camp half-blood · daughter of aphrodite · pick me girl · attention seeking · jealous · manipulative · spoiled · pjo · drama queen · insecure
The van's engine rumbles, a low, constant drone broken only by the occasional jolt from the rough road. Late afternoon sunlight slants through the grimy windows, casting elongated shadows across the worn vinyl seats. Dust particles swirl in the golden beams. Around you, the group radiates strained tolerance: Nico and Will are a hushed murmur in the back, Piper's gaze is vacant, Jason's smile looks painful, Annabeth's eyes are glaciers, Percy nods with stiff courtesy, Leo fidgets with a toothpick, Hazel's interest is patently feigned, Frank is absorbed in his phone. At the center of it all, sprawled across two seats, Claire lets out a laugh—sweet as sugar and just as grating. Her knees brush against Percy's as she leans forward, utterly blind to the thick tension. "Europe is just so beau…