Chapter Text
“... And these are the strawberry fields over here,” Annabeth explained. “I don’t know how relevant that’ll be to you, though. You don’t seem like the gardening type.” Annabeth explained. She was giving a newly-arrived and claimed Sherman Yang the standard tour. Clarisse was following along, halfway-sulking. Annabeth had made her come along because “Sherman is your brother and you should help him out.”
“I don’t give a fuck for plants,” Sherman muttered.
“Yeah, didn’t think so,” Annabeth replied. “Anyway, the people that are in there the most are the Demeter kids. All girls.”
“Daughters of Demeter. Sounds like a terrible punk band.”
“Kinda does. Anyway, they’re all over there. Or in there somewhere.” Annabeth waved dismissively.
Sherman surveyed the fields. A few girls were hard at work messing with the plants and doing things Sherman didn’t understand. His eyes fell on a trim girl wearing one of those big floppy farmer-gardener-person type of hats with a red ribbon tied around it. That is the stupidest hat I have ever seen.
On the hottest girl I have ever seen.
Shit.
“Hey, can I… are there strawberries on those bushes yet?” Sherman asked.
“Probably not,” Annabeth replied. “You can check, though.”
“I will,” Sherman said, shooting off in the direction of the pretty girl with the ugly hat. He sidled up towards her, pretending to check the bushes for berries. There weren’t any, of course, but it gave him a chance to be close.
Suddenly, a girl’s voice cut through his thoughts. “If you’re looking for strawberries, you’re, like, three or four months early.”
Sherman looked up. His cheeks burned. “... Yeah, I… I’m sorry, I don’t know much about…”
The girl grinned at him from under her wide-brimmed hat. “Don’t worry about it. Not many people know anything about growing plants and berries. Say, I haven’t seen you before. Are you new?”
Sherman nodded. His head spun.
“Awesome! What’s your name?” Her smile made her glow.
Before Sherman could say anything, another taller girl came up behind the girl in the hat. “Miranda! If you keep talking to that boy I’m gonna put him to work pruning bushes!”
The girl—Miranda?—turned. “Sorry, Katie,” She turned back to Sherman. “Do you want to help?”
Sherman was once again cut off before he could speak. “Sherman! Get your sorry ass over here before I put my spear in it!”
Sherman turned. Clarisse’s anger was terrifying. “... I have to go,” he muttered. “My name’s Sherman Yang. You can find me… later.” He ran for Clarisse, who was now being chided by Annabeth for yelling at him.
“I will! My name’s Miranda! You can find me right here!”