Hazel

Leo was very funny and extremely annoying and slightly crazy. That was Hazel's analysis of him. There was nothing wrong with that, of course. But it was a little disturbing how completely insane and wickedly smart he could be at the same time.

"So let me get this straight. You had a failing grade in English but 100% in science and math?" Hazel whispered to Leo as Ms. Lupa kept calling out names.

"That's just about right," Leo whispered with a crazy grin. "Being a walking paradox is sort of my thing."

Hazel laughed. "I believe you." She didn't mind so much that they had to sit next to each other. Leo was a lot like Sammy, which made sense because they were cousins. But for some reason, she found herself missing Frank.

Not having the immediate connection with Sammy made him feel, literally, much too distant. As if their lives were no longer conjoined. But that was nonsense. Long-distance relationships were supposed to be hard! So why did she feel that way?

Ms. Lupa called everyone to attention and started explaining everything. Hazel noted that she was a lot like one of the nuns at her old catholic school but much nicer. She was sort of like Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter.

She explained a lot about how the school worked and such. It was very helpful and Hazel could tell that Ms. Lupa would be one of her favorite teachers. Leo wasn't paying much attention and instead fiddled with his small drone. Frank told her he had named it Festus, which meant Happy.

Hazel tapped her pencil on her knee as Ms. Lupa talked. She didn't really know if she had ADHD or not but sometimes she would find herself fiddling with her pencil and hair or wriggling in her seat. From what she could see, a lot of the kids at school had ADHD and dyslexia. Leo was one of the most prominent cases.

As the class continued, Hazel tried to pay attention but found herself doodling in the notebook Ms. Lupa passed out to everyone. It had a white cover and Hazel started to doodle her name in black pen on top of it.

Ms. Lupa didn't call either of them out but the entire class was filled with pointed stares in both of their directions. Once Ms. Lupa had done it twice, Hazel got the hint and started to pay even better attention. Leo, however, didn't care.

Hazel was shocked by his blatant disrespect but then remembered that she was in a boarding school specifically for troubled kids. Maybe this was normal behavior for this place. But at her old Catholic school, acting up like Leo was would be punishable by death. I personally have never been to a Catholic school. However, my English teacher has. And believe me when I say he can't go a day without mentioning how strict the nuns were and how easy we all have it. It's honestly the most hilarious thing. "When I was in school, the nuns would smack my hand with a ruler for talking in class."

The intro to the English class lasted two hours. About halfway through, Ms. Lupa asked Leo to bring Festus up to her desk and she would return it to him before lunch.

Leo handed it to her dejectedly but quickly found some other things to fiddle with and occupy him. He looked at Hazel with was still taping her pencil against her knee. Leo followed her lead and both of them kept tapping their pencils on their knees. Literally, try it. It makes math class so much more interesting.

Hazel grinned at him and he smiled back. The two of them kept watching her while the sound of the small thumps of the pencil on their knees could be hear soft;y throughout the classroom. They weren't the only ones fidgeting though.

Piper played with the eagle feather in her hair as she tapped her foot on the ground. Jason, while being one of the most reserved, brushed his thumb over his other hand repeatedly. Calypso and Frank both seemed relatively composed but Hazel could see other kids fidgeting.

The class seemed to last hours. Once the two hours of English class were over, one hour of science followed it. Time seemed to drag on like molasses dripping down a bucket. have you ever heard a southerner say molasses? Best day of your life, I guarantee. Also, I'm being really chatty so I'll shut up and continue with the chapter that all of you signed up for.

Hazel wrote some stuff down in her notes that Ms. Lupa said. Then, in the middle of the lesson, Ms. Lupa looked up and said, "Sadie Kane? I ask you to refrain from doodling on your notes."

"They're hieroglyphics my dad taught me," she argued. She had a very distinct British accent.

"Sadie, stop rocking the boat," the boy next to her whispered. They didn't look alike but when their names had been called, both had the last name of "Kane," so Hazel assumed they were adopted siblings or something of that kind.

"I don't care if it's French," Ms. Lupa said. "Please stop the practice at once."

She nodded and stopped doing it. Hazel shot a look at Frank who as shaking his head. She smiled at him and he grinned right back at her.

Ms. Lupa finished up the first hour and dismissed them to go to lunch and free period. Hazel walked up to Jason and Piper's desks who were gathering up both of their notebooks, pens, and pencils.

The Kane siblings walked out of the class bickering like crazy.

Once Leo had retrieved Festus, he walked up to where everyone was as did Frank and Calypso. "I don't care much for her," Leo said as he studied Festus to make sure he wasn't broken. All of them started walking outside of the classroom.

"Well, I think she's great," Jason said.

"Definitely one of my favorite teachers I've had in a while," Frank said.

"I think she's nice," Hazel said.

"Just wait until you have Chiron's class!" Calypso said. "He's an absolutely fantastic teacher."

"Is he nice?" Piper asked. She then cocked her head. "Wait, that's redundant. I've met him and he's very nice. Just a reflex, I guess, when people tell me about teachers."

Hazel laughed at that statement as they all walked to the cafeteria to meet Annabeth and Percy for lunch.