Cameron Tell

"Hey Cam!" Annabeth Chase called after me, her blonde curls flying. I stand up, giving up on searching for my dropped pencil.


"Oh hi! Sorry I was looking for something." I tuck a stray curly light brown baby hair behind my ear and stand there uncomfortably.Being my usual socially awkward mess of a self, and thinking about how I am in desperate need of a haircut. 


"Did you find it?" 


I shake my head in response, " It was just a pencil so..." In my mind I reprimand myself. Why can I not be normal acting in real life? I pull it off on stage!


"Anyways, do you want to come over to my place later to start brainstorming for it? You can meet the great Percy Jackson and everything." She cracks a smile when she mentions her fiancé.


Here's the thing about going to college in New Rome at the same time as the Seven that basically saved the world. You're stuck in this weird mindset of being tired of hearing about them and  them being celebrities especially since your a legacy of Bacchus who helped in the fight. I'd never met any of the Seven except for a two second conversation with Jason, a get to meet you conversation with Annabeth at the beginning of the term and now this interaction with her, being paired together for an Ancient Architecture project.


"Cam?"


I snap out of my internal anxiety monologue (I relate to this statement too much) and turn my attention back towards Annabeth.


"Yeah that would be awesome! Where do you live ?" I adjust my bag as Annabeth starts walking towards the exit. Then I realize I should follow her and do just that.


"A  one bedroom apartment a short walk from campus."


"Cool."


We continue walking in silence through the New Rome University campus. I can't help but admire the architecture of a couple of the buildings. I turn my head to see Annabeth doing the same.


"So what godly person are you related to?" Annabeth asks, leading me into a main street looking area.


"Bacchus. He's technically my great-grandpa. The only part of my personality that relates to him is theatre. I love performing." 


"I'd never pin you for a performer."


" No one ever does." I chuckle lightly. My Doc Martens and Annabeth's sneakers clop along the pavement as she weaves through people going about their day. Then we walk up to a blank building with large windows and an amazingly done entrance area.


"Woah." I admire the building, out loud accidentally.


"Right?" Annabeth smiles. "And to think I almost burnt it down." She immediately turns pink with embarrassment.


I turn to Annabeth shocked. 


"What?"


"It's a long story involving a need for grilled cheese and Percy never letting me near a stove again. Let's not talk about it. Come on." Annabeth walks into the building and leads me into a small elevator. The interior of the building looks like California and Roman architecture had a baby and then added more modern windows. And it surprisingly works.


We head up to the third floor and then Annabeth leads me down a narrow hallway to a green apartment labeled "Unit 30". She takes a key out of her pocket and lets me in. 


Her apartment is a cramped combined living and kitchen area and there are two doors on opposite sides of the apartment


"Percy! I'm home! And I brought a friend." She sets her bag down on the black couch and I do the same.


Then a guy comes through the door. And I recognize him immediately. Percy Jackson. He's tall, has green eyes, and black hair. 


"Hey!" Percy walks over and kisses Annabeth on the cheek. I stand there awkwardly. 


"This is Cameron. They're my partner for a project. I thought we'd get together and work on it."


A smile comes across my face. 


"Nice to meet you Cameron." Percy nods towards me. 


I wave awkwardly from 3 feet away.


"What's this project on?" Percy asks. 


"We have to make an accurate building from an ancient time of our choosing."


"Does it involve as stove cause Annie's banned?" 


Annabeth lightly elbows Percy, laughing hysterically. "Percy! It was one grilled cheese! And what kind of school architecture project requires a stove!"


"This is the second time I've heard about this grilled cheese stove story." I pipe up.


"Ooh can we tell them? You've been too embarrassed to tell even Piper what happened."


"Yeah, cause Piper would laugh at me, the daughter of Athena, for doing the dumbest thing ever!" 


"I won't laugh at you. I promise." I smile at the couple, holding back laughter.


"No, it's just too embarrassing." Annabeth hides her face in her hands.


"Annabeeeeeth!" Percy whines.


"Percyyyy!" Annabeth mimics him, laughing. 


"Please! " Percy says.


Annabeth sighs and nods. 


"Fine! But lets get some food first. I'm hungry." Annabeth kisses Percy's cheek and walks towards the kitchen.


"Just no grilled cheese!" I call. 


Okay! So this being the first meet I've written in a while I think it's decent. Also I love Cameron so much. I think they are so much like me when it comes to being an awkward mess outside of performing. Also yes Cameron is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. Anyways, if you want to here what actually happened with the grilled cheese let me know cause I have it planned out lol.


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