A/N: Hey everyone! Happy Spring Break! I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! I know it's been a long time, but I've been swamped with work. This is honestly the hardest school year I've ever had. But since I'm on break, I've had some time for fanfiction, so here's part 2! An immense thank you to all my kind reviewers and followers - I am elated and honored that you think my story is good! I've never received so many reviews for one chapter alone. That being said, I took all your suggestions into account, so I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: We've been over this. Too lame, too nerdy, and too into slash pairings to write the PJO books. Uncle Rick, fortunately, isn't (though he did venture more into the PG-13 zone with those Solangelo hints).
Chapter 2
"This is stupid." Reyna stated bluntly, massaging her temples with her fingers.
"Reyna!"
"Sorry. This is stupid and crazy."
"Would you at least give it some thought?" Rachel asked.
"I have. And this is illogical, futile, and a waste of time. What do you even hope to achieve by this?"
"There are so many girls who have felt the same pain of their hearts being broken by Percy. C'mon, Reyna! We need to cheer them up. Make them know that they're not alone in their pain."
Reyna rolled her eyes. "He's just a boy. You make sound as if they've bravely survived through some traumatic war experience."
"Look Reyna," Rachel said, huffing, "Not everyone is as strong and brave as you, I'm sorry. Hell, I bet you could survive through multiple traumatic war experiences and still not even bat an eye."
"I have," Reyna answered rigidly, unblinking. "Besides, it's a waste of time, like I said before. And only a couple of girls will join anyways."
The red head put her hands on her hips and glared at the Roman. "Do you know how many girls have had their hearts broken by Percy?"
Reyna shrugged and said in a bored tone,"I don't know. Six, seven at most?"
"Wow," Rachel said, laughing. "You got it so wrong. Wait and see. After we announce it to the camp, wait and see how many girls will sign up. Boys, too. And nymphs."
Reyna rolled her eyes yet again. "Rachel, I'm not doing this."
"Pleeeaaassseeee?"
"No."
"C'mon! Didn't it hurt when Percy flat out rejected you and trampled on your feelings?"
Rachel noticed how Reyna's shoulders tensed and her gaze dropped to the ground. "You know," she said softly. "It's okay to admit that you were hurt. You are human after all, Reyna."
Reyna straightened her posture and set her face back into her signature stern and elegant expression. "Romans do not admit weakness, Rachel Elizabeth Dare." She said smoothly, hiding all traces of emotion. "But," she started. "I suppose I was...a bit hurt. Just a bit."
Rachel immediately smiled and asked brightly. "So does that mean you'll help me out?!"
"No," Reyna responded simply, and Rachel's expression dropped. "Whether I was hurt by him or not is irrelevant to the situation. I have... gotten over it."
Rachel groaned in frustration. "Not everyone has! Oh my effing gods, why can you not understand that?!"
The girls stared at each other, glaring, a silent battle going between them. After a few seconds of silence, Reyna finally responded. "...alright, fine. I will assist you in the...formation of this club. But only because I want like to help the people of this camp in any way I can."
"Oh, I don't care about your righteous moral compass or whatever. But this is awesome! I knew you'd come around!" Rachel exclaimed, flinging her arms around the Roman girl, who's shoulders tensed at the contact.
Reyna spoke up again. "Even so...how are we supposed to go through with this? Rachel, this is simply insane. A 'Had a Crush on Percy and Got Over it Club'?"
Rachel replied, "Well, some of the girls still have a crush on Percy. And gods knows most of them haven't gotten over it. So it's more like the 'Had a Crush on Percy and Still Heartbroken' club," Rachel stretched her arms, thinking for a second. "But don't worry. Just leave it all to me," she said ominously.
"Byeeee! And thanks!" She exclaimed, giving her friend a quick hug before skipping off into the general direction of her cave.
Reyna slowly pinched the bridge of her nose and murmured to herself, "Oh, gods. What have gotten myself into?"
A few days passed, and soon the campers gathered around the campfire at night for the sing-a-long. As Will Solace from the Apollo cabin strummed his lyre softly while making the most obvious sex eyes at Nico, Rachel grinned mischievously. Tonight was the night when it would be announced. When Percy's reign of heartbreak would end.
"OHH! GREECE! MOTHER GREECE! HOMELAANNDDD!" The campers sang happily, terribly off pitch. Chiron clapped and smiled merrily, while signaling everyone to quiet down.
