The afternoon sun burns into my pale skin, reddening my shoulders. The rays shimmer the quite waves of the Canoe lake. Above, birds fly in the open blue sky as the breeze blows my hair from my face. I take in the scene, a deep breath flowing out of my mouth.
"Mack!" Christene, the daughter of Aphrodite yells, making me jump. She scoops her paddle out of the water and splashes me. "Were you even listening to anything I was saying?"
"Oh course," I grumble. "And for the last time, don't call me that. It's Mackenzie."
"Same thing," She waves her hand in the air. "Anyway, we need to talk about what happened last night," Her finger jabs into my bright orange life jacket. It holds on tightly to me, a reminder of the humiliation of not knowing how to swim.
From the very back of the canoe, Penny laughs. We sit in a straight line facing ahead, so I can't see her face. My eyebrows crease in confusion. "What happened last night?'
"Don't play dumb," Christene says. "Everybody already knows."
My fingers tighten around my paddle. No, they can't know. Penny's laughing, and I'm sure nobody would laugh if they found out I was the daughter of Nyx. "Please do remind me of my secret."
This time, Penny speaks. "That you and Nico are totally hooking up!"
I blink. "Hooking up?"
Christene smacks the back of my shoulder. "The FRICKLE FRACKLE!"
"What!" I say, completely horrified. My face boils red.
Why would they think that? Why would they even ask that, especially out in the public! When I was alive the first time, nobody would dare to speak of something so... Embarrassing! Something so private!
"Either you two were having a very heated argument or..." Penny trails.
"No no no-"
"I heard you scream, like a lot, and you were like 'arghh I want you'," Christene exclaims.
"Well that is far from what happened! Did you start this rumor?" I accuse and stop rowing, swinging my body around to face the two girls.
However, Christene only ignores me. "Why him? You're such a doll, Mack. He's like a... ghost. Seriously, you need someone hot. Like Apollo sons." Christene giggles at her own joke.
Penny gags. "Um they are-"
"Is there a problem with ghost?" I shoot sternly.
"Uh yeah!" Christene cries. "they're creepy! Have you seen Nico raise the dead before? It's disturbing. I heard around camp he actually called the dead to take a kid to the underworld. That's not normal."
"Just because he is the son of Hades doesn't make Nico creepy." I say.
"G-" Penny gets cut off.
"Yes it does!" Christene argues, putting her hands on her hips.
"No it doesn't!" I raise my voice, irritation taking over.
"Guys!"
"Yes it does!" Christene yells.
I stand up, towering over her. "No it does-"
Another canoe slams into ours, knocking me off my feet and flying me into the water. The chill strikes me bitter sweetly and our canoe flips over, whacking me in the head and sending me under water.
By the time my life jacket floats me to the surface and I flip the canoe that was trapping me over my head, the enemy canoe is already zooming through the lake.
YOU ARE READING
No Stars - A Nico Di Angelo Love Story
Fanfiction"You're a demigod. What's your name?" "Mackenzie." The boy in front of me narrows his eyes as if he is debating on a decision. Black hair falls into his face but he doesn't move it. He is twisting his skull ring around and around on his finger. Fina...
