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The dining pavilion buzzed with the usual chaos of lunch hour at Camp Half-Blood. Plates clattered, demigods chatted, and nymphs darted between the tables, tending to their duties. At the Apollo table, Will Solace leaned back in his seat, balancing precariously on the back legs of his chair as he listened to Austin recount an epic failure during archery practice.
“I swear, the arrow didn’t just miss the target. It went flying over the Big House! Chiron hasn’t stopped giving me grief about it,” Austin said, gesturing wildly.
Kayla snorted, shaking her head. “I don’t know if that’s worse than the time you tried to shoot while running and tripped over your own feet.”
Austin groaned, his head dropping into his hands. “Okay, are we going to rehash every mistake I’ve ever made, or can we move on?”
Will grinned, his plate of food mostly forgotten. Lunch with his siblings was one of the few times he felt he could relax. No emergencies, no pressure, just good company.
The table erupted into laughter again as Kayla began mimicking Austin’s clumsy attempt at shooting on the move, her exaggerated gestures drawing attention from their siblings. Will let the warm, familiar feeling wash over him, a sense of belonging he didn’t take for granted. It was rare for things to feel so easy, so normal.
And then came the tap on his shoulder.
Will turned, his chair legs slamming back to the ground as he faced the newcomer.
Lydia.
He recognized her instantly. The new daughter of Aphrodite had been the talk of camp ever since she arrived a few weeks ago, and for good reason. Her long brunette hair fell in glossy waves that seemed to catch the sunlight no matter the angle, and her deep brown eyes held a kind of effortless allure. Lydia was one of those people who didn’t just walk into a room- she owned it.
Will had noticed her around camp, of course. It was hard not to. She had this aura that drew people in, the kind of presence that made heads turn as she passed by. And judging by the faint murmur that had replaced the laughter at the Apollo table, his siblings were no exception.
“Hi,” Lydia said, her voice smooth and steady.
Will blinked, caught off guard. “Oh, hey… Lydia, right?”
She smiled, her lips curving just enough to show off perfectly white teeth. “That’s me. You’re Will Solace.”
It wasn’t a question.
“Guilty,” he said, returning her smile out of habit.
Behind him, the table had gone dead silent. Will didn’t need to look to know that his siblings were now fully invested in the interaction, their attention as unsubtle as it was irritating.
Lydia’s gaze flickered briefly to the Apollo campers before returning to him, unbothered by the audience. If anything, the attention seemed to embolden her.
“I’ve seen you around camp,” she said, her tone casual but purposeful. “You’re pretty hard to miss. Healer, archer, counselor; you seem like the kind of guy who’s good at everything.”
Will’s thoughts stumbled. What do I even say to that? He managed an awkward chuckle. “Uh, thanks, I guess?”
She smiled again, tilting her head slightly. “I mean it. You’re impressive. And…” She let the pause linger just long enough to make his pulse pick up, “I think you’re kind of cute.”
The words hung in the air, and Will felt a flush creep up his neck.
Okay, that’s flattering. Really flattering. He wasn’t immune to compliments, especially when delivered with that kind of confidence. But there was something in the way she said it, like she already knew he’d agree with her. Like it was a foregone conclusion.
Will cleared his throat, acutely aware of the hush at the table behind him. “Oh,” he said, trying to keep his tone light. “Thanks.”
Lydia stepped closer, her voice dropping slightly, enough to make the rest of the pavilion seem distant. “I was wondering if you’d like to hang out sometime. Just us. I think we’d get along.”
Will’s stomach twisted. Her confidence was magnetic, sure, but it also felt like too much- like she was drawing him into a current he didn’t want to wade into. He’d seen the way other campers reacted to her, practically tripping over themselves to agree with her every word. And yet, as she stood there, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that should’ve been overwhelming, Will felt… nothing.
No spark. No pull. Just… nothing.
Well, not nothing. He could see how attractive she was. Her confidence, her charm- it was all there. But there was a wall between them, something immovable and absolute.
Oh. Right. That’s why.
Will’s heart sank a little as he realized where this was going. Lydia had no idea that this wasn’t about her, not really. And as much as he hated the idea of disappointing someone, he couldn’t play along. He couldn’t lead her on just to save face.
“Lydia,” he said gently, “you’re great. Really. But I’m not interested.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
Lydia’s expression flickered, confusion briefly replacing her confidence. “You’re not… interested?”
Will shook his head, his voice soft but firm. “I’m sorry.”
For a moment, she just stared at him, as if he’d spoken in another language. Then she let out a short, humorless laugh. “Wow. Okay.”
Will opened his mouth to say something else—maybe to explain, to make her understand it wasn’t about her—but before he could, she turned on her heel and walked away, her head held high.
The second she was out of earshot, the table erupted.
“Will,” Kayla hissed, leaning across the table, “what just happened?”
“You turned her down? Her?” Austin said, his tone somewhere between disbelief and awe. “Are you crazy?”
“She’s, like, the most popular person at camp right now,” another sibling chimed in.
Will sighed, leaning back in his seat. “Guys, it’s not that big of a deal.”
“Not that big of a deal?” Kayla repeated, incredulous. “She basically called you perfect and asked you out. And you said no?”
Will stabbed a piece of chicken with his fork, more for something to do than because he was hungry. “Yeah, because I’m not interested. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal,” Austin said, “is that she’s gorgeous. And confident. And did I mention gorgeous?”
Will shrugged, chewing on his chicken as the table erupted into a chorus of disbelief and theories about why he’d said no. He waited until the noise started to die down before setting his fork down and sighing.
“Okay, look,” he said, cutting through the noise. “Lydia’s great. She’s confident, pretty, all of that. But I’m not into girls. At all. So even if she’s the most beautiful person at camp, it wouldn’t change anything.”
The table went completely silent.
“Oh,” Austin said after a beat, his voice loud in the stillness.
Kayla smacked his arm. “Austin!”
“What? I’m not judging! I’m just saying it makes sense now!”
Will rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the validation.”
“Wait,” another sibling piped up, leaning forward. “So you’ve never been into girls? Like, ever?”
Will raised an eyebrow. “Do you need me to draw you a diagram?”
“No, no, just curious!” they said quickly, holding up their hands.
Kayla’s expression softened. “Why didn’t you just say that from the start? Lydia probably would’ve taken it better if she knew it wasn’t about her.”
Will shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought about it, but I didn’t want to make it a whole thing. And honestly, I wasn’t sure it would’ve made a difference. She seems… persistent.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Austin muttered, earning a few chuckles from the table.
Will smiled faintly, grateful as the conversation shifted back to lighter topics. Lydia would bounce back. She had enough confidence to withstand a little rejection. And as his siblings moved on to debating the best campfire song, Will found himself relaxing again.