He stood up and the campfire went silent. "Children, we shall now commence with the announcements." He said, pausing while looking at everyone. "The mess hall will be closed for the next few days due to renovations that must be done because of an accident tonight involving a certain hellhound and a certain demigod," he said, looking at Nico pointedly, who blushed profusely.
"I'm sorry," Nico said. "I was just playing with some shadows and Mrs. O'Leary just got a little...excited."
"Yes we can all see just how excited she was," Chiron responded back smoothly.
"Activity listings will be posted tomorrow morning, and the Demeter cabin gets the showers first tomorrow due to receiving the highest score in cleanliness. Last but not least..." He drifted off.
"There is a...new club forming, started by our very own oracle, Miss Rachel Elizabeth Dare, and the Roman praetor Miss Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano," he said nervously, awkwardly clearing his throat. Whispers and murmurs instantly started up around the campfire. A new club?
The poor centaur looked pained and at loss for words. "I...well, I do believe that it would best if the leader, Miss Dare, would explain the premise of her club."
Rachel got up and smiled radiantly. "It would be my pleasure," she exclaimed, with a little too much saccharin in her voice. Her eyes scarily gleamed with a wicked kind of ecstasy, trained directly at Percy, whom in turn squirmed uncomfortably under her intense gaze, afraid at what she was going to announce.
"I have started a club...the 'Had a Crush on Percy Club.'" The words were simple enough, but the campers immediately started loud, animated conversations in response to the news. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Annabeth. The blonde nodded slightly, a small smile gracing her features. And then she knew that this club would do great, would do amazing. Rachel found the will to speak again.
"Now, now," Rachel said calmly, putting a hand up to hush the crowd. "Before all hell breaks loose, let me just say this: the club is open to everyone, so don't feel shy under any circumstances. Boys, girls, nymphs, dryads - anyone who has had their hearts broken by He Who Shall Not Be Named. Sign ups will formally begin tomorrow at my cave, but you can sign up early after the campfire if you want. That is all. All hell can break loose now," she finished, sauntering away.
A long moment of silence ensued. And then, all hell broke loose. Conversations started all around. A group of girls started cheering very loudly and giving each other high fives. A teenage boy with mousy brown hair and Harry Potter style glasses abruptly ran over to where Percy was sitting, kicked him hard in his shin, and screamed, "SUCK IT, LOSER!" He proceeded to join in the cheering as well, and then ran back towards the cabins area.
Chiron tried to keep peace, but eventually gave up and galloped back to the Big House, muttering to himself, "Screw it. I'm too old for this."
Reyna watched from the side, slapping a face to her forehead. "Exactly like I predicted," she muttered to herself. She knew the news would be a big, hot topic all around camp and that it wouldn't die down for another couple of days. She hated how people were already thanking her for creating the club and patting her back in congratulations. Despite being the famed and idolized Roman praetor, the link bringing everyone together, Reyna actually disliked being the center of attention when it wasn't necessary. She sighed. What could be done? That stupid redheaded girl had pleaded.
She suddenly heard a low whistle from behind her and turned around to see the one and only Jason Grace leaning against a tree trunk and watching the wild campfire with a slightly amused expression on his face. "Some madness, huh?" He said.
A heavy pang of sadness tugged at her heart, but she ignored it. She absolutely despised talking to him, hated even looking at him for what it did to her emotions, and avoided speaking with him unless it was necessary. "Don't joke about madness. Mr. D is present," she responded with ease, forcing herself to. Her face showed a relaxed expression with a bit of amusement, although her emotions were anything but. Hiding her emotions was her specialty, after all.
Jason laughed at her comment, and Reyna hated the way the sound made her stomach flutter, even now. She forced herself to speak again. "Though I suppose," she started. "That I must take partial blame in starting this madness, since I am the designated co-leader of the...club."
"I was wondering about that, actually," Jason said, showing a spark of interest in his eyes. "I mean, why are you, of all people, head of the club?"
Reyna sighed and answered. "I didn't want to be, initially. But Rachel begged me to, since I have technically had a crush on Percy."
Jason looked taken aback. "Wait," he stuttered, "You...you were - were in love with Percy? I thought...like, you - you and I...we..."
Reyna felt a spark of anger ignite in her as her hands began to ball into fists. She snapped, "Oh, what's this? You expected me to still be hung up on you, even now? The entire time you were gone, while you were joining hands with Piper, I was expected to wait for you and cry over you like some...damsel in distress?!" she spat out. "How arrogant of you. Even Percy's a far better gentleman, unlike you. You really have become a pitiful Greek. At least Percy was sincere and truly sorry."
