As with a few chapters ago, you know what to expect from this title.

IV: A Cohort Switch Introduces Piper McLean

The next day, Jason and Leo walk into one of the classrooms which is just a chalkboard with desks in semi-decent condition. One was lucky if they got a seat with a complete seat and a desk with four corners. Some of their fellow cohort mates are already in class, slouching in their seats with their feet up and talking or etching designs into the already vandalized desks. Others rush in behind them and they know there are some hiding in their dorms to skip.

The ones who are here, though, usually gravitate to the back of the class. Seats are first come first serve over claiming one for the entirety of the year.

Jason takes the closest seat to the front and Leo had to do a double take on his choice of seating. A paper airplane from someone in the back flies by his head and he doesn't even notice due to his fixation on Jason. It lands on the floor by Jason's desk and he can see an illustration of himself with glasses deeming him a nerd for being in the front by choice.

"I can't see the board from back there," Jason explains.

"You actually want to see the board?" Leo asks. "Aside from that, you're like six feet tall! You could see the other side of the school if you stood on your tiptoes."

Leo stands on his toes to try and prove his point and Jason laughs to himself.

"And?"

Leo sighs, his shoulders drop. Then, his head perks up. "But I could hide behind you."

Leo slides into the desk behind Jason rather than the one next to him. He puts on his hood and digs into his noisy pockets as the teacher tries to get the class's attention by weakly calling it. Try is too strong a word since they were too underpaid to care. People were still chattering in the back as the teacher was limply reading them a textbook they could read themselves if they were interested.

Nobody was. Except Jason.

Jason just reads about the justice system in his head, and looks at the graphic doodles of genitalia in the margins and on pictures of politicians. A lot of it felt like familiar information but it gets to the point where his eyes strain against the words and start jumbling amongst themselves. Now he knows why a lot of his cohort mates don't pay attention. He believes it also stems from them not finding a point of this since the justice system screwed them so badly that they ended up here.

His mind shifts focus as his eyes adjust. He looks up from his book and hears metal being tinkered. Jason turns around and sees Leo prying an electric pencil sharpener with a screwdriver. He wouldn't be surprised if Leo had a block-sized sharpener in his pocket. Leo doesn't even spare him any attention as he takes out some chicken wire from his pockets.

The class goes silent and Jason's heart drop as he looks up. He's still facing Leo and watches as his friend looks up. He removes his hood and his face lights up brighter than Jason's ever seen.

Jason turns around and nearly freezes at the sight of a girl his age standing at the class's doorway. She waves to everyone on her way in as she hands a note to the teacher. He couldn't care less since he barely glances at it and gestures for her to take a seat with a mindless gesture.

The girl looks around, her eyes passing over Jason. He can't help but notice how simply beautiful she is because it looks so effortless. Her hair is messily chopped and her face is clean and fresh, as if she isn't tired or bored at all. She wears a mustard yellow crop top with some store's insignia across her chest with camouflage slacks and dirty sneakers. He wonders if they were like that before she came to the Wilderness School or if the forest ruined them. A raggedy maroon back is slung over one shoulder, dangling by her hip.

Her eyes meet his and this time they stay. They don't leave him as she walks his way without faltering.

For a moment, Jason thinks she'll sit next to him but she slides into the seat next to Leo. Jason turns around and watches her lean closer to Leo and whisper something to him with a grin. Her dimples pinch her cheeks as she hides a laugh behind her hand.

"Miss. McLean, did you come here to cause distractions?"

The girl purses her lips into a grin as she looks at the teacher. "Not my intentions."

"And, Mr. Grace, turn around."

Jason looks at her for a moment longer before facing the front again.

-o-

Minutes before class ends, people are already leaving. An immediate route from their desks to the door without even sparing a goodbye to their teacher who, when Jason looks again, has left with the early birds. Jason closes his textbook and turns around to see the new girl nudging Leo before hugging him. Her backpack falls off her shoulder and onto the floor. They both jump excitedly as Jason stands.

"I got to switch back into your cohort!" She cheers.

"No fair!" Leo exclaims. "I've been trying to switch into yours since we got separated. Gave up when they threatened clean-up duties and I got a new friend."

She shrugs nonchalantly. "It wasn't hard. I just asked and Headmistress let me."

"I just found out we had a Headmistress. I can't even blame the white card on you."

She smiles, holding her brown arm against Leo's. "So, Leo, gonna introduce me to your white card?"

Leo looks at Jason. "... right. Piper, this is Jason. He got here a few days ago."

"Hi," Jason greets. He isn't sure if he should hug her like Leo did since he doesn't know her, or offer a handshake since that's formal. He can't remember what he did with Leo when they first met. So he just stands there.

Piper nods, looking him up and down. "I heard we got someone new here a few nights ago. My cohort - or former cohort - wouldn't shut up. Can't say I blame them. Piper McLean."

"Jason Grace."

They stare at each other again until Leo guides them outside the classroom. They've already been in it for too long.

"... Leo Valdez, but you two knew that already," he says as they walk down the hallway. "Come on. Let's go."

Jason learns from Piper and Leo how they became friends. It's almost like how he and Leo bonded.

When Piper arrived at the Wilderness School almost a year ago, Coach dropped her off in the common student area. Nobody in their cohort paid her any attention since they were all in their little cliques, so Coach ditched her with Leo since he was sitting alone. Leo gave her the rundown on the place like he did with Jason, and when some popular girls decided to bully Leo, Piper told them off.

And they've been friends ever since.

Jason feels like he's the one intruding on them.

They enter the cafeteria for lunch and, no surprise, Coach is supervising and already glaring at them.

"McLean!" He exclaims in shock. "Where's your cohort?"

Piper happily links arms with Jason and Leo. "Switched back into this one 'cause I missed ya, Coach! Happy to see me again?"

Coach shakes his head disgracefully.

Piper looks at Jason. "Coach separated us the first time."

"What'd you do?" He asks.

"Nothing, at least according to us. You'll find out since we're so getting you involved this time. But within the three of us, we're the fun sub-cohort."

"Amen to that," Leo says.

I got Piper and Leo's first meeting from a one-shot I wrote in my other story, Campfire Stories. (Chapter 23, if anyone's interested).

But now we got our Lost Trio.