The Shadow Archer Twins

The girl had dark blonde hair, the color of gold. Her grey eyes, as dark as a storm cloud, were full of a mixture of concern, and curiosity. She was shorter than me, but I realized that I had grown a lot since arriving at Camp. She was thin, but she looked strong enough to take anyone on in the heat of battle. She had on short cut-off jeans and a camp half-blood shirt, all leading up to her mousy face, which looked cute as her forehead creased in concern, her nose scrunching a little, pushing together the freckles on her nose.

The only thing I could think to say was stupid, but I said, “You thought I was cute freshman year.”

“What?” She asked incredulously, “What in Hades does that mean?”

“Silena Beauregard. Boarding school. She gave you my number, which you obviously held onto, unless I’m seeing things. That is what’s in your pocket, isn’t it?”

Unconsciously, she reached for her pocket, and pulled out the piece of paper. As her eyes drifted the number, I slowly recited the ten digits, the number coming back to me after two years. I had lost that cell phone, but it didn’t matter. I had what mattered. She looked up at me with a completely different set of expressions on her face. She possessed a look of astonishment, disbelief, then belief, sadness, and pure joy.

“Otis?” She asked tentatively, “Is…is it really…you?”

I reached into my jacket pocket, and pulled out my only keepsake that I kept with me at all times. The note card she had given me two years ago, with her faded name and number still legible on one side. Flipping the card around in my hand, and then returning it to my pocket, I said,

“Everyone I know calls me Tox now. Everyone except Silena.”

The pain of the memory came flooding back to me as I looked into her intense grey eyes. I realized a tear was trickling down my face, and I noticed that she was silently crying as well. I reached out slowly, and wiped her tear away for her. She closed her eyes and smiled at my touch. Smiling through the pain, I asked,

“Do you still think I’m cute?”

She laughed, wiping her other eye, “Well, cute isn’t the word I would use now.”

This time I laughed, wiping my eyes as I said, “What word would you use?”

“I think,” She said playfully, “I would use attractive.”

That hit me like a wave of heat, and I could feel my face flush. “Attractive?” I asked, “You think? I always thought I was the annoying freshman who had once been kind to a hurt junior. I thought I was a weird new kid, social suicide to talk to, without frien—”

She stopped me rambling by reaching up and grabbing the back of my neck, pulling me into a kiss. Warmth rushed through me as I closed my eyes, and pressed her lips harder to mine. It was my first real kiss.

After a few moments of euphoria, she released, and realized that she had had to go onto her tip-toes to reach me. That made me feel pleasantly aware of my height, a sensation that I had never felt before. I guess that’s because I had never thought that it would be hard for a short girl to kiss a tall guy. I had never thought that that tall guy would be me, and that I might kiss a short girl in the future.

“Wait,” I said, “That didn’t just happen, did it? I don’t even know your name!”

She giggled, and I smiled as she said, “Emily. Emily di Rosa.”

“I’m going to guess you’re a daughter of Athena. No offense.”

She grinned, “You’re correct and none taken, son of Apollo.”

I stared at her face, and I desperately wanted to kiss her again, but I was interrupted by a voice, Katie’s voice saying,

“So that’s how it feels, huh? Tox, why are you complaining? It feels great to see your sibling get their first kiss!”

I turned to see her smiling face, and I blushed harder. She laughed at me, and then looked Emily right in the eyes.

“Well, I hope you like him,” She said, “Because he definitely likes you. Nice to meet you, by the way. I’m Katie, Tox’s—”

“Sister,” Emily said breathlessly. She breathed in deeply, and came back to Earth, saying, “Nice to meet you too.”

“Well,” I said, trying to break up the nervous tension, “Now that that’s over, I think Emily and I need to have a talk, seeing as we both, um, like each other, and we might want to get to know each other.”

Both Katie and Emily chuckled. I smiled, and as I took Emily’s hand, and we started to walk towards the canoe lake, I heard something that I shouldn’t have. The sound of metal ringing on metal. The sound of sword-fighting. And it wasn’t coming from the practice arena. I whipped around to where the sound was coming from, and saw something I shouldn’t have. The same Roman who had had my Mom in a headlock two days ago was dueling it out with Malcolm.

Their swords rang across the campgrounds as I realized that Emily and I had been walking away from the tents as we had been talking, and that Malcolm was too far away for an arrow shot. I released Emily’s hand and ran towards the two of them, drawing an arrow and pulling out my bow. Malcolm was fighting hard, but he had only his sword, and no shield. The Roman, on the other hand, was in full battle armor, with a big rectangular shield and a short sword. I realized that his spear was gone because half of it was broken off in Malcolm’s stomach. Malcolm was making his final stand, and he was losing.

Notes

I told you I would post more on the weekends, and so I am. Here is the next chapter. Also, now that I have had time to notice it, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 1,000 VIEWS! It really means a lot to me, and it makes me want to post a lot more. I never thought that my writing would be so popular, and it makes me smile to see that all of you enjoy it. Next chapter before the end of the day.