Chapter three part two! Btw I know I said amber will get claimed in this chapter but I changed my mind; it'll be too fast. So amber will get claimed in the next chapter (hopefully). This chapter is long anyway. ❀ Constructive Criticism approved! ❀ Feedback appreciated! ❀ No advertising ⚠ Important notice, please don't remix this ⚠ I spent a long time writing this. Quote of the day: "Whoever one is, and wherever one is, one is always in the wrong if one is rude."
Chapter three~ °+`Amethyst Driftwood's guide to moving bookcases...+*• "Hey! we dont eat all the food! you do!" a voice shouted from somewhere deep within the crowd at the table. "Shut up, Connor, you've got three packets of sweets in your pockets right now!" the first boy yelled back, before looking back to me. He waved his arm frantically, gesturing to a tiny, microscopic gap at the end of the bench. "Move it or lose it, newbie! if you dont come now, someone's gonna eat all the garlic bread! and this seat!" A few nearby people snickered. I glanced at Percy and annabeth and before walking over to him. He had dark hair, pale skin, and grey eyes. i felt my face heat up slightly as i sat down; i wasnt really good at meeting new people. "Relax, kid," he said, "I'm james. And despite what the chaos looks like, we don't actually bite. Well, unless you try to take the last slice of pizza." "Hey!" said again the other guy from earlier, yelled from three seats down. "I saw that pizza slice first, James! It's legally mine by the laws of ancient Greece!" "You don't know the laws of ancient Greece, Travis," James shot back without even looking up, causing a few kids around us to snicker again. He turned his grey eyes back to me. "Ignore him. What's your name?" "Amber," I muttered, my voice sounding smaller than I wanted it to. I looked down at my empty hands, then at the crowded table. My stomach gave a loud growl, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since breakfast back at my real school. Back when my life made sense. "Well, Amber," James said, grabbing a goblet and sliding it toward me. "First rule of the Hermes table: if you don't grab food within the first thirty seconds, you fast until dinner." "oh be nice james." said a girl with blonde hair beside me. "im katie, by the way." "oh, um, hi, there, katie!" i squeaked. "you look starving. you should eat." she said. I stared at the platters, but my mind suddenly flashed back to the nightmare-the cold metal cage, the howling shadow looming over it, and my brother trapped inside. The smell of the garlic suddenly made me feel sick. How was I supposed to just sit here and eat dinner with a bunch of strangers while my little brother was out there somewhere, terrified and alone? katie must have seen the panic on my face because her smile faded away. "Hey," he said quietly, leaning in so James couldn't hear. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." because i have, i wanted to say. and that ghost took my brother! but i didnt. its not like she would understand... my hands closed into fists around my pockets. "im fine." i lied through gritted teeth. Katie didn't look convinced at all. Her grey eyes darted down to my clenched fists, then back up to my face. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, James said "Hey, look, if you're not going to eat, at least get a drink", pointing at the empty goblet he had slid over to me. "Just say whatever you want it to be filled with. Within reason. Don't ask for melted gold or something." I stared at the empty cup. Was he serious? "Anything?" "Yeah. Just say whatever," Katie said, her voice dropping the worried tone. "Go on, try it." I looked at the goblet. the more i looked at the goblet, the more thirsty i got. My throat felt really dry... and i was really tired.... I gave in and closed my eyes tight and thought of the sweetest, coldest mango juice from the carton back in my fridge at home. The kind my brother and I used to fight over on Saturday mornings. A sudden SLOSH made my eyes snap open. The goblet was filled to the brim with orange liquid, ice cubes clinking against the sides. "See? cool right?" James smirked, leaning back. "Though you've got ten seconds left of your thirty seconds before I steal that garlic bread on your plate." "Touch her plate, James, and I'll tell chiron," Katie warned, though she was smirking. "you wouldn't dare!" james said. "oh yeah i would." katie smiled. I couldnt help but giggle into my sleeve. I took a sip of the juice. It tasted exactly like home, which almost made me start crying all over again. I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to focus on the noise of the pavilion just to keep myself from thinking about the howling shadow in my nightmare. just then, a loud CLANG CLANG CLANG echoed from the front of the pavilion.
