerve to even talk to me right now after what you did!" I said angrily as I finished putting my t-shirt and shorts back on.

"Rose listen to me!" He yelled. He had my attention. I became quiet. "I wasn't the one who pushed you in the pool. I was the one who saved you, Rose! I was the one who cared about you! I had no idea what those guys were planning and if I knew I would've never let you be alone! I didn't even see you walk in the backyard! Rose I freaking lo-... I care about you so much, Rose. You have to believe me!"

"..."

"Please... say something. Anything."

"Did I hurt you?"

"What?"

"When I... when I punched you. Did I hurt you?"

"A little, but what really hurt is that you thought I would be capable of doing that to you."

"Ben... I'm sorry."

"I will always forgive you." I gave him a small, slightly awkward, hug. Then we let go and looked at each other.

"How are you here?" I asked him.

"I... I just got here."

"But how? What's your 'story'?"

"My-My story?"

"Yeah. Everyone seemingly has a reason to come here. What's yours?"

"..."

"Ben..."

"Please don't think I'm weird or anything. Don't hate me when I tell you."

"I couldn't hate you. Not now."

"I... after the party I went to look for you. But you weren't at your house, I figured you'd already left for camp. So I went home to pack and search for you and... some things happened. Long story short, this girl Myra had to accompany me because I found out she was a demigod too so might as well bring her along for the journey. We fought the monsters that were after you... at one point they were so close to getting you, but I.. I-"

"You don't have to talk about whatever it is Ben."

"Thank you... so Percy found you and brought you back. And then Myra got hurt and was in the infirmary for a while, still is actually. And then Percy told me you got hurt and fainted and it... it really broke me. But when he said you were feeling better and I could take you on a tour, I immediately came over and well, here we are."

'So that's why I didn't encounter any monsters.' I thought to myself.

"Everything is pretty clear now. It's all starting to make sense, ya know? Thanks for telling me. And... thanks for keeping me safe, I guess." I spoke up after some silence.

"I'd do it any day." We smiled at each other. And then each of us blushed and looked at the ground shyly.

"Well, Rose. How about that tour?" I became excited.