VII

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
CABIN 5 WAS BUZZING WITH energy the moment I woke up. I was pretty excited. It was Capture the Flag day. I mean, I was thrilled until I found out I was on border control. I didn't even get to guard the flag, but let's be real, I was not going to let this happen. 
Since it was still 7 am and the game didn't begin till after dinner, I went on with my day as usual. I trained for a few hours. Clarisse pushed me, saying, "I have to do my best on border control." I was annoyed. Not to brag, but I was a good fighter and could have played offense easily. But what Clarisse says goes.
Around noon, as I was leaving training, I bumped into Percy Jackson. "Watch where you're going, Prick," I blurted out before realizing who I was talking to. "Oh, sorry, Val," Percy said, looking scared. He called me Val, which I didn't like. Only those I trust call me Val or Vee. I've barely had a couple of conversations with Percy, and now he thinks he can call me Val. No way. "It's Valerie for you," I said firmly. "But Annabeth calls you Val." "Yeah, because Annabeth  is my friend." I don't spill everything about myself when I first meet people.  "Okay, Valerie," he replied, trying to add a bit of sass to his voice.
"Alright, prissy, watch your back in Capture the Flag today." Hopefully, that shook him up enough. After our little chat, I went to see Carter while he was practicing archery. "Holy Car, almost blew my head off," I exclaimed. 
"I was trying to, but I missed," he chuckled.
 "Better save your arrows for when I'm stealing your flag tonight," I teased. "Vee, aren't you on border control?" he questioned. "Do you really think I'm going to let that happen?"
"I get it, you don't want to be on border control, but do you realize how mad Clarisse will be when she finds you out of place? Be careful, Vee," Carter warned. 
"Since when have you ever cared for my safety? Clarisse and them won't even care when I have the flag in my hands; they'll all be thanking me," I retorted confidently. "What makes you sure you're going to win?" Carter smirked. "Uh, because I am me, duh," I replied with a laugh.
I was determined not to let Carter's doubts get to me. I knew I was capable of getting the flag. It couldn't be too hard, right?
Oh how wrong I was.
                                                                                               -
It was after dinner when athena cabin ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner. It was about ten feet long, glistening gray, with a painting of a barn owl above an olive tree. From the opposite side of the pavilion, My cabin ran in with another banner, of identical size, but gaudy red, painted with a bloody spear and a boar's head.It wasn't my choice for the design. I would have done a way better job but it didn't matter now.
The teams were announced. Athena had made an alliance with Apollo and Hermes, the two biggest cabins.  Privileges were traded like shower times, chore schedules, the best slots for activities, in order to win support.