Caleb's POV
Enoch sat in front of me, on the Posiedon table.
Percy glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. I put down my fork.
"We need to talk."
"Where's Carl?"
Enoch glanced at the newly built Nemesis table. I sighed.
"Talk about what."
He crossed his arms. "You've changed."
"Into me. Which doesn't make any sense." Percy mumbled loudly.
"Oh, shut up."
He wrinkled his nose and resumed eating.
"Go on."
Enoch sighed, his platinum blonde hair falling into his eyes.
"By the way, you need a haircut."
He ruffled his hair. "Whatever. Explain what happened till now."
"I am from the future, or something whatever like it. If I save the world here, I can get my life back. So I want to."
"What about Caleb?"
"He's dead. He was dead in the first place. Barely a demigod actually." I wiped my mouth. "Done?"
"No."
"Then do it quick."
"I want you to leave."
"Enoch?"
Chiron narrowed his eyes at us. "You should be sittting at the Iris table. I think you know that."
"No." I replied, completely ignoring Chiron.
"Percy-"
"What." Percy said crossly, obviously vexed at the fact that Chiron had gotten my name mixed up with his.
"Caleb." He said in a warning tone.
"I am never going back." I snarled. "I would rather rot in the corners of Tartarus alive than go back."
"Can't you see that's for the best?" He met my eyes evenly, his eyes an icy blue. "The best for Annabeth?" He exaggerated.
"Don't drag in Annabeth in this conversation." Percy said menacingly.
"Yeah." I agreed. "Don't do that. It's bad."
Enoch paused for a moment. "Go back." He repeated.
"Make me."
"Enoch. This was already chosen by the councilers-"
"So I have no right to talk about this?"
Chiron hesitated. "... no, but-"
"You should know better. Go back."
"Stop being a coward and face the fact that you can die anytime without my help."
"Well then you can face the fact that you're going to kill all of us."
I clenched my fists. "I won't. Not this time."
"How can we trust you?"
Anger welled up inside me, but I knew he was right.
How could they trust me.
"Shut up."
"If you care so much about camp, you should leave. Now."
"You don't understand."
"I don't. I don't think I ever will."
I took a deep shuddering breath.
"I'm not leaving till I get rid of Gaea."
"With our help."
In a second, Riptide was on his neck. He swallowed hard and stared at the blade. He was turning a bit too pale.
Percy grabbed my arm.
"You're not-"
I pressed the blade harder, and blood seeped out of his neck. He had froze completely in fear. My hand shook from holding Riptide too tight.
Silence.
I dropped the blade.
"I would rather punch you in the face."
I brushed off Percy's hand.
"Scared?"
"This is why everyone's helping you."
My eye twitched. I wished I hadn't dropped the blade.
"They're scared of you."
"They pity me."
The words overlapped each other, and I let out a short, harsh laugh.
"Scared. Of me."
~
Annabeth's POV
I knocked on Caleb's door, and there was a bit of sound before he opened the door.
"Hi."
I squinted into the dark room, and he blocked my sight with his arm.
"What did you come for?"
"What were you doing?"
He scratched the back of his head, not budging. "Just... thinking."
I ducked under his arm and went in. He grabbed my arm, but it was already after I had turned on the lights. There was a bottle of pills on the dresser with an empty cup of water.
"Really."
Caleb bit his lip.
"It isn't something you need to hide."
"... I know."
"What were you thinking about."
He was silent. His scruffy hair couldn't of looked more cuter than it did now with his head down.
I sighed. "Caleb-"
"About what Enoch said." he confessed slowly.
"... you think he's right?"
"I'm not sure."
I examined the bottle of pills. "You do what you want."
"I don't want anyone to die."
"You can't avoid that." I set the bottle down.
"What are you going to do?"
He rubbed his face. "I... I don't know."
"Really."
He hesitated.
"Can I get a hug."
"No."
He drooped down like a wilted flower. "Annabeth-"
"I'm sorry I couldn't do any help." I said tightly.
"... yeah." he said halfheartedly.
He moved aside to let me pass.
"Annabeth?"
