Tell Me You Love Me

1,000 Lakes(Onety-Onety-Eight)

Luke's POV

Late July

Our parents decided that we should take a week in the summer to go on vacation. They talked to Chiron and got permission to take us out of Camp for a week. They went over all the possible options with the portals and finally decided on Minnesota. They rented a cabin(it had to be huge to accommodate all of us) and Leo and Calypso worked to make a "super-duper mega awesome speed boat' (Leo's words not mine) that would magically provide enough room for everyone.

Two days before we were supposed to leave, after that days activities, I crossed the portal to Camp Jupiter with all the other kids so we could pack. I was throwing some clothes in a bag when Dad walked in with a basket of laundry.

"You should invite Noah to come along," he suggested.

I spun around, eyes wide with excitement. "Can I?"

He laughed. "Yes, go ahead. Leo, Calypso, and I talked about it, and Milo's gonna invite his girlfriend."

"Taylor's coming then?" I asked, a little less enthusiastic. Dad raised an eyebrow. "If she's able to, yes."

I forced a smile. "Awesome."

Ethan(9) ran in the room then. "Can I bring my girlfriend?" he asked eagerly.

"And whose your girlfriend?" Dad asked, amused.

Ethan thought about it for a second and then shrugged, running back out of the room.

After all my bags were packed, I headed back to Camp for the camp fire. I spotted Noah in the light of the fire and sat down beside him.

"Oh hi," he said, smiling. He grabbed my hand, "I'm gonna miss you when you're gone."

"About that," I said, not able to hide my smile. "Would you like to come with us for the week?"

It took him a second, but his eyes widened. "Spend the whole week with you? In Minnesota? On the lake, tubing, boating? Oh my gods, I would love to! That would be so much fun!"

I laughed. "Well, before you get too excited, you should know that there'll be a lot of people there. You'll meet the rest of my family and who I like to call my 'extended family'--"

"Wait, I'll get to meet the actual legends of the Prophecy?!?"

"I mean, when you put it like that--"

"Oh my gods."

"Should I be jealous that you only want to go to meet my extended family?" I asked.

"Oh no, I agreed to go with you. But this is just a super-freaking-amazing bonus!" Noah assured.

"Well pack for the week and tomorrow we'll bring your bags to my house so Dad can pack the car," I said.

Noah stood up and pulled me along by my hand.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm packing right now."

I sighed and let him pull me along. "Okay."

*

"Is everyone buckled?" Dad asked from the driver's seat. 

"I still don't understand why we're taking the car if we just have to go through the portal to Minnesota," I said from the back where Noah and I were sitting. The twins got the middle row and Ari called shotgun.

"Well the Minnesota portal lets out in St. Paul, so it's about a three hour drive to Detriot Lakes, where our cabin is," Dad explained.

The car arrangement is as follows: my family plus Noah in our car, Valdez's in another(minus Taylor because none of us were aware that Milo and Taylor broke it off last month apparently), Grace's in one car, Underwoods in another, and Zhang's, Solace-di Angelo's, and Reyna in the last one. So many cars. Oh and Milo insisted he must bring Ajax along as well.

We ended up watching The Little Mermaid(Bianca's pick) on the way out of St. Paul to Detroit Lakes, but Noah and I shared earbuds and listened to music the whole way.

When we finally pulled into the driveway of the cabin, I was amazed. It was huge! Hazel and Frank, who had picked out the cabin, led the tour. But first, introductions.

"So, everyone, this is my boyfriend Noah Williams," I said.

Noah blushed and waved.

All the adults went around and introduced themselves, but Noah already knew who they were. After that, I quickly gave names of all the kids.

And then it was into the cabin.

"So this is the main level," Hazel said, showing us around. The first thing I saw was the TV sitting room on one side of a partial wall. On the other side was a huge kitchen spread and an even bigger dining table.

Hazel led us to the left though, and opened a door. Inside were two bunk beds. "Riley, Sammy, Milo, and Rose, you'll be in here," she said.

All four of them, even Milo who was 15, ran forward to call a bunk. The next door was a bathroom and beyond that was a bedroom with two double beds. Dad was to sleep in one, while Reyna and Emily shared the other. And next to that one, with windows facing the lake, was a bigger room with one double bed for Jason and Piper.

"I was thinking we could stick an air mattress in here for your girls?" Hazel asked, apologetic.

"No of course, where ever they can sleep is fine. So long as everyone's got a place to sleep," Piper assured.

She led us to the living room again. "Luke and Ethan, I have another air mattress to stick here, and Noah, if you don't mind, you'll be on the couch."

Noah nodded enthusiastically, more than happy with whatever Hazel said. 

Then Hazel and Frank led the way to the second floor. Off the stairs, in the general area there was a game table and a ping pong table(I made a mental note to suggest a tournament later on). There was another TV with a sectional couch and a chair. Along the left wall was a bathroom, a room with a double bed for Ariana and Bianca, another bedroom with a double bed for Leo and Calypso, and the Master Suite for Hazel and Frank/

Along the other wall was a bathroom, a room with a double bed for Nico and Will, and room for another air mattress, this one single, for Maria. And the last bedroom had two double beds, one for Grover and Juniper, and one for the triplets.

With that, Frank told everyone to get their swimsuits on and meet in the backyard where the super awesome speed boat was waiting for a cruise around the lake.