CHAPTER I
the boy of her dreams
LOOK, SCARLETT HART DIDN'T ASK TO BE A HALF-BLOOD. She would love to travel back in time, go back to her past life, and see what horrible thing she did that deemed her this fate.
Scarlett always felt like something was wrong with her from a young age. It started in kindergarten, some kid she hated stole her favorite pencil. She remembered feeling really angry. Like, more than you should over a pencil. She remembered wanting to hurt the kid. Scarlett still remembered how her classmate screamed, as she jabbed the pencil straight through his skin. She'll admit, maybe that was a little too far.
The school expelled her, and her dad found her a private school to attend. It went well for a while, and she even had people she called friends. However, that changed at the end of fourth grade. Her little group of friends decided to be mean, and stab her in the back. They excluded her from their hangouts, and basically pretended she never existed.
In Scarlett's defense, the girl she fought was Regina George wannabe, making fun of other kids. Scarlett didn't even start the fight. The girl pulled her hair, so Scarlett shoved her against a locker, and punched her. A litte more than once.
After that incident, dad finally realized that he couldn't keep pretending she was normal. So that summer, he dropped nine year old Scarlett of at Camp Half-Blood.
Scarlett soon became a resident member of Cabin Eleven. Not because she was a daughter of Hermes, but because she was the daughter of the minor goddess, Nemesis. Since the cabins were for the twelve Olympian Gods, there was no place for her except the overcrowding cabin.
In her three years of camp, Scarlett was able to make some friends. It's not like she was actively trying to, even before she was claimed. Scarlett preferred being alone. Most campers liked to stay clear from her, her reputation of being Nemesis's daughter always preceding her. The Ares kids were something to be afraid of, since they could literally pulverize you. But, Scarlett? She will make sure you are the most miserable person if you cross her, and never gives second chances. It's not like Scarlett has done anything to do damage control for her reputation; all those terrible rumors about her spreading bad luck on those who wronged her or others, were true.
Scarlett became somewhat acquaintances with other kids of minor gods and the unclaimed. She clicked with this older unclaimed boy named Ethan her first year, but he disappeared. She became good friends with Oliver Sawyer, who was a son of Tysche, goddess of fortune. He came to camp the same year as her. They fought over things (Oliver wanting to spread good luck, while Scarlett mostly spreading bad), but they had a mutual understanding and respect for each other. There also some Hermes kids who she got along with, like Luke Castellan, who was everyone's big brother at camp.
Then there was Annabeth Chase. Scarlett didn't know how, but they became best friends. Maybe it was because she was one of the first people, who wasn't intimidated by her, and showed her around camp. Scarlett returned that favor by helping her get revenge on Connor Stoll for putting spiders in her cabin. Both of them also lacked social skills, so maybe that's what brought them close together as well.
Lately, Annabeth has been going on and on about the boy who was going to grant her a quest. It's been her dream to go on a quest. Scarlett didn't really get the appeal, and didn't think it was fair. The gods not caring about you unless they need you to do something for them? And a chance of not surviving? Yeah, no. Scarlett has never met her mother, and she accepted the fact she probably never will. The only times she contacted her were through her claiming, and a dagger she recieved on her birthday.
"I'm telling you, Scar!" Annabeth told her, as they headed to the Dining Pavilion for dinner. "It's going to be soon. I know it."
Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Annabeth, you say this like every week."
"I'm sure about it this time! Like really sure."
"Yeah, yeah," Scarlett left Annabeth to sit at her table, where Cabin Eleven sat. She took her usual seat next to Oliver, who was glaring at her. His black curly hair slightly covering his eyes.
"Um...can I help you?"
"Any idea on why Johnny's hair caught on fire?" Oliver raised an eyebrow.
"Johnny...?"
"Johnny Harper, son of Hephaestus?" Oliver folded his arms, blowing the curls out his face. "Ring any bells?"
"Well since he's the son of Hephaestus, god of fire, then shouldn't he be like...immune to it or something?" Scarlett shrugged. "Also why are you immediately pointing fingers at me?"
Oliver gave her a look. "I know you, Scar. You cursed him with bad luck."