I froze in my steps. I didn't turn around, not wanting to see he expression. His voice was just too sad, and I could imagine what he would look like now.
"... what do you want me to do?"
I closed my eyes tight. What did he want me to say?
"Would you do what I say?"
".. yes."
"Why?"
"... you're smart."
"That's all?"
"... I think you'll know what everyone wants."
"I think you know too."
He was silent, and he took a deep breath.
"I don't know really. I don't know why you're so special to me."
"I'm not."
".. ask Percy."
"He's you." tears seeped out of my eyes for no reason. "And the Annabeth who died in front of you was me."
"That... I can understand."
"You can't. I know you can't. I can't."
He was silent. I wiped my eyes.
"Don't cry." he said softly.
I crouched down and covered my face with my hands. I could feel him hesitating behind me.
"... Annabeth?"
Percy helped me up, and wiped off my tears with his thumbs without a word. He glanced up at Caleb behind me, and I could hear the door creaked, closing.
"What happened?"
I wiped my eyes again. "Not much."
He was silent, but he didn't ask.
"Your eyes are red."
I sighed, my breath shaking slightly. I turned my head to look at the closed door. I could almost see him crying inside the room, stifling his sobs.
That's what Percy would do.
~
Percy's POV
Caleb didn't come out for lunch.
Neither did Annabeth.
I chewed slowly, staring at Malcom who looked a bit anxious.
"Hey Perce."
I looked up and Grover sat next to me.
"No Annabeth." he stated.
"... yeah."
"Did something happen?"
"Kind of?"
"With Caleb, I'm guessing."
I scowled. "Yeah."
"... you're jealous."
"I'm not." I mumbled.
Grover crinkled his face. "I don't understand you."
"I don't know how you're doing so well with Juniper." I sighed.
"Not so well lately though."
"... really." I said, unbelieving.
He chewed on his fork. "Well, Caleb had a big impact on camp. And the huge dirt wall and everything- all that rain drowned a lot of the forest."
"Is Ju-"
"Juniper's fine. It's just that..." he sighed. "Never mind."
We ate in silence for a while, drowning in our own worries.
"I'm going to go see Caleb."
"I'm not." I said flatly.
He sighed. "You should talk to him though."
"About what."
"Him leaving camp."
"... Why should I?"
"You want him to leave, don't you?"
I stared at my plate. Honestly, I wasn't sure. He had been through a lot, and if I could, I would want to help him.
But there was everyone else.
"... of course."
Grover stared at me for a few moments.
"I can understand." He said flatly, and I wondered if he was being sarcastic. He stood up from my table. "See you later."
"Yeah."
I could see him going to the big house, and I shook my head.
Caleb didn't matter.
There were so many campers. How could I lead them go into war again?
But...
I sighed and stood up, making up my mind.
Tommorow. Until tommorow.
~
Caleb's POV
I couldn't breathe.
I knew this feeling, knowing I wasn't welcome.
But the most scary part was that this was my home.
Where could I go? Was there somewhere I could go? Somewhere...
Anywhere.
Tears dribbled out of my eyes, and I wiped them off with my shaking hands.
Where was I safe?
I kept on asking, hoping I could think of somewhere. I just didn't want to realize the fact that I had nowhere to go. Sobs choked my throat as I tried to stifle them, telling myself in my head that I had absolutely no reason to cry, but my heart just wouldn't listen for some reason.
It seemed to know the truth.
Just forget about it.
I glanced at Riptide on the dresser. I had killed monsters before.
Was I any different?
I rubbed my arms, trying to comfort myself. I knew suicide wouldn't work out. I had a chance to change this big mess. I could. I couldn't lose this chance.
The door creaked open, and I looked up with red rimmed eyes.
"Thalia.."
My voice trailed off. She stared at me with her glowing electric blue eyes in the dark, her tiara glowing almost as if she was an angel. She was completely expressionless though, which made it hard to utter the words I wanted to say.
"What do I do know?"
~
I am sorry.
I was unbelievable busy, and the chapter that I had before needed to be rewritten, so I had to write that again.
Ahahaaha.
I'll try to update more often now and be a good writer.
Sorry guys....