Author's Note: I'm mean. I'm terrible. I'm an idiot. Call me whatever. I know it's been, like, a month since I last updated. That is because I was working on another story in the Hunger Games section AND I was in Singapore for Christmas. So, yeah.

Review!~

By morning, we were all fixed up. Lacy still had a headache, but otherwise fine.

I was feeling quite feverish thanks to the nectar. We were hungry and it was time for breakfast. Lester led the way to the pavilion but Lacy trailed behind us like a defeated puppy.

I slowed down so I was walking next to her.

"Are you okay?" I asked, stupidly. Of course she wasn't she still had a bandage over her head and some bruises were peeping out of it.

"No. Jeremy knocked me out with his elbow. It hit my temple. Hard."

Jeremy was the Athena camper that attacked her. He had come to the Big House to apologize because Annabeth forced him to.

"So. Had fun back there?"

I meant to be sarcastic but she grinned up at me.

"Yeah. I stabbed Jeremy in the foot."

"That's good."

"Yeah."

oO0Oo

"-Mr. D was like, where are the freaking strawberries?" Lester was saying.

Some of the Aphrodite kids laughed. The other half scrunched their noses saying, "That is sooo immature."

Lester was telling us a story about how the Hermes Cabin played a prank on Mr. D when I heard three plunks.

Great. Marty and two of his friends planted their big butts on the Aphrodite table. Everyone stopped talking and focused on their food.

"Well, hello ladies," he said, winking at Drew and a couple other girls. They all rolled their eyes, even Drew.

"Get lost, darling. The Ares table is behind you. I imagine Clarrise is looking for someone to help her practice swordplay. You know, a dummy."

Surprisingly, this came from Drew. I smiled at her. She rolled her eyes again.

Marty chuckled. "Typical Aphrodite girls." He looked at me. "Well, hello Michelle, Lassie."

I opened my mouth to say a stinging retort but couldn't find one so I opened and closed my mouth like a dying fish.

Marty acknowledged Lacy. "I see you've got yourselves a follower. Didn't I see you beside them at capture the flag? And at archery lessons? And pegasus lessons? Rock-climbing? Everywhere else? Why do you stick to these two losers?"

"Hey! We're right here you know!" Lester said indigantly. Marty ignored the outburst and continued to stare at Lacy. She was squirming in her seat and fiddling with the edge of her shirt.

"I saw you when you first went to camp. Chased by two hellhounds and your so-called protector ain't there. You said he chickened out when he saw the monsters. You beat one of them with a baseball bat. That takes guts and you could be hanging out with us if you want."

I didn't know that. She never told us. Come to think of it, we just added Lacy to our 'Circle of Friendship' a few weeks ago. We don't know anything about her. Not even her last name. That revelation made my head spin.

Lacy blushed and a hint of a smile flashed for a milisecond on her face. "I didn't even kill it."

Lester goggled at her. "You're flattered by Marty? He's not in our Circle, remember?"

Marty turned on Lester. "If my sources are correct, I believe you have never seen a monster except in the forest. You've never slain one in all the years you've been here," Marty said in a matter-of-fact voice.

Lester stood up and banged his palms on the table. He was red in the face. Mr. D glanced up from his wine magazine to look at our cabin but when he saw that it was just another fight threatening to break out, he rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Demigods."

"Just so you know, your 'sources' are wrong and I have fought monsters! The day I went to camp, I killed dracnaes! The day I got claimed, I got attacked by anemoi thuellai or whatever they are called! The day I first went home from camp, I got severely injured by a cyclops but managed to kill him! So shut your freaking mouth and remove yourself from the table! Kindly take your friends with you!" He spat the last word out.

I pulled Lester to his seat and whispered, "Dude. Chiron's looking at us. Do you want to clean the toilets or what?"

Lester took a deep breath. "Sorry. I just saw red."

Drew rolled her eyes. "Hey Mars Bars. Stop aggravating my campers!"

"Sorry, sweetie. There's one more thing I have to do."

It was my turn. "Hey, Mitchell. How's your dad? I've heard that he's an artist. Paint any good paintings lately? Or is he broke? From what I've heard, you've been homeschooled by your him. What does he teach you? Impressionism and abstact?" He laughed.

I was stunned more than mad. How did he know all these things?

I was thinking this when I saw Lester's fist connect with Marty's face. It all happened so fast. One minute, Marty's ugly face was laughing and the next, Marty's ugly face had a bloody nose.

"Dude!" Marty wailed pathetically. "I can't believe you just did that!"

Marty was clutching his nose with his now bloodied hand. Lester was breathing hard and his hand was still in fist form. Everyone's mouth was opening and closing, similar to what I did previously.

Tears were streaming down Marty's face but he winked at us. He was feigning pain!

There was the sound of hooves behind me.

Please let it be a nice, nature-loving satyr, I thought.

I was wrong.

I didn't realize that I was standing too, holding back Leater's shirt. I had frozen in that position, looking very much involved. The last thing I want to be. I realeased the shirt and waited for the end.

The end looked very much like a horse. Chiron spun me around.

"What happened, child?"

I didn't know what to say. I wasn't the one who fired the punch or taunted anyone! Guessed what I said? It was more or less like this.

"I... was.. but, no- arguement..I, um.. punch- Marty... Lester, Lacy... I don't... know." I said that last word with finality.

Chiron furrowed his eyebrows. "You punched Marty, Lester and Lacy?"

I back-tracked. "No no no! I mean, I'm not sure what happened here. It's all confusing and weird. Sorry," I added lamely.

Chiron turned to Lacy. Guess I wasn't a valid source. "What happened?"

Lacy was stting there casually, nibbling on a french fry. She looked so innocent, unlike me.

"Marty was bullying Mitchell and Lester. Lester got mad and punched Marty."

Chiron fixed his intense eyes on Lester. Lester cringed.

"Lacy, were you part of this?"

"Nope," Lacy lied smoothly.

Chiron beckoned Lester and Marty and I out of the pavilion.

I stuck a tongue at Lacy. Traitor!

The lives of Aphrodite's sons are never easy.

~Review! I'll get one out faster. I hope.