The Seven In High School

Hazel Lights Pants On Fire

HAZEL

The 21st century was very, very, very weird.

"And this-what is this again?" Hazel asked, looking at the round, puffy, pillow-shaped thing impaled on the stick she was holding.

"It's a marshmallow, Hazel." Leo said impatiently.

Hazel nibbled the marshmallow gingerly. It had a strange spongy texture, but was surprisingly sweet. She liked it.

"Hazel, you're supposed to roast it in the fire." Leo said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, and then it's called a toasted marshmallow." Frank added helpfully.

She frowned. "If it's called a toasted marshmallow, why do you roast it?" she asked, bewildered.

"Just put in the fire." Leo groaned.

Hazel thrust out her arm and the marshmallow sizzled gently in the fire. Then the marshmallow was engulfed in a corona of fire. Fire raced up the stick she was holding.

"Aaaaaah!" Hazel screamed, terrified. She waved the burning marshmallow in the air frantically. The stick slipped out of her grasp and sailed through the night air towards the sea. But not before igniting a sleeping kid's pants.

The kid snored on.

"Good one!" laughed a brown haired boy, bounding over. "No one's lit Clovis's pants on fire before!"

"Hey, Stoll." Leo said, standing up and dusting his pants. He clapped his hand on the boy's shoulder appreciately.

"I'm Travis Stoll, and the slightly less handsome demigod behind you is Connor." the boy said easily.

Hazel looked behind her shoulder and shrieked a little. A devillish-looking face was right behind her.

The owner of the face fell down on the sand, laughing hard. Eventually, he straightened up, his laughter subsiding.

"Here. Have another one." Connor said, holding a marshmallow up to Hazel.

"No!" Leo lunged at Connor, knocking the marshmallow out his hand. It fell and burst on the sand, splattering Connor's flip-flop with a brown substance.

"Mud." Travis said in response to Frank's revolted look.

"Salty-sweet mud." Connor added. "We added in some sea-salt and refined sugar."

***

"So, this?" Hazel asked. Her head was spinning more and more. Leo and Frank had taught her so much stuff during the party, but she suspected they wasn't really the best person to. Demigods weren't really the most up-to-date people, since technology went crazy around them.

"Gummy worm." Leo said patiently, although his expression indicated otherwise.

"Have you seen Percy and Annabeth?" asked Hazel.

"Over there, by the water." Frank indicated with his chin.

Percy and Annabeth were having what looked like an intense discussion. Percy was chewing his lip, his brow wrinkled. He looked agitated, and seemed to be worried about something. Annabeth appeared exasperated. She was comforting Percy, patting his arm. As Hazel watched, Annabeth threw up her arms, pointed at Percy and threw up her arms again. Percy said something and Annabeth leant forward swiftly. She beckoned him to come forward, and Percy did, slowly. Annabeth whispered something into Percy's ear and then kissed him. And he kissed back, eagerly.

Hazel shuddered slightly. She wasn't used to such open displays of affection yet.

And suddenly the night went BOOM!