Blue hair ✸ Apollo ²

XI. There is no peace, for one with ambition

Lydia wanted to go back and act like normal people like they promised Sally, but Percy seemed so bent out on trying to escape Rachel. A bunch of kids were heading for the gym, and soon Lydia was just one of three hundred fourteen-year-olds all crammed into the bleachers. Like they should've been minutes ago.

"Why can't we just stop running away from her?" Lydia groaned "Just stop doing boy shit for one minute!"

Percy blinked, his face red "Boy shit? Is that what you think this is?"

"Yes!" Lydia widened her eyes, crossing her arms "You wanna run away from a mortal girl just for asking questions about something she can see? She probably doesn't understand it, Percy. So stop being a wuss and help her."

A marching band played an out-of-tune fight song that sounded like somebody hitting a bag of cats with a metal baseball bat. Older kids, probably student council members, stood up front modeling the Goode school uniform and looking all, Hey, we're cool. Teachers milled around, smiling and shaking hands with students.

Percy was about to reply, but Someone grabbed his shoulder," What are you doing here?"

It was her: Percy's redheaded nightmare.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," Percy said. Lydia just shook her head.

Rachel's jaw dropped like she couldn't believe he had the nerve to remember her name. "And you're Percy somebody. I didn't get your full name last December when you tried to kill me."

"What- you tried to kill her?" Lydia asked.

"Look, No I wasn't—I didn't— What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I guess. Orientation."

"You live in New York?"

"What, you thought I lived at the Hoover Dam?"

"Hi, guys!" a girl suddenly bubbled into the microphone. It was the blonde they'd seen at the entrance. "My name is Tammi, and this is like, Kelli."

Kelli did a cartwheel, and Lydia cringed. This was the sort of thing that made her glad she didn't have to go to a normal high school. She felt like high schools were worse than fighting something like Medusa, and she'd stand by that.

Next to them, Rachel yelped like someone had stuck her with a pin. Lydia was about to say that cheerleaders weren't her favorite thing either, but something told her that Rachel was thinking something else. A few kids looked over and snickered, but Rachel just stared at the cheerleaders in horror.

Tammi didn't seem to notice the outburst. She started talking about all the great ways they could get involved during our freshman year.

"Run," Rachel told them. "Now."

"Why?"

Rachel didn't explain. She pushed her way to the edge of the bleachers, ignoring the frowning teachers and grumbling kids she was stepping on. Lydia didn't think twice. She had a feeling that Rachel was someone to trust. But Percy, like usual— hesitated.

"Come on, Barnacle boy!" Lydia hissed, trying not to be loud "Let's get out of here!"

"Barnacle boy?" Rachel asked, but she still kept looking back at the middle of the room. Like something was going on.

But all Lydia saw was the cheerleaders. Tammi was explaining how they were about to break into small groups and tour the school. Kelli caught Lydia's lavender eyes and gave her an amused smile, like she was waiting to see what they'd do.

Lydia was starting to feel on edge too, but she turned to Rachel "We'll explain later. We would've earlier, but Percy was too busy running from you."

"Oh." Rachel laughed, before running out of the gym.

They found Rachel in the band room. She was hiding behind a bass drum in the percussion section. Lydia already moved over to her. Even if it felt weird hiding behind a small area such as this.

"Get over here!" Rachel said, as Percy crouched down beside them. "Keep your head down!"

"Did they follow you?" Lydia asked, she was out of breath from running so much.

"You mean the cheerleaders?" Percy blinked. "Are they—uhm you know?"

Lydia was starting to realize that Rachel was terrified of seeing these things. She had no idea what this world was, but she could everything. Even things that Lydia and Percy couldn't, with godly blood in them.

"I don't know. I think we both need to be here for the big reveal." Lydia put her hands up dramatically, scooting away quietly to the other side of the room.

Rachel's green eyes were bright with fear. She had a sprinkle of freckles on her face that reminded Lydia of constellations. Her maroon T-shirt read HARVARD ART DEPT. "You...you two wouldn't believe me. I know it."

"Oh, yeah, I would," Percy promised. "I know you can see through the Mist."

"The what?"

Lydia wasn't sure if Percy should've been that straightforward, but it had to be said one way or another. It reminded her of the time when she first met Percy himself.

"The Mist. It's...well, it's like this veil that hides the way things really are. Some mortals are born with the ability to see through it. Like you."

Rachel studied the two of them very carefully. "You did that at Hoover Dam. You called me a mortal. Like you're not."

Lydia could see it in Rachel's face. She wanted to believe what Percy was saying, but it was going to take a minute to do so. Rachel couldn't stop looking at Lydia. It was probably her unnatural lavender eye color, and that dangerous look clearly in her face.

Lydia didn't look that crazy...

Did she?

"Tell me," Rachel begged. "You two know what it means. All these horrible things I see?"

Lydia sighed "We do, but you need to listen carefully. No matter how weird and psychotic we sound. Do you know anything about the myths from Ancient Greece?"

"Like...the Minotaur and the Hydra?"

"Yeah, just try not to say those names when me and Lydia are around, okay?" Percy said nervously.

"And the Furies," she said, warming up. "And the Sirens, and-"

"Okay!" Lydia looked around the band hall, sure that Rachel was going to make a bunch of bloodthirsty nasties pop out of the walls. "Those monsters and gods. They're real."

"I knew it!"

But Lydia wasn't done "Me and Percy—we are their children. Well, let's just say demigods. That's less weird and awkward."

"Hold on—you two are half Greek god?"

Lydia nodded "Yeah. I'm a daughter of Dionysus, and Percy— a son of Poseidon."