Percy's POV

I grinned from behind a tree. The strategy of the red team was so basic. I had sent Annabeth and Piper off to guard the flag that we stuffed up a tree. Me and the other demigods were the offense and the mortals were backup defense. I heard the coach blow his whistle signaling that we could start.

I walked towards the red team's side with the rest of the offense.

"Leo," I hissed, "Did you get the traps ready?"

"You bet I did!" Leo said, a manically grin on his face. "The Red team won't know what hit

them!"

We crept through the underbrush, wow Coach Hedge did a great job, ugh ADHD, we saw Isabelle and Clary standing next to a bush where the flag was.

I turned to Nico, "Go shadow travel behind them and draw them away. Take Hazel and Reyna."

He nodded, and they left. They pretended to concentrate really hard on sneaking over to the flag.

"Hey," Clary said. "Hey you!" Her and Isabelle ran after them and once Nico shadow traveled back, leaving Hazel and Reyna as decoys, we ran forwards and I grabbed the flag. The others guarded me as we ran to our base and we won!

We all gathered back over with Coach Hedge. "Good job blue team." Coach said. "But that was a slow victory. I expect better. 500 pushups now!"

We all sighed and dropped down.

The other team snickered, but coach turned to them, "I don't know what you're snickering about, give me 300!"

Once we finished our pushups Clary walked up. "Hey Percy, do you remember me? From 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grade?"

I looked at her and it dawned on me! This was Clary Fray, the artistic kid who was friends with the band one, Simon I think his name was.

I nodded, "Yeah I remember you! Hey, you should meet my friends." I looked over at my friends and gestured for them to come over. "This is my girlfriend Annabeth. And these are my friends Hazel, Frank, Jason, Piper, Leo, Nico, Reyna, Thalia, and my sorta friend Clarisse."

Clary smiled and looked behind her, her friends were not 6 feet behind her. Get it 6 feet? Like the COVID restristicans? She gestured for them to come closer, "This is my boyfriend Jace, his adoptive siblings, Alec and Isabelle, and friend Simon. Do you remember Simon?"

"Yeah, Simon was that band kid who always hung out with you right?" I asked. She nodded and beamed.

"Yep!" She said, she seemed really excited that I remembered.

"Uh hey, Clary, um would you guys like to hang out at my place tomorrow after school?" I asked.

She squealed and nodded before the bell rang for lunch and they walked off.

So I'm going to make this longer but there is going to be a POV change.

Clary's POV

Me and my friends walked into the cafeteria. Percy and his friends were already there, sitting at a big lunch table. Percy had his hand around the waist of that witch who corrupted him. Her eyes gave away her evil status. Percy deserves so much better and I know that he is friends with another girl named Rachel. She's only in two classes with him but I can tell they know each other. Rachel seems like a nice person and would be a better match for him than that evil Annabeth. She and the rest of his so-called friends are corrupting him, and making him broken and shattered inside. I can tell by his eyes. Hazel and Frank are obviously victims too because they are too nice to be evil.

I can see Percy laughing with blondie and she kisses him quickly. Thalia says something and Percy sticks out his tongue. I turn to Jace, "Let's sit with Percy and his friends." I pretend to be upbeat about it.

He shrugs, "Whatever you want, at least these mudanes are actually interesting."

We walk over with our lunches. "Hey Percy, can we sit here?" I ask.

"Sure." Percy says, smiling absentmindedly, he seems focused on blondie.

I open up my lunch. It's a chicken salad with a yeast roll and garlic dressing. My friends all have the same.

I glance over to Percy and his friends, their food is weird. Percy is eating a taco bowl but the taco shell is blue and the lettuce is purple cabbage. All the toppings are various shades of blue and purple. He has a tupperware container of blue chocolate chip cookies. All his friends have the cookies too. Annabeth is eating a grilled chicken sandwich, with lettuce. Leo is eating spaghetti and meatballs sadly. Piper is eating a salad. No meat whatsoever. She must be vegetarian. Frank has a container of ribs. Hazel has a simple ham sandwich with plain vegetable toppings. Jason has a salmon salad. Thalia has what looks like rabbit meat. Reyna is eating a beef wellington. Nico has a simple pomegranate, and cob of corn. Clarisse is eating ribs. Bloody ribs.

All the food seems normal but I spot the tiny details. Jason doesn't really like the food, but eats it like it's his duty. Nico looks like the food is making him uncomfortable, or like he's afraid almost, but it seems like eating it helps him overcome fear. Thalia seems proud to eat her food, like she caught it herself. It's weird.

"So," I say, "What's up with Leo?"

Leo is startled out of his gloom, "What do you mean what's up with me? I'm fine!"

I ignore him, "He seems sad."

Piper smiles sadly and sympathetically in his direction. "He's just missing his girlfriend. She doesn't attend school. She was uh, homeschooled and graduated early. He misses her, that's all."

Clarisse grunts, "Me and Nico have boyfriends that don't attend this school. We aren't moping around like lovesick puppies."

"Where are your boyfriends if not here?" I ask.

"My boyfriend has already graduated. And Nico's boyfriend is a doctor so he doesn't attend school until the summer. Then he goes back to Texas to attend summer school." Clarisse replies with yet another grunt.

I focus on eating my food after that and soon the bell rings. I get up and throw away my food. Then I leave for the girls restroom to vent about evil blondie in peace.

The rest of the day is uneventful and I leave the school in a daze. Me and Jace sit out on the front steps for a few minutes to share a kiss. I know that's what Simon and Isabelle went off to do. When we get up I see Percy and his friends down at the Prius in the teachers parking lot. I move closer. They are talking to the English teacher Paul. He is getting into his car.

I hear Percy talking, "Tell mom I'll be home tomorrow night. I've invited some people over, we are going to ride in the van because there will be too many people. I'm going to stay at camp tonight. Tell her I love her please."

"Sure thing Percy. You and your friends can stay at our house whenever you want. Estelle misses you. She wants to see her half-brother." Paul climbs into the car and is about to shut the door when Percy stops him.

"Thanks Paul. I'm going to be staying at the house for a few weeks when I get back tomorrow. Annabeth will be staying too. Bye." Then Percy lets the door shut and Paul drives off.

I watch them and wait for their ride to show up. A van pulls up, it says Delphi Strawberry Service down the side. They all hop in.

"Thanks for picking us up, Argus." Percy says to the driver.

They speed off.

Jace pulls on my arm. "Let's go, Clary." He says.

We all walk down to the black minivan we drove to school in. Jace hops in the driver's seat and I take shotgun. Isabelle and Simon start making out in the backseat and Alec grumbles before looking out the window.

Soon we arrive in front of the New York Institute, our home and walk in. Home Sweet Home.

So this is the actual end of the chapter. Ohhh, some drama with Clary's terribly misguided opinions about her former friends. Even more drama will ensue in the next few chapters. There will be some light drug mention. Not use, mention. That's all! Bye!