Me: I totally wish I owned PJO, but you know, if I did, there would be a heck of a lot more Thalico, Luke wouldn't have died, and Leo would be even freakin' awesomer.
ValPal: Awesomer? Is that even a word?
Me: It came out of my mouth, didn't it? Anyway, sorry for the long wait. I'm only on every two to three days, so…yeah…and the middle name thing…well, my friend has a lot of time on her hands, and she spends it all making middle names for PJO characters. I so wish I had that much free time.
Chapter 10: Jason
A word to the wise—no, wait, a word to the idiots who pissed Hazel off: she hits hard. I mean, seriously, do not get on her bad side. I'd never met Frank before today, but I could tell he was special to her.
But she slapped me, and I turned on her.
"Hey!" I yelled. "What was that for?"
Her angry, amber eyes were filled with tears, and her lips were out in a pout. "I'm sorry," she said, but I could tell she didn't mean it.
"Listen, I know this is hard—" I began, but Hazel cut me off.
"You listen, Jason Michael Grace!" she said, using my middle name, which I didn't think anyone knew. "Save your pep talk for the entire camp. Frank was in the tunnels and I was the only one who could hear him and now…and now…" She stopped and burst into tears.
I hugged her, which was kind of awkward as I already had two girls in an all-out glare-war for me. And the fact that I didn't want Frank coming and killing me for hugging his girlfriend. Geez, can't a guy give his friend a hug?
Apparently Hazel didn't think so either, because she pulled away. "I don't need your help," she said, wiping away a tear.
I nodded. "We'll get him back," I promised.
"Yes, I'm sure you will," she muttered as she walked away.
I almost blew up again, but Reyna put her hand on my arm. "Don't," she warned. "Gaea's messing with our emotions. Don't give her the satisfaction."
I turned to her. "You're smarter than all of us put together," I marveled. "I never would've thought…Gaea, of course." I shook my head. "When is she going to leave us alone?"
Reyna rolled her eyes. "Not until we put her back to sleep," she answered, as if explaining something to someone who couldn't understand her.
I would've exploded just for the eyeroll itself, but her tone was too much. "What do you think I am?" I demanded. "Stupid?"
Her eyes blazed with a crimson fire. "Don't test me, mortal."
Even I was thrown off by this. "M-mortal?" I asked. "Did you just call me mortal?"
Reyna closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's nothing. Don't torture yourself over it."
I knew there was something she wasn't telling me, but I let it go.
Stupid, stupid Jason Michael Grace.