The Project
I couldn't believe it when Grover first said it. I fainted out of the extreme shock. One thought was crashing through my mind. OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG (Short for Oh My Gods)
They middle-school-ized Camp Half-Blood!!
--------------------------------------Beginning of Summer Vacation---------------------
It's summer! I thought. I didn't get expelled!! And I'm off to my favorite place on the world!! Even it is gonna be middle-school-ized. I met Chiron and, surprisingly, Annabeth, at the Big House.
"Hi Percy!!" exclaimed Annabeth, looking happy to see me. I almost blushed. I had finally got rid if the zit problem, and was now as tall as she is.
"Hi, Annabeth!" I replied, equally glad to see her. "And… How is the Middle School thing going?" I addressed to both Chiron and Annabeth. Chiron, who had been rather quiet, spoke up with a slight smile on his tired, grim face.
"Now," he said, giving us our schedules, and our pre-supplied school supplies. We got them from the strawberry profits. "The first half of the day consists of classes indoors, and the afternoon classes will be outdoors and more… hands-on, okay? Oh, and you have one elective after your afternoon classes. The classrooms and lockers are in the School, which is in between the Big House and Cabins. Okay? Classes start at 7:50 tomorrow. For now, set up your cabins and lockers." Explained Chiron rather cheerfully. "Oh, and you will have projects and essays, (Big groan from us) but no regular daily homework like worksheets."
"Yes!!" we yelled, for once looking like the normal adolescent without homework.
-------------------------------------Next Day, First Period, 7:50----------------------------------
The first day is always boring, I wrote, and passed a note to Annabeth while one of older wood nymphs told us about the safety procedures and rules. Annabeth wrote back. 'I know, this hurts my brain,' she wrote back. I smiled.
Then something the teacher said caught my ear.
"The first project is tomorrow. It is a project to heighten your social skills. I will read off partners for this project now. Got that?" the teacher said. There were mutters of protest. Nobody gives a project on the first day of school, Neh? I fervently hoped my partner was somebody I was a friend with, hopefully Annabeth. She was the only girl I REALLY felt comfortable with.
"Chase, Jackson, you two are pairs. Kay?" the wood nymph said, looking up. We both nodded simultaneously. Then she went on with names. Once she was done, she started explaining the project. She gave us an enchanted bag of tapioca flour with a dial and a diaper.
"From now on, you and are partner are husband and wife- for now", she said. "You will take care of this sack of tapioca. And at the end of the week, we will scan the magic and check if the 'baby' was well taken care of. For example, diapers are changed, fed with the special bag of 'food' and 'water' we give you, enough amount of sleep, etc. etc. Oh, and you and your partner can be in the same cabin if you want, because the gods have allowed it for one week. Okie Dokie, class is dismissed!" She yelled rather energetically. Annabeth and I looked at each other. This was going to be a long week, I sensed.
"Ooookaaaay, how are we gonna do this?" asked Annabeth plonking down on a bed in my cabin.
"I don't know." i replied in a sadistic tone. "But just don't sleep in my bed, ok? That's mine."
:Annabeth looked at me with a look of mock hurt. "Would I ever sleep in your bed?" asked Annabeth in a rather sarcastic tone.
I pretended to ponder it. I started. "Well, you might..." but immediately took back what I said, because Annabeth's face looked hurt. "No of course you wouldn't. I mean, you're not that kind of person, so..."
"Thanks." Annabeth smiled at me. "I'll take care of the sack half the time, in the mornings and after 5:30, and you'll take care of it in the afternoons from noon to 5:30. I had baby brothers, so i'm sort of used to it..." Ananbeth said forlornly towards the end.
"Yeah, sure. That'll work, because i have no experience in caretaking whatsoever." I replied. Then, after I went into my bed after I turned the lights off for the night. "Thanks for volunteering to do more of the work." I replied in what sounded (hopefully) like a thankful tone. Suddenly, Annabeth was over me. "It's nothing," she said, and kissed me on the cheek. And then she was gone.