Scarlett took a bite of her bread. "Karma got him, not me. Plus, he was long overdue for a haircut."
Oliver sighed. "Look, can you tone it down the whole revenge thing? It's not like she deserves all the luck in the world but..."
Scarlett will admit, Oliver was probably a better person morally then she was. He had the power of spreading good luck. However if a person didn't deserve it, he could decrease it. He rarely wanted to take luck away, so that's where Scarlett came in. What many forget is that Scarlett can grant good luck as well, as Nemesis grants balance. Scarlett will happily grant deserving people good luck, but won't ever hesitate on spreading the bad.
"Ollie look," Scarlett interrupted. "He got what he deserved, okay? He's got an ego bigger than the sun itself. Even Beckendorf was fed up with his attitude. Have you heard the things he said about the Aphrodite girls? He's disgusting."
"What did he say exactly?" Scarlett told him, and Oliver immediately took back everything he said.
"You're right. He deserved it, and I will eat my words."
Scarlett smirked. "I always am."
She looked over to the Hesphaestus table. Johnny had a bald head, and looked ashamed. Charles Beckendorf, caught her eye, and gave her a look that Scarlett interpreted as: You took it a little far, but he kind of deserved it. Scarlet just nodded, and turned back to Oliver with a satisfied smirk.
"You're scary, you know." Oliver chuckled.
"That's what I'm known for," Scarlett shrugged.
As they continued eating their meals, they can hear whispers of campers around them.
"I heard she cursed Johnny with bad luck."
"She's crazy!"
"Why did she even do it? Poor Johnny!"
Scarlett rolled her eyes. Oliver gave her a sympathetic look. "Can't you try to tell them why you did it?"
"The only kind of girl they see is a girl who obsesses over making people miserable. Which honestly? Isn't so far off," She shrugged.
"But you do things for a reason," Oliver pointed out. "You spread good luck too."
"It's not my fault they're to dumb to notice. They can believe whatever ever reputations they gave me in their heads."
Scarlett was fed up. No one really knew why she did things or cared to find out. They see bad things happen, and immediately assume it had to do with her. Ever since she got claimed, she felt everyone judging her. So Scarlett learned not to care. If they want to portray her as a villain, than she had no problem playing the role.
✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧
THAT NIGHT, Scarlett dreamed of a strange of blonde haired boy. For the past few months, this weird boy plagued her dreams. He looked about her age, had blonde hair, and ocean blue eyes.
He was at school, which Scarlett recognized was Yancy Academy. The same school she got kicked out of years ago. It looked like he was playing a card game with his friend — who she soon realized was Grover Underwood. Scarlett knew that Grover was at some private school with a Chiron, since there would be a demigod there. This must be the guy.
Then, the scene shifted. It was dark and rainy. The boy had a sword, and was fighting a Minotaur. Somehow—he ended up defeating it.
The scene changed again. This time, she was in it. They were sitting on a dock by the water. There was a blue cupcake on the side. The boy was smiling at her. And was leaning in closer to her, and then...
"Scar!" Oliver shook her shoulder.
"What?" Scarlett groaned.
"Something's going on, outside," He quickly exclaimed. "Come on!"
Scarlett got up, and noticed everyone else in their cabin going out the door. She looked at Luke and asked, "What happened?"
He shrugged. They all made their way to where all the commotion was. It was at the camp entrance.
"Is he okay?"
"Alone?"
"How is that possible?"
"Yeah, he's okay."
Scarlett made her way to Annabeth. She is able to see exactly who everyone was looking at: a blonde boy barely conscious on the ground. Scarlett froze in place. He was the same blonde boy who reoccured her in dreams.
"Look, Scar!" Annabeth said excitedly. "He must be the one."
"Hush, Annabeth," Chiron told her. "He's waking. Everyone, give him some space, please."
Everyone began to back up.
"Percy Jackson, welcome to Camp Half-Blood." Chiron announced.
Percy Jackson.
So that was his name.
"I can't believe I'm saying this," Scarlett whispered to Annabeth. "But I think you're right."
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