Forbidden (A Luke Castellan Love Story)

Chapter 20

Luke’s POV
            Oh my gods I was so stupid!
            ‘You’re eyes are beautiful. They make you look mysterious and beautiful!’ My gods, what was wrong with me? I was usually so cool around new campers. I just blurted that out! What was I thinking?
Something about her made me not think straight.
            I started to get more frustrated at myself but, oh gods, she was beautiful.
            From time to time I felt myself glancing over at her. I couldn’t help myself! She sure was something to look at!
            Avery gave a mysterious, strong, innocent- yet fearless- look and a powerful glow about her.
            Her chestnut hair looked amazing in a braid down her back and her eyes were…. Wow! I’d never seen someone so gorgeous in all of my years in camp! If she wasn’t a child of Aphrodite, with her beauty, I was a satyr.
            We were almost to the mess hall and I looked over and saw Avery’s wide eyes and terrified look on her face.
            “Hey,” I said and put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump. “It’s going to be fine. They will just make you stand up and announce you. I’ll save you a spot next to me so you can just come down and sit next to me, okay?”
            She nodded and still looked terrified but it definitely wasn’t as bad as it was. “Thanks, Luke.” She breathed out and I smiled at her.
            “Hey, I’m here for you. I’m the head counselor; it’s my job to look after the newbies.”
            She smiled and we walked down to the mess hall where everyone was sitting at the tables. There were a table for each of the cabins and, of course, our table was really crowded so we had to stick a couple of tables together to make enough room for us all. There was a dark brown cloth over it with the symbol of my Father. The other tables were the same only with the certain God/Goddess and their colors and symbols.
            I led Avery to our table just when everyone raised their glass and said, “To the Gods.” We walked over to the table and something caught my eye. I turned to see Connor and Travis, each of them waving their hands for Avery to go sit by them. “Hey Avery!” Connor yelled. “Come sit by me!”
Avery smiled at them kindly but I wasn’t paying much attention. I was too busy realizing that her sitting by them was making me really upset; more upset than it should have.
Was I…. jealous? No, I couldn’t be. I just met Avery. Why would I be jealous?
She started to walk closer to them and, without thinking, I grabbed her hand, making her stop. I was too upset to think about how odd it was that I just grabbed her wrist but didn’t let go. 
I know that I should have let go, but I couldn’t. The problem was that I didn’t want to let her go; I didn’t want her to sit next to them, I wanted her to sit by me.
While I held on to her wrist, tightly so she wouldn’t walk over to them, I watched Travis and Connor intently. So intently that I didn’t even see her look back at me confused.
            “Woah- wait a second.” Travis said turning to his brother, “She’s sitting by me, not you.”
            “No, I told you, she’s sitting by me!” Connor argued. “I called dibs first, you have to respect the dibs Travis!”
             “Well I’m older and she probably likes older men.” Travis smirked.
            “You are not older and you are most certainly not a man!” Connor yelled at him while everyone was laughing from their argument.
             “We all know that I’m the better looking twin, Conner.” Travis boasted.
            “Bull crap! No one thinks that!” Connor shouted.
            “Yeah they do! Just ask the girls in the Aphrodite cabin!” Travis said and waved to the Aphrodite girls, winking. They all just rolled their eyes at him and turned back to their table making Travis frown.
            “Ha see!”
            Travis gritted his teeth. “Go to Hades!” He yelled at Connor then lunged at him. I only dropped Avery’s hand when they both tumbled to the floor wrestling.
        Chiron stomped his foot on the ground. “Boys!” He yelled but they continued to tumble around on the ground yelling at each other. “BOYS!” He yelled again but they only fought more and didn’t listen. Chiron sighed and turned to Mr. D and nodded his head regretfully.
        Mr. D had a wicked smile on his face. Everyone knew how much he loved to punish us.
        Grape vines started to grow around Connor and Travis, picking both of them up and separating them, all while squeezing them tightly and picking them up high in the air.
        “Ow, ow, ow!” Connor complained only to have the vines tighten.
        “Gods that hurts!” Travis yelped.
        “I suggest that you two listen up before I do something much worse to you.” Mr. D threatened and both Connor and Travis gulped.
        “Y-yes sir.” They said in unison.
        Mr. D rolled his eyes and dropped them about 5 feet in the air. Everyone laughed while they groaned and shuffled to get up.
        I turned back to Avery, “Let’s go sit down?” I suggested.
        She nodded then asked, “Do they always do that?”
        “What? Get in trouble, fight with each other? Yup, almost every single day, sometimes more.” I said while we watched them glare at each other across the table. Connor picked up a pebble and threw it at Travis but Travis caught it midair then pegged Connor with it in the eye.
        Avery giggled, “They’re funny.”
        Jealousy started to surge up in me but I shoved it down.
        Both Avery and I sat on the end and waited for the nymphs to get our food.
        We started to pile our plates with the food that we wanted and one by one the campers started to get up and put their food into the fire in the middle of the pavilion.
        I started to get up but someone tugged on my arm: Avery.
“What-what is everyone doing?” She asked her eyes looking confused.
        “I’ll show you.” I said, “Grab your plate.” She did as she was told and grabbed her plate then we walked to the fire. “You throw a portion of your food in as an offering.” I explained, “You want to choose the best stuff too, it’s for the Gods.”
        “Why are we throwing it into the fire?” Avery asked.
        “They like the smell.” I said shrugging and she just stared at the fire as if that was the strangest thing she’d ever heard.
        I laughed, “Here watch.” I scrapped off a bunch of juicy grapes into the fire and said, “Hermes.”
        I tried not to sound bitter when I said my father’s name but then again it’s not like he would actually listen to me anyway, he never does.
        “Now you try.” I encouraged when I turned to Avery.
        She walked up to the fire, looking nervous. She stared into the fire as if thinking of what to say. I heard her whisper, “Tell me who you are. And please-please help me.” Then she scrapped a roll into the flames.
        I looked at her sympathetically; I knew how tough it was for the new campers.       
        Avery turned around and we all walked back and took our seats and started to eat.
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A/N: How are you guys liking it so far? I haven’t had many comments so PLEASE, PLEASE comment guys!!! I love reading them! They always get me back into writing and I feel like I want to write since you guys are interested in the story. Anyway, there’s that. Thanks so much for reading! You guys are flippin amazing!
            -Breann