HephaestusTV.com (Companion to HephaestusTV and a Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

The Day Before Leaving: Zach's Perspective

"According to him, the girl he likes isn't like that."

"I highly doubt it. Every girl likes some romance."

"Actually-" Zach started.

Percy waved him off and said,"Not now Camera Boy. Can't you see we're having a conversation?"

Percy and Annabeth continued bantering even after Zach snuck out the door to go to the Aphrodite cabin. He lightly tapped on the door and to his disappointment, Drew answered it, holding a bottle of nail polish and a hairbrush.

"What do you want?" she asked. "I'm a little busy, loser. Go away."

Piper came up to the door and said to her sister,"Just let him in." She turned to Zach and said,"Don't mind her. She's always like this when she's packing. So what's up?"

"Not much," he fiddled with the flower again.

"He's lying," Drew said from the bathroom.

"Drew, shut up." Piper said. "If you're done packing then go help Mitchell and Leo on the Argo II." She turned back to him. "So what's the problem?"

"I need some advice. About girls," he answered.

"Never call a girl fat," she said instantly.

"I know that stuff. But I need to know how to ask someone out. Do you have any tips or ideas?"

"You can try one of those weird things like on the Internet. You know that guy that sang to a girl in front of his school and asked her to prom? Try something like that, but adjust it based on the person. Frank knows a fortune cookie guy and you can write what you want on a peice of paper and it'll be in a cookie."

"Maybe not the fortune cookie thing but thanks for the help."

"No problem. And remember, if you get nervous just take a deep breath, close your eyes, count to three, and go for it."

"Yeah, thanks."

"Anytime kid. By the way, is that one of Leo's paper flowers?"

But Zach was already out the door. He headed to the Hephaestus cabin, which was empty because the occupants were all at Bunker 9 getting the ship ready for the journey. He found a pile of the same multicolored flowers in a messy (and slightly scorched) desk drawer next to some tools and scrap metal. He went out the door back to his cabin and grabbed some paper, a pen, scissors, and tape and got straight to work.

He twisted the green wire stems and taped tiny rolls of paper in the middle of each one. It took a good chunk of time, and by the time Zach was done it was almost sunset. He finished everything off with a huge bouquet of faux blossoms and a card clipped to it. Zach waited a few more minutes until everyone was at the pavilion for dinner.

Being careful and quiet, he snuck up to the Hermes cabin and picked the lock with his scissors. He went in and tied the fake roses and daisies and pointsettas to the frames of the bunk, being careful of booby traps that were hidden everywhere (he nearly set off a line of mousetraps). He finished arranging the bouquet in a vase on the nighttable when he heard the cabin members coming back.

Panicking because there wasn't enough time to leave, he jumped behind one of the couches. Just in time too, for the Stoll brothers just opened the door.

"Weird," Connor said. "I swore I locked the door when we left."

Zach mentally facepalmed.

"That's not the only weird thing," Travis said, gesturing to the flowers. "Looks like Persephone puked in here during dinner."