8 • Percy Jackson, The Son of Poseidon And Leader of the Blueberry Muffins

                                    

                                          
Lady, running down to the riptide
Taken away to the dark side
I wanna be your left-hand man
I love you when you're singing that song
And I got a lump in my throat
'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong.
Riptide • Vance Joy
🌸🌸🌸
I spotted the marching band right after him. They were singing a song, one I recognised from the radio at home. The blonde kid was screaming with his hands over his ears. 
I don't know what you've been told.
(I don't know what you've been told)
The band was led by the one and only Austin Lake, who was laughing his head off. He was followed by the rest of Cabin 7, who were having the time of their lives. 
The kids eating at the tables laughed at the scene, and then Austin flourished his conductor's wand to the campers to end the song. I was smiling. Everyone looked like they were having fun. They complimented each other and placed their musical equipment on one of the empty tables. They grabbed their breakfasts, which is when Austin spotted me and waved. I waved back. 
The blonde kid had escaped the dangers of the Apollo cabin and made a beeline for the food then ran to one of the tables in relief. 
"Who's that?" I asked the Stoll Brothers, referring to that kid eating a muffin by himself. He wasn't exactly alone, the kid was laughing over a joke with another kid at a different table. 
"That's Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon," Travis said, stuffing the pancakes he had in front of him into his mouth. 
Like Annabeth's son of Poseidon? Annabeth had mentioned when I first met her that she was the keeper of the son of Poseidon. I guessed that meant she and Percy were best friends, but after seeing him I suspected something more awaited between them. 
But like... this son of Poseidon? 
Percy looked like one of those kids you'd see on a 'get help' poster. Surely, Annabeth hadn't meant him, right?
"Annabeth's friend?" I asked, putting my cutlery onto my plate. 
Connor scoffed, "More like boyfriend-but-he-doesn't-know-it-yet for Annabeth. He's saved the world more than once. The gods like to keep an eye on him." 
His brother nodded. "A couple of months ago, the gods held a vote on whether or not to kill him. And even Artemis, who hates men, likes him enough to vote against killing him," he added. 
"Poseidon is the water god, right? Like, Neptune?" I asked. 
"Yep," Connor said. 
"But, Neptune is the Roman version of Poseidon," Travis corrected, standing up. 
Connor stood up also. "We'll be at the camp shop if you need us," he said. 
"Because?" I prompted, waving my hand. 
"If you need us. We hang out there, per se," Connor answered. I took that as they were up to no good in the camp shop. The boys then left and I was left alone at this side of the table. 
After a moment, I stood up and grabbed a muffin, two pancakes and more strawberries, as well as a cup of coffee. 
The table I had been at before looked more crowded since I'd left, so I headed over to the son of Poseidon. 
"Hi," I said. 
He looked up and frowned, but then smiled courteously, but mischievously. "You must be the new kid, Annabeth mentioned you," Percy replied.