~Chapter 31~
One simple word can change the future of your life. One utter of a single word can change your emotions, your feelings and other people around you. At first, it might be so simple and fast but as you look back, you realize these words you utter have more meaning in your life than you think they do. One word is strong enough to affect you so only one sentence would be very powerful. Words aren’t just words. They show others what you feel, what you think, what you hope and dream for, what you need and want. It is your own responsibility to pick your choice of these weapons and use them against, to protect, to help, to love, to hate or do many other things to others. Use them wisely. They are more than what most people think.
I’ve made mistakes and regretted them in the past though, now I know to be more careful. And not only have I regretted the words I said, but the things I did. Like one great mistake of mine was making Jed and Ash suspicious then it led to them finding out about my secret. Then, there was this time I hated myself for leaving New York after I stayed there for a month therefore, Lindy died. And the latest was yelling at my mother and denying that she loves me. See? Everything we say or do counts but we couldn’t avoid making mistakes. Even the gods make mistakes. The story – and a million other ones – of Dana proved that.
Okay…whoa…enough about that. I sounded so much like Ami.
Anyway, I was reflecting on that because of my answer to Ash’s question: Will you be my girlfriend? Well, yeah, I was too shocked at first and my mind literally went blank. My lips couldn’t say a single word with his gorgeous eyes pleading for me to say yes and his warm breath fanning my face. Not wanting to sound dramatic, but I could’ve died right there. So since I couldn’t think of anything to do, I leaned in and kissed him full on the lips again, allowing my lips to move sweetly against his.
When I pulled away, I asked him, “How’s that for an answer?” he merely chuckled and pecked me on the lips.
So, yeah, it’s been a few days since I agreed to go out with him. I’ve never been so happy in my life. Every day, Ash and I would go to the valley and stargaze there. I felt safe when he and I would sit there, with me, wrapped around his arms and his chin on my head.
“What would you do after summer?” Ash asked, as I snuggle next to him. We were lying on the grass, next to each other and were just staring at the stars.
“I’d just stay here in camp so I’d be safe. That’s what Halliope advised me. I should just make this camp my home and avoid going anywhere else. I’m powerful and different and anyone could take advantage of me.”
“That’s unfair,” he said, “You need to be free and have experiences or else you’ll never learn.”
“I know, but it’s for the best.”
“I’d be willing to argue with that.”
I looked up at him, “How about you? You’re going back to Eastern, learn and stuff then after that you’re graduating from high school.”
“I don’t want to think about that yet. But Seriously, I don’t want to move on to college. We’re demigods for a reason. We need to fight and train.”
“Uh huh, but at least you’re not like me. I have to hide who I really am from other people and conceal my abilities. They don’t know who the real Clarence is.”
He kissed my forehead, “I’m sure they will soon.”
I was reflecting on my past and things that happened to me recently because I was bored out of my freaking mind. Ami invited me to sleep over at her cabin tonight and I agreed. Her half-brother was back in my cabin, spending the night with Jed and Ash. Now, I was lying on a sleeping bag next to Ami’s, staring up at the bare ceiling waiting for Ami to go out of the bathroom. Seriously, how long does it take her to take a night bath?! Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to this if she’s going to make me wait until the next day.
Finally, I heard the bathroom door click and Ami went out, dressed in her usual nightwear: a tank top and pink baggy pants. “Were the hell have you been?” I asked her whilst she took out a stash of M&Ms, Snickers, Mars, Skittles, chocolate chip cookies and soda from a nearby cabin.
She turned to me and arched an eyebrow skeptically. “What do you mean? I’ve been in the bathroom the whole time.” Oh, damn you, I was so bored that I was already thinking deep!
I groaned in frustration, “What the hell took you so long? You’ve been locked in there for ages!”
“Oh shut up,” she said as she took the snacks in her arms and I sat up, “It wasn’t that long.”
I didn’t reply to that anymore. Whatever she was doing in there, I was thankful she finally came out. I started opening a packet of chocolates then nibbling on them. Ami took out the Skittles and ate them one piece at a time.
“Why did you invite me to a sleep over, anyway?” I questioned, biting another piece of chocolate goodness.
Ami shrugged, “I guess I just wanted to take a break from my boyfriend and hang out with my Best friend instead. Is that too much to ask?”
“Yeah,” I said, “You’re wasting my precious time.”
She pouted, “Aw, come on, just admit it, you miss me.”
“I see you every day, Aims.”
She put a hand over her chest, feigning hurt, “Gods, Clarence, I thought we were best friends!”
I mentally chuckled and decided to play along with her, “I’m so sorry, Ami, but we’re done.”
“But I love you!”
“But I hate you!” I said in the same tone as hers.
She burst out in a fit of giggles. I bit into the chocolate again, smirking in amusement as I watched Ami laugh and snort. She stopped laughing and popped another candy into her mouth.
“See?” she said, “This is what I miss.”
“Hmmm, I was hoping for something cooler.” I stated.
“So do you wanna play Truth or Dare?” Ami suggested. I nodded and she took out an empty bottle and put it between us. She spun the bottle and it landed on her.
“Truth or Dare?” I asked her.
