We arrived at the party on time. Everything was perfect and in its place. The table was filled with Calliste’s favorite food: cupcakes. The place was miraculously done by Ella and the Aphrodite cabin in less than an hour.
I spotted Ella taking a bite of her chocolate cupcake and vanilla frosting. Some of the frosting was left in her nose.
“Hey Ella! Thank you so much for helping with the preparations for Calliste’s party. Speaking of Calliste, where is she?”
“Oh hey Nico!” She said enjoying every bite of her cupcake. “No problem. She’s with her sister and Frank playing this game called Mythmager something.”
“Mythomagic”
“Gods! Nico is that you?” She stared at me in astonishment “You look better! You should wear that more often”
“Shhhh!!” I said as I left “Don’t tell Calliste that I’m here okay. Oh and thanks I’ll try to”
I continued walking when a figure crossed my eye. She had cinnamon hair, golden eyes and was wearing a purple shirt.
“Nico!” She waved
“Hazel!” I said “Good to see you.”
“You too, so whose party is this.” She asked
“Calliste’s, daughter of Zeus” I answered
“Oh Piper told me both of you have like a mutual liking to each other. Aww! That’s so sweet. I’d love to meet her!” She gushed
“Um yeah I’ll introduce you her later.” My cheeks burnt red
Next I met Jason. He was laughing with 3 guys.
“Hey Nico! Good to see you” He said
“Hey! Good to see you too!”
“Have you met Leo’s cousins? Man they are hilarious!” He said pointing to 3 guys that look a bit like Leo but they didn’t have his crazy ADHD hands and that crazy look he gave you when he discovers something cool in his Archimedes Sphere. “This is Carlos, Juan and Jose”
“Hey guys!”
“Hello!” They said in unison
We shared a couple of jokes then Thalia interrupted us. She was still wearing her Hunters of Artemis outfit but she changed her parka into a dark gray shirt. She still had her silver tiara though. I wonder how much drachmas could she earn if she’d sell that.
“Hey guys can I borrow Nico for a while?” She asked
“Sure sis” Jason answered
Thalia brought me to a hidden spot and pinned me to a tree.
“Listen di Angelo, you may be Bianca’s little brother but if you break my little sister’s fragile heart I will make your death long, painful and unbearable. I will poison your body and tear it piece by piece. Then I will throw your dead body in Tartarus….”
“Okay, okay I promise I won’t break her heart. I won’t do anything stupid.”
“Swear it on the River Styx.” She pinned me harder to the tree. I guarantee if she pinned me harder I would bleed.
“I swear on the River Styx.” She let go of me.
“You may leave Di Angelo.”
Since it was almost sunset I decided to take the risk and ask her now. I found her sitting on a picnic table with a cute puppy on her lap. She and her sister were laughing at Frank.
“Frank I beat you by 100 points! My chimera killed your drakon!” Calliste stuck her tongue out
“No fair!” Frank protested
I walked to them and cleared my throat. Frank was the first to take notice of me. He walked to me and patted my back.
“Nico is that you! You look better.”
The moment Calliste heard my name she looked straight in Frank’s direction to see if he was talking to me. Her eyes met mine and suddenly my heart stopped beating. My knees went weak and I forgot my own name. She ran to me and pulled me into a tight embrace.
“Nico is that really you?” She gazed at me “You look different. I like it.”
“Thanks Percy and Grover helped me.”
“Where were you the whole day?” She looked at me worriedly
“Uh um dad called me. I had to do some errands.” I made an excuse.
“This is my sister Marina Vernon.” She motioned the girl with blonde hair and green eyes to come closer.”
“Hi Nico! I’m Marina” She smiled “This is Angelo.” She pointed at the puppy “Calliste named him.”
Calliste’s cheeks flushed red. I grinned at her.
“Marina, can I borrow your sister for awhile?”
“Sure I can play with Frank.”
I brought Calliste to a private spot hidden from the other guests. Her blue eyes met mine. Suddenly I was mesmerized. I could look in to her eyes all day wondering if they were electric blue or aquamarine. I didn’t notice that I’ve been staring blankly at her for five minutes when she waved her hand at my face.
“Nico is something wrong? What do you want to tell me?”
I cleared my throat and breathed deeply.
“Calliste I’ve wanted to tell you this since that day in the cupcake shop. Calliste, you are the greatest thing that the gods have ever given to me in my entire life. Would you…. Would you go out with me?” I asked nervously
“Of course I would” She replied as I interlaced my hands around hers. I gave Ella a go signal and fireworks appeared in the sky.
We went back to the party smiling happily. The Apollo Cabin changed the loud disco music into soft romantic music.
“May I have this dance?” I asked her
“Of course” Her honey blonde hair swayed with the wind.
I placed my hands on her waist as we danced in the moonlight.
“I love you Nico” She buried her head in my shoulder and whispered.
“I love you too.” I replied. I replayed all the happy events that happened in my life. This was by far the best.
