DIVINE! | percy jackson

chapter one - who are you guys?

CHAPTER ONE

☽ 𓆉

          MERIWETHER COLLEGE PREP would be the perfect place for Estella if she was like her father. However, unlike him, she lacked everything and anything creative. She could barely pick up a paintbrush, and don't ask if she could sing.

Her father, Manuel Santos, made a career off his creativity and was quite disappointed when his only child inherited her mother's personality. He expected them to bond over artists and dance to the same type of music.

Shr enjoyed reading comic books, especially exciting fantasy ones. She listened to artists like Cigarettes After Sex and Radiohead (her father hated that stuff). And most importantly, she liked her alone time. Estella was never a people person, no matter how hard the adults at her school tried to make her be.

Her English teacher, Mr. de Milo, was quite the fan of putting her on the spot. He believed that being randomly called on stimulates "different parts of the mind."

Like right now, as they read Romeo and Juliet, he chose to call on Estella, one of the few kids who didn't offer herself up to read.

"Estella, why don't you read the next paragraph?" Her English teacher, Mr. de Milo asked.

"I can't," Estella muttered. While she was a good student, reading was never her strong suit. She had dyslexia, so basically anything she read looked like a foreign language.

Mr. de Milo was aware of this fact, and it frustrated her that he would even call on her.

Her teacher crossed his arms. "Why's that?"

From the back of the class, Estella could hear the popular girls laughing at her. Her hands gripped onto the book.

"I don't feel very well," she gritted through her teeth. "May I be excused?"

Mr. de Milo surveyed her for a moment. His decision would determine whether or not Estella got a detention, because either way she was going to walk herself out of the classroom. "Fine, but have someone walk with you—"

Estella darted out of the room before he could finish his sentence. She was fed up with her stupid teacher and her stupid school. She was even more frustrated with her father, who knew this wasn't the place for her.

She stomped down the halls, trying to slow her racing thoughts. She glanced into the classrooms, seeing her classmates happily seated on their beanbags.

Estella rolled her eyes and kept moving.

She walked for so long and far that she ventured to the other side of the school, in front of the gym. Estella scowled. This was the worst part of the school. She could even smell the stench of sweat seeping through the double doors.

Through the window, kids inside were about to play dodgeball. Her schoolmates were lined on opposite sides of the gym, ready to play. They hastily watched the dodgeballs in the middle of the court.

Estella was too focused on the balls that started to fly to notice some kids doubled their size with muscles so big, their shirts were about to burst.

She only noticed something was wrong when a dodgeball hit the wall and made a huge BOOM! 

Estella's eyes widened as the kids started to run and scream. Something was wrong, but she couldn't make out what.

Being the curious person she was, Estella stepped closer to the door to get a good look inside the gym.

Instantly, one of the scary-looking kids popped their face in the window, making her yelp. He opened the door, and with one huge arm, reached out and pulled her into the gymnasium. She let out a scream in protest, but he was too strong to get out of his grip.