FRANK ZHANG

The music inside the cabin is loud enough to rattle the windows, and the laughter spilling through the open doors carries all the way to the bonfire pit. Percy’s parties always end up like this—too many campers squeezed into too small a space, snacks scattered across every surface, someone inevitably daring someone else to do something ridiculous. The whole camp needs the distraction after everything that’s happened lately, and Percy has never been good at quiet celebrations.

You sit cross-legged on the floor with the rest of the group, wedged between a pile of pillows and the coffee table that has long since been pushed aside. The game of truth or dare has been going on for nearly an hour, the dares getting more absurd each round.

Leo is half sprawled across the arm of the couch, laughing so hard he nearly falls off whenever someone fails a dare. Hazel sits beside Frank, quietly amused but trying to keep the game somewhat civilized. Piper is leaning forward like a mastermind plotting chaos. Nico sits in the corner chair with his arms crossed, pretending he isn’t invested in the game while clearly listening to everything. Will is perched on the windowsill with a bowl of snacks. Annabeth and Percy sit side by side on the couch, whispering occasional commentary to each other while Percy grins at every ridiculous moment. Jason and Thalia sit on the floor against the wall, watching the chaos unfold, while Reyna observes everything with calm curiosity.

Frank sits across from you, trying very hard not to look at you too often.

No one here knows you’re together.

That was never exactly planned. It just… happened. One quiet conversation after another, long walks near the woods, shared glances across the dining pavilion. Frank is careful, gentle in ways people don’t always notice because they focus on how big and intimidating he looks at first. But you see the nervous kindness in him, the way he checks if you’re alright even when he thinks you don’t notice.

Keeping it quiet felt easier.

Less complicated.

At least until now.

“Your turn,” Leo says suddenly, pointing at you like he’s announcing a game show contestant.

Several heads turn your way, grinning expectantly.

“Truth or dare?” Piper asks, her smile already suspicious.

You sigh dramatically. “Dare.”

The group immediately reacts.

“Ooooh,” Percy says, leaning forward.

Piper taps her chin like she’s deep in thought, though the mischievous sparkle in her eyes says she already knows exactly what she’s going to say.

“Okay,” she says slowly. “I dare you… to take a pregnancy test.”

For a split second there is silence.

Then Leo bursts out laughing so hard he nearly chokes.

“WHAT?” he wheezes.

Hazel nearly drops the cup she’s holding. “Piper!”

“It’s for fun!” Piper insists quickly, raising her hands. “I found one in the infirmary cabinet earlier while helping with supplies. It’s probably expired anyway. Think of it as a science experiment.”

Nico raises an eyebrow but says nothing.

Will snorts into his snack bowl.

Percy dramatically gasps. “The suspense!”

Annabeth shakes her head, though she’s smiling. “This is a terrible idea.”

You roll your eyes.

“You people are ridiculous.”

But there’s no real reason not to do it.

You know you’re not pregnant.

Right?

You stand up, brushing dust from your clothes. “Fine. But when it’s negative, Leo owes me snacks.”

“Why me?” Leo protests.

“Because you’re the loudest,” you reply.

Everyone cheers as Piper tosses you the small box.

Before leaving the room, you glance briefly at Frank.

He’s trying to look calm, but you notice the tension in his shoulders. Your eyes meet for a fraction of a second.

There’s a silent question there.

You shrug slightly.

It’s nothing.

Just a stupid dare.

The bathroom is quiet compared to the chaos outside. The music from the party becomes a distant thump through the walls as you lean against the sink, staring down at the small box in your hands.

Your heart is beating a little faster than it should.

That’s ridiculous.

You know your body.

Still, your hands feel strangely unsteady as you open the packaging.

The next couple of minutes pass slowly. Too slowly.

You sit on the edge of the bathtub, staring at the test resting on the counter.

Two minutes.

That’s all it takes.

You watch the timer on your phone tick down.

One minute.

One minute and thirty seconds.

Two minutes.

You stand and walk toward the sink.

For a moment you don’t look.

Then you do.

The first line is clear.

Next to it—

A second line.

Faint.

But unmistakable.

You stare.

“No,” you whisper.

You blink and look again.

It’s still there.

Your knees feel weak and you grab the counter to steady yourself.

Pregnant.

The word feels impossible.

Camp is loud and chaotic and filled with quests and training and monsters and everything except this.

Your heart begins racing.

What will Frank say?

What will everyone else say?

Percy would probably panic. Annabeth would immediately start planning solutions. Piper would feel guilty for daring you. Leo would short-circuit from shock. Hazel would worry. Nico would somehow sense something was wrong. Will would start worrying about medical complications.

And then the worst thought hits.

Your health.

Frank knows how difficult things have been recently. The exhaustion. The slow recovery. The constant medical attention from the infirmary.

Pregnancy could make everything harder.

Your vision swims slightly.

You grab your phone with shaking hands and take a quick picture of the test.

Then you send a message.

Bathroom. Now.

You attach the picture and press send.

The typing bubble appears almost instantly.

Then disappears.

Footsteps pound down the hallway seconds later.

The door bursts open.

Frank rushes inside, breathing hard like he sprinted the entire way.

His eyes immediately find yours.

Then the test.

Silence fills the room.

“Is… that real?” he asks quietly.

Your voice barely works.

“I don’t know,” you whisper. “It was just a dare. I thought it would be negative.”

Frank picks up the test with trembling fingers.

Shock flashes across his face.

Then worry.

Then determination.

“You look like you’re about to faint,” he says gently.

“I might.”

He guides you to sit down on the closed toilet lid and crouches in front of you.

“Okay,” he says softly. “First… breathe.”

You inhale slowly.

Frank squeezes your hands.

“We don’t have to figure everything out tonight,” he says. “Okay?”

“But they’re out there,” you whisper. “And they’re going to ask.”

“Then we don’t tell them yet.”

“You’re not mad?” you ask quietly.

Frank looks genuinely confused.

“Mad? Why would I be mad?”

“This changes everything.”

He runs a hand through his hair.

“Yeah,” he admits. “It does.”

Your stomach twists.

“But that doesn’t mean it’s bad,” he adds quickly. “It just means we need time to think.”

“What about my health?” you ask.

Frank’s expression softens instantly.

“That’s the first thing we worry about,” he says firmly. “You. Making sure you’re safe.”

Relief washes through you.

A shout echoes through the hallway.

“Did it say pregnant?” Leo yells dramatically from outside.

Your head spins.

You absolutely cannot walk out there with that test.

Frank looks down at it again.

Then toward the cabinet.

“We fake it,” he says suddenly.

You blink.

“How?”

Frank finds the box again and opens it.

Inside are two more tests.

“We use another one,” he says. “If it’s negative, that’s the one they see.”

The first test—the real one—gets hidden deep in the cabinet.

Your hands shake as you take the new one.

Minutes later, the second test sits on the counter.

You and Frank lean forward together.

One line.

Negative.

Relief floods the room.

“That’s the one,” Frank murmurs.

Another knock rattles the door.

“Open up!” Percy calls.

You take the test and straighten your shoulders.

Then you open the door.

The entire group immediately turns.

“Well?” Piper asks.

You hold up the test.

“Negative.”

Leo throws his hands in the air. “BORING.”

Percy groans dramatically. “I was promised drama.”

Annabeth shakes her head with a small laugh.

Hazel sighs with relief.

The game resumes almost immediately.

But across the room, Frank watches you carefully.

Only the two of you know the truth.

And as the party noise swells again, the panic in your chest eases just a little.

Because now, at least, you’re not facing it alone.