Need to be Me ~OPEN~

[Jay Beckensdale]

After all the work from today jay was starving he regretted not eating as much as he should have at breakfast; his mom always told jay breakfast is the most important meal of the day, jay then smiled remembering how his mom always made him eat until he might throw up saying he was to skinny. Jay then walked up the path to go to the mess hall that wasn’t too far from his barracks.

As jay walked into the mess hall he smelt the aroma of all the food it was the best yet and jay looked around seeing all the familiar faces wondering where he would sit today. Jay then picked up a plate and grabbed everything he liked not worrying about what anyone thought because he knew he would work it off as he always does in training and his morning exercise; jay didn’t get his six pack from being lazy and eating like a pig no he worked his ass off every day. Caring his plate he found a table at the back that was empty hoping one of his friends from his barracks or training group might come join him.

Jay felt really lonely today kindove like no one cared he was there which was very painful to jay it was in his blood to be noticed and this was killing him there had to be some way but he didn’t want to risk embarrassing himself so he just dealt with the eagerness to be noticed and ate his dinner by himself. After a few minutes and three bites of pizza he heard footprints approaching a smile crept on jays face realising he knew he still had someone that new he existed.

[Juliet Duval]

Meal times could either be really great or really bad for Juliet, they could be good because one could always look forward to a good meal after a hard morning of training, and it was always good to relax with some friends. The downside though was the discussions that would come up, particularly now, some of her siblings in the third cohort with her have made a game out of mixing and matching kids into who would make good couples. Unfortunately now the conversation seemed to be turning to her and which boy she thought shed end up with. It was getting harder and harder to make excuses and get out of those awkward conversations. "How am I supposed to steer them away from talking about me and boys without giving myself away?" Juliet thought to herself.

She then walked around and surveyed all the food choices, taking only small amounts of a few things. It took a lot of discipline for her to tear her eyes a way from the extra piece of tandoori chicken, Jules always had a weakness for Indian food, she got that from her father. Sure she could eat whatever she wanted and be perfectly fine, there was no such thing as an out of shape roman demigod. The lifestyle at Camp Jupiter made that impossible. However old habits died hard. Her step mother always said to eat very little when people are around so you dont look like a pig, and over eat. Plus her step mother was a notorious calorie counter, another habit she picked up at home. It was funny how in the Duval household even eating a meal had to be done just so. Ah well, its probably just the perks of being the Governor's kid.

After choosing what she wanted she looked around for a place to sit, She was lucky she didnt see her sisters yet, and some of her friends were probably still training. That gave her a dilemma. She couldnt just sit with anybody, she had an image to keep up. Especially if she wanted to become Praetor one day. She had to be seen with the right people. She looked around for space, there wasnt a lot to choose from, There was a table of boys from the fourth punching each other and acting like idiots, and a lonely looking boy sitting by himself. She surveyed her options, she recognized the boy sitting by himself as being form the fifth cohort.

A while back, she would have never dreamed of sitting with any of the losers from the fifth, but times were changing, and the fifth's status was rising quite a bit. Mainly in part to Percy Jackson. It still amused her that a greek managed to save them all and restore the honor of the fifth, but stranger things could happen. Anyway she figured now it might not be so bad to be seen with someone from the fifth, and he was nice looking. Maybe this could be a way to solve two different dilemmas, give her someplace to sit and shut up her siblings. So she walked over to him, making sure to turn on the charm and smiled as she sat by him. "Hey, you look like you could use some company." Yes she was leading him on, and no it didnt bother her, it was a win win situation. She'd protect her reputation, and he'd get his day made by a daughter of Venus. She considered it an act of charity.

[Raven Hawthorne]

thankful to be off of duty for the morning even though it was fun to figure out new ways of protecting the outer entrances it was yet still far more fun to practice her own skills in all of the sense of the word for she always was perfecting her craft and staying in shape the best she could as it finally came to a close and supper was being served she lumbered in with a purposeful stride even though inside she was feeling tired mostly mentally then physically, then again taht's how it seemed some days. Looking around and seeing that not many people where as of yet in the mess hall for some where still well busy with other things in the vast area of Camp Jupiter after surveying the mess hall and seeing that there was some few who she didn't very much mind being there and so walked up towards the place where food was kept.


