Practice (PRIVATE WITH DRAGON)

Kodee looked shocked as Anna spoke in a slightly angered tone and asked him why he had come with Ashley to see her when she was injured. He started thinking but the son of Thanatos couldn't figure out why it was exactly he had gone to the infirmary in the first place. So Kodee said what he knew was true but what he also knew would probably never happen. I...I came here with Ashley because...if things were different and I hadn't fallen in love with Ashley then I would date you, Anna. There is nothing real good to say to make you understand but you are my friend and even though I don't have those feeling for you, I still enjoy hanging out with you. Thank you Anna for healing me twice and keeping me alive. You...you...you kiss really well, by the way. Kodee looked over at Ashley in embarrassment and hoped that she would understand why he had said that and not get upset right away for his words to her best friend.

Austin chuckled and closed his eyes while knowing just from his nephew's voice that the boy was nervous as all get out which made him really happy. Kodee was just a kid and Austin was proud of that fact but for some reason the son of Nike knew that the ten year old boy would grow up to be a better person than himself.

Kodee shot a look at Austin and winked just as his uncle moved in perfect synchronization with him. Soon the tall and heavily muscled teenager had his arms wrapped around Ashley so she couldn't reach her weapons and he moved her back so that she couldn't kick Kodee. At the same time, the son of Thanatos moved within inches of Anna and kissed her softly, just softly enough to make it known that he wouldn't pursue any relationship. As he did, Kodee registered what he was doing and blood flowed into his cheeks while his head got dizzily light. You never gave me a chance to kiss you back. It's only fair that if I get kissed then I can kiss back. Kodee stepped back and waited for the fallout while wondering how Ashley would take it. At the same time Austin was holding Ashley and he spoke softly. He still loves you Ashley, that is just something that is a genetic flaw in the Greene family. Don't worry, he won't leave you any time soon.

Kodee gaped at the girls as they ran from the room and then sat down in a miserable heap of frustrated ten year old boy. His head was hurting from all of the difficult decisions to make but Kodee knew what he could do that might help his situation the most. Uncle Austin can I borrow your electric guitar for about ten minutes? The son of Thanatos felt his eyes burn as he wondered how it would work out.

Austin smirked and pulled the guitar strap over his head and handed it to his nephew while wondering what he would do. When Kodee walked out of the room, Austin followed silently and slowly. Then Kodee was outside the Ares cabin in the center of the courtyard. He started playing and Austin sat back to listen. The son of Nike had taught Kodee everything and now he could tell that he was good.

The music flowed and Kodee began to tear up as he realized he was playing Kryptonite by Three Doors Down. The song was rather quick and a rock song but even so it said everything it needed to. Kodee began to sing until the end and then immediately switched to I'm Yours by Jason Mraz. He sang all of that song and stood there waiting for Ashley to realize the songs were for her.

Kodee stopped playing just before Ashley could mess up the song and smiled at her words but he wasn't prepared for the kiss. Then he felt the paper hit him and looked up at the roof where Anna was sitting. I'm sorry, what did you say? I think I'm still shocked because ANNA KISSED ME!!! Kodee grinned and kissed Ashley again, this time spinning the guitar around so that it wouldn't get damaged by the two.

Out of the shadows and trees stepped a boy of about thirteen years of age with sandy brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing baggy jeans and a loose sleeveless tee shirt with a Stygian Iron breast plate over that. He had bracers and greaves on and Stygian Iron gauntlets on his hands as well as a double bladed sword resting on his back in the form of a staff that when twisted would turn into the sword. On his hip was a sheathe that had twin swords in it. He was skinny and very lightly muscled with pale skin and freckles over his nose while his feet scuffed the ground and he looked at the leaves. Already he was wondering what was wrong with himself but the boy, Dallas Ranger, was only upset because he had been ridiculed for not talking to a girl he didn't like. It wasn't like he needed to talk to her anyhow.

Dallas stepped into a clearing with a river in the center of it and trees all around him. Unknown to him, a girl was sitting in a tree above him but he didn't really care. Dallas sighed and sat on the ground with his head down and his hands moving slightly over the grass and moss that strangely enough had blood on it.

