Chapter 1:

"Who's that?" Sinead asked, gesturing toward an unfamiliar boy as she plunked her tray onto the table where she and her friends always sat for lunch. The entire cafeteria at the Cahill Academy was buzzing with excitement over him. Usually she didn't pay much attention to boys, but even she couldn't help noticing this one. Dressed in a lion-skin cape – its jaws fit his head like a helmet – he was tall with blond, limp hair, and his bursting with muscles like Paul, the school's champion weightlifter.

Natalie arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "You haven't heard? His name's Hamilton. He was admitted to the Academy only this morning." A look of disapproval came into her lovely amber eyes as she glanced at him. "I'll admit he's cute, but he has absolutely no sense of fashion."

Sinead took a bite of her sandwich. A lion cape was perhaps overkill as a fashion statement.

"I heard he is a skilled archer," said Regan. "But I will believe it we I see it." She frowned in his direction. "But he is mortal just like Travis, so maybe he is a liar, to."

Travis had been his disappointed first crush, too full of himself to notice anyone else's feelings – especially hers. Now she tended to look at all boys with suspicion, in particular dose who remind her of him.

Amy took a sip of her carton juice. "So he's mortal and dresses weird. That doesn't mean he isn't nice." She was sensitive about stuff like that. Probably because her crush, Ian, had been misunderstood just because he came from the Underworld.

A burst of admiring laughter came from the table where Hamilton sat, drawing the girls' eyes. He seemed to have wasted no time in making new friends among the Cahill boys. Several of them, including Ian; Regan's twin brother, Jonah; Dan; and Ivan were hanging on his every word. Sinead couldn't quite hear what Hamilton was saying, but whatever it was probably involved weapons, war, sports, or hunting. In her experience, those were the topics that interested Cahill boys most. Sure enough, moments later Hamilton passed around his big, knobby club, which the boys oohed and aahed over. Not to be outdone, Ivan showed off his trident, and Jonah, his bow.

Natalie nudged Sinead. "So, what's your opinion?"

Thinking she must have missed part of the conversation, Sinead asked, "About what?"

"About Hamilton."

Natalie, Regan, and Amy leaned toward her, as anxious to hear what she had to say. Sinead hesitated. She could well remember how nervous she felt when she first came to MCA less than a year ago. Most Cahill boys and girls here, including her 3 best friends, had been together for years by then. They were all beautiful, handsome, gifted, and amazing. If she'd suspected at the time that they were discussing her – sizing her up and making judgments – she would've felt way more nervous.

"Maybe we should try to put ourselves in his sandals and wonder what he's thinking of us, instead of the other way around," she suggested. "He's probably wondering if we're all going to like him. Perhaps he's trying to impress those boys."

Natalie blinked. "I never thought of that"

Amy smiled at Sinead in admiration. "That's beyond brainy thinking, even for you."

"Words of wisdom from the Cahill goodness of wisdom herself!" added Regan.

"Thanks," Sinead told them. The praise was nice, but honestly, although she knew she was brainy, she wasn't so sure she deserved the title of Cahill goodness of wisdom. If she were truly wise, she wouldn't have made all the mistakes she'd made since she'd been here at MCA-like flooding Earth with inventions, taking on too many classes and extracurriculars, and turn Chrissy's hair into snakes. Besides, words meant nothing without action. So far, she hadn't done anything herself to welcome Hamilton. Well, she could change that.

She finished off her sandwich, hopping it would help her feeling less nervous. Then, gathering her courage, she stood up from the table. "I'm going over to say hi to him. You know, welcome him to the Academy." She hesitated a moment. Putting herself forward like that didn't come easy to her-especially with boys. As her friends looked at her in surprise, she hinted, "Anyone want to come with me?"

Before the others could reply, the school intercom crackled to life. There was a tapping sound, as if someone was repeatedly poking at the button. Then Principals Alistair's voice boomed out of the speaker over the cafeteria door, making everyone jump. "IS THIS THING ON?" tap tap tap. "MS. HYDRA?" tap tap tap. "YOU SURE?" After some crackling he finally thundered out his message: "CALLING SINEAD! REPORTED TO MY OFFICE. PRONTO. ON THE DOUBLE!" A pause. "OH YEA, AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS PRINCIPAL ALISTAIR, YOUR DEAR OL'DAD, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T GUESS!"

Every eye in the cafeteria swung her way. Sinead gulped. Alistair was never one to say please, especially if he was displeased about something. After all, he was King of the God and Ruler of the Heavens and Head of the Cahills, so manners were not his first priority.

"Change of plans, everyone. I'll see you later." Leaving her tray on the table, Sinead hurried out the door. Even though-or maybe because-Principal Alistair was her dad, she worried about pleasing him more than anyone else at MCA did. Her stomach did acrobatic flips as she rushed down the hall to his office. She racked her brain trying to think if she'd done something wrong. She was making straight As, so surely none of the teachers had complained. But her dad wasn't big on friendly fatherly talks or idle chitchat, either. So what could he possibly want?

I don't own the 39 clues or The GG books.

What did you think? Did I need to change something or explain?