Jason

"Alright cupcakes! Put your food and trash in recycling or compost. NEVER THE TRASH!" Coach Hedge screamed into his megaphone at them. All Jason knew of him was that he was an extreme environmentalist and the gym teacher. He had a temper and a Napolean complex. He was short as frick.

They were paired with the table behind him and Jason happy to see it was people he knew. The Stoll brothers, Katie Gardner, Lou Ellen, and two new boys who he didn't know. One with blonde hair and one with black. He walked up to the new kids.

"Hi. I'm Jason. Who're you two?" he asked.

"Will Solace."

"Nico Di Angelo."

Hazel looked over at them and grinned. "Hey, Nico!"

Nico looked at her. "Hazel! Nice to see you again."

Jason looked between them with confusion on her face. "You two know each other?"

"We met on the train," Hazel explained. "He's from California."

Piper waved. "Cali people!"

Nico seemed to be a little uncomfortable with the attention. He shoved his hands in his pockets and kept walking with the group. The Stoll brothers were talking to Leo, which was like putting gasoline with fire. They were admiring some things in his tool belt while he talked about stuff.

Travis Stoll eventually tore his eyes away from Leo's tools and placed them on Katie. Everyone knew he had a crush on her. "Hey, Katie Kat Bar?"

Katie rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Travis?"

He blushed and looked down. "Never mind."

She sighed. "Gosh, this is like, the millionth time this has happened."

Jason knew that Travis had been trying to work up the nerve to ask Katie out. It was a hard job, no question. But he'd been working up the courage for at least a month last school year. And then he failed to ask her to the dance, asked Alix instead, and got rejected.

"Katie and Travis like each other," Jason said to Percy. In the short hour, they'd known each other, Jason felt a tight bond with him and Leo. Not like with Luke or Beckendorf, both old-timers, where they were the mentors, and Jason was the student. They were on equal footing.

"I couldn't tell," Percy said sarcastically. Both of them laughed and Jason told Frank the joke. He laughed and gave a small smile. He seemed to be very introverted and not very talkative.

Hazel beckoned Frank over and said, "Tell Nico here that horses are more loyal than cats!" Frank laughed and walked over and the three of them started a heated debate over the most loyal animal besides dogs.

"Yes! That would be perfect!" Conner said. Leo grinned with mischief and Jason said, "Everyone, check your pockets! We don't know what exploding device they've put in them!"

Annabeth, Piper, Percy, and Leo laughed. Calypso sighed and sang to herself, "Wish me luck, my Gypsy lovers! Now goodbye, goodbye, goodbye."

"Are you making a death joke out of that song?" Leo asked.

"Yes," Calypso said.

"CUPCAKES QUIET DOWN!" Coach Hedge said. Jason went silent as he realized they had reached "the plaque." Everyone stood and stopped.

"In loving memory of Ethan Nakumara and Castor Vinehood," it said. Two students who had died in a car crash in their senior year Jason remembered them well. Ethan wasn't as well-liked as Castor, but their deaths still shook the school. Castor's twin, Pollux, had been distraught when he died.

Jason looked at Annabeth. Tears were pricking at the corners of her eyes. Castor used to babysit the two of them. Ethan once bought Annabeth a doll after he broke the first one. Annabeth sobbed into Thalia's shoulder at their funeral.

Coach Hedge drew a shaky breath and moved on. Ethan was one of his best fencers.

Annabeth steeled her nerves and kept walking. Jason was proud of her for it. He grew up around tough women and knew that whatever happened to Annabeth, she would get back up in full force. Punch her and she would punch you harder.

"Did you know those two?" Percy asked.

"Castor used to babysit us when the other older kids would go to town. Ethan bought Annabeth a doll once. She knew them better than I did," Jason said. Percy nodded grimly and looked at Annabeth who was whispering with Piper and Calypso. Hazel, Nico, and Frank were now talking about a game called mythomagic while Lou Ellen and Katie played Mrs. Mary Mack. Travis, Connor, and Leo were still plotting.

"So, what's your family like?" Percy asked.

"Well, Thalia Grace is my sister. She goes to school here. My mom is, gone. But I don't really care. Dad's not in the picture but I also don't really care. Thalia is the only family I really need."

"See, I get that. My dad's not in the picture either, my step-dad sucks, and my mom is my only family in my opinion."

"Absentee father club!" Leo said. Percy and Jason laughed.

"Hey, Jason! Let Luke join you guys!" Annabeth said.

Nico looked over and said, "I meet the membership requirements."

The other kids looked extremely uncomfortable so Jason, Percy, Leo, and Nico decided to drop it. They kept walking and Coach Hedge opened the big doors that led to the back area. A swimming pool was on the edge of the property, a patch of strawberries by the house, a tennis and basketball court, a jungle gym, like, four hammocks, some swings, and a shed.

"Aw heck yes!" Percy yelled. He ran straight to the pool and jumped in the pool, clothes and all.

"Percy Jackson what is wrong with you!?" Coach Hedge yelled.

Annabeth sighed and massaged her temples. "Oh my gosh."

"Cannonball!" Leo yelled after taking his shirt off. He ran after Percy and jumped in too. Calypso joined Annabeth in her utter loss of faith in the human race. Will, Travis, and Connor ran in after them with Katie, Nico, and Lou Ellen just rolling their eyes and saying, "Typical."

Frank said, "Well, the pools are really cold in Canada. And I haven't been swimming in a while. And it's August. So..." Then, without another word, Frank jumped in too.

The girls looked at Jason as if saying, "I assume you're going next." But was surprised them was Piper taking off her red sweatshirt and running as fast as possible screaming, "HELL YEAH!" as she jumped into the pool.

"Piper, no, sweetie," Annabeth said.

Jason laughed. "Oh gosh. That was comedy gold."

Another tour group joined them outside and soon the pool was filled with people. Annabeth, Jason, Calypso, and Nico opted to claim the hammocks instead of going into the pool. Jason swung in his hammock and let the swaying rock him to sleep.