For the love of Aphrodite (a Percy Jackson story)

The Hamptons

Percy's POV

On our way to the Hamptons her father chatted about all and everything. He had the same confidence his daughter had. He was poised yet  in a casual way that made you feel comfortable.

"So. Percy, do you have a girlfriend? Or should I worry about you around my daughter?" Benito asked me chuckling.

"FATHER!" Chiara reprimanded him. I chuckled.

"See. He got I was joking... but not really" he said chuckling once again.

"It's complicated sir..." I said. I could feel Chiara's eyes on me. She gently touched my tight and I stiffed. She did it in a comforting way and I noticed how completely unaware she was of how it was affecting me. Then she wasn't, she took away her hand and blushed looking away.

"What do you mean by that? What about Annabeth?"

"It's just. I don't know... she's the only girl I've ever dated. I guess since day one I had doubts on wether we were meant to be or not. Anyone would point out we weren't. How different we were, our likings, our attitudes. Being a silly young guy with a crush it only made it more exciting I guess... Then we went through all those stuff together and it happened. But you see how we are, I'm more of emotional, impulsive, I have feelings and I show them, she is rational, too restrained and too methodical... We've never went on a date night and to be fair I don't think we've ever even went on any date. We spend most of our times separate at the camp, each monitoring their designed activity, at night we just have dinner together... I think we haven't even properly kissed in a month until today... I mean, a smooch here and there but even so, she's not too big on pda I guess..."

"Well, you guys have to sort it out before college..." she said worried.

"I don't know. I guess I've just grown accustomed to what we have. I didn't know better I guess. I think we should go our parted ways, I've thought of that before but I guess I'm  too lazy and conformed, maybe all I needed a better, stronger reason..."

"Like what?" Her dad asked. I looked at her who was still looking away and he caught me doing so. I looked away as red as a tomato.

"Realising there's a whole world out there I still don't know..."

"Good answer kiddo!" Her dad said.

How could a single person mean that much. I look at her and not only I see a whole new world of adventures and possibilities but I see a world where I'm fully happy. I've never felt this way about anyone before, and we've only just met.

"You see, my first love was Giovanna. Her mother. But we were soulmates, we knew it and so did everyone else. We were different in many ways, but in the ones that counted we are just the same. I'm more relaxed, oblivious, a bit messy and she couldn't be more different, you'll see, she's the hostess with the mostest. But we have always been more emotional, loving, affectionate, impulsive and fun driven. If we weren't there'd come the day that every little thing the other did would annoy the first one. Yes, you need to be complimentary in characteristics but in the bigger picture there are some personality traits that need to be a match for it to work..."

"Dad, can you stop this, I don't want you breaking my friends up!" She said quietly. He nodded.

"I'll peaches. Just one thing though, Percy, have you ever felt like you've been struck by lightning, power by electricity because of a girl? Have you ever craved being around her and did things only because you know would make her happy? Got lost so deep into a conversation you could stay in that moment forever?"

He asked and flashbacks came of us talking in her room, of me rushing to buy croissants this morning, of how it felt when she held my hand and how I missed it once she took it away.