thirteen
happy birthday, among other things

THE TREK FROM APOLLO CABIN to the big house on this particular day was usual for Lennon Hart. Camp was starting to wake up, much like Lennon. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail, she wore a Star Wars shirt that she had stolen from Lee Fletcher and sweatpants. The February morning chill blew through the campgrounds.

    Eventually, she made her way to the big house, finding Chiron in the small office at the back of the house.

    "The call is already set up," he said.

    "Thank you,"

    He contemplated his next words and then said, "You'll five minutes. Play nice this time, she's your mother,"

    "If only she'd act like it," Lennon said bitterly, moving into the room.

    Chiron looked at her with a sad look but continued down the hall.

    Lennon sat down in the desk chair at the computer in front of her. On the computer screen was the image of her mother.

    Lori Hart was the image of perfection. It may have been three hours earlier in California but she was dressed for business. She had the same dark hair as Lennon, but her's had light brown highlights. Though Lennon couldn't see her full outfit, she was no doubt dressed like the no-nonsense businesswoman she was.

    "Lennon, dear how are you?"

    "Great, mom," she answered flatly.

    "Happy Birthday," Her mother smiled at her. "Your present has already been shipped to camp so you should get it soon. How's life at camp?"

    I learned I'm destined for a life of tragedy, went on a life-threatening quest, and made friends along the way! "The same as it's always been, mom,"

    Lennon and her mother rarely speak, hence why she never told her about her curse. Not that she would anyway. Why bother her mother with that when she wouldn't be around to see it?

    "How's songwriting going?"

    "It's okay,"

    Her mother frowned at her dry response. "How's your brother Julian? You don't talk about him as much as you used to,"

    "That's because you and I rarely talk at all,"

    "Well, whose fault is that?" She said loudly.

    And there it was. Her mother's fake attempt at caring was thrown away.

    "I'm trying to make conversation with you and you're not cooperating. Why can't we for once have a happy normal conversation?"

    "Because I don't want to talk to you! Frankly, that's why I dread birthday mornings because I have to fake peace with you,"

    Her mother sighed deeply. "We never see each other and you want to ruin the one time we do talk,"

    "I'd rather not talk to you at all but here we are!"

    Her mother stared her down, which was just as intimidating on screen as it would be in real life. "Fine Lennon. If you want out of this conversation so bad so be it. I have an early meeting to get to soon anyway. Bye Lennon,"

    "Goodbye mom," she clicked the button and hung up on the call. Lennon pushed back from the desk and sighed.

    Every conversation with her mother ended the same way. Lennon just couldn't bare talking to her mother for long periods. Which was ironic when she thought about it considering she used to wish that her mother would have a conversation with her. All those years of neglect had made Lennon loathe her mother and it seemed her mother just couldn't fathom it.

    Lennon left the room and walked down the hall, but stopped when she saw the door to the attic open. A chill ran down her spine when she saw the green mist tumbling down the stairs. She knew it was the oracle but she was rarely active.

    She recalled last year when the oracle had ventured from the big house to the woods just to deliver a prophecy to Zoё Nightshade. Thinking about the former hunter sent to pang in her heart.

    Lennon looked back at the attic steps and walked up, curious to as to what was going on. Now she knows curiosity killed the cat and blah blah but when the oracle starts letting out green mist, you know something important is happening.

    She reached the attic to see the oracle sitting in her chair, withered and gray as usual. It was an eerie sight watching the near skeleton be surrounded by green mist. Then she opened her mouth and a haunting note fills the room as the mist swirls around Lennon.

Child of Apollo, Child of curse
circumstances different but possibly worse,
for a life of grief and woe await
where forgotten love may be your fate.
A destiny that lasts till your last song,
with those alike, you will belong.
But even the old can be undone
when found, the legacy of the sun.

    Then everything stops. The oracle's haunting song is cut short and her words stop as if she's choked on them.

    Lennon watches the oracle as the mist clears and rolls back into her mouth. Now the oracle sits there lifeless as if nothing happened. It takes Lennon a moment to realize she's shaking.

    She quickly leaves the attic, shutting the door as if that could it erase what just happened. She continued out of the big house, running into Chiron on the porch.

    "How was the call?"

    Lennon had nearly forgotten the call. The oracle's prophecy was at the forefront of her mind. She could recount the experience for Chiron right there but something stops her. She wants her birthday to remain somewhat peaceful before she has to face the reality of the oracle's words.

    So she feigns fake bitterness as she says, "The same as it always is,"

    He nods with a sad smile. "Well, one can always hope that next time is better,"

    Lennon gives him a small nod of understanding before walking down the porch steps and away from the big house.

    When Lennon walks back into Apollo cabin, she isn't expecting a cacophony of surprise and happy birthdays yelled at her. She blinks in surprise.

    "Thanks?"

    The cabin is covered in golden streamers, each time they caught on the light, they gleamed.

    "Happy birthday Len," Michael barrels into her, giving her one of his bear hugs. In her opinion, Micheal gave the best hugs in Apollo cabin. They were rare but always filled with warm happiness.

    She smiled and thanked him, her words muffled by his shoulder.

    "Woah, I called first hug!" Julian scoffed at Micahel.

    "You snooze you lose Jules," Micheal said a bit immaturely, sticking his tongue out at him. He let go of Lennon and let Julian hug her next.