Picking a few choice things which she liked and finding that which was scrumptious by the look alone she took it to a small bracure of fire and took the juiceiest piece of meat scrapping it off into the fire for her mother "Trivia" after which she made her way to where the five cohort members sat and saw that Jay once again was already there for some reason he was always there early and yet there was someone else there, someone whom she hadn't seen at all before tilting her head and raising her eyebrow she felt a nudge at the backside of her knee looking down she saw Aegias and smiled which they both went forward still with her confident stride taking a seat opposite of Jay and the other girl with curious eyes she looked at the other, and then at Jay.


"Man sometimes its a blessing just to get through the day wouldn't you say Jay?" as she gave a small smile and then looked at the other girl after first flipping her hair to get it out of her face and introduced herself to the girl which she had no idea who she was, it could've been possible that she was one of beauty even though it was only a hunch and not proof. "HI! Haven't seen you around, hopefully J here isn't giving you much lip!"as if Jay would ever give anyone lip for he was such a nice guy that was until she looked over at the massive thugs from Cohort Four and chuckled amusingly and wondered if they ever lost brain cells by being punched in the ruddy head.

[Jay Beckensdale]

Jay sat at the table and let the person approach, Jay perked up a bit hoping it was Demetria but as the person sat down he found a daughter of Venus sitting before him. Normally Jay would love the company of a beautiful girl but she knew from gossip and experiences with the children of Venus that they were big on trickery so Jay just sat there quite uncomfortable but trying not to show it he tried to sound cocky and said “hey, actually I could its quite boring over here and I didn’t want to sit with the Neanderthals that just punch each other and won’t ever say anything productive.” Jay then took a sip of his water.

The next thing he knew Raven a girl from his cohort had come and sit beside him. Jay felt even more uncomfortable when a warm shivery feeling went up his back that made him shudder; this always happened when he got a glimpse of the future but instead he sensed something, something that wasn’t right with a person at this table. Never feeling this way with Raven he turned to the other girl suspiciously but then turned away thinking it might be nothing of his concern. Turning on the charm he playfully put his arm around Raven saying “why would I give any lip to anyone, I’m not a grump !” smiling he took his arm off Raven’s shoulder, then said ”ya training is killer I’m surprised I made it here even though we don’t walk that far.”

Jay then not wanting to exclude the other girl said ”we truly haven’t been formally introduced, other than Raven’s mentioning; I’m Jay Beckensdale, son of Apollo and you are?? “ still putting off his sunniest smile he put his hand out. Awaiting to see if the girl would be one of those snobby Venus girls like the one he dated last year taken by her beauty and defiantly not her personality; and not shake then say there name or would be friendly towards him which he would hate to see because then he would have to leave and sit somewhere else; because that was one thing Jay couldn’t handle people being snobs.

[Juliet Duval]

Juliet did not see this coming, this girl may end up ruining her plan. However she decided shed just play it cool, it wasnt anything she couldnt work around, she just had to not be obvious in her attempts to charm the son of Apollo. She would just smile and be friendly and hope that she could play it off. She laughed a little at the boy's comment about not giving anyone any lip and introduced herself. "Hi, im Juliet Duval, but most call me Jules. Im in the third cohort."

She knew how to put on the charm, she had been in beauty pageants before, and she wanted to get these two on her side. She was gonna be friendly with them, gain their trust, and then try to get Jay to like her. Yes she was using him but she had to protect her reputation, especially if she wanted to become praetor one day, who knows these two could also be good allies to have. Either way she knew this would be an interesting meal.

"So how was training for you guys?" She asked starting to make some small talk to get them comfortable get them to open up, she figured it would be a good way to get the ball rolling. She then began to pic at her meal, being careful about her table manners and how she looked, making sure to take very small bites. At home her step mother would always bark at her for any little lapse in table manners, to the point where she was always on guard at meal times. Yet then again her step mother seemed to go out of her way to find fault with Jules for some reason or another, it didnt matter what it was. It seemed like her step mother only ever spoke to Jules when criticizing her.

Although now that she knew that that woman wasnt her biological mother she really couldnt blame her, Jules wondered if maybe she would have done the same in her case. She hoped not. Jules often wondered if that was just what all families were like, and whether you always had to be constantlly on guard like that. She hoped that she would never end up like that one day. She had just grown up having to hide things and keep to yourself and thats the way shes always been, even with friends.

