Cassandra's Curse

{5} Next thing you know someone will tell me that unicorns exist as well.

The cabbie looked at us like we were nuts.

“Are you sure you wanna get out here? I can’t wait for you.”

Percy handed him some money, “we’ll be fine, thanks.”

We got out of the cab and walked up the hill. We walked past a pine tree with a gold sheet hanging off it. No it was not a sheet it was some sort of fleece.

There was some kind of giant green lizard coiled under the tree.

I coughed when I realized it had wings.

“Whoa Tyson,” I grabbed onto his arm as I swayed, “I think I need to lie down.”

He grinned and said, “We are nearly there Cassie.”

I stopped trying to observe everything as we walked to the big farm-house.

But people appeared, curiously eying me.

They carried sharp bronze and golden objects and walked in groups.

We passed a group of giggling girls who burst into a laughing fit when we walked past.

When we finally stopped at the farm-house, I felt like I just ran a marathon. I hated all the eyes on me. I resented the attention.

I scowled at the group of girls. They saw me and fell silent.

I nodded to myself and continued walking.

I saw a glint in Annabeth’s eye, “You know what Cassie? I could get to like you.”

I didn’t respond.

We stopped at a table where two people sat playing cards.

One of them looked like a cherub with a drinking problem.

The other had a beard and wore a tweed jacket over a t-shirt that showed a picture of a horse’s head on a man’s body. The caption read; try it the other way around. The man sat in a wheel-chair.

We came to a stop at their table.

The man in the wheel-chair looked at us with a twinkle in his eye.

“Ahh there you are. Is this her, Tyrone?” he eyed Tyrone with a smile.

Tyrone stumbled forward and bowed his head, “yes sir.”

The drunk-cupid-smelly-guy burped, “weren’t you only just assigned to her school?”

Tyrone nodded and didn’t say anything else.

I wondered why he didn’t meet the fatso’s eyes.

Percy sat down next to him and pulled Annabeth down to sit on his lap, she laughed and lightly backhanded him on the shoulder.

I repressed a smile.

I had always liked to see couples together. I could always tell whether they’ll last or not.

I thought Annabeth and Percy would last.

I watched Tyson sit down next to Tyrone who was chewing on his lower lip.

I didn’t sit; I wasn’t comfortable there, in the spotlight.

As soon as possible I would fade into the background as always.

I crossed my arms and looked down.

“So, tell me who this is.” The man in the wheel-chair said.

Annabeth smiled, “this is Cassandra Nix. We found her at Goode.”

They shared a laugh.

I raised an eyebrow with an angry set to my mouth. But I didn’t say anything.

“Well, Cassie, I’m Chiron. I will be your instructor here at Camp Half-Blood.

Chiron? Like the centaur guy? What? Oh my god, I had to know what was going on! “Can you just be straight with me?”

Chiron mirrored my raised eyebrow, “Annabeth?”

She nodded, “what did I tell you?”

Are they serious? What did they mean? When did Annabeth get the time to tell him anything without me noticing?

Chiron rolled over to me in his chair.

“So, you obviously have a little bit of the Charmspeak ability. Annabeth was right. Mother is defiantly Aphrodite, she and Piper could be twins.”

My eyes were wide and my mind was spinning.

My first thought was, Charmspeak? Then the next parade of questions were along the lines of: Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love? How could she be my mom? And who is Piper?

Chiron turns to Tyson, “Speaking of Piper, you should go get her. Last seen she was leading a Chariot race against the Apollo cabin. Please be quick Tyson. The poor girl needs to know.”

I glared at the floor.

“Just tell me.” I muttered, looking him in the eyes. He looked like he was struggling with something before closing his eyes and turning to Percy.

“Percy, Annabeth can you please go get Leo. I think he’ll be a good friend for her. He was last seen in the Bunker.”

They left at a run, holding hands.

I remained where I was.

Chiron rolled back over to the table and told me to sit down.

I glared at him.

“I am not the type of girl to stand here and be ignored Chiron! I would at least like to be talked about like I’m actually here, rather than be discounted because, according to you, I have a mother who is a goddess of love. Well I don’t believe it, okay? Because I am not shallow, nor will I ever be.” I ended in a huff as Tyson came back with who I assumed was Piper.

I honestly didn’t know what to think of her.

She had dark shimmering hair. To me, she was really pretty, despite her ripped jeans and black wind-breaker. Her hair looked like she attacked it with a knife. But the only thing I took notice of was her eyes.

They were exactly like mine.

They shimmered with colours, but unlike mine, hers were natural eye colours (blues, greens, browns) whereas mine were unnatural, (purples, oranges, silvers, gold’s).

Chiron was right.

We really could’ve been twins.

Her face broke into a wide grin.

She looked at me as if she found a long lost sister.

I couldn’t help but grin back.

“Hey,” she said, extending her hand, “I’m Piper, head counselor in the Aphrodite cabin. Let’s get out of here. We have so much to talk about.”

I grumbled slightly but her voice soothed me. I walked with her out into the fields of strawberries.