The Seven In High School

Leo Is Hijacked

LEO

Weirded out.

That's how Leo felt looking at the new girl.

Gwendolyn was everything he liked in a girl-smoking hot, bold, confident. Before everything had happened, he would've fallen head over heels for Gwendolyn. Boom! Leo in love.

But, now, after meeting Calypso on Ogygia and falling in love with her, he felt nothing for Gwendolyn. No love. That was weird. Except for the normal friendship love. Because the girl was pretty dang cool, after all.

It was good, and bad, Leo reflected as he lay in his bunk in the Hephaestus cabin for the first time in ages.

After the whole hail, daughter of Apollo thing, the campers had rushed forward to Gwendolyn. Apparently it was because of the whole British thing. The boys found her hot, and the girls found Gwendolyn charming. As soon as Chiron got the campers to back up, Will Solace had offered, as head counselor of the Apollo cabin, to show Gwendolyn around. Gwendolyn agreed instantly, but Chiron insisted it be done tomorrow, as it was late. So Gwendolyn crashed in the Apollo cabin instantly. Hard day fighting monsters for her, before being found by Apollo and handed over to the care of Hermes.

The good? Leo wouldn't become a flaming mess in front of Gwendolyn. He wouldn't try to do something, like, build Gwendolyn a automaton to be her personal assistant only for it to become an axe-flinging robot.

The bad? It proved that he was really in love with Calypso. Leo couldn't fall in love with any other girls anymore.

Well, it was the world's loss. Leo Valdez was off the market. For good.

Leo sat up abruptly. He tossed his blankets off, and jumped off his bunk. As usual, he was in his private room below the cabin. With a few special additions by Leo himself. One just added moments before.

Leo ran his fingers over the thin piece of paper gently. It crinkled under his touch. The face of Calypso stared back at him. He touched her cheek softly.

"I'll come for you someday, Calypso." Leo said. "We will meet again."

***

The moment Leo's head hit the pillow, waves of sleep washed over him instantly and he started dreaming.

Dang, that was weird.

But it just got weirder.

In his dream, a guy was staring at him. He looked like the dude from the Matrix, all slicked-back hair and long black coat.

"You don't look like much. What does the lady see in you, asking me to put you to sleep so she can send you a dream?" the man muttered.

"W-what? Dude, I-"

"It doesn't matter. Best to send you there as soon as possible, before she gets mad." the man said.

The dream shifted and Leo found himself in another place.

He was in a small, dimly-lit place that smelled like roasting coffee beans. The armchair he was sitting in was fairly comfortable, and so was the atmosphere. A smiling person stood at a nearby counter. Across the table from him, a lady perched gracefully on an armchair, sipping a coffee.

She was gorgeous. No, that wasn't doing her any justice. She was breathtakingly stunning, but not as beautiful as Calypso (in his opinion). He couldn't get a fix on her appearance, as her features changed constantly. Her flame-red hair changed into coppery gold curls, and her green eyes turned the color of verdigris.

He'd never met her before in his life, but his friends had described a goddess of this description before.

Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.

"Leo Valdez." Aphrodite mused. "Such an interesting boy."

"Uh, are you Aphrodite?" Leo blurted.

Her laugh sounded like the tinkling of bells, a sound only slightly less melodious than Calypso's laughter.

"Of course I am, dear boy. Now, let's make this quick, shall we? Ares is due to be back any minute now." Aphrodite said. "This is concerning the matter of the, ah, minor request you made on Olympus."

"The tr-true love thing?" Leo coughed out.

Aphrodite frowned. "Here, have something to drink. Don't want you getting sick just before-" she squealed and clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh, silly me. Mustn't ruin the surprise!"

"What surprise?" Leo asked warily. But Aphrodite just smiled, her hair turning as black as night and her blue eyes sparkling.
"Nothing. Have some coffee." She indicated the waxed paper cup sitting on the table, filled with steaming liquid. "It's a latte, with whipped cream."

Leo took the cup and sipped. It was good, he realized with surprise.

"Leo Valdez, you wished for true love. And you are destined for that. Despite that attitude, a kind, loyal person lurks beneath." Aphrodite said seriously. "You have faced many trials in your love life. But do not mourn anymore, because your time of sorrow is up. Love will find you, very soon."

"Okay." Leo said, freaked out. "Is this why you jacked my dream? To tell me that love is coming?"

"It has always been, dear boy."

"Then why did I have to go through so much?" he demanded.

Aphrodite laughed gently. "Sorrow comes before joy, Leo Valdez."

Leo had so many questions for Aphrodite, but before he could ask any, he heard the roar of a motorbike in the distance. Aphrodite's eyes widened.

"Ares comes. You must go before he sees you. Goodbye, Leo Valdez." Aphrodite said, waving her hand elegantly.

Leo's dream dissolved, and the last thing he saw was a mane of caramel-colored hair.