    "Happy birthday, how does it feel to be 15,"

    Lennon shrugged into the hug. "I dunno, I feel the same,"

    "Happy birthday, Johnny," Emelee, one of Lennon's half-sisters, joined in on the hug (She called her Johnny, inspired by her namesake John Lennon). She had just gotten back to camp a few weeks ago, having spent Hannuakah with her family like she did every year.

    When the two let go of her, Emelee gripped her shoulders. Her once-auburn hair, now platinum, falls at her shoulders. "I wrote a piece for you— well, it's inspired by all of you," she glances around at all of them in the cabin. "But this is the first time I'm playing it for other people so think of it as a present,"

    Emelee may be two years older than her, but sometimes she had the excitability of a child. Lennon loved it though. Em always got excited when she wrote a new piece on the piano.

    "Let's not smother the birthday girl," Lee said as Emelee let go of her, holding a cupcake with a candle in it.

    Lennon faked a gasp. "A cupcake for me?"

    Lee grinned, "Of course," He hugged her with his free hand and kissed the top of her head. "Make a wish," he said as he handed her the cupcake.

    "She's gonna wish to see me," A new voice said, one that Lennon knew very well. She grinned widely at the sight of Annabeth.

    Lennon began to run towards her but Annabeth reminded her of her cupcake. She turned to Lee, asking him to hold it momentarily, and then she threw her arms around Annabeth. Doing a little sway as they hugged.

    "What are you doing back so early?" she wasn't supposed to be back until Summer.

    "A bunch of monster attacks back home, I decided to come here and give my parents a break.

    "I'm sorry about that. But I'm glad you're here,"

    Annabeth smiled, "Of course, happy birthday. Now blow out your candle already,"

    Lennon took the cupcake and blew out the candle. Just as it flickered away, it burned bright and large, whisps of the flame swirled up to spell out Happy Birthday, then it flickered away. She smiled at the sight.

    Some time ago, Apollo had sent a large package of enchanted Birthday candles for all of them.

    "Oh, and Will and his mom sent some of their strawberry tarts," Julian said, holding up the bag for her to see.

    "Yes!" she said excitedly, "I love his mom's tarts,"

    "They send their birthday wishes too of course,"

    Will Solace, Lennon's younger brother wasn't a year-round camper. Which meant she didn't get to see him as much as she wanted to. Though it was good that he spent time outside of camp, all demigods deserved a break away from the Half-blood life even if it was temporary.

    "Can I play my piece now?" Emelee asked impatiently.

    Micheal rolled his eyes at her. "Can you ask nicely?"

    "Being nice to you would go against all that is right in the world,"

    "Gods you're so dramatic,"

    "Love you too, Mike,"

    Lennon's day had brightened after birthday celebrations from her siblings. Now she sat at her usual spot in the strawberry fields. She finds the fountain—which depicted baby angels aiming arrows at one another— and held out her hands to shine light into the water, creating a rainbow. Then she digs a drachma out of her pocket and throws it into the rainbow.

    "Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering," The rainbow shimmers. "Percy Jackson," It shimmers once again until the image of Percy appears.

    He still has the same messy black hair and pretty sea-green eyes that Lennon remembers. "Happy Birthday!" He grins widely.

    For some reason, the sight makes her stomach do flips.

    "Thank you," she says with a smile.

    "How has your day been?"

    "Great. My siblings threw a party for me, and Annabeth is here. She just got to camp this morning. Only downside was the annual call with my mom," she informs him as if the prophecy fortelling her tragedy wasn't a downside.

    "Why's it a downside?" he asks, quickly following it up with, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to,"

    "It's okay," she shakes her head. "It's just me and my mom don't really... get along well,"

    "Oh. Well, I'm sorry about that,"

    "Don't be. It's normal for us,"

    He frowns at her words. "Are you okay?"

    "Oh, I'm fine, I promise,"

    She wouldn't tell him about her prophecy. Percy had enough going on and he didn't need to worry about her.

    He nods, his mood brightening. "How's everyone at camp?"

    "They're great. The Stolls are like they usually are, and Mr. D too. Julian and I made progress in the song I'm working with. 'Cause I had this one melody I was working on but it didn't fit the lyrics I'd written at all. And we tried mix-and-matching, like a new melody or new lyrics but it just wasn't working right.

    "And I want the song to feel... happy? You know? But kinda nostalgic too. Like an old memory you're just now unlocking. So then we played around with translating the original lyrics to ancient greek. And it was just perfect. I just have to tweak it and then I'll have a masterpiece on my hands," Lennon trailed off when she realized she was rambling. "Sorry, that was a lot,"

    "It's okay," Percy says with a faint smile. "I like listening to you talk,"

    Lennon was sure her cheeks were as red as the strawberries in the field surrounding her. "Oh," After a beat, Lennon figured changing the subject was the best she could do to ward away the butterflies in her stomach. "How're you? Is school going well?"

    Yes. A-plus subject diverting from Lennon.

AUTHORS NOTE:
welcome back!!!
so lennon and percy are sweethearts love them. 
also for anyone who wants to know, len's birthday is february 10
as always, comment and tell me what ur thinking!

edit: so i made some edits to the chapter that will be very noticeable if you already read this