Sun kissed - Apollo.

3: three adorable old ladies knit.

The next afternoon, as I was leaving the three-hour Latin exam, my eyes swimming with all the Greek and Roman names I'd misspelled, Mr. Brunner called us back inside.

For a moment, I was worried he'd found out about our eavesdropping the night before, but that didn't seem to be the problem. Which made me imagine all kinds of scenarios where he would be mad and tell me how disappointed he is.

"Percy, Daphne." he said. "Don't be discouraged about leaving Yancy. It's ... it's for the best."

His tone was kind, but the words still embarrassed me. Even though he was speaking quietly, the other kids finishing the test could hear. Nancy Bobofit smirked at Percy and made sarcastic little kissing motions with her lips.

Percy mumbled, "Okay, sir."

"I mean ..." Mr. Brunner wheeled his chair back and forth, like he wasn't sure what to say. "This isn't the right place for either of you. It was only a matter of time."

My eyes stung.

Here was my favorite teacher, in front of the class, telling us we couldn't handle it. After saying he believed in us all year, now he was telling us we were destined to get kicked out.

"Right," Percy said, trembling.

I didn't fair any better, a tear had already managed to escape my eye and I didn't want to look at him. "I'm sorry to disappoint, sir."

"No, no," Mr. Brunner said. "Oh, confound it all. What I'm trying to say ... you're not normal, Percy, Daphne. That's nothing to be-"

"Thanks," he blurted. "Thanks a lot, sir, for reminding me."

"Percy-"

But Percy was already gone and pulling me by the wrist with him. I had spent the rest of the day crying on my bunk, I didn't know what to make of it. That night i slept horribly, it started off with Mrs. Dodds coming after me.

Before Phoebus made his entrance and changed the entire nightmare into a beach scene, letting me watch the waves roll against the shoreline.

"He meant well." Phoebus said, i turned to him.

"Who?" I asked softly, i didn't know what to make of all of this.

He sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and letting me lean on him. He's warm, so warm like a bright summer day without getting all sweaty.

"Your teacher, Mr Brunner, he meant well." He said, trying to keep my spirits up.

Not that it was helping much, I couldn't bring myself to understand what Mr Brunner had tried to say to us. I guess he tried to be nice but i also think he didn't know what to tell us.

"I don't blame him," i said. "I'm just disappointed that i failed his test. I can read but just not fast and if i managed to read a question and understand it, i knew the answer but i just couldn't write it, i just feel so disappointed."

He rubbed my arms softly, trying to comfort me. "The upside is, you know what he taught you, that's important. It doesn't matter if you can spell it."

I sighed, my heart felt heavy from the disappointment. It's crazy how i could feel that way.

"I'm just hurt and disappointed, i guess." I said. "I don't even feel comfortable showing my report card to my mom, even though, she won't get angry. I just hate disappointing people."

"You haven't disappointed me." He said, gently shoving my shoulder with his.

"That's a matter of time." I said.