rhea of the valley - percy jackson

⚚ chapter six ⚚

"so, pack up your car, put a hand on your heart, say whatever you feel, be wherever you are" - you're gonna go far, noah kahan

Rhea's indecision was rearing its ugly head. She couldn't decide what to pack. Rhea's mind could think up a million different scenarios in which she would need even the most unassuming item.

Connor and Travis weren't helping, they kept trying to convince her pranks were more important to pack than spare underwear.

Rhea was glad they were helping, at least. They hadn't been thrilled when she announced her news. No one in the cabin had. Rhea knew that she was on the younger side of campers in the cabin, and that a lot of them saw her as an annoying younger sister (much less one who couldn't swing a sword for the life of her, not a trait that inspired them with a lot of hope for Rhea's survival in a quest guaranteeing monsters), but their worry had begun to dampen her excitement, giving her anxiety a window to creep back in.

Luke was the most adamant that she shouldn't go. He looked as if Rhea had struck in the face when she told him.

Rhea knew where he was coming from. It wasn't like his quest had gone well, and Luke just wanted what was best for her. But for once, Rhea wanted to do something that felt like a bad idea.

"You don't need that many shirts, Rhea." Travis scoffed, flinging an orange Camp Half Blood T-shirt away.

Rhea snatched it back, handing it to Ethan who sat cross legged next to her, dutifully folding her clothes. "Yes I do! Sweat, blood, dirt: I don't want to be stuck in gross clothes the entire trip. To fight my best I need to look and feel my best. It's psychology Trav. Besides, you're a guy. It's not like you're the poster boy for hygiene."

Travis and Connor shared humoured looks. "Sureee, that's why you wanna look your best Rhee Rhee."

Rhea swatted him. "Don't call me that. And what is that supposed to mean?"

Travis shrugged. His permanent smile stretched, mischievousness twinkling in his eyes. "Just that maybe there is someone who you might want to look good for on the quest."

Ethan froze, but Rhea scrunched up her nose. "You guys are so weird you know that?"

Rhea pretended she didn't see the knowing look the twins shared.

She took the folded top from Ethan, he had yet to unfreeze and was shooting the twins one of his signature lethal glares. In total, she was packing two extra tops, an extra pair of jeans, and a knitted sweater. She stuffed in her toiletry bag which had her toothbrush, toothpaste, a hairbrush, sunscreen, moisturiser, and extra pads. She had been shadowing Lee in the infirmary for a little bit, she liked healing and liked feeling like she was contributing, and he had taught her that stress and physical trauma could do wacky things to your period, so Rhea figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Then came some extra underwear, a sports bra, a pair of socks, hair ties, and Anne of Green Gables in Greek for when she got bored. She also packed some extra human money and Drachmas, as well as chips she stole from under Connor's mattress (Note, don't ever look under a teenage boy's mattress again, Rhea was scarred), and some granola bars.

She slipped her iPod, her most prized possession into her front pocket. It was the nicest thing her dad had ever gotten her. Granted, that was a low bar because Rhea was lucky when he bought groceries, but it held some of the few happy memories she had about her dad. Over her Camp Half Blood T-shirt and baggy light wash jeans, she strapped her throwing knives to sit atop her waist, three on each side. Chiron had gifted them to her on her eleventh birthday after she had finally discovered a weapons task she didn't suck at.