"Reyna, that's not what I me - "
"You know something? I took leadership of the club to bring justice to heartbreaking idiots like you. Percy may have also broken my heart, but at least he made me forget about you."
"Woah there, wait a minute, I - " he began to say, but Reyna didn't let him finish. She sauntered off, heading towards Rachel's cave to help her with sign ups. And for once, she had a grin on her face. A huge one.
"What. The. Hell," Jason muttered quietly.
Meanwhile Percy stood a few yards away, dodging paper balls thrown by another group of teenage girls. "Why, gods?" He screamed out in anguish. "What did I do wrong? WHY ME?!"
"Oh, good, you're here. I could really use some help right now," Rachel said to Reyna as she walked in to her cave. The area was packed; there were campers everywhere, milling about restlessly on line to sign up for the club.
"Very well, then," Reyna said, cracking her knuckles. "I will start another line outside." She hummed the tune of "We Are Never Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift as she instructed some people to go outside.
"Reyna?" Rachel asked gently.
"Mmm?"
"Why in Hades' name are you humming Taylor Swift? And grinning like a loon?"
"Oh, no reason," she said in a sing-songy voice. She turned to leave, but then stopped suddenly and turned around again. "I...realized that this club is actually a really good idea."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Reyna?"
"Uh-huh?"
"Let's go get revenge on that motherfucker."
"Exacting revenge on enemies is something I'm very good at."
"And I don't doubt it for a second."
Reyna finally went outside, where a mix of boys, girls, satyrs, nymphs, dryads, and naiads stood, waiting for her. She was pleased to see who had turned out. Amongst the group she saw Calypso, that girl Kimmie, and a couple of visiting Romans from her camp as well. She smiled as she spotted Nico, who was having a conversation with the overly loud and raucous Will Solace.
"Will?" She asked, confused. "You had a crush on Percy as well?"
Will turned around, an insulted look adorning his face. "No, of course not!"
"Then...why are you here?" Will turned red at the question and spluttered out, "I'm here for...medical assistance."
"Medical assistance?" Reyna spat out, a "get real, bitch" look plastered on her face.
"Yes...you see, I, um, am trying to convince Nico here not to join the club cuz...he's...too weak still. Yeah, that's it! He needs some more time in the infirmary, because his weak body just can't handle it. And I, as the main doctor, shall...look over him."
Reyna chuckled a bit to herself and wondered what exactly "looking over him" meant. Nico growled, "The Giant's War was almost a year ago, Solace. I'm fine."
"No, you're not!" Will said frantically. "You could...trip over a rock and sprain your ankle! Or get a paper cut! Or - "
"Will." Reyna cut in. "We'll take good care of him, don't worry." She flashed him a quick wink to let him know that Nico would still be single tomorrow. She went up to him and whispered in his ear, "This is a 'Had A Crush on Percy' club, not a 'Hook Up with Percy' club."
Will weakly smiled and said, "A-alright, if you insist." He gulped and then stammered, "I guess I'll just...go then. Ok." Will reluctantly turned and started walking towards his cabin. Reyna heard sniffles as he passed through. Was he crying? She sighed and and commanded in a loud, clear voice, "Everyone, line up at the table for signing up! On the form, state your name, age, and what cabin you belong to. Got it?"
Everyone rushed eagerly towards the table set up outside. Reyna took her seat behind the table and called campers forth to fill out their forms. She hummed Taylor Swift the entire time.
After sign ups were finished, Reyna gathered the club members outside the cave and called everyone to order.
"Our first formal meeting will be tomorrow morning, right after breakfast," she stated.
She looked at everyone. "Comrades," she started again loudly. "We have all been heartbroken. Betrayed. Broken down by...what? A boy? That's all he is. So let's form together. And teach him a lesson!"
Deafening roars followed the sentence, and everyone chanted, "SUFFRAGE. TO. PERCY. SUFFRAGE. TO. PERCY. SUFFRAGE! TO! PERCY!"
Reyna yelled over the crowd. "LET THIS BE THE START OF THE 'HAD A CRUSH ON PERCY CLUB'!"
A/N: Was it terrible? Amazing? I know that leaving reviews gets annoying, and it's really annoying when an author begs for them, but...please? Reviews are like candy for me! And again, thank you to all the amazing souls who reviewed last chapter! You guys rock! And don't worry, I'll make sure to update sooner this time - way sooner.
Signing off,
~Queen Ore-sama 👑