Demigods Against Highschool

13: Futures and Flights

JASON

The apartment is packed up. We sent our stuff to Sally, and handed the keys over to the new owners yesterday, having crashed in a hotel tonight with the stuff we're taking.

It's pretty sad, to be honest. I thought living in California and finishing our education would be something permanent, that our school and home would be something we could rely on.

I guess not.

I mean, we could always start our lives at Camp Jupiter. That's always been the endgame for me- living with Piper and maybe our own kids.

But I don't even know if that's what I want anymore. To be considered a full-fledged citizen of New Rome, you have to do at least a full year of legion service, at the bare minimum. If you want to be Praetor or something like that, you need to continue to work up the ranks, which can take years.

Piper hasn't done any legion service. And I don't think that the others would be happy if she got a free pass for being one of the seven. But also, after my Amnesia Era, my perspective on the world has changed. It's become harder to consider Camp Jupiter as my home.

So maybe that's out of the question. Maybe we finally have to decide what we want.

Do we want to remain in the demigod world? Do I want to remember my passion for Camp Jupiter while working in college and watch Piper complete a year of legion time? Would she even agree to it? Could our relationship survive that? Can I even consider Camp Jupiter my home now?

When I arrived at Camp Half Blood for the first time, it felt different. Up until I was sixteen, I had never known a world outside of camp and the legion. Camp Half-Blood is different. There are more outside opportunities, more flexibility. Could we continue to stay at Camp Half Blood? Become year-round campers?

But what remains at Camp Half Blood? Once you turn eighteen, or even younger, and it's time to go to college, since you are no longer a huge monster target. Outside of CHB, there is no connections.

I mean, things are changing now. By next year, it's entirely possible that Chrion could have established connections with universities around New York. After all, CHB has some seriously talented kids.

I sigh, and look at my phone. It's 6:00 AM and my nonsensical thoughts are spiralling. I asked Piper last night about our futures. She said that anything is possible and we should first think about maybe doing an online course at Camp Half Blood, or something like that. I guess she's right.

Next to me, Piper begins to wake up, mumbling and groaning. She hugs me, and we stay like that for a few minutes before we eventually get ready, having our showers and getting changed.

Finally, we check out and call up an Uber to take us to the airport. I text Hazel.

Jason: Hey where are you guys?

Hazel: About five minutes from the airport

Jason: Alr. Me and Pipes are already there

Hazel: Kk. Pray for us though, Reyna insisted she drive this time, but her driving is TERIBLE

Jason: Lol. We need to talk to you and Frank tho

Hazel: What about?

Jason: Nothing bad. Just once you get the the airport

Hazel: k. I've gtg, holding onto the seats for dear life so gtg

Jason: Bye!

I turn to face Piper

''They should be here in five minutes. We'll recgonise the car though. If we go to the overpass up there'' I point to the large tunnel above us ''All we have to do is look for a black SUV which has a driver that cant drive'''

Piper laughs. ''Hazel?'' She asks. I shake my head. ''Reyna.''

Piper shakes her head and we head up the escalator to the overpass. Three minutes later, we spot a black SUV speeding through the red lights, nearly causing a car accident.

I shrug. ''Guess they've arrived''

Soon enough, Frank, Hazel, and Reyna come out of the carpark. Frank and Hazel are yelling at Reyna about her bad driving, and Reyna just shrugs in response.

Hazel turns to me. ''Jase, what was the thing you wanted to ask us about?''

I glance at Piper, and she speaks.

''Well, when you picked us up from jail-''

''-and said I was Jasons GRANDMA''

''Reyna, Jason is talking. We agreed, no interrupting people. Okay?''

''So like I was saying, you said that you knew we were lying, and you also said Percy and Annabeth were probably hiding something. And then when we confessed, Percy and Annabeth said they weren't hiding anything. So I just want to know: Do you still think they are hiding stuff?''

Hazel glanced at Frank. ''Well, we were doubting ourselves until we had the chat yesterday when Percy said he convinced Annabeth to skip class. That didn't sit right with is because well, if they were going to skip class, Annabeth would at least insist they would skip final period since that would be the last part of school. And anyway, they were already missing school because they had to go and pick Leo up. So yeah. We think that was an excuse for something else''

Frank takes over the final part. ''But if they are hiding something, it won't stay hidden for long. I mean, we're going to be basically living with them at camp. Whatever they might be hiding wont stay hidden for long''

We go through security, and finally arrive at the gate after coaching Reyna to be nice to the security staff.

We debate seating and agree that Hazel should go on the aisle, with me in the middle, Piper next to me, and Frank and Reyna on the other side with Frank in the aisle. Originally Piper and Reyna were going to sit together, but I don't think Reyna quite liked the idea.

I spend the flight with my headphones plugged in listening to music. Halfway through the flight we swap seats so Frank is in the middle next to Hazel, Piper is on the aisle, and I'm on the other aisle next to Reyna.

It works pretty well. I count down the hours, until I can finally see the sky scrapers of New York out Hazels window.

We land, and I almost have to restrain Reyna from running into the aisle. Eventually we get out, and are met with a hyperactive Latino Elf boy, and a Percy and Annabeth who looked like they had been telling him to be less hyper for the last hour.

I smile at Leo. He seems even shorter than usual, although that may be because I've gotten taller. Percy and Annabeth seemed taller as well, although Percy is now slightly taller than Annabeth. From memory, the last time I saw them, they were both the same height.

"Hey! How are you guys'' Annabeth said, attempting to stifle a yawn. I glanced around our crew, who had managed to make a small circle. As she yawned, I saw Frank and Hazel exhanged worried glances.

Hazel shrugged. ''Yeah, we're fine. How are we getting to camp?''

''Alright. Since you all sent your stuff over, Sallys going to bring it with her at the end of the holidays. For now, we're taking the subway to Long Island, then catching the bus to camp. Let's go!''