SELENA WAS IN A VERY GOOD MOOD. Today, she was sneaking into Manhattan to spend the afternoon with Percy. She arrived back at camp a few weeks early after spending the rest of the winter and spring with Annabeth and her family.

She sadly didn't find any half-bloods to take back with her to camp, but that didn't mean she gave up hope on finding new campers. Chiron told her the camp was getting quieter and quieter as the weeks went on. Many unclaimed campers and the children of minor gods/goddesses went to join Luke and Kronos.

Selena stuffed a few things in her bag before throwing it over her shoulder. She and Percy planned on seeing a movie together and she was going to spend the night at his before they headed to camp the next day. But first, she needed to sneak out. 

She told Annabeth to make up something if anybody asked where she was. She trusted her, she was the daughter of Athena after all.

Selena made the way up the hill, tossing Peleus, the dragon that protected the Gold Fleece, a sausage before making herself invisible to the other campers that were on guard. And just for fun, she made a snake appear out of the tree, causing some of the campers to scream and run off.

"Ha!" Selena laughed, "Classic."

She put a little pep to her step and eventually made it into Manhattan. Percy gave her directions to the school he was visiting for the day and she made it soon enough after taking the subway. She was looking for the side entrance to the school before someone burst into the alley and almost ran into Selena.

"Hey, you're out early!" Selena laughed when she noticed it was Percy. She grabbed his arm before he could tumble into the street, "Watch where you're going, Aquaman. I doubt your immune to metal hurtling at you at fifty miles per an hour."

Then a redhead covered in monster dust came charging out of the alley, yelling, "Percy, wait up!"

Selena's smile melted. She stared at the girl, then at the school. And for the first time, she noticed the black smoke and ringing fire alarms.

She frowned at Percy, "What did you do this time? And who is this?"

"Oh, Rachel—Selena. Selena—Rachel. Um, she's a friend, I guess." Percy answered,

Selena raised an eyebrow, "You guess?"

"Hi," Rachel said before turning to Percy, "You are in so much trouble. And you still owe me an explanation!"

Police sirens wailed on FDR Drive.

"Percy," Selena mumbled nervously, "We should go."

"I want to know more about half-bloods," Rachel insisted. "And monsters. And this stuff about the gods." She grabbed Percy's arm, whipped out a permanent marker, and wrote a phone number on his hand. "You're going to call me and explain, okay? You owe me that. Now get going."

"But—"

"I'll make up some story," Rachel said. "I'll tell them it wasn't your fault. Just go!" She ran back toward the school, leaving Selena and Percy in the street.

"Wow, okay." Selena sighed before walking down the alley. She felt a little hurt. Her and Percy had been getting closer these past few months. They Iris-messaged each other weekly and physically sent funny polaroids of each other monthly. 

Not to mention the signs and signals Aphrodite sends her makes her think there's something more between them. Stupid love god.

"Hey!" Percy jogged after her. "There were these two empousai," He tried to explain. "They were cheerleaders, see, and they said camp was going to burn, and—"

"You told a mortal girl about half-bloods?" Selena asked coldly,

"She can see through the Mist. She saw the monsters before I did." He explained,

"So you told her the truth?" She questioned,

"She recognized me from Hoover Dam, so—"

"You've met her before? She's the girl from the Hoover Dam that you told us about?"

"Um, yeah, from last winter. But seriously, Selena, I barely know her."

Selena paused, "She's kind of cute."

Percy stopped in his tracks, "I—I never thought about it."

Selena scoffed and kept walking toward York Avenue.

"I'll deal with the school," He promised, anxious to change the subject. "Honest, it'll be fine."

Selena couldn't look at him at the moment, "I guess our afternoon is off. We should get you out of here, now that the police will be searching for you."

Behind them, smoke billowed up from Goode High School, "You're right," Percy sighed, "We have to get to Camp Half-Blood. Now."