[Raven Hawthorne]

As she sat and ate at what she had gotten taking her time to savor each and every piece of it for it was barbeque and that was always a good thing to have especially if there was ribs. Picking at her food here and there she noticed just from looking at Jay that he wasn't doing quite well it mayhap of been cause he was surrounded by girls at that very moment which was the usual guy thing of being nervous around those girls who'd drive you crazy. Nawing at the piece of meat the barbeque sauce seemed to be spreading on her face putting it down for a second she wiped her chomps with a clean napkin and saw that this girl had something going on with her.


"I don't think you have to worry about us and the training was actually quite vigorating, not to mention having to stand guard for a little while this morning!" Picking the slab of rib up again she quickly finished it and dropped the bone onto the floor where her pet and friend grabbed up in starting to naw at the bone and what was left of the grissle n' meat fat. Seeing that this one was interesting to watch and observe she thought she should properly introduce herself like Jay had just done taking a swig of the Pepsi from her cup for it was the drink of her own choosing. "Oh and by the by the names' Raven Hawthorn I'm a daughter of Trivia and this down there is my friend Aegias!" hoping that he wouldn't show what he looked like in battle and that which he didn't for the kitsune/malamute was to contempt in the bone it was nawing at.

[Jay Beckensdale]

Seeing the daughter of Venus laugh at his little pun was a bit suspicious but Jay went with it and listened as she introduced herself; after hearing her question Jay said,”well Jules I’m happy you came to join me and well of course you Raven”; sitting comfortably Jay played it cool, ”training wasn’t bad it just takes up a lot of energy which makes you very tired.” Jay sighed as he felt his muscles ach Jay took another bite out of his dinner but found himself not very hungry. Looking over at the girls sitting next to him he watched as Juliet ate very carefully as most daughters of Aphrodite it made him want to laugh because they were at camp not competing for who looks the best. Jay then looked over to Raven and he burst a smile she had rib sauce all over her face; and Jay thought why isn’t that disgusting because under any other circumstances it would have been; and he knew it was because he liked Raven because she was herself.

Keeping his eye on raven she watched as she put her scraps under the table for her pet wolf Aegias, Jay had really come to like the wolf when he wasn’t all decked out and ready for battle which Jay had seen and really it wasn’t pretty. Now looking around the now full mess hall he caught the eyes of a boy who happened to be staring at him and sitting alone; Jay felt bad and happy he was being noticed which was great then he thought I have two very attractive girls here how lucky am I, Jay then had a smug smile on his face as he sat back and leaned on the bench starring at the desert which had just come out. Snapping back out of it he looked back at Raven she had finished introducing herself. Jay saw that the wolf had stopped eating for a moment and Jay pat the top of its head genteelly.

As Jay sat finishing his meal he looked directly at Jules and said suspiciously but still with a huge smile,”so what, Jules brings you to our table today?, not that I’m complaining you are here but really why today and not another?; not to sound like a loner but I’m always here first and sitting alone” these things puzzled Jay a daughter of Venus wouldn’t have lasted this long and she must really want something; and Jay really didn’t think she was going to get it.

[Juliet Duval]

"I figured I just needed a change in scenery and some intelligent conversation would do me some good." Juliet replied, with a smile. Technically it wasnt a total lie. She did want a change of scenery, which meant she wanted to get away from her sisters and their gossiping, and nagging her about which boy she thought was the cutest. Although there was no way she'd actually say that. If it was hard to be honest with her own siblings she wasnt gonna confide in people she just met. She would face Gaea's army alone before she let her secrets get out.

Jules had a feeling that there was some suspicion about her, Jay's question pretty much spelled it out. She just had to make him feel comfortable and at ease, get him to trust her and hed be putty in her hands. Still she had to watch herself carefully. She had a feeling Jay wasnt like other boys, most boys wouldnt even think to question her when she was putting on the charm, they would just accept their luck. Jay was different though and she wasnt sure that was a good thing.

She would also have to contend with Raven too, she didnt know what was going on between them, if they were just friends or if they had any history together or what, but Jules had a feeling that Raven would be looking out for him and if she didnt like her, then Raven may end up ruining everything. She had to smile, be friendly and make them both happy and put them at ease.

