Equilibrium

Chapter 7: Jackie's POV

I sit slumped under Thalia's pine on Half-Blood hill, lazily watching the clouds float by through the clear blue sky as a soft breeze toys with my already messy hair. It sure is beautiful out, but I can hardly appreciate it. Anticipation is eating at my insides, sending little butterflies of nervousness into my stomach. It's been a whole day since I got the prophecy, and I haven't eaten since. I don't know why I'm so nervous. Sure, I'm terribly excited to be going on a quest, but I know it'll be dangerous. I can't stand just waiting around and doing nothing. I wish he'd just hurry up and arrive... that Roman, I mean. Chiron said he'd be getting here sometime this afternoon. What was his name again? Luka? Hmph. I hope he can take a joke, otherwise this quest is going to be booooring. I'm worried he'll try to show me up and be all tough since he's a Roman, but hopefully he'll just be chill. I could use a legitimate friend. Maybe he'll actually think I'm worth something.

Woahhh there Jackie. Don't get your hopes up. He could be a total asshole. Either way, you're stuck with him.

I sigh, trying to quiet the voices in my head. Whatever he's like, I'll just have to put up with him and do this thing. In the comfortable shade of the pine, I start to feel myself dozing off. I could use some sleep... I barely got any last night. My eyelids flutter closed and I'm about to drift off when suddenly I hear a loud flapping noise, like a giant bird coming in for a landing. Startled, I blink open my eyes and jump to my feet. Before me stand two pegasi, one black and one a dappled gray. I immediately recognize the black one as Blackjack, Percy Jackson's favorite, but I don't think I've ever seen the gray before. A girl slides down gracefully from Blackjack's back and gives him a little pat on the neck. She has curly caramel hair and beautiful golden eyes.

"Hey Hazel!" I grin at the girl before me.

"Oh hey-" she starts, but cuts off as she's tackled into a hug by Frank Zhang. Wait a second. When did he get here? Wait... the gray Pegasus is gone. Ohhh my gods he must have shape shifted. That dude is so cool.

"Hey Jackie!" Frank untangles himself from his girlfriend and runs over to give me a quick hug. "How've you been? With the news of the prophecy and all?"

"Oh... you know-"

"Jackie?" An unfamiliar voice cuts me off. Rude. I don't like to be interrupted. I peer around Frank's shoulder towards the direction of the voice.

Then I see him.

A boy dismounts somewhat clumsily from Blackjack's back and walks over in my direction. He has perfect chocolate brown hair, piercing sky blue eyes, and he's rather tall and lanky, but you can tell he's still muscular. He walks with a sort of confidence that speaks volumes, and his whole attitude says "don't mess with me". I don't know if I like that. Hmph. Oh, and did I mention that his jawline could cut a bitch? Yeah. This dude is seriously attractive, so naturally, I hate him already.

"Uh, yeah that's me. Jackie Elway. And... you are?" The kid towers over me and looks me up and down like he's judging my character. "Luka. Luka Del Rosso." Gods. Are you kidding me right now? This is the kid I'm going on a quest with?

He sticks out his hand like he wants to shake mine, but I just raise an eyebrow and give him a smirk. This kid has barely said anything to me and he's already on my nerves. Why? I can't really say. Is it fair for me to judge him already? Maybe not. But I'm a Hermes kid. Messing with people is kinda my thing.

"Right, um. Ok then." He takes a step back and averts his gaze, letting his hand drop. I narrow my eyes. Is it just me, or is he blushing? Nah it's probably just me. I gotta figure out what makes this kid tick before I ever consider working with him.

"Hey... so you two are the one's from the prophecy! That means you'll be questing together!" Hazel breaks the awkward silence.

"Yeah, uh, we should probably go talk to Chiron. You know... tell him Luka's arrived," Frank adds.

"Yeah," I sigh, "Let's go." Luka just gives a little nod and follows close behind me as Hazel and Frank lead the way down the hill towards the Big House. I can't help but feel like Luka's staring at me. I turn around and catch his gaze. Yup. Definitely staring. Hmph. I sidle up next to him and give him a friendly little bump with my shoulder, which seems to make him a little uncomfortable, to my delight. Ohoho, the fun has just begun.

"Sooooo how's New Rome?" He looks at me, confused as to why I'm suddenly being friendly.

"Um... cool I guess. It was beautiful, from what I saw of it, but I really wasn't there long. They told me I was part of some prophecy the day I got there and then they shipped me off the very next day to here..."

"Hmm. That kinda sucks. But hey, at least you get to go on a quest! And on your second day of being a demigod. That's really lucky."

"Lucky?!" He splutters, "You mean you want to go on this quest? Isn't it going to be, oh I don't know, dangerous?" I roll my eyes at him. Holy Hera, what have I gotten myself into?

"I've been stuck here for 6 years, and it's about time I got out and saw the world. I'm a year round camper and Chiron won't let me leave for anything. This quest is the best thing that ever happened to me... whether I die on it or not," I shrug. It's true. Luka blinks at me in surprise.

"So... you've been at this camp since you were how old?"

"Since I was 10. I'm 16 now. I'm assuming you're like 16 too?" He nods.

"So... why are you a year round camper? Don't you ever get out to visit your parents?"

"Yeah well my dad is Hermes and mom is an

abusive drug addict so... nope. I've been stuck here." Shit. Why did I tell him that? I didn't mean to open up like that. Where the fuck had that come from?! Nobody besides myself, Annabeth (who I'd befriended a couple years back and often confided in), and Chiron knew about my mom... being around this kid is doing weird things to me. I'd best just shut up and avoid giving him my whole life story.

"Oh... I'm sorry." I look up into his pretty blue eyes and to my surprise, I see that he's genuinely sincere. Oh lord. What have I done? How was he supposed to respond to that? Gods. I could kick myself right now.

"Whatever it's fine." I look at the ground and trudge onward in silence, speeding up my steps a bit.

We reach the big house and I race up the steps and knock on the door loudly.

"Chiron, they're here!"

The centaur appears in the doorway in his wheelchair and wheels himself out onto the front porch. He steps out of his chair into his full horse-man form, tossing his while tail gracefully behind him. I smirk as I notice Luka go pale with shock.

"Hello Jaquelin! Hazel! Frank! So nice to see you again. And you must be Luka, I presume?" Chiron shakes hands with Luka, who gives the centaur a little "nice to meet you" before raising an eyebrow at me like "this is how you shake hands." That cocky little son of a-

"So! Hazel and Frank, I'm sure you have some friends down at the dining pavilion who would love to see you! Luka, I'll let Jackie fill you in on what she knows about the prophecy. Then, I'm afraid, we'll provide you with supplies and bid farewell."

"But Chiron-" I begin to protest, but the centaur silences me with a wave of his hand.

"Dear child, I've told you everything I know about that prophecy. You can fill in your partner here. And it really would be best that you leave for your quest before sundown tomorrow... there is a deadline, after all."

"Okay," I sigh. Chiron gives me an encouraging little smile and heads off towards the amphitheater as Hazel and Frank make their way to the dining pavilion. And sure enough, I'm left alone with Luka.