Alternatively

Dinner Party

It was...awkward.

He set the broccoli on the table, glancing at the guests gathered on the fine evening. Everyone was side eying each other, simultaneously keeping secrets and trying to pry secrets. They were on guard.

"Thanks for inviting us over," Katie chirped, crisply folding her napkin with sly eyes.

The others followed in suit, muttering their thanks as Grover sat down.

"I especially love that your Spotify only has Hillary Duff, Aly and AJ, and Avril Lavigne," Connor drawled. "Really sets a tone."

He wryly smiled, passing Juniper the pitcher of juice. "Only the best for a party."

Silence draped over the table, an impressive feat considering the company he hosted.

"I just wanted to thank you all for coming," Grover slowly said, trying to read the strange vibes. "And that it's nice to see we all still have time for dinner and for each other."

"You make it sound like it's our tenth high school reunion," Clarisse snorted.

"Yeah, it's only been a year."

"Lay off," Percy called from the other end of the table. "He can't help that he's a sentimental baby."

"I thought you were on my side," he grumbled, tearing a bite from his soy burger. "Fine, everyone can eat now."

At least the exchange lightened the heavy inspections, chatter slowly rising to the volume he was familiar with. It had been awhile since their entire summer camp group came together; he missed the laughter and crappy camp fire songs and capture the flag. They were all going to different universities across the country and he hadn't been positive everyone would show up to his party.

But he had a different problem now.

Juniper leaned over to him and whispered, "It isn't just me, right?"

"No," he murmured, looking at all of their faces. "Something's up."

"Beckendorf!" Travis tossed a roll at the man. "You changin' the world yet?"

"About as quickly as you," he retorted, dipping the bread in his mashed potatoes.

The ten of them had been together since they were twelve, which was insane to think about and even weirder to look back on. Old pictures from summers past only showed crooked teeth, wild hair, loads of acne, and questionable choices of clothes. Still, everyone acted fairly similar. Same type of jokes, same kinds of laughs, same suspicious behavior.

"-same cabin, do you remember?"

Annabeth regarded Silena with a level expression. "Was that when Chiron caught you out on the docks after curfew? Or was that someone else?"

"Oh, it was her," Beckendorf snorted, shrugging apologetically at the shrewd look his girlfriend shot him.

"Who remembers that time Clarisse took a bath in the toilet?"

"I'll shove this up your ass," she waved the salt shaker at Connor. "Besides, it was Jackass's fault."

Percy had shoveled mashed potatoes into his mouth but he still managed to look smug.

Grover smiled to himself but couldn't help but notice how Katie and Travis shared the same pondering look. They both had their phone out, presumably texting each other and further concreting their expressions. He wondered if everything was alright back at their apartment.

Maybe she's worried about that tricky stromanthe she bought.

"Grovs, my bud?"

He looked to Connor. "Yeah, what's up?"