The Unknown

I sat uncomfortably, listening to the whispers surrounding me. Everyone had just finished offering parts of their food to the gods. As usual, I had simply thrown all of mine in and carelessly walked away.

What your thinking is wrong. No, I do not starve myself. I eat... When I'm alone. I do everything alone. It's what I've always done.

Rubbing my hands up and down my arms, I sighed. I'd felt so naked the past few days. Why had he taken my cloak in the first place?

I remembered Mr. D's humorous words. For some odd reason, he liked what he saw. The first thing that the words brought to mind was... Why would Percy like what he saw? I'm nothing special. But then I wondered why Mr. D thought it was odd. Did he think nobody could ever like me? And was he right?

I jumped as someone sat down beside me, and turned to see none other than the cloak-stealer himself. "Here." My eyes widened at him as he handed me a folded black wad of cloth. I'd never truly expected he'd actually get me another cloak.

Raising an eyebrow at him, I sat it in front of me on the table.

"But just so you know," He grinned my way, shrugging his shoulders. "You shouldn't hide behind it. Shouldn't all beautiful pieces of art be shown for the public eye?"

"Flattery again, I see." I rolled my eyes before looking him in his. The way he flung this flirtatious banter toward me made me wonder if he truly thought so. "Did I not tell you that will get you no where in life, Perceus?"

"Why do you talk like that?" He asked, placing his head on his arm which was leaning on the table. His face showed utter curiosity.

"How do you mean?" I asked slowly.

"Like that." He chuckled. "So formally."

Shrugging, I turned to see that we were almost the only two left at the pavilion and blinked. How long had I sat here thinking? "I suppose it's how I learned to talk... I'm sure you've noticed I don't speak much with my peers."

"Why is that?"

I turned to see him a little closer to me, a sparkle in his eyes. My own curiosity sparked at his. Why did he want to know so much about me? "I..."

For a moment, I thought about telling him about my mother. But I was never truly the open discussion type, and that would simply make her more disappointed in me. And then, after a moment, I realized I actually didn't know the answer to his question.

"You want to know what I think?"

I turned to look Perceus in the eyes. They were still sparkling as he stared at me.

"I think you're afraid to disappoint people..." He whispered, giving me a small, but seemingly sad smile. "You're afraid that they won't like you, or that they'll simply use you."

My eyes widened as I turned away from him. How could he have possibly figured anything out about me? I was the girl nobody knew... They didn't know me, they simply feared me.

"But mostly, I think you need a friend."

"A friend?" I chuckled humorlessly. "What is a friend anyways?"

He stood up and looked me in the eyes. "A friend is someone you can count on no matter what. It's someone that won't use you, or care about any stupid imperfections you may have..."

I watched him as he huffed and looked toward the ground. He seemed to be contemplating things in his thoughts, and for a moment, I almost dared myself to ask him what he was thinking about.

"Look, if you don't like me and you think I'm annoying, tell me to go away and I will." He said bluntly before turning to look me in the eyes. "But I know how you feel... The loneliness, I mean. It hurts, but you don't want to admit it..."

"How could you possibly know anything about me, I-"

"You hide in the shadows, and you act like you don't care about anything or anyone." He sighed, sitting back down beside me. "I don't know about this unknown god, or why you feel the way you do... Why you hide. But I do know, that I want to be your friend."

I sat there blinking rapidly, trying to figure out just how to respond. "Why?"

"You're different... And, the way you automatically just pushed me away..." He shrugged, looking away from me. "It caught my interest. Not to mention, you came to my rescue."

"Clarisse is nothing but a coward. It's all she's ever been since she arrived." I mumbled, staring straight ahead of me.

He rolled his eyes. "You saved me from a hell hound, too... Why is she so afraid of you anyways?"

"Why should I tell you?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"I got you your cloak." He laughed. "You owe me."

Glaring at him, I thought about pointing out the fact that if he hadn't taken my cloak in the first place, he never would have had to replace it. "It's a long story."

Perceus looked down at his arm, pretending to check a watch that wasn't there. "Oh, look... I think I have time."

"Whatever." I sighed, leaning my head down on my arms and resting on the table. "When Clarisse arrived here, and she found out who she was... I guess she just decided she was..."

"Hot shit?"

I almost laughed at the way he put it before rolling my eyes. "I suppose... So, she started picking on the other campers..."

"And she picked on you?" Perceus guessed with shock evident in his voice.

Nodding, I looked over at him. "She cut off my ponytail, and... I don't remember how I did it, but the next thing I knew she was in the air, screaming bloody murder until she fell to the ground and ran away."

"Intense." He whispered from beside me before bursting into laughter.

Blinking, I stood up and grabbed the wad of black beside me before heading my way toward my cabin.

"I don't remember seeing this one."

Realizing he had followed me, I turned around. "Look, Perceus-"

"You can call me Percy, you know." He grinned, giving me a small wink.

"Percy..." I sighed, looking him in the eyes. "I don't care if you try to be my friend, or ask too many questions, or make me have impulses to save you when I don't even know you, or have really amazing eyes... You can't follow me around."

A smirk made it's way onto his face. "You think I have amazing eyes?"

"Don't get too full of yourself." I stated before quickly walking into my cabin and slamming the door.

Blinking, I smacked myself in the face. Why the hell had I said that? I mean, besides the fact that it was true. His eyes were amazing... A beautiful shade that simply made you want to stare at them until you were a puddle on the floor.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" I asked myself before sitting on my bed and bashing my head into my pillow.