Dear Reader [1]

05 - This Time We Blow Up A Train

"You should have eaten at Medusa's" Grover told her, a bit worried. Corey smiled at him, "I appreciate it kid" Corey smiled at him. Annabeth claimed the bottom bunk, sitting down. "You boys change in one of the bathrooms, I'll stay with Annabeth" Corey told them, handing a set of clothes for the night to each of them. They nodded and set off.

Corey pulled the blind of the cabin and locked the door. She opened the bag, handing Annabeth some clothes. "Thank you" She spoke, taking off her jacket. "Wait..." Corey put the bag down and took something out of her pocket. "...come here" Corey held a light green silk scarf. Annabeth walked up to her, turning around, "You know how to protect braids?" She questioned, with a softer voice than Corey had heard her use.

"Well, when I was your age camp was just as divided as the world. One of my closest friends had braids. We all learned how to manage textured curls, braids and how to take care of their hair in case they ended up in the infirmary" Corey explained as she placed the scarf on Annabeth's head. She then tied it underneath, using the rest to wrap as much as her braids she could.

"There, not my best but it should last the night. Knock once you're done getting changed" Corey smiled, ready to leave the room to allow her privacy. "Uh Corey" Annabeth turned to her before she left the cabin. She turned her head, "Yeah?" She smiled at her. Annabeth smiled too, a genuine one. "Thank you...it means a lot" Annabeth told her. "Sweetie, you never need to thank me" Corey told her before leaving the cabin.

As she heard Annabeth lock the door, Corey turned to see Percy waiting for her. "Thought I told you to get dressed?" Corey crossed her arms at him. "Thought you said you'd be fine without food?" Percy sassed back at her. Corey opened her mouth to talk only to be interrupted by her growling stomach. Percy looked smug, "You should listen to your stomach" He pointed at her stomach.

"Show the way to the food Mr Smartass" Corey deflated.

~Ψ~

Percy watched as Corey ate her fries slowly, she looked at him with her eyebrow raised. "Are you gonna watch me in silence?" Corey asked him, sitting back against the booth they were sitting in. "If you eat? Yeah, you've been looking after all of us but no one's looking after you" Percy stated, crossing his arms. Corey huffed, sliding the plate between them "Then help me, I don't have much of an appetite" She told him. Percy gave in, taking some fries.

"So" Corey clicked her tongue, "You gonna tell me about the secret you three are sharing or am I going to make you squeal" She smirked at him softly. Percy glared at her, he knew what she was doing. "I...I never told Chiron the full prophecy the oracle gave me" Percy told her, fiddling with his hands. "What did you leave out?" Corey asked, biting into a chicken nugget before looking at it in shock, Why was it so good?

"You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend" Percy spoke, feeling the chills up his spine from when he first heard the line. "And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end" The both spoke at the same time. Percy looked at Corey with a bit of anger, "You knew!" He exclaimed at her. "Keep your voice down" Corey told him gently, seeing some staff look at them weirdly.

Corey made sure he was calm before talking, "I heard the prophecy while I was waiting for you" She told him softly. Percy nodded, "But you didn't say anything? Not to Annabeth or Grover. To me?" Percy asked, trying to understand why Corey didn't say anything to him. "This is your quest Sea Pup, I'm hitchhiking because I want to keep you safe. All three of you. I didn't say anything because it's your quest, you are the one who Zeus believes took the bolt and it's not my place to go telling people what you keep to yourself" She explained to him, her eyes filled with a familiar sadness.

Percy had only seen one person almost cry the way Corey did. His mom. Corey reminded him of Sally Jackson. The way she made sure they ate, had clothes for the night and she didn't even think about herself.