Ordinary (A Percy Jackson Story)

Chapter 3

"There is no throne to Nemesis."

Ethan stared at the waiter, and burst out laughing. "Octavian? Who names there kid, Octavian? Wasn't he like Greek?"

Luke frowned, "A king right?"

The waiter looked personally offended. His eye twitched like he was trying to keep his cool and his smile seemed a little more forced than necessary.

Bianca stared at them like they were both idiots. "Try Roman Emperor, you idiots! How did either of you pass eighth grade without knowing that?"

Ethan's mood darkened drastically. "I didn't."

Octavian seemed confused, "Sorry, what?"

"I got pulled out of school. It's Nothing." Ethan said, sharply, "Are you going to take our order now or what?"

Octavian frowned, but he turned back to Bianca waiting for her order. The door rang in the front of the diner as more people entered the shop.

"I'll have a diet coke, please." She said.

"Do you want some McDonald's fries with that?" Luke snickered, before wincing in pain as she kicked him under the table. Ethan would've kicked him too, but he was sitting diagonally and Ethan didn't want to risk catching Bianca's foot instead.

"Rootbeer." Ethan said, "and can you-" He stopped as his eyes fluttered past the waiter to the group on new customers who were being seated just across the room. "Oh Styx."

"What?" Bianca and Luke followed his gaze and both paled drastically.

"Styx?" Octavian repeated, suddenly looking horrified, "You guys aren't...like demigods, right?"

None of them paid him any mind. Ethan could feel his heart thumping in his chest. His breathing quicken. "What are she doing here?"

"They are sitting right next to the doors. There is no way we are going to be able to walk out with out her seeing us." Luke said, in a low voice.

Bianca brushed a piece of her hair back nervously. Then she turned to Octavian who seemed to be stuck somewhere between nervous and terrified. "How many exits are in this place?"

"Uh about three?" He replied, "Those doors and the drop of area in the kitchen and an emergency exit by the bathrooms.

Luke turned to look behind them again and Bianca kicked him, "Don't turn around you dimwit!"

Ethan's palms were clammy he wiped them on his pants. His black bangs swayed with his nervous energy. His shoulders were tensed up.

"Can you do us a huge huge favor, please?" Bianca asked the waiter, her brown eyes flickering with emotions. Fear, anger, dread, sadness...Ethan felt his own heart ache at the sight. He never wanted to see her in such pain.

"Please?" Bianca practically begged, "We need someone to distract those people over there. They can't see us no matter what."

Octavian followed her pointing finger to the duo who'd just sat down. His sickly pale skin paled even more. His hands shaking dropped his pencil. "No way, sorry. Can't help you. Bye!"

He went to turn away and Luke grabbed his arm dragging him into the open booth seat next to him. Octavian yelped in pain.

"What the Pluto man! Get off me!" He hissed.

"You better help us- wait..." Luke blinked like he was suddenly registering something, "Pluto. That's the Roman form of Hades..."

Ethan groaned, "Screw this. I'll just go walk by and distract them and then feign reincarnation." He stood up, "I'll meet you guys at the IHOP down the road."