The Big Bright Shiny Lake

Rafael felt as if he had just disappeared and someone else had replaced him. Not many times before had he taken his mask off and now he did for a girl that he knew nothing about. Yet it seemed to shock her and then he noticed, or thought he noticed, Ronnie look at him as if she thought he was handsome. That wasn't anything new, since he had girls from his old school try to ask him out. This time was just that he wasn't sure how to react. Before he had told them no because he was a demi-god and they were normal humans. Now, Ronnie was a demi-god as well. Rafael forced his mind away and then replied to her final introduction. I'm sorry, but who exactly is Aglaea? I haven't heard of her. Rafael slowly raised his head so that his gaze was on Ronnie again. It was strange because Rafael thought that he had just met a girl like no other. He saw Ronnie standing there but she was different. Rafael wished that he knew why, just by looking at this new girl, he wanted to impress her with any means possible.

((We were referring to Scott's character, Scott. xDD))

"Aglaea is one of the Greek Charities, but she's the goddess of beauty, glory and magnificence. She's really only one of Aphrodite's servants, she isn't anyone major," Ronnie concluded, a bit abashedly, breaking Rafael's gaze as a very faint blush colored her cheeks. She hated explaining her mother to people, not because she didn't like her or anything, but it was just weird. It's like explaining that you're a daughter of Aphrodite, only worse, because your mother's the freaking goddess of magnificence. It's a bit hard to live up to that, is it not? Ronnie didn't really feel she did. She wasn't worthy of glory at all, and she was surely far from being magnificent. Ronnie looked back to Rafael for a moment.

"It's pretty good, though, having a minor goddess as a parent, because it means that I don't generally get harassed by monsters as frequently as other demigods do," she continued lightly, a small smile trying to make its way across her lips, only to notice that Rafael was looking at her weirdly. It was almost like he was trying to evaluate her in some way, which made her a little uncomfortable, so she looked around the lake's shore for a moment. Another girl had arrived, but she seemed not to be bothered by anyone else, and occupied herself as she sat alone.

Rafael heard Ronnie and then realized that he hadn't stopped staring at her. If drool had been coming out of his mouth, he wouldn't have been surprised. For some reason, the daughters of Aphrodite weren't as beautiful as Ronnie was. It was ironic that Aglaea was Aphrodite's servant but her daughter was by far prettier than any of her mistress's. So finally Rafael drug his gaze away from Ronnie and admitted that he was out of his mind. He couldn't be worthy enough to like her, plus he had just met Ronnie. Rafael had never believed in love at first sight, and now he felt stupid because that was exactly what was happening. He quickly looked around in search of Cupid or one of the god's children. It was just really strange that he was this far gone. You are way better than any children of Aphrodite, or any one else, for that matter. I... Rafael couldn't get the words out, but it was true. He thought that Ronnie, Veronica, was beautiful and the next best thing to a goddess. Yet he was still unable to say those words. Rafael tried again. I... You... Rafael still couldn't say it, yet maybe he could tell her another way. The son of the goddess of magic looked around to find a pencil and paper but there was nothing. Then he realized there was sand and his staff. Rafael took the tip of his staff and started to write, but halfway through he swiped his hand across and erased it. It Rafael was going to tell her, it would be out loud. So he said the words that couldn't escape. You're beautiful. Nothing else compares to you and even I, one who isn't worthy, feel lovestruck. The words were spoken, but he had said them softly. Ronnie was next to him, so she probably heard him, but he didn't realize what had just happened.

((Nice...that actually makes me have to think a bit.))

The boy looked at Ronnie with shock as he realized that he had actually said that and it was obviously very strange with them just meeting and all. It was really strange to him so it must of been worse for her. Finally Rafael was able to gather his thoughts enough to change the look that was on his face. To be in her position was something that no one could imagine, especially Rafael. So Rafael did the only thing he could think to do, which was stutter. It was embarrassing to have thought that about someone he met, and to make it worse, Rafael had said what he had thought. I...meant that you are a very beautiful girl who... Rafael couldn't even make himself finish the words that were so obviously not true. And what was worse was that his face was now burning with the bright red entering his cheeks. His heart was quickly entering his throat and he could feel his eyes sting as realized that he hadn't ever truly felt love or heart ache but now Rafael thought that it was really close. Rafael moved so that he wasn't looking at Ronnie and so that she wouldn't be able to see the tears that were forming in the corners of his eyes. Yet he forced himself to remain strong and not start sobbing in front of Veronica.

Rafael stopped for a second as he heard Ronnie ask him if he was alright. It was difficult to think of a way to respond to her question while he was so down on himself. Finally he turned back to her without the glimmering tears in his eyes. Of course he still had flushed cheeks that obviously showed that he was embarrassed and disappointed. Yet Rafael wouldn't allow that to tongue tie him again. With little thought of what he was going to say, because thinking had made him end up here, Rafael opened his mouth and started speaking again. Ronnie, I am sorry for saying those things. You are beautiful, but I was an idiot. I should of never told you that I feel anything other than a new friendship because we just met and all. Finally Rafael felt as if he had truly just said what he felt and didn't feel as if he were being stupid anymore.

Rafael was shocked as he realized that once again she had him feeling strange, yet this time it wasn't an absent-minded infatuation. This time he felt relief mixed with fear. He was relieved because he hadn't completely freaked out Ronnie, yet that was also where the fear came from. Since he was never really a lady's man, he didn't know if he could actually interact with Ronnie without messing up again. Rafael decided he would go against all that was telling him to avoid the situation. Rafael looked Ronnie in the eyes and admitted to himself that he had to try to get to know this girl. He spoke up and allowed his voice to be colored with fear and shame. I am sure that I could try to be your friend. Actually I would really like to be friends with you. Rafael thought about how Ronnie was right with the whole he probably wouldn't have had a chance with her.

