𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓛𝓲𝓷𝓮 // Clarisse La Rue

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓔𝓲𝓰𝓽𝓱

Things were still tense in the aftermath of the party. The ares and Athena table were still exchanging glares, but everyone else seemed a bit more calm. Still tense but maybe a bit less.

But Florence herself became a lot more tense when she was in the stables. She was tending to the pegasi along with Silena when Noah Alden walked in, determination stamped on his face.

"Can we talk?" He asked but it sounded less like a question and more like a demand.

"Lenny, would you give us a moment?" She asked. Silena nodded and gave Florence's hand a firm squeeze before leaving.

"So... Daisy's your new plaything." He accused her.

"No, of course not." She says.

"How can I trust you?" Noah replied. "It was the same with me, a stupid game of spin the bottle and well downhill from there..."

"I was there." She said sharply. "No need to relive it."

"You see, that's where we disagree. You don't want to face what you did but I won't let you forget it. Not when you're doing the same thing to Daisy."

"I'm not-" She began.

"You can't do that to Daisy she's sweet and kind-"

"I won't!" She yelled.

"What makes this time any different?" Noah raised his voice.

"Everything!"

There's a beat of silence.

"Is it because she's a girl?" He asks. "Because I don't care if you don't like guys, I care that you led me on for a whole summer!"

"It's not just that." She says.

"Then what is it?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you..."

"Try me."

"Well there's this... rite of passage let's call it that." Florence began. "We need to make someone fall for us and... break their heart. I liked you as a friend but you were just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

He scoffed at her. "I knew you were a bitch but I didn't take you for a liar too. If you hurt Daisy, I'll make you regret it, you can't keep leading people on and then discard them like they're nothing..." He said before walking off.

The tears rolled down her cheeks freely. They had been such good friends, maybe in a universe they still could be. Best Friends. And she had lost him all because of this stupid curse.

꒰🕊꒱

Things had started out normally last summer. Florence had gone to her first camp party and when it came time for a game of spin the bottle. One of her best friends, Noah Alden, who was still unclaimed at the time, spun the bottle and it landed on Florence.

It was her first kiss. Quick and awkward. Noah didn't know what he was doing and by the time Florence's instincts kicked in she kissed him back but realized she wasn't enjoying it at all. She couldn't help but thank the gods when he pulled away.

She knew Noah wasn't the problem. He had long eyelashes and dark hair, and a couple of Hermes girls had called him pretty more than once. She didn't think he was ugly, but he wasn't interesting. Not in the same way she couldn't pull her eyes away from loose curls escaping ponytails, glossy lips, skirts brushing against bare thighs, the way armor fit on top of curves, colorful nails on delicate hands holding onto spears or pulling arrows out of a quiver.