Dallas looked up in confusion at the girl and smiled politely before shaking his head. I don't know who you are referring to but if you mean the group of jeering campers that I passed then no. Just someone who has been ridiculed one too many times. My name's Dallas by the way. The son of Hades stood up and moved so he could see the girl while he talked.

One of my friends was making fun of me earlier because I wouldn't talk to an Aphrodite girl when she smiled at me. It's not like I can't talk to her but I just didn't want to date her so I didn't really have any reason to talk to her. My reaction to being made fun of is to get angry and usually I will hurt someone but today I was able to walk away and I ended up here. Why are you here, Anna? Dallas suspected it had something to do with the group of kids who had been laughing and talking about someone who had ran away. He also had an idea that it had something to do with the group of people in the courtyard.

Zephen walked up just as he heard what Anna said to the boy who he knew was a son of Hades. It was kind of strange but for some reason the son of Zeus wanted to see where this would go so he slipped back into the trees and disappeared into the shadows where he walked back to Camp. Maybe this boy would get her to take her mind off of Kodee and she could be happy. Still Zephen wasn't sure why he really cared.

Dallas watched as the girl jumped down from the branch and he smiled. She was younger than him and pretty for someone he had just met but she seemed to get a strange look in her eyes when she spoke about her friend. Maybe you should forget about your friend for awhile. Do you want to go hang out somewhere where we don't have to worry about strange things and jeering campers?

Dallas nodded as Anna walked away from him to do her work at Camp and for some reason he hated seeing her go like that. He honestly wanted to help her forget about the kid who had embarrassed her and at the same time he had enjoyed talking to her without having to worry about judgment. There was really no good explanation for it but Dallas walked toward the Camp and thought about how pretty Anna had been when she had been sitting in the tree. Or how she had jumped down and landed lightly next to him. Suddenly he found himself next to a group of Aphrodite boys who were laughing. "Did you hear about the girl who ran away... Yeah she really was red faced... Maybe she didn't kiss Kodee that well..." Instantly Dallas knew who they were talking about and he politely stepped forward and slammed his knee into one guy's back before landing a punch to another. Still there were six or seven more of them.

Just then a red haired teenager appeared next to Dallas as if he had been able to teleport and had taken out five of the seven kids with ease. As Dallas watched, the guy beat the last two and stood facing him. If you are going to get in a fight then try not to pick people who are bigger than you and in a much larger group. Oh and if you want to get to know Anna then let me suggest going to the Apollo cabin and talking to her for awhile. Just be cool about it and don't reveal that you are crushing on her. Zephen smiled and walked away while trying to avoid saying that he had followed the boy back to Camp.

Dallas gaped and walked to the Apollo cabin with slow and measured steps while thinking carefully. He wasn't sure what he would say exactly since he didn't know who the guy was but Dallas would just go with whatever happened. Dallas opened the door and walked in to see Anna asleep on the bunk. He sat down on the bunk started rubbing his thumb over a piece of wood that had fallen to the ground.

Dallas shrugged and put the piece of wood down on the table next to the bunk he was sitting on. Nothing really...a guy with red hair who was tall and broad shouldered helped me beat some Aphrodite kids up because they were making fun of you. When done he told me that I should come talk to you if I wanted to hang out with you. He then told me I would find you in the Apollo cabin. After that I just walked in here and saw you sleeping so I decided to wait until you woke up. The son of Hades looked at Anna before looking down and wondering how he would tell her anything if he couldn't get past the fact that he had a crush on her.

Dallas nodded and looked at Anna quickly before coming to a decision. If he was ever going to know what would happen then the son of Hades would have to be ready to make seriously split second actions and this was one of those times. Dallas stood up and walked over to sit next to Anna. In a matter of seconds he had turned to look at her and spoke softly. I...I actually wanted to say that I like you Anna...

Dallas laughed and nodded while he thought things over about how this had gone just in the matter of a few seconds. He hadn't originally walked in here to say that he had a crush on Anna but apparently she liked him to and that made things so much easier. Dallas pulled on the hem of his shirt lightly and grinned stupidly at the girl next to him. I didn't technically punch just one guy. It was like nine guys and I dropped two of them before Zephen helped me. Still, they were being rude and...I think you kiss just fine. Maybe I should tell them they are idiots and not to judge people like that. Dallas kissed Anna so that he wouldn't feel like he was being an idiot and not kissing her.