“Truth,” she answered.
“Okay,” I thought for a moment then came up with something, “Are you a virgin?”
Ami’s face scrunched up in disgust, “Ew, Clarence, no – “
“So you’re not a virgin?”
“No…yes…I meant – “
“So you’re a virgin?” I teased, smirking.
“Ugh, let me finish!” she yelled, “I’m still a virgin, okay? Jed and I exactly haven’t done ‘the thing’ yet.” She explained as a blush crept on her cheeks. I chuckled silently at her expression.
“Okay,” I nodded in satisfaction and grabbed the bottle then spun it. It landed on me. Damn it. Ami’s going to get me back for that.
“Truth or Dare?” Ami asked.
“Dare,” I said with full confidence. I was probably crazy for letting that slip from my mouth. See? Words can change everything.
“I dare you,” she grinned devilishly. I reminded myself not to play this game with Ami ever again – or with anyone else. “To run to your cabin and kiss Jed, full on the lips.”
My eyes widened, “No! Please, don’t make me do that! He’s your boyfriend!”
“Eh, you’re related so it won’t mean anything.”
“Exactly the reason why I wouldn’t kiss him!” I fake gagged on the thought about kissing Jed with his lips full of Ami germs. Oh Gods.
“Fine,” I gave up, “But just one peck. And I’m telling them that it was just a dare.”
Ami chuckled, “That’s my girl.”
Together, we went out of her cabin and headed for mine. When we reached there, we saw Ash, Jed and Matt talking with each other. So they had their own sleep over.
Ami turned to me with an evil smile stuck to her face, “So you’re gonna do it, or what?” The three boys looked all confused.
“What happens if I back out?”
“Then you’ll be my slave for a week.” Okay, the dare and that are equally terrible.
“What’s going on?” Matt asked us.
Ami explained, “Well, Clarence and I were playing truth or dare and she was stuck in my wrath.”
“I’m getting you back for this,” I mumbled under my breath.
“So you dared her to give Ash a blowjob?” Jed asked. I marched over to Jed and smacked him upside the head, “Gods, no.”
Ash pouted, “Aw, I was kinda wishing for that.” That earned him a punch from me. Matt and Ami were chuckling.
“No,” Ami said, “I dared her to kiss Jed.” My cousin’s face paled at that whilst Matt and Ash burst out laughing.
“What?! Why me?!” Jed shouted.
“One,” Ami stated, “You both are cousins so it won’t mean anything, two, it won’t get anyone jealous and three, it’ll be so damn hilarious!”
“Don’t worry,” I assured Jed, “It’s just a peck.” He muttered something under his breath as I walked closer to him.
“Make sure you get revenge on her,” he whispered to me.
“Will do.” I promised him. I leaned closer just to get this thing done right away. His lips just brushed mine lightly for a millisecond. I immediately pulled away and wiped my lips, “Alright, it’s done.”
Ami pouted, “I was expecting something more but good enough. Let’s go.” We made our way back to her cabin.
Ami and I settled on either side of the bottle then she spun it. It landed on me again. Damn it.
“I’ll pick truth,” I said right away, just to make it safe and less embarrassing.
“I’ll cut you some slack since your previous dare was torture,” she told me, “for now.”
I took a deep breath, praying that the next time; the bottle would land on her. “What is your secret?” she asked.
Secrets? She pretty much knows almost all my secrets. But I gave her one I haven’t told her with ease, “I kinda had a little crush on Gerald a month ago,”
She frowned, “Again, that was not what I was expecting.”
“Well, too bad,” I grabbed the bottle and gave it a good spin. Fortunately, it landed on her.
Just as she was about to say ‘truth’, I told her, “Don’t make me blackmail you to take dare.”
She scowled at me then said, “Dare.”
An evil smirk – definitely more evil than Ami’s – crept up to my face. I could think of a thousand dares to make her dignity. But I’m a caring best friend so I won’t dare her to something pure evil. I made up my mind to do something involving the boys.
“I dare you to sing any song and dance in front of the guys,” I said, knowing she always sang off-key and when she dances, she looked like she was having a seizure.
“Nope, not happening!”
“Come on, Ami. You do that unless you want to experience hell for a week.”
She sighed and headed for the door without saying a word to me. I followed her and we trudged back to the boys’ cabin.
“What did Clarence made you do?” Ash asked Ami when we entered.
I sat down between Ash and Jed and told them, “We’re going to have a concert tonight.”
“You’re such a devil,” Jed whispered next to me.
I winked, “I try.”
Ami stood in front of that, with a flustered look on her face. She closed her eyes, breathed deeply and started to dance like a maniac, singing at the top of her lungs – off key, of course.
I was riding shot gun, with my hair undone
In the front seat of his car
He’s got a one hand feel, on the steering wheel
The other on my heart
I look around, turn the radio down
He says, “Baby is something wrong?”
I say, “Nothing, I was just thinkin’
How we don’t have a song
And he says…
She continued to the chorus then danced more. We were all laughing loudly except for Ami, of course.
