Tratie

Katie in the slumps

Oh I was so done moping

I hadn't slept all night actually

Pacing my room, determined to get Michelle back.

But I was done wallowing.

The minute it turned six, I resigned from Travis's class. Hadn't done me much good anyways.

I enrolled in hand to hand fighting. That way, next time Michelle was toast.

I spent the next few hours gardening to appease my mother.

Then classes started, and I went through them with zeal.

Finally I got to defense classes.

Clarisse was my teacher, and it was nice not dating your mentor.

But over the next few weeks, I trained hard, and Clarrise would begrudgingly give me compliments.

I avoided Travis and Michelle, which was easier than I thought.

I slept enough to survive, and went to my work with the utmost dedication.

I heard the others. "She's just doing this to get over Travis"

But I was fine. Perfectly fine. I did my work and I was happy.

Ghost and I got along great, and eventually I got permission to ride her outside of lessons.

That added another thing to my activities. We mostly practiced grabbing me off the ground since I decided hand to hand combat would be my forte.

I loved fighting hand to hand. Especially against someone with a weapon. It was so fun to watch the joy slip out of their face as the realized I used their strength against them.

I was given a beautiful pair of gloves as a gift one year. They were magically enchanted, and allowed me to kill monsters without using weapons. Best gift I had ever gotten.

The rest of my friends pitched in to buy me a new set of armor, and I was so happy and lucky to have the best friends in the world. I was little upset at the lack of protection in the heart area but let it slide knowing how expensive it all was.

That night, however, I got a small birthday card someone left outside my door.

It just said Happy Birthday. And a small knife symbol.

I wasn't an idiot. I knew who the gift was from. But I refused to acknowledge it.

Until the Stolls started it up again.

You know what's not fun? Waking up to glue in your hair.

And not any kind of glue, this is the Stolls. This was Valdez glue, nearly impossible to get out.

So I yelled "Stolls!" And they came running.

"Did you do this?!?!" I demanded, gesturing at my hair.

"That's an interesting fashion statement Katie. I don't know if I like it." Travis remarked.

My eyes blazed and I dashed towards him. His eyes widened in fear, but I had already hit his pressure points and he couldn't move.

I looked at Connor. "You're next."

He tried to escape too, but I was too quick, and had been training for too long.

Tap tap tap

And then both brothers lay on the ground.

"Don't worry, you'll get the feeling back in an hour." I say, and walk off the Aphrodite cabin.

•••

"You can't do anything?" I exclaim in disbelief.

Looking in the mirror, my hair is a crunchy yellow mess, and it looks like it's stuck that way.

"If you wait a few weeks it will come out." Drew suggested.

"I can't wait that long. Cut it off."

Her eyes widen. "You sure?"

"As much as you need to."

I wasn't vain, but I liked having long hair.

I guess there's a first time for everything.

Oops forgot to publish it last night