She Knows

At first, nothing happened. Waves crashed against the shore like normal. The harpies sounded like they were right behind the sand dunes. Then, about a hundred yards out to sea, three white lines appeared on the surface. They moved fast toward the shore, like claws ripping through the ocean. As they neared the beach, the surf burst apart and the heads of three white stallions reared out of the waves. The creatures pulled themselves onto the sand - they were only horses in the front; their back halves were silvery fish bodies, with glistening scales and rainbow tail fins - Hippocampi.

Poseidon must've known Tyson was one of the passengers, because one hippocampus was much larger than the other two-just right for carrying a Cyclops.

The harpies cursed at them, wailing for their snacks to come back, but the hippocampi raced over the water at the speed of Jet Skis. The harpies fell behind, and soon the shore of Camp Half-Blood was nothing but a dark smudge. Y/N was already having a lot of regrets. A stupid decision made on a whim just because of a boy could expel her forever. She wondered if she'd ever see the place again. But well, they had other problems for the time being.

The cruise ship was now looming in front of them - their ride toward Florida and the Sea of Monsters. Riding the hippocampus was even easier than riding a pegasus. They zipped along with the wind in their faces, speeding through the waves so smooth and steady.

As they got closer to the cruise ship, they noticed the ship's name was painted just above the bow line in black letters, lit with a spotlight - PRINCESS ANDROMEDA. Y/N remembered the myth about Andromeda and how she had been chained to a rock by her own parents as a sacrifice to a sea monster. Perseus, namesake of Percy, had saved her just in time and turned the sea monster to stone using the head of Medusa.

"How do we get aboard?" Annabeth shouted over the noise of the waves, but the hippocampi seemed to know what they needed. They skimmed along the starboard side of the ship, riding easily through its huge wake, and pulled up next to a service ladder riveted to the side of the hull.

"You first," Percy told Annabeth.

She slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and grabbed the bottom rung. Once she'd hoisted herself onto the ladder, her hippocampus whinnied a farewell and dove underwater. Annabeth began to climb.

"Y/N?" Percy called her.

"Uh yeah," she replied and moved forward slinging her duffel bag over her shoulder like Annabeth. Y/N looked a bit hesitant to climb up. She licked her lips and looked up at her friend who was climbing up like a pro.

"Here," Percy offered for help.

Y/N awkwardly muttered a small 'yes'. She felt him closing near behind her, and waited. It took him longer than she expected, so she looked behind to find him just behind her, his hands near her waist. She cleared her throat and said, "You don't have to touch me. Just hold the bottom rung. I just need to hold you for support for a while, it's dark for fuck's sake."

He did as was told, and soon everyone was up on the deck stacked with yellow lifeboats. There was a set of locked double doors, which Annabeth managed to pry open with her knife and a fair amount of cursing in Ancient Greek.

Y/N blushed at the thought. How was Percy thinking of helping her? By hoisting her up by holding her waist? Clearly he looked uncomfortable by it. Sure, they were friends but they weren't really on the stage where they could casually touch each other. It was kind of okay before, but after their little fight it was definitely awkward. For her though, it was a bit worse since she had a crush on him and any kind of close touch would make her take two steps back on forgetting these feelings she had for him. Harris on the other hand...she was comfortable with him.

Being a kid of Apollo came with it's pros and cons. And right now, it was hell of a disadvantage for Y/N. They'd have to sneak around, being stowaways and all. Yeah, it was also awful to think about how they wanted her to come expecting some help but instead they have to guide her around while looking around the ship.

As soon as Annabeth got the doors opened, Y/N looked at Percy for a moment and then walked towards Annabeth holding her hand.

"You don't mind, do you?" she whispered.

She heard a chuckle coming from her and a reassuring squeeze. Percy watched them talk from a distance and followed them in. He was glad that it was dark or the lights would've exposed his embarrassment. His embarrassment for moving his hand forward to hold Y/N's hand like he did back when they went to visit Hades. Yes, he remembered. But he didn't think that she can actually hold onto Annabeth too. He really forgot how that was an option too. And although he wanted to brush it off thinking it didn't matter, a part of him grew angrier. He was mad after their petty fight and this was just adding oil to the fire.

She just didn't feel like she was before, on his first quest.

After checking a few corridors and peering over a balcony into a huge central promenade lined with closed shops, they realized there was nobody to hide from. Sure it was the middle of the night, but they walked half the length of the boat and met no one. They passed forty or fifty cabin doors and heard no sound behind any of them.

