Till Sunrise ┊Luke Castellan

21 .·:· Shifting Landscapes

Handerson Thayer, Abbot. 'Stevenson Memorial'. 1903

Words:  1,396

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Language warning

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The Summer Solstice

Phoebe stood before the mirror, her reflection staring back at her with an air of scrutiny. She took in every detail of her appearance- the way her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, the meticulous arrangement of her clothes, the curve of her smile. She needed to look flawless, impeccable, every inch the perfect daughter.

With each practised smile, Phoebe felt the weight of expectation bearing down upon her. She knew the importance of this moment, of presenting herself as the epitome of grace and poise.

Though, at the same time, she understood that if she were to rationalise with herself, the likelihood of her father's presence at Olympus was slim, perhaps even nonexistent. Yet, there remained a glimmer of hope within her.

Phoebe knew that if, by some miracle, her father did grace them with his presence, she wanted to be prepared. She wanted to exude the aura of authority and confidence befitting the counsellor of Cabin Seven. She wanted to stand tall, a beacon of strength and resilience amidst her siblings.

"Phoebe, it's half past eight, we've got to go," Lee's voice called through the door, breaking her reverie.

Phoebe's eyes widened in realisation. "Yep, sorry Lee, coming," she responded hastily, her mind snapping back to the present moment. With a quick nod to herself, she hurried out of her room, scooping up her duffle bag on the way. Today was the day they had all been waiting for, the day they journeyed to Olympus.

As she stepped outside, greeted by Lee's tired smile, Phoebe couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in amusement. "Late night?" she teased lightly, her playful tone cutting through the tension of the moment as they left the cabin. Walking side by side, they joined the bustling crowd of enthusiastic campers ascending the hill. The sun cast a radiant, warm glow over their faces, heightening the sense of excitement for the day ahead.

"You're one to talk," he teased. "What time did you get to bed last night?" His laughter filled the air as he guessed, "Eleven? Twelve?" His eyebrows rose expectantly at her silence, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Phoebe looked away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"What did you two get up to?" Lee nudged her, his teasing tone turning more insistent. He made a face at her continued silence, his excitement bubbling over. "Phoebe? What did you guys do?" he prodded eagerly, a crazed smile spreading across his face.

"Nothing much," Phoebe mumbled, her voice barely audible.

"I'm calling bull," Lee quickly retorted, his tone firm as he tried to catch her eye. "Phoebe?" he playfully scolded, his patience wearing thin.

"We might... umm... have kissed," she admitted reluctantly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Oh my gods!" Lee's eyebrows shot up in disbelief, his excitement palpable as he processed her confession. Without hesitation, he started punching her excitedly, his enthusiasm overflowing. "Oh my gods!!" he exclaimed, unable to contain his joy.

Phoebe's hands shot up instinctively, attempting to cover his mouth, but he dodged her deftly.

"Fucking finally," Lee huffed, his breathless laughter ringing out. "I thought I would die before that happened." His eyes sparkled with amusement as he teased her, his joy at her revelation evident in every word.