Empty Closets

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: No Truths, One Lie (Percy's POV)

Back at camp, everything seems normal at first. But once we reach the bonfire, all eyes are on us. Some people start whispering, most likely coming up with accusations we'll have to try and argue against. Scott reveals an ugly smirk.

"Well well," he starts, "what do we have here?"

Nico and I look at each other, trying to put on our most convincing "clueless" faces.

"I don't know about him," Nico says, pointing his thumb toward me, "but I was communicating with my sister. So show some respect."

"Oooooooh," Scott mocks. A few other people follow along. "Sorry to interrupt your little chat."

The followers laugh as Nico clenches his fists.

"And where were you, Free Willy?" Scott asks me.

"I was teaching him how to build a table out of dried leaves," Leo interrupts. He looks at me and adds, "He needs practice, but hey, I've seen worse." Then he flashes that smile that could make any girl swoon, if he didn't have a girlfrend sitting next to him.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Hazel asks. She and Piper emerge from the darkness. She plops herself next to Frank while Piper goes over to sit next to Jason.

"We're being interrogated," Nico tells her. "For nothing."

"Not nothing," Scott butts in. "Something happened and I'm trying to find out what it is."

"I seriously don't know what you could possibly have in mind," Leo says. "Percy was with me, and before he came, I saw Nico on the roof of his cabin."

"Look who's being defensive all of a sudden."

"I'm not; I'm just telling you what-

"Wasn't I talking to you about the Aphrodite incident?" Jason asks Leo.

"Yes! Yes you were! I laughed so hard that I fell into the mud puddle!"

I start laughing, or at least trying to make a realistic one.

"That's funny, because I could've sworn I saw you at a sports bar in the city," Katie says. "I was visiting a friend." How did she get back so fast?

"Sports bar?" I ask.

"'JOE'S.' It doesn't ring a bell?"

"I remember going to a 'JOE'S' with my mom and Smelly Gabe once when I was 10. Gabe had gotten two Nacho Supremes and chili cheese fries." I make a vomit noise. "He wouldn't stop farting when we got home, so my mom had to sleep in my bed."

"Aww that's nasty," Leo says. "One time I was at 'Taco Bell' and I had really bad-

"Come on Leo, we're eating smores!" Calypso says, holding up a smore with marshmallow oozing down one side. "Do you think we could talk about this once everyone is done?"

"I agree with the island chick, but the story would've been interesting otherwise," a foreign voice says. Leo looks up and his eyes widen. I turn and see Travis Stoll, his eyes hunting the scene. Katie turns scarlet.

"Travis!" Piper gasps. "You're supposed to be in Claifornia!"

"Connor is, but I decided to stay. I've been staying at an abandoned cabin for the time being, and then I decided I wanted to come back to camp. But first, I wanted to take care of business. So I prayed ot my father to send a letter to Katie to meet me down at BelCourte Bay. So we met and went out to eat."

Everyone looks at Katie, who at this point could pass as a tomato. On the other hand, Travis looks at Nico.

"'JOE'S' has really good chili cheese fries. Don't you think so, Nico?"

Nico simply shrugs. "I've never had them."

"Sure you did! And I bet that burger must've been divine! But the nahos, they are my favorite." Travis turns his attention to me when he brings up the nachos.

"They were with me," Leo says to him. "Or at least Percy was. Nico was visiting Bianca."

"Well they're dressed awfully nice to have been working with you and visiting past relatives."

Suddenly, Nico rises from the ground. He walks up to Travis, and his face competes with Katie's for redness.

"DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT MY SISTER!" he hollers. Then his fist comes in contact with Travis's right eye. Everyone gasps. Travis tumbles to the ground, his eyes wide with shock. He crawls backward but Nico catches up to him. Before Nico's hand punches Travis again, a different hand catches it.

Dionysus separats Nico from Travis.

"Nico!" he screams. "Head back to your cabin immediately!"

Nico gets up. Then without meeting anyone's eyes. he starts back to the Hades cabin.

"Katie, take Travis to the infirmary," he continues. "And Nico?" Nico turns around. "If I ever catch you laying your hands on anyone else in a physical manner again, you will be banned from Camp Half Blood for the rest of the summer."

Nico's eyes widen, but he nods. Then he leaves the bonfire.

I look around at everyone and see people mutter things to each other.

"That goes for any of you," Dionysus adds. "Consider yourselves warned." He walks out and back to the center of camp.

So now we're on probation because of a date.