The Hidden Truth: The Rise [NOT EDITED!]

Chapter 15: Jo

        Holy Hera! What  just happened?          

        First, I got to flip Leo onto his back and into the dirt, which I’m sure angered Bianca. Second, I got to go to the Armory to get a FREE weapon. Sure, none of them felt right - they were either too heavy or unbalanced or the blade was bent at a weird angle that made it feel awkward. But hey, they were free. The best thing, though had to be when Bianca flipped out at Clarisse. Then, she burst into black flames from her hands. Like, what the Hades?

        Once she calmed down a bit, her flames died down. Leo and I ran up to the Big House with Bianca in tow. When we got to Chiron, we were out of breath, causing Leo to tell everything in pieces.

        “Bianca … necklace … mad … hand … black fire! So cool!” The poetic stylings of Leo, everyone. 

        That was all Leo said. I nodded in agreement before laughing at Leo’s ‘so cool’ statement. Chiron looked at Bianca puzzled, but then he said, “Bianca come with me. Mr. Valdez and Miss Martin back to your lessons.” Oh come on. I want to go too.   

        Leo and I watched from the wraparound porch on the Big House as Chiron walked Bianca towards the Pegasus stables. We were silent for a while; the only sounds to be heard were satyrs played their songs in the strawberry fields and swords clashing in the arena. After what seemed like ten minutes, I turned towards Leo.

        “Do you think she could be a daughter of Hephaestus?” I asked him.

        The reaction I received was priceless. Leo’s face turned a deep shade of scarlet red, his hands balled into fist and burst into blistering hot flames. He growled, “She better not be!” at the sky. Awe, someone has it bad.

        “Chill, dude,” I said with a laugh. “What, do you like, have a crush on her?” I added teasingly, even though I already knew the answer.

        “Umm… ahh… nah… wah… uhh… is it that obvious?”He asked after hesitating for a while.  Duh!

        Leo’s response was the funniest thing since his encounter with the snow princess in Quebec. I was hysterically dying of laughter.

        I so ship him and Bianca. Leonca? Maybe. It’s not that bad. Biaeo? Nope! I’ll just come up with their ship name later. And then comes the fanfiction. Then their kid’s names, muy hahahahaha.   

        “Yes, but lucky for you, Bianca couldn’t be any more oblivious about your feelings for her.” I said reinsuring Leo with a smile.

        “You’re – you’re not going to tell her, right?” He asked me cowering shyly. Oh come on. I’m not that mean. 

        “That depends …” I looked at him. Leo was petrified.

        “I’M KIDDING!” I told him with a laugh. Geez, where’s the trust, buddy. “Besides, I’m going to make you tell her. And soon.”

        Before he could respond, the conch shell sound for the umpteenth time today, signaling free time. Leo and I headed towards the canoe lake. Instead of sitting down on the dock, we plopped our self under a nearby tree.

        The sight of the dock reminded me of the other night, when I bumped into Nico. He was on my mind a lot lately. I couldn’t stop thinking about his smile, how relaxed he seemed when it was just the two of us, the way he held me- NO JO! STOP IT! You can’t let anyone get close to you. You need to stop thinking like this.