Camp Half Blood: One "Salty" Adventure

Chapter 27

Rose's POV:

Last night, I got some of my energy back. Being in the water again, and outside, made me feel more alive. Like I wasn't just some helpless prisoner that got everything taken away from them. And, while I was under, I was able to get some of my strength and endurance back. More than anything, that made me feel better. But afterwards... what happened with Will... that shouldn't have happened. I just felt so guilty. But... I did finally start to feel again. My emotions seemed to come back to me... but it's not worth it. Going behind Ben's back? Even though I may never see him again... gods Ben, I wish I could just see you one more time. This is all my fault. I should have never left in the first place. I'm gonna beat myself up for that until the end of time, I just know it. All I wanted to do was to go home. I just wanted to live a normal life for a while. Take a few classes, hang out with my mom, make up for lost time. I knew I might never go back to Camp, but it still would've been nice. Knowing Ben, he's probably already moved on though... there's no reason to wait for someone like me. He could do so much better, I just hope he knows that. I shouldn't have lead him on telling him I'd come back. But after a while I'm sure he would've moved on. There are so many better girls there at Camp. So many girls that could be so much better for him... maybe it won't be so bad here. Once they mess with my mind, maybe it'll help me to forget about everything. My stress, sorrow, loneliness... maybe it'll all disappear? I mean, I don't just want to give up completely, but it's starting to look like that's my only option. What I do know is that... if I don't end up forgetting, I'll do what Nathan would do. Fight. Save the one person left that I care about... and risk myself. I already know how that story will end, but I'll do it. I'm more than willing. And with Will... I have to talk to him. I need to tell him what I'm feeling... but I don't want to make him storm off again. He doesn't seem like he'd be like the others. He actually... cares. And he doesn't want to keep me here. He was going to let me go knowing that there would be horrible consequences. I believe that he'd let me go too. But... gods. "Will? Hey, wake up." I said sitting up. I ran my fingers through his hair, pushing it back making it look less messy. He fluttered his eyes open, looking at me. He smirked the second he saw me.

"I'm up. Good morning." He said, his smile now wide. I let out a laugh.

"Why're you smiling so much?" I asked. He hugged my waist, hiding his face.

"I'm noooottt." He exclaimed in a childish manner. I rolled my eyes, letting out a laugh at the vibrations his voice made against my stomach.

"Come on, sit up. I wanna talk for a bit." He stayed still for a moment and then got up slowly. His face was blank, but his eyes still met my gaze.

"Y-yeah, Rose?" He asked softly, his voice cracking showing how nervous he really was. I gave him a reassuring smile and ran my fingers through his hair again a few more times while I spoke.

"You don't have to worry, I just wanted to talk about last night. Just a little bit." He nodded his head and looked down. I began talking anyways, knowing it must've been hard for him to look at me since he didn't know what I was going to say. "So... I wanted to thank you first." He looked up to me and I smiled. "You took me outside and I got to go in the water. I don't know if you knew, but that gives me a little more endurance and strength and it made me feel a lot better... a lot more alive." He smiled, looked down and then back up to me again.

"I-I'm glad you're feeling better." He said in a soft spoken way. I smiled.

"And now... about that... kiss... Will, it shouldn't have happened. But it... it did. And I can't change that. It's weird... like, one minute I feel down on myself and like there's no more hope left in my life, and then the next I feel like... like anything is possible. I don't know what that means... that I like you, that I'm better now, or... what. But I know it isn't a bad feeling. I guess we just have to figure it out, you know?" I explained. He nodded his head, smirked, but then changed. His face became worried again. I gave him a questioning look.

"Should I uh... not sleep in the same bed as you then?... and not uh... k-kiss you..." he trailed off. I could see his face heat up in a blush and I smiled.

"Will, you can still stay with me in the bed. It is your bed after all. And um... with the kissing. I don't know... let's keep that a little less... extravagant." I let out a laugh.  He smiled up at me.

"Alright, I agree with you. I just... It was like seeing you last night... you were so happy and caring and I just-I was compelled... I just needed to do something..." he trailed off, becoming embarrassed.

"It was a moment... our moment. I get it, I really do. I'm not saying I didn't like it, Will. It's just-" he cut me off.

"I know, I know... it's weird. You're a prisoner and I just... gods it's so messed up." He explained. I thought for a second. If I told him about Ben... then he'd forget about everything I just said. He'd leave and sleep on the floor and be done with me. He'd change his mind about all of his feelings... I-I can't let him do that. I have to do what Nathan did... get close enough to, then, get what I need. Yeah... but I can't make it seem like that...

"Yeah kinda... but... we can get through this. I want to have a little hope and I-I think I can... with you." I smiled at him. His face lit up as he smiled at me too.

"C-can I give you a kiss on the cheek?" He asked cautiously. I nodded my head and let him. He gave me a kiss making me blush. I smiled, looking down. I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him. He immediately slithered his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. "So, Rose. You hungry?" He asked, pulling me onto his lap. I put my head on his shoulder.

"Uh... yeah I guess. What'd you have in mind?" I asked.

"I don't know... some cereal?" He suggested.

"Mmm, classy. Sure." He chuckled.

"I could get something else?" He questioned. I got up and stood up, stretching. Will became worried and got up quickly, wrapping his hands around my waist. "Rose! Careful! What're you trying to do!?" He asked worriedly. I rolled my eyes and turned around, putting my hands on his shoulders.

"I'm alright, Will. I'm still tired, but I can stand on my own now." I reassured him. He didn't move his hands. I shook my head and put my hands on his where they rested on my hips. "Really, Will. I'm alright." He nodded.

"Doesn't mean I wanna move my hands." He smirked. I put my hands on his neck, pulling his face closer to mine. Our lips, almost touching.

"Nice try." I said and let go, sitting back down on the bed. He stood there, dumbfounded.

"That wasn't nice." He said, blushing and scratching the back of his neck.

"I never said it was!" I exclaimed with a giggle. He grabbed my face and kissed me on the forehead.

"I'll get you for that. But for now... I gotta get you your breakfast." He smiled. "I'll see you in a few." I nodded and then he left, closing the door. The last thing I heard was the sound of the lock clicking. So he still doesn't trust me... fully I should say. He trusts me to an extent... maybe it's just habit now. Locking the door before he leaves. I knew he'd be gone for about 10 minutes since he took about 25 to make a simple pancake. I decided to look at Nathan's axe for a little bit. With a flick of the wrist, it was there and being clutched in my hands. I traced all of the carvings he's made over the years with my finger tip. I smiled and let a tear fall down my cheek when I saw that last carving he made. The heart... our names in cursive and my favorite, most memorable, part... A rose for my Rose surrounding that heart. I took one last glance before I exchanged the axe for Nathan's ring again. My last thought to myself before Will came in with my breakfast was "For Nathan."