Daycare Dilemma

Snacktime

  I clapped my hands and said, "Okay, we're going to take a vote on what to do next. What do you guys usually do here during the day?"
Percy raised his hand and said, grinning mischievously, "We go swimming!"
Annabeth jumped up and said, "Nu uh! We don't go swimming, you Seaweed Brain! We don't even have a pool!" She turned to me and said, "We usually have a snack and then go play, and then we go home after that."
I nodded, "Thank you, Annabeth. Okay, everyone close your eyes." All the kids closed their eyes, and at least one or two peeked, so I said, "Close them tight! Okay, raise your hand if you want to have the snack first." All but one kid raised their hands. "And if you want to go play first?" The last child raised his hand. "Okay, put your hands down and open your eyes." 9 pairs of innocent eyes stared back at me as I said, "Drumroll please!" Half the kids begin pounding their hands on their laps or the ground. I said, "By the majority rule, we are having snacktime first!" All the kids but one cheered. Leo gave me a pouty look, and then stomped off to sulk in the corner.
I pulled open the cupboard, and there was the snack. I shuddered imagining what would have happened if there had been nothing. I set the bag of goldfish crackers on the table, and yelled, "Come and get it!" Eight kids rushed up to the table, nearly knocking me, and each other, over to get to the food. A cacophony of noise assulted my ears, so I put my fingers in my mouth and gave a whistle to rival that of a New-Yorker hailing a taxi. Instantly, the noise quieted. I said, "Please take a seat." All the kids sat down. I handed each a plastic cup, and then told them to get into a line. The pushing and shoving immediately followed the order. "Nicely!" I shouted. The kids straightened into a semi-line, and I walked down it, putting a handful of goldfish in each of their cups. When I got to the end of the line, Percy yanked his cup back and said, "I don't eat my own." Confused, and wondering if this was perhaps the first time in the history of the world where a boy had refused food, I simply nodded and returned the bag to the cupboard. I turned, smiling, and said, "Have at it!" The kids began munching on the fish, with the background noise of Percy whimpering. Annabeth put down her cup. She walked over to him, and hugged him. She whispered something is his ear that he obviously liked, because he ran off grinning. I smiled, holding in a laugh. "Ah, young love." I thought. Suddenly, my musings were interrupted by a scream. I looked to the source, and found Annabeth curled up in a ball, next to her snack cup. I crouched down and whispered, "Annabeth. Annabeth, what's wrong?" She lifted her tear-streaked face long enough to look at her cup and point, and then she curled back up with a shreik-y whimper. I looked into the cup and found a small spider inside, among the remains of her goldfish. I heard a laugh from the corner, and looked up to see Leo grinning wickedly. I picked up the cup and walked over to him. I bent down and said, "Leo, did you put this spider in Annabeth's cup?" He shook his head, but then he burst out laughing. I handed him the cup and said, "Please take Mr. Spider outside and let him go." The smile slipped off his face.
He gave me a glare as he slipped outside and said, "Kill-joy."
I returned to my position by the cupboard. Percy had returned and was helping Annabeth up. The other kids, except for Nico, sat in a loose circle and whispered. I walked over to Nico. I sat down. He looked at me suspiciously.
"Go away," he muttered. I got up, but looked back. Nico nibbled on a cracker. I sat back down.
"Why don't you talk to the other kids?" I asked.
He snorted, "I don't associate with demigods like them." I tried to remain serious, but couldn't help it. I laughed. He glared at me. I swallowed a grin. Obviously, he didn't think he was joking. He had to be joking, right?
He continued, "And anyways, I don't do good with people."
"Well, why not?" I asked.
"They don't really seem to like me." He pulled his knees to his chest and rested his little, pale chin on them. I patted his shoulder.
"I'm sure if you just went over there and talked to them, you might just make some friends." I stood up and wiped my brow. I was glad I only had the first shift. I didn't think I could take much more of this. Demigods? Spiders? Could it get any crazier?