Perhaps it's Meant to Be

Chapter 5

Rachel's POV
       
             Yesterday during my talk with Piper she told me to confront my feelings, but I felt too embarrassed, too ashamed to think that Octavian could ever like me back. But now that I think about it I wished that I had confronted it all. Because now I probably will never see him until the next time Camp Jupiter visits. And by the time that happens he'll probably have already forgotten about me. And even if he does remember I'll probably just be that annoying girl who he had to share a room with. I never really told Piper who I liked, but all she knew was that it was someone from Camp Jupiter.
       
             I've always had a lost piece of my heart, but losing Octavian only made that piece bigger. That lost piece had always been love. It started with my parents. They never really did anything to show any sort of affection towards me. In public they seemed like the perfect parents who had the perfect little girl, but I'm reality it's the parents who only care about themselves and a broken girl who gets treated like a doll. That was when I started painting, to let out my emotions and feelings.

             I had liked Percy at one point, but it wasn't really a huge thing. It was kind of that very first small affection you feel for someone kind of thing, but my feelings for Octavian are all over the place.
       
              During dinner I pick on my steak with a plastic fork. I have my elbow on the table and chin on my palm. I don't really eat, but take small bits of the steak every now and then. I sigh, it's different having nobody to sit with and talk to. Sure Octavian was annoying, but he was pretty good company. Piper looks over at me from her table and starts coming over with her food in hand.
         
            "Feeling down?" Asks Piper in a sympathetic voice. I just nod still looking down at my food. "Look I know things can be tough at first, but sooner or later  things will start turning up!" Says Piper in a cheerful tune.

            I think for a moment before speaking. "Can we speak in private?" I ask.  Piper nods while brushing the chocolate brown hair out of her face.

            After dinner Piper and I meet up in my cave. "So who's the lucky guy?" Asks Piper with a smirk.
  
              Should I tell her? I think about it and consider the odds. Yes she may be shocked, but her mother is the goddess of love after all. I'm quite sure that Piper will understand, no matter who it is or what they've done. Plus she loves hearing about Romeo and Juliet type of love stories, no matter what people tell you about Piper hating those type of things.

             I take a deep breath then let it all out. I tell her about how we hated each other at first, but how I grew to love those small little fights the most. I tell her about how his smirks fill my heart with warmth, and how his deep blue eyes seem to see right through me. I talk to her about how much pain I felt that morning when he left without a goodbye, how I felt so incomplete without him. I tell Piper how lonely it feels without him, and how much I hate being without his presence. Then I stop talking and look at Piper. I expect a confused expression or even a furious one. But instead Piper is moved to tears.

            "That was so beautiful!" Said Piper while sniffling, and wiping the tears out of her face. "The way you feel about Octavian makes me think of Jason." Says Piper with a sorrowful smile. I can tell she's trying hard not to break down.

            Piper tells me that she fully supports me with this, and that she could try to charm speak Chiron into hosting Camp Jupiter a little earlier than usual. I consider this, but decide to tell her that it's not necessary. I then thank her and tell her to hurry back to her Cabin before curfew. Piper nods with a smile then turns to leave.

            That night I woke up with a shriek escaping my mouth. It all seemed so real. I was with my aunt, the only person who was ever there for me. We were walking through a beautiful forest scattered with Autumn leaves hand in hand. I could see her striking blue eyes and flowing brown hair so vividly and clear. You wouldn't be able to tell that we were related through looks, but with personality. We both had the same interests and hobbies. Aunt Matilda always knew what I needed even when I didn't. She was the only person who truly understood me.

              Everything was so terrifying. All the memories of the fire went through my head. The way my aunt begged me to run, how six year-old me screamed as she was engulfed with flames.
 
             I longed for Octavian. He always looked so peaceful when he slept that it was reassuring. I don't know why, but his soft expression made me feel that things were gonna be ok. Yet I will never see it again. Immediately ducked under the covers before I did something stupid, like cry.

            Well that backfired. I ended up sobbing on my pillow the whole night until I finally fell asleep.