Our song is the slamming screen door,
Sneaking out late, tapping on your window
When we’re on the phone and you talk real slow,
‘Cause it’s late and your mama don’t know
Our song is the way you laugh,
The first date: “Man, I didn’t kiss her when I should have
And when I got home ‘fore I said ‘Amen’
Asking God if he, could play it again
I was laughing so hard at Ami’s show that my sides hurt. Wow, this is one damn thing I’ll never regret doing. Ami looked like she was quite enjoying it a little. She went on:
I’ve heard every album,
Listened to the radio
Waited for something to come along
That was as good as our song
She finished another chorus then soon continued to the last part:
I was riding shot gun, with my hair undone
In the front seat of his car
I grabbed a pen
And an old napkin
And I wrote down our song
She finished with an exaggerated bow then blew kisses in our direction. Finally, the four of us finished laughing and Ami and I went to continue our game.
~ΔΟΛ~ ΔΟΛ~ ΔΟΛ~
We soon got tired from playing truth or dare so we started fooling around like starting a marshmallow fight, telling each other random made up stories and dressing up crazily. Then, we got sleepy and we decided to lie down on our sleeping bags. In no time, I could hear the soft snores of my best friend. But I couldn’t sleep, really.
I slowly and quietly crept out of my sleeping bag and went to the front door. I went outside, letting the cold breeze of the night send chills on my skin. I wandered off in camp, hoping to get sleepy any minute. Then I saw the movement in the forest. Curiosity got the best of me so I jogged over to the woods.
I know I know that the last time I was alone in the woods; I got attacked by a hydra. But I braced myself this time and promised myself I won’t fight any monster that’s there even though I have my weapon ready around my wrist. I walked in the woods, looking around and staying alert for anything. I suddenly heard a snap of a twig. I turned my head and noticed a figure to my far right. I headed towards it.
“Gerald?” I asked, “What are you doing here?” I found my friend sitting on the grass.
“I thought you were in a sleep over at Ami’s.” he told me, raising an eyebrow.
I sat next to him and shrugged, “I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk.”
He sighed, “Clarence, please don’t go off alone in the woods. You know – “
“Yeah, yeah, I know what happened to me last time.” I told him, rolling my eyes. “Now would you care to tell me why you’re here?”
“I needed to clear things off my mind.” He replied.
“What’s the problem?” I asked him. Usually, he was the one helping me with my problems. It never came across my mind that maybe he longed for my advice, too.
“Nothing, I’m fine.”
“Gerald, please tell me. I’m your friend…you can tell me everything.”
“Even if I did tell you, it’ll just make it worse.”
I felt a pang of guilt inside me. Nobody actually understands him except for me and now, I couldn’t do anything to help him.
“Do you want me to do something?” I questioned.
He turned to face, me with fear in his eyes, “Clarence, please promise me you’d be careful, okay?”
I nodded, “I’ll be careful.”
He took a deep breath, “It’s just that…your fatal flaw.”
“My fatal flaw?”
“Yeah, you think that you could handle everything, but Clarence, you can’t. You believe that you can be a hero and you’re overconfident with your actions. The next thing you know, it’ll just bring you pain.”
I never thought about my fatal flaw before. But I knew he was right. I can’t control my fatal flaw, so the best thing to do was avoid other people from taking advantage of that.
“What exactly are you worried about?” I asked softly.
“That there’s more people that know your secret than you think.”
I bit my lip. So someone does know? An enemy? Someone who wants to kill me?
“How do you know all this?”
He sighed again, “It’s best that you don’t know, Clarence.”
All of a sudden, I heard a cracking sound from beneath my feet. Gerald and I stood up immediately and my eyes widened in alarm and my heartbeat quickened. A large crack was on the ground and it parted, creating a hole. It was like the one that brought the hydra to camp. The hole got bigger and bigger and before I knew it, I was plunging into the darkness. The last thing I heard was Gerald screaming out my name.
~ΔΟΛ~ ΔΟΛ~ ΔΟΛ~
Gasp! What do you think happened to Clarence? Haha, I love cliffhangers…If I’m the one writing them. Who do you think is after Clarence? But before anything else…
I loved writing the first song here in DOL. I don’t own the song – which his named Our Song by Taylor Swift, btw. And how’d you guys like singing Ami?
And since I love you guys, here’s a short sneak peek of the next chapter:
I was falling and falling. The rocks were hitting my head and making bruises on my face. I tried to keep my eyes open but I just couldn’t. I guess this was the thing Gerald was warning me about. But who could be after me? There’s a lot possibilities for that.
Soon, I fell on a bumpy ground and noticed that my head was bleeding. I glanced around but my eyes wanted to keep shut. But I knew for sure that I was in darkness and of course, this wasn’t Tartarus – thank gods – because it would’ve taken me nine days to reach the bottom. Even though my sense of sight was betraying me, I could still hear the things around me. It was strangely silent though, I could hear a river running, not far from my position. Suddenly, I sensed something move towards me and an unfamiliar voice, “Well, well what do we have here?”
Err, okay so I watched this movie called Jinxed and it's so good...Ciara Bravo and Jack Griffo are so cute together! Ha, sorry for fangirling, I just needed to get that out of my chest.
-Vireen, Daughter of Riches