Renegade

Griff's POV


Trying to find an angry girlfriend can either be insanely infuriating or quite simple. Thank the gods it was the latter.

I walked as quickly as I could towards the Big House. My eyes were already stinging as I thought about how hurt she had looked as we had stormed out of Olympus and into the streets.

Just as I was about to open the door, I realized I still had the note in my hand. I folded it carefully and slipped it into my pocket along with the lighter. Just as my hand left my khaki shorts, the door swung open and standing in front of me was Emily.

We both stopped instantly, but our momentum carried us towards each other just a little bit, like a glitch in a film that doesn’t pause right at the moment you want it to. Her eyes were red and a little puffy, but the rest of her face was as intimidating as it had been in Europe.

I looked away from her in apology, hoping he would say something, but she stayed silent. She stepped forward and walked past me, moving briskly towards the Cabins, probably to go sulk with the Aphrodite kids and talk about how useless I was as a boyfriend.

I mentally kicked myself and kept moving forward, walking into the Big House and realizing that I needed to pack. I found my bunk, and saw that Xavier’s had been stripped of everything.
Even the mattress had been taken. I thought about Michael Carraway’s words, and how he had said killing Xavier to save Emily had been a mistake. I must have been really wrapped up in my thoughts because I didn’t notice when someone walked in and put a hand softly on my shoulder.

I jumped back, landing on the floor and drawing my pistol. It was already cocked to fire when I saw who I was aiming at.

It was Emily.

She had her palms facing me in a placating gesture, and her eyes looked sad now, all of the hurt gone. She just looked melancholy. I disengaged the pistol and stood, looking into her eyes the entire time.

“Griff, I—” She tried to explain but I rushed forward and wrapped her in a hug. I released all of my stress, my worry and my need for her into her body, and I took in her sweet perfume as if it were the last time I would be able to.

Slowly, she hugged me back, and I held her for as long as I could. But I knew we would have to release at some point. So I slowly unraveled myself and looked into her eyes again.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, “I am so, so sorry that I hurt you. I never would want to cause you pain, Emily. I just am so worried about these next few years. I don’t know whether you feel strongly towards me anymore.”

“Griff,” she admonished. “Look, I would never look at another guy seriously. Sure, I might find other guys attractive, and I’ll admit that right now. But I love you. That’s the difference. I don’t love very easily. Love is as difficult for me as it is a part of my blood. I should be able to control my feelings, but I can’t around you. That’s why I love you, Griff. You make me feel vulnerable and safe at the same time.”

She looked at my eyes now, as if pleading for reassurance, and I held her gaze to comfort her. Both of us didn’t want to leave. We both felt exhausted and anxious about what actually had happened on our faux quest to Europe.

Eventually, we both started packing. Emily related the news that she had coincidentally been partnered with Michael, an idea that repulsed both of us. I still didn’t know who I had been assigned to, but I felt happy that at least we would be working on the same case, even if Michael would be Emily’s official partner. I thought about giving her the note I had written, but something held me back. I kept packing.

When we were about finished getting everything together, an IM came into our bunk area. Emily sat on her bunk as I answered, seeing the face I wanted to see second to least in the entire world: Lt. General Anderson.

“Yes, sir?” I asked, dreading what the older man was about to say.

“Jackson,” he ordered. “You are joining Echo Company. One hundred of the best demigod or other fighters in the world. You will be partnered with two other fighters, one of which is Major Bryan Foss, who is one of my top men. I expect you on Olympus in four hours to start training. Don’t be late.”

“But what about—” I tried to ask, but the IM cut off. My heart sank lower than the floor and I sat down on my bunk, closing my eyes hard to avoid crying. I was not going to be working with Emily.

Emily walked over and sat on the edge of my bed, her eyes back to that melancholy state that I both hated to see and thought was cute at the same time. I sat up and put my arm around her shoulders, determined to enjoy the last few hours I could have with my girlfriend.

Time passed so quickly. It was unfair. It was as it TFG could speed my life up during the good parts so I would be forced to come back to work. I was sixteen. I wasn’t supposed to be working. I shouldn’t have been allowed to work. It was all so unfair.

But three and a half hours later, I was walking up to the top of Half-Blood Hill, Emily’s hand in mine, as Argus pulled up on the Farm Road with his white van. He opened the door like he was opening a hearse for the coffin. I turned, dropped my bags and took Emily’s hands in mine.

“Emily, I will always be thinking of you. Don’t ever forget that. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again, but I hope you keep my in your heart.”

I said each word like it was my last, reaching into my pocket and taking out the letter and the lighter. She seemed confused, but I had to keep talking to keep myself from crying.

“Take these,” I almost choked out. “You have a choice. You can forget about me, and burn the letter. Or you can wait until you see me again. Then, open it. But don’t open it before you see me again.”

She still looked confused, but I didn’t care. She had the letter. I kissed her gently, but she leaned into me, and I could almost feel how tightly shut both our sets of eyes were, even if we couldn’t see each other.

Then, I got into Argus’ van and we sped towards the Empire State Building. Sped towards the beginning of the end of my life. Or at least, that’s how it felt.

Notes

So, even though this story will promptly go into the ON HIATUS folder of my profile, I was requested by Eliza Rush to write the start to Act 2 of this thing. I will pick it back up after I finish Resurrected, which is on its last legs, and then most of this stuff will get back to normal. Hopefully, I wasn't too rusty at writing Griff and Emily that I made this chapter OOC.

Enjoy,
Grafon