((You can claim her so long as she doesn't acquire any new powers. If she does, I need to approve them. Please pm me or one of the other admins next time, it's more effective than commenting on a topic usually!))

Rafael looked up at the girl who had walked over and asked something about being claimed. Luckily I had been able to see a symbol hovering over her head, yet I didn't know what it was exactly. It was sort of like the trident but not exactly the same. If Rafael was going to say who it was for the god, he would say it was a water god. There is a shimmering blue trident-like thing. I think it is a water god, not Poseidon. Then Rafael turned to Ronnie and replied to what she had asked him. I grew up not to far from here. My house was in New York, but now I live here in the camp. Where did you grow up at? Rafael looked down at his hands and wondered how his friendship with Ronnie would turn out. Since he was already attracted to her, it would definitely test his strength.

Rafael snapped out of his reverie just in time to hear the answer to his question. It was strange because the story didn't sound complete, almost as if something else had happened that Ronnie wasn't saying. Yet if Rafael didn't want to talk about all the things that happened in his past then it was only right that everyone else should have the same right. So the son of Hecate just nodded and then returned to his mind where he could think some more. If only he could rid himself of the fact that Ronnie was the main topic of his thoughts. Now that he was friends with her, it was harder for Rafael to not notice how she was constantly rubbing her thumb against her wrist and sitting there as if remembering some horrific experience. Are you all right? Rafael asked the question on impulse before he could stop and then realized that it must have something to do with her mysterious missing past. So Rafael immediately regretted asking her if she was alright. Yet words cannot be unsaid and so all he had to do was wait for a response.

((LOL he should totally notice her tattoo and be like o.O why does she have numbers on her wrist. She also has her daughter's name tattooed on her shoulder, though that's tiny and probably less noticeable.))

Ronnie considered this some more, almost forgetting where she was. If she and Rafael became friends, he'd probably find out sometime, at least about part of it. She didn't know how she felt about that. What would he think, about the fact that she had had a freaking baby? His whole perspective on her would probably change. It was just like those kids at her high school, when she was pregnant. They all just assumed that she was stupid, that she'd made some sort of mistake at life, that her parents' history screwed her up, being only fifteen years old and pregnant already. She didn't bother correcting them, after a while, because then whoever she told looked at her as if she was a kicked puppy... and Ronnie kind of hated that. She hated being weak. She had been weak far too often in her life, and now was her chance to prove to the world that she was a strong, ambitious young adult and that she wouldn't let her past affect her. That is, if her past would ever stop following her around and biting her like an irritating mosquito. As much as she tried to kill the mosquito, it just kept coming back to bite her.

When Rafael asked her how she was, she jumped ever so slightly, moving her hands to her sides, apart from one another. She glanced at him, confounded for a moment, before replying hastily. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she responded, trying to think of something else to say to continue their conversation which had ended abruptly with her response.

((Lol, the longer that I try to think of something, the more that my life experiences start to intertwine.))

Rafael started to feel like an idiot for asking her about the nervousness but then his gaze lowered and he was completely stunned to see that she was tattooed with numbers on her wrist. The whole tattoo was kind of like a prison tattoo but instead it reminded him of the stories he heard about the prison camps in the Nazi era. Rafael shuddered and felt as if he was watching a former prisoner of war. Yet it didn't change the fact that he saw a young woman sitting in front of him as an equal to himself. Rafael still saw the beautiful person that he saw when he first met her and then he saw the nervous girl that rubbed her wrist. All of that was encompassed by what he thought was an older part of Ronnie that he could almost bet was a war captive. So Rafael did something he probably shouldn't have done. He leaned in and hugged his new-found friend so that she should know she wasn't alone. I am sorry, Veronica. There is nothing to be afraid of or worried about. You shouldn't be scared or embarrassed of your past. Quickly growing red in the face, Rafael leaned back and ended the hug that was completely unexpected. His mind grew hazy as he realized that he had just hugged the girl that he still felt some infatuation with. So, the son of Hecate leaned forward and kept his gaze away from Ronnie.

((Crap! Now I have to save her))

Rafael was staring down at his hands completely embarrassed for having hugged Ronnie when he realized that his actions had scared her. Quickly turning back, Rafael looked up just in time to see the girl he liked slip backward and smash her head on the dock. She fell into the lake and didn't resurface like a normal person would. So Rafael stood up and slipped his mind back into a reserve so that he wouldn't talk himself out of the plan. The son of Hecate looked at the water and then dove in after Ronnie. His eyes snapped open when he dove down some and still didn't feel her. Rafael swum down and propelled himself toward the sinking form of Ronnie, who he wouldn't ever let die. He reached out and snared Ronnie's ankle. Then Rafael spun up and started forcing himself and Ronnie back to the surface. It still hadn't ocurred to him of how he was going to get the beautiful young woman to revive and not stay passed out. With his force being gathered, Rafael propelled the two of them up onto the wooden dock and laid Ronnie on her back.

Rafael looked at her and then roared in anger at himself. Don't you leave like this Veronica! I won't let you stay like this. Rafael started performing CPR and trying like hell to revive Ronnie. It was all of his fault that she had ended up like this, and now he felt the tears that he hadn't let her see before start flowing. I'm sorry Ronnie, I didn't mean to hurt you. It is my fault that this happened but please don't do this. Please wake up. Don't make me do it. Don't make this hard on me. Rafael was terrified that he may be forced to use mouth to mouth. He had hugged her and that had resulted in this. He wouldn't be able to kiss her, even if it brought her back.