Leo Valdez and you were enemy’s from the start. Always wanting to be better than the other. Always seeking for more praise. But you had it, he beat in a sparring match for practice infant of the entire camp. Rain drenched the camp in a salty-humid mixture. The air was tight around your lungs making you heave for air. You were embarrassed, mostly agitated at the fact that you were one-upped by Leo.

You sword clattered to the ground as you stormed out of the Arena. Your jaw clenched as a bitter cottony feeling was on your tongue. Your back ached from the fight, wanting for you to just to collapse right there and then. The rain soaked you to the bone was you brushed the hair out of your face. You stormed down the darkened gravel path to your cabin, but Leo followed like a stray dog.

“Come on! Just admit it, I’m better.” He said proud of himself, Like a Dog with a bone. A trickster smile on his face. You shifted your feet towards him, stopping. It felt as the words were pried from you, “Go away Leo!” You shouted over the pouring rain. You hugged yourself with your hands for warmth. He realized that look from anywhere, and it gave him an unhealthy boost to his ego. “You’re jealous.” He seethed, knowing that he has you all figured out and you hated it. Your adrenaline high as coming down, “Oh shut up Leo! Can you ever just get off of that huge ego of yours and put it to use towards other things than being such a bitch?!” You hissed at him. His gazed dropped to the gaze that used to make your heart jolt with sparks.

The look he gave you was a mixture of hurt and anger, like a typhoon swirling. “Me a bitch? Oh wow, so classy of you.” His tone dropped. This made your stomach plummet like someone had cursed you for life. And it made you realize something,

You’ve been so caught up in yourself winning the war, you didn’t realize the bond that as growing on you.