BABY DON'T CUT - jason grace

Chapter Twenty

"Mother!" Piper yelled out in horror, causing Estella to wake up at a table at a sidewalk cafe, feeling a bit groggy.

It was a sunny morning. The air was brisk but not unpleasant for sitting outside. At the other tables, a mix of bicyclists, business people, and college kids sat chatting and drinking coffee.

She could smell eucalyptus trees. Lots of foot traffic passed in front of quaint little shops. The street was lined with bottle-brush trees and blooming azaleas as if winter was a foreign concept.

She was in California.

Jason, Leo and coach hedge sat around Estella, as well as Piper who had a horrified look on her face. Jason and Leo had woken up with Piper's yell as well.

They were all wearing new clothes.

Estella noticed Piper's outfit first.

"What?" Hedge demanded. "Fight who? Where?"

"Falling!" Leo grabbed the table. "No—not falling. Where are we?"

"Um, Piper—your outfit—" Estella said with widened eyes.

A heated blush appeared on Piper's face.

She was wearing ta turquoise dress, with black leggings and black leather boots. She had on a silver charm bracelet, and her old snowboarding jacket that she had lost at the Grand Canyon.. She pulled out Katoptris to see her reflection.

"It's nothing," Piper said. "It's my—" She paused. "It's nothing. The question is, what are you wearing?"

It was Estella's turn to blush as she looked down. She was wearing a pretty purple blouse with a black mini skirt and black leggings, as well as a light blue Jean jacket—which she was extremely thankful for.

mention that they'd talked. "It's nothing."

Leo grinned. "Aphrodite strikes again, huh? You're gonna be the best-dressed warriors in town."

"Hey, Leo." Jason nudged his arm. "You look at yourself recently?"

"What ... oh."

Leo was wearing pinstriped pants, black leather shoes, a white collarless shirt with suspenders, and his tool belt, Ray-Ban sunglasses, and a porkpie hat.

"God, Leo." Piper looked as if she wanted to laugh. "I think my dad wore that to his last premiere, minus the tool belt."

"Hey, shut up!"

"I think he looks good," said Coach Hedge. "'Course, I look better."

The satyr was a pastel nightmare. Aphrodite had given him a baggy canary yellow zoot suit with two-tone shoes that fit over his hooves. He had a matching yellow broad-brimmed hat, a rose-colored shirt, a baby blue tie, and a blue carnation in his lapel, which Hedge sniffed and then ate.

"Well," Jason said, "at least your mom overlooked me."

Estella knew that that wasn't the case. Looking at him, her heart did a little tap dance. Jason was dressed simply in jeans and a clean purple T-shirt, like he'd worn at the Grand Canyon. He had new track shoes on, and his hair was newly trimmed. His eyes were the same color as the sky. Aphrodite's message was clear: This one needs no improvement.

And Estella couldn't help but to agree.

"Anyway," Piper says, "how did we get here?"

"Oh, that would be Mellie," Hedge said, chewing happily on his carnation. "Those winds shot us halfway across the country, I'd guess. We would've been smashed flat on impact, but Mellie's last gift—a nice soft breeze—cushioned our fall."