Legends, Percy Jackson

ix. she's a communist!

     She nodded in understanding. "And . . . who's Silena?"

     In response, he turned around and tapped a girl on the shoulder. She snapped her head towards him, seemingly angry, but it subsided in a flash when she noticed who it was. "Oh. Hi, Conner. What is it?"

     Conner turned back to Nina. "This is Silena. Silena, Nina," he introduced.

     "Um . . ." Nina looked at the girl. Yeah, her brain was short-circuiting. Her hair was just so elegant, and her face was just so perfect. She was reminded of her first impression of Artemis━so beautiful that her lungs failed her. But it was different. Artemis's appearance was alluring; pretty like the moon and the stars. Silena, though, her beauty attracted eyes at every table. She was captivating. "Hi."

Silena waved, but her arms were tense. "Hey! Nice to meet you, Nina," she smiled. "You just got here, right? With those Hunters."

Nina would be an idiot not to detect the malice in her voice. She frowned. "What's wrong with them?"

"It's just . . ." she sighed. "Ugh. It's nothing, really, I guess."

"They're not all bad."

"Yeah," Conner added helpfully. "Nina's friends with them, she'd know."

Silena turned sharply. "You're friends with them?"

Nina glared at Conner. "Why the fuck would you say that? Why?" She looked back at Silena. "I'm friends with one of them. Bianca. She just joined." She spared a glance at Nico beside her, who was pointedly ignoring the conversation. "They really aren't that bad, though! Why don't you like them?"

"They're just so against love. It makes me angry." Silena sighed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I got into an argument with that girl earlier," she pointed at a girl with dark skin and darker curly hair, "and she told me love is worthless! Is she fucking for real? Love? Worthless? She loves people, too, doesn't she? It's not like romance is the only type of love in existence! Seriously!"

     Nina frowned. "You're right. The Hunters, they give me the impression that they don't hang around non-hunters often. I think they're just generalizing you because your mother is the goddess of Love, right?" Silena nodded. "I don't think they're very fond of her. Maybe you could just try explaining that to them? That it's a stereotype━thinking all you care about is romance and romantic love." She quieted down and shrugged, suddenly feeling awkward. ". . . I'm not sure I'm able to give you the best advice on it."

Silena studied her. "They're also being real assholes about us caring about our looks. That's just mean. I thought girls supported girls, but whatever. What you said, though━that's helpful, actually. The explaining stuff. Thank you. I was just going to punch her."

     Conner said, "that's those Aphrodite emotions acting up." Silena stared at him. Nina stared at him. Travis stared at him. He frowned. "Why did I say that. You should just punch her anyway. That would be funny."

     "You are helpless," Silena informed him.

     "Yeah," he agreed, turning back towards Nina. "So, do you want to help us prank the Hunters tonight? Please say yes."

"Absolutely not."

     "I thought you were cool. I thought we were bonding as cabin mates," he sighed. Suddenly, his face lit up with a golden sheen. He stopped talking. Nina tried to look behind her, to check where the light was coming from, but all she saw were dozens of eyes staring back at her. She turned back to Conner.