So she acted like everything was normal and took another bite and blotted her lips with a napkin, before setting the rest aside for a burned offering to her mother. Maybe she could help her here, Gods know she deserves it for being cursed into liking girls, what did she even do to deserve it anyway? She tried to take great care not to look disgusted at Raven's table manners though. She didnt mean it as anything against her, but it was so different from what she was used to. "Doesnt she even care what she looks like?" Jules thought to herself. How can someone just be so lax about appearances and what people think of them? It was another foreign concept to her, she was taught that success and appearances are everything, yet for people like Raven it really didnt seem like that big a deal, and a part of Jules envied her for that.

[Raven Hawthorne]

As she saw that the dessert was coming out and was thankful for it even though she was still a little more hungry for the Barbeque more than the other stuff, however it had all been taken up by the dessert in which it was gone. Grabbing at her drink as it was now full once more as she tipped it minorly to look into it and then while eyeing it picked it up while lightly shaking the contents to make sure the quantity ratio of soda and ice was equal to themselves. As a lightly brown eye looked over at the other girl she wondered much about her for it seemed that she was holding something back, something in which neither her nor Jay could basically touch with their own gifts. Still as she got up only for a moment to go get some of the dessert for her plate was empty of what was there taking only a littlle bit of everything for that was how she was for everything was good in moderation returning with once again a full plate she didn't notice much of a change except for Aegias was close to Jay which was odd for when she had met the thing he was something of the wild more than that of a tame dog. Thinking of this odd and yet not so much of a difference for he could of done the same thing as Raven by taking a liking to him as well, for he had been around her and Jay for quite some time now even though this new girl he didn't know of as yet.

[Jay Beckensdale]

Jay sat at his table with Raven and Jules the conversation had died down and frankly Jay didn’t know what to say to them so he silently was thinking to himself. This was until Jules said why she sat at their table today and Jay had to be suspicious because he didn’t trust Venus’s kids, any way, all they did was break hearts and one was his. Jay felt like he was about to burst when he calmed down and mumbled quietly hoping his ears would be the only ones to listen, ”finally decided to get away from the bitchy siblings and gossip that goes on huh, maybe trying to plan on breaking some more hearts.” this just made Jay even more angry; and he watched as Raven got up to get her dessert, Jay really didn’t want her to leave partially because he liked her and the other because Jules looked so much like his ex. Courtney it wasn’t even funny. But Jay put up with it and when she returned he got up just as fast but stumbled because there was aegias sitting at his feet. Smiling because aegias had really become a friend of his he lifted his foot over and walked toward the dessert table.

Not wanting to act like a jerk he turned and faced the girls and said, ”do you ladies need anything?” not hearing a reply he moved forward until someone caught his wrist very hard, wanting to pull away he looked down and saw a son of Bacchus the wine god looking up at his with his purple eyes and he said, “how do you do it man! You are a friken magnet!” then he let go off Jay’s wrist and Jay continued up to the table and he found himself smiling. Jay had wished he hadn’t lost his muscle shirt that said babe magnet, because it would have been funny and ironic here.

Approaching the table and getting in line he looked at the cake and cookies and muffins but found himself getting some strawberries then dipping them in chocolate and grabbing a cookie. When he looked back at the barbeque and thought of aegias and he quickly grabbed two steaks and walked back to the table. Slowing down Jay stopped at the fire pit it was pretty big and smelt great he could have stood there all day but Jay just threw the second steak in and prayed to his dad. When Jay was done he walked back to the table and sat down wondering what he missed. Jay sat there and munched on his cookie when he was eyeing the steak and felt the warmth of the dog and threw down the steak to him and patted his head.

[Juliet Duval]

Jules wasnt deaf she heard Jay mumbling, well technically she heard "Bitchy siblings" and "Breaking hearts." It didnt take a genius to figure out who and what Jay was talking about. Shes heard what people have been saying about children of Venus since she came to Camp Jupiter. Honestly even though it shouldnt, it made her a little mad. "Who was he to say those things about her or her siblings, did he even know them? What made him able to pass judgement?" She thought to herself. She didnt show her emotions though, she wasnt one to get all hot blooded and riled up. Plus she really didnt have a right to complain, she did plan to break his heart, not that it was anything personal but she had to protect herself and her reputation. If she didnt shed be shunned. Sometimes she did feel bad, but she would always remind herself that its just survival and its necessary. Plus he wasnt the first boy and it wasnt anything personal. Jules would rather be known as a heart breaker than a clam diver anyway. Its not like she enjoyed it or anything. Still she hated it when people talked badly about her siblings. She shook her head and politely replied "no thank you" when he asked if her or Raven needed anything. She usually didnt go for deserts anyway, it was just extra calories that she didnt need.

