` ❀ 𝓘t's always the same fight and i think you should know . ݁ ꒱

– Camp Half-Blood was in a golden twilight, the sun setting on the horizon and the sky tinged with orange and pink. The shadows on the hills were slowly growing, bringing a light breeze that made Rachel Elizabeth Dare’s hair sway gently as she watched you from a distance. The camp was quiet, but inside Rachel, chaos was seething.

She should have hated you. In fact, she did, didn't she? It was easy to say that to others—to Percy, to your friends at camp. After all, the two of you were always fighting over him, always exchanging barbs and challenging looks. You, with your natural charm and undeniable beauty, a daughter of Aphrodite, seemed to make everything look easy. You made Percy's heart leap with admiration, but what really made Rachel furious was the way you made her heart race.

She saw you laughing with Percy near the pavilion, your laughter light and charming, and Rachel felt a pang of jealousy—a jealousy she couldn’t understand. – “I hate it when she does that." – Rachel thought, biting her lip as her fists clenched in frustration.

But the real reason for her anger wasn’t Percy. It wasn’t even the competition you had over him. It was the fact that every time you smiled, spoke, or even looked in her direction, Rachel felt something that went far beyond rivalry. Her heart beat fast, her thoughts became jumbled, and all she could think about was how much she hated how attracted she felt to you.

You moved even closer, enough so that Rachel could smell your soft perfume, something floral and irresistible. Rachel's heart beat faster, but she tried to hide it, crossing her arms and keeping a serious expression.

It was torturous. Everything you did drove her crazy. The sound of your voice, the way your lips moved when you spoke, the accidental touch when your hands met during an argument. It all consumed her in a way she hated. – "You're so arrogant." – she said, her voice low, almost a whisper.