I slipped into the semi-crowded classroom, making sure my hat was securely in place. If it slipped off, I would become visible and probably be chased out by a group of old hippies.

I smiled when I saw Percy, sitting at a desk in the middle of the classroom, hair messy as usual, jeans filled with holes. I was pretty accustomed to seeing a frown on his face, so I wasn't surprised to find one there now.

He pulled out a notebook and opened it slowly. He was looking at something inside, staring at it in a longing way. By the second, I grew more curious, and I was about to get up and see what he was looking at when a big, ugly brute of a seventh grader snuck up behind Percy and snatched a small piece of paper from the rings.

"No way, Jackson. Who is that?" he snarled. "That is not your-"

"Give it back," Percy growled, and I tensed up. I knew that look, that tone. He was ready for a fight. I crouched, getting ready to jump in and help him.

The big ugly bully handed the paper to his big ugly bully friends. Right before they started ripping it up, I caught a glimpse of what it was. It was me. The picture I'd sent him after I'd visited the Lincoln Memorial. Something in my chest panged to think he'd kept it all this time.

Then I noticed the huge six-foot-something kid sitting next to Percy, and my heart dropped.

A cyclops.

His huge eye loomed around and, for a second, seemed to stop on me. I froze, blood rushing in my ears and fear coursing through my veins. My mind flashed to Thalia, to Luke, and I took a deep breath. If I didn't stop it, this thing would hurt Percy.

I watched it for a while, but it didn't move. In fact, it spoke to Percy in a way that was reminiscent of a toddler. It tickled my curiosity (I have a lot of that, being the daughter of the Goddess of Wisdom and all) but my fear and worry were still over-powering.

I reminded myself of what I came here for. Camp Half Blood was in trouble and I needed Percy's help to fix it.

The bell rang and everyone pushed their way into the hallway. Percy walked with the cylops.

I had to warn him about his "friend." I had to tell him about Camp Half-Blood.

"Percy," I whispered urgently.

But when he turned around, so did the cyclops. I didn't want to risk a battle here, especially when Percy was so close to getting through an entire year of school without being expelled. The cyclops didn't seem to want to hurt him (yet) so I would wait until the end of the day.

Percy shrugged, not seeing anyone, and continued down the hallway. I followed.