She had to laugh when she saw Jay get stopped on the way to the desert table. Her and Raven sitting with him probably bumped up his status with the boys at Camp Jupiter. She did see a couple envious looks thrown towards their table during the course of the meal. It was ridiculous, he wasnt even interested in her and a lot of guys still probably envied him. All she had to do was sit down at his table and Jay had something to brag about. Boys really were something when it came to girls. A lot of guys only seemed to view girls as prizes for their games, it was rather disgusting when you looked at it and for a second she was almost glad she wasnt attracted to guys. She looked at him when he sat down with a raised eyebrow "Well, youve certainly gotten popular." She was still a little mad about his bitchy siblings remark, but she was going to play it cool for the rest of the meal. She was starting to give up on him, plus it was obvious that she wasnt going to get anywhere with Raven around.

[Raven Hawthorne]

As she sat down to the table she had heard something of the conversation in which she had apparently missed even though she had heard the thing in which Juliet had said giving a reason to why she was sitting there at their table and not with her siblings and what not. As she looked hearing something being mumbled from Jay's mouth she didn't seem to notice what it was for it seemed he had made it for just his ears alone. She started to eat when she heard something happen over by where Jay was seated and looked down at the ground in seeing Aegias over there by him.

She had put things together it had seemed from the hasty way of getting out of the table he had accidentally stepped on Aegias as what could be described as a mix between a growl and a whimper he looked at Jay who was halfway to the food, as she gave her four-legged friend a sympathetic look knowing that Jay was sorry for what he had done as he came over to her side of the table.


She looked at Jules as if something was wrong with her or something, wanting to give some comfort to her and knowing that Jay can sometimes be a little nervous around certain people especially the opposite gender for well that was how some guys were. Reaching over the table and grasping one of her hands she said with a warm comforting smile. "Don't take it too personal he gets nervous just like all the other guys at times!"[/b] Looking back she saw that he was held up by one of the other guys which made her smile go a little wider for it was quite comical sometimes when she and most of the time Demetria sat around him.


Taking her hand back she started to eat at her dessert for she had gotten cookies, cake, and a couple organic muffins as she picked up a chocolate chip one in starting to eat it as it looked like the chocolate chips were still moist and out of the oven it had seemed. Taking the warmth while savoring its scrumptious texture as she started to eat again until that cookie was done as finally Jay had returned from the line or so she thought he had.

[Jay Beckensdale]

After Jay mumbled to himself he watched as Jules seemed to blank out like she was thinking and Jay thought, “oh great she heard me!” but on the second thought his past experiences with sons and daughters of Venus he should be allowed to call them all bitchy. When he sat back down things were a little weird the girls hadn’t wanted anything which didn’t surprise Jay but aegias didn’t seem as friendly; then he was before. Jay then looked down at his plate and picked up one of the strawberries and ate it in one bite, it was amazing juicy and the chocolate melted in his mouth. Happy he went with the strawberries he looked up just in time to hear Jules comment about him being popular. Jay smiled at Jules, and said, ”I’m only popular because I have friends that are girls” Jay said looking at the both of them then adding ”and I actually talk to them while people like Justin over there sit and wish they could do that; so really it’s not popularity just confidence, I think.”


Still smiling about Justin’s comment about him being a magnet he almost wanted to laugh but didn’t because the girls weren’t objects that made you look better; and that’s what he didn’t understand if the guys at camp Jupiter like a girl then they should go for it! Coming back to the world he ate his last strawberry then leaned back and patted his stomach now he was full but worried because this would add on to how many sit ups he would have to do tomorrow. Sighing sadly he looked at Raven; not long ago they had saved the boy from the cave and it seemed as they both liked each other but Jay had no idea where things stood he still liked her but Raven hadn’t said anything about going out at all; picking up his glass he willed a virgin pina colada because that was what his mom always made him when he was upset strangely and it appeared; reminding himself of his mom he smiled then took a sip; the thing was awesome! After refilling two times he looked at Justin in the distance and promised himself he would help boost his confidence sometime.