First Day (01)

"Yeah, I'm not interested in college, really. Thought about an art school, but I can't afford it," he admits, a mix of ruefulness to the art school statement with some stars in his eyes for baseball. "I hadn't played since tee-ball until last year, but I've picked it up and learned so much. I guess it's part of my, you know, my heritage. Not really fair... but whatever." Calliope moves to her desk and clears her throat. Kastor whispers, "Weird to have Muses teaching classes, right? Oh hey, what are you planning to do after high school? Go to Hawaii University?"

I feel myself brighten a bit when Kastor mentions he's not interested in college. Finally someone who gets it. After that conversation with Soph in the hall, I was starting to get worried.

I shrug when he says his baseball rise to fame isn't really fair, a sort of "eh, whatever" gesture. We're demigods. Why should we be held back here when we're already up against people way out of our leagues whenever we're with the gods? It's only fair that we have the upper hand somewhere.

I lean closer to him to whisper back, "I don't think I'm really into the college thing either. High school barely matters to me anymore, you know? Why prolong the agony? I want to open up an art studio somewhere around Leavenworth, get a business going." I know exactly where the studio will be - on the land Knox bought - but I don't want to make it sound too certain right now. There's a lot of work to be done and who knows how it will go. It's defintiely not that I'm avoiding talking about Knox with Kastor.

I glance toward the front of the room, then back at him. "I think the Muses are bored. They seem to really get a kick out of teaching here. Fresh young minds or whatever."

Jenny and Pen are the two who keep their hands up for the novel question. I mean, with a name like Pen, it was sort of unavoidable, right?

Pen's is the one I've actually read. Jenny's tried to pawn hers off on...well, everyone...but I've avoided it so far. I heard it's a pretty gods-awful fantasy/romance with a very obvious self-insert Mary Sue protagonist, and I don't want to have to suffer through it. Pen's, on the other hand, was actually pretty good.

Somehow it doesn't surprise me that Selene has tried to write a book before. When she brings up Zeus, I nod. "I knew he'd gone back," I whisper, "but I haven't seen him there. How's he doing? Better than...before?" In my heart, I think part of the reason I haven't gone to see Zeus back in his natural environment is because I like to imagine that he's his old self again. It's easier to picture that than the sad, old man I saw last.

Some questions about your these new classmates:

1. Who did you see Gabriel (D3) making out with behind the bleachers last week?

(Gabriel)

2. What does Oliver (E1) get away with that nobody else does, and why?

(Oliver)

3. When you passed out stone drunk at the last summer rager, who do you think rooted through your pockets and stole your dren?
What did they steal?

I snicker softly at Selene's update on Zeus. Honestly, it's encouraging. Way more encouraging than seeing Gabriel making out with Melpomene behind the bleachers last week. I didn't stop them or anything, but I figure that can't be a good sign - for him I mean. I wonder if his tragedy had already struck when she found him, or if it's still coming.

Oliver Green, on the other hand, has excellent luck and no tragedy whatsoever. I've never see the guy turn in an assignment and all the teachers just seem...fine with it? I heard a rumor that his dad is a major donor to the athletics boosters or something. It seems super fishy to me.

And then there's the thief, Will Kalani. I don't remember much of that party, to be honest, but I'm pretty sure it was his hands rolling my mostly unconscious body back and forth so he could hunt around in my pockets - and probably cop a little zok grab while he was at it. He took some weed and one of Booker's Special Pills I had stashed away, which is annoying, but whatever. What really bugs me is that when the party was over and I was back to my senses again, I realized the black pearl necklace my dad gave me for my sweet sixteen was missing. I haven't told him about it yet. I'll get it back, one way or another. I find myself glaring daggers toward Will as I think about it again.

I huff a quiet laugh at that, leaning forward a bit and whispering, "Oh yeah? What'd he do to you?"

I suck in a breath through my teeth. "Even I know that is very against the bro code." I shake my head, disgusted. "Wait, so even though he wasn’t really into her, did it work? Are they dating now?"

"Frell," I mutter softly under my breath. "And now if you go for her, you're just going to look like the zokhole guy hunting for an easy hook up. That sucks." I take a breath and let it out, my eyes narrowing on Will again for a second as the dark feelings inside roil. "Frell Will," I hiss, shaking my head. "We should totally key his car or something."

I smirk at that. "Friend Zone is definitely not the worst zone." I lean a little closer, lowering my voice further when I add, "I've definitely frelled a few friends before. There's still hope for you." I wink at him and lean back.

It's amusing, seeing Axel flush at my words. Before I start writing on Calliope's assignment, I pull out my phone and send Elena a text:

Heard Will is a complete zokhat. You ok?

Then I pull out my little school-issued laptop and get to work on the assignment. I write about a girl from another country - a made up one I call Olympia - having to flee from her home and ending up at a school in the middle of nowhere Kansas where she learns that the real reason she had to leave home is because she has magic powers and some people there didn't like that. It's a little bit of Harry Potter meets my own story plus assassins, but it's more fun than just writing about classes and books and hallways. I don't really worry too much about whether it's very good.