"It's a ghost ship," Percy murmured.

"No," Tyson said, fiddling with the strap of his duffel bag. "Bad smell."

Annabeth frowned. "I don't smell anything."

"Cyclopes are like satyrs," Percy said. "They can smell monsters. Isn't that right, Tyson?"

"I think we should listen to him. Last time it didn't go that well when we ignored Grover," Y/N said.

"Okay," Annabeth said. "So what exactly do you smell?"

"Something bad," Tyson answered.

"Great," Annabeth grumbled. "That clears it up."

They came outside on the swimming pool level. There were rows of empty deck chairs and a bar closed off with a chain curtain. The water in the pool glowed eerily, sloshing back and forth from the motion of the ship.

Above them fore and aft were more levels-a climbing wall, a putt-putt golf course, a revolving restaurant, but no sign of life.

"We need a hiding place," Percy said, "Somewhere safe to sleep."

"Sleep," Annabeth agreed wearily.

They explored a few more corridors until we found an empty suite on the ninth level. The door was open, which was weird. There was a basket of chocolate goodies on the table, an iced-down bottle of sparkling cider on the nightstand, and a mint on the pillow with a handwritten note that said: Enjoy your cruise!

They opened our duffel bags for the first time and found that Hermes really had thought of everything-extra clothes, toiletries, camp rations, a Ziploc bag full of cash, a leather pouch full of golden drachmas. He'd even managed to pack Tyson's oilcloth with his tools and metal bits, and Annabeth's cap of invisibility, and Y/N's special bow and arrow which made them feel a lot better.

"I'll be next door," Annabeth said. "You guys don't drink or eat anything. Come on Y/N."

"Well, I am still holding your hand. You can just take me where you want," she said yawning.

"You think this place is enchanted?" Percy asked.

She frowned. "I don't know. Something isn't right. Just...be careful."

"I know there's a story behind this ship but it's kind of weird for all the food to be still good and...I don't know. It feels like a trap," Y/N said.

They nodded their heads in agreement and went in their respective rooms and locked their doors.

There was a strange silence lingering in the atmosphere. It was weird because the girls didn't have any kind of fight but there was still something that felt heavy. Y/N sighed and lied on her bed, too tired to think of a conversation.

"What happened between the both of you?"

Y/N sighed and looked at Annabeth lying across her on another bed. "He didn't tell you?" she asked.

".....No," Annabeth answered, trying to keep her confident voice on.

Y/N chuckled and asked, "What happened between the both of you?"

Annabeth quietly looked at her for a moment and said, "I don't understand. Is this a joke to you?"

"No, I just think Percy's an ass. He's the root cause for both of our problems, isn't he?"

"Look it's a common thing between us. Everyone knows we fight but..." Annabeth said, "you guys? It's weird."

"Why is it weird that we fight? You know how he can be total shit at times. A few times I can ignore it but I can't just overlook it every time Annabeth."

"No, you're right ofcourse. It's just that it's weird because...both of you clicked. I mean, somehow you shared something that felt like you won't fight because your thought process is a bit similar. I didn't think it would be serious and that...you guys don't share the similarity."

Y/N blushed at the comment and said, "It is serious when you're taking a decision for me instead of asking me for my opinion. You guys planned all of this and didn't once think of how I was gonna react? Why? Is it because you think I can't give you good ideas for your plan?"

Annabeth stayed quiet for a while and said, "Are you mad at me too?"

"I don't know?! I'm too confused to think about it."

"I'm sorry Y/N. I hope Percy and you set things straight. I mean, you aren't really close if you don't ever get angry at them. I just...didn't think you would disagree to the plan. It's partly my fault."

"God, atleast you're owning up to your mistakes. Why did you think I'll agree? I mean sure we are friends but did you think I wouldn't think of going when I can put both of you in danger by breaking the 'trios are better for quests' rule?"

"No we didn't think that much. I just thought you would support us."

"I would help you out in any way I can, but still ask me before next time."

"I thought that..." Annabeth's voice faded and then after a while she muttered 'goodnight'. Y/N took it as a sign that she was definitely tired and both of them needed some sleep. But Annabeth. She was awake for a while. It was better to let her roommate for the night know about it later.

About how she knew about the feelings for Percy that Y/N has been hiding.