Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

JASON GRACE

He sat in computer class, Drew beside him, laughing and constantly talking. Reyna was at the other side of him, cursing at Sherman and Damien. Jason wasn't paying any attention to any of them. Leo Valdez was sitting behind him, laughing with Piper. Genuine laughter, not Drew's high pitched somewhat sarcastic laugh.
Ever since that stupid, stupid detention Leo had been taken up 99% of Jason's thoughts.
Shut up.

Now Leo thought Jason liked Piper. And Drew thought he liked her. Neither of them were exactly his type.
Stop. Freak.
Reyna suddenly stood up, about to walk away, before the teacher told her to sit back down. She sat down angrily, turning to Jason.
"Tell your weirdo friends to fuck off."
Jason looked over Reyna's shoulder to Sherman and Damien.

"C'mon Rey'. Don't be like that." Sherman said.
"For the last time Yang, go away."
"Yeah, Yang," Damien said. "Like she'd ever like you. So, Reyna-"
"Stop it."
"Just stop." Jason said.
Sherman rolled his eyes. "Always surrounded by girls, Grace."
"Oh my god!" Reyna snapped.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jason asked.
"Oh, come on, don't be so dense. First Drew now Reyna." Damien said.
Drew scoffed. "Reyna! As if-"

"What that idiot is trying to say is I, Reyna, a lesbian, likes you, Jason, a man."
"Logical." Jason muttered.
"Because apparently lesbians like men, meaning they think I should give them a chance." Reyna said, typing violently. Jason glanced at her screen. She was typing up her speech, which Jason really needed to do.
"Well, you never know." Sherman said.
"Alright, alright," Jason sighed. "Just shut up. Leave her alone."
Sherman and Damien laughed, but went back to looking at their computers.

"I can't believe you're still friends with them." Reyna muttered. Then she looked over at Drew and looked away quickly again. Even though she didn't say anything, Jason knew exactly what Reyna was thinking. She hated Drew. And Jason kissed her at the party anyway, trying to stop thinking about Leo Valdez. It didn't work, so now he was stuck with Drew.

• • •

Eventually, it was lunchtime. Jason didn't like how fast the day was going. He wasn't looking forward to going home. He'd spent most of the previous day helping Reyna clean. Surely she wouldn't hang out with him two days in a row, but he asked anyway.

"Hey. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after school. If you want. Of course."
"Sorry, Jason, I can't. You know the speeches are on Wednesday so we both really need to get our own done. Plus Hylla is coming home this evening, before leaving again on Thursday. Isn't Thalia coming home with her, too?"

Their older sisters, Hylla and Thalia lived together with a couple of other girls. Usually, if Hylla was driving all the way back to New York to visit, Thalia would go with her, or if Thalia was driving, Hylla would go with her. However, Thalia hadn't said anything about coming home.
"Oh. That's okay. And no, Thalia isn't coming home. Or at least I don't think she is." Jason was confused at first, then angry.

Reyna sighed. "Jason, is everything okay? We were together all day yesterday. You insisted on helping me clean. You've been acting different. You can talk to me, you know."
"No- I'm sorry. I'm just- uh. Bored of school."
"It's only the second week?"
"Yup. Super bored." Jason felt bad walking away, but he didn't want Reyna to question him anymore. At that moment, all he wanted to do was talk to Thalia.

• • •

He got home, hoping Thalia would surprise him by being there or something. There was no surprises. Beryl passed out on the couch wasn't a surprise.
He walked upstairs and rang Thalia straight away. She didn't answer, but after about half an hour, she rang him back.

"Hi, J!" Thalia said. She sounded happy.
"Hey."
"How are you? You're back to school, right?"
"Mm. I'm fantastic. Heard Hylla was coming home to New York until Thursday." Jason said.
Thalia was quiet for a minute. "Yeah."
"And you didn't go with her?"
"Jason-"
"There's no electricity again," he said shortly. "I need to do my homework before the sun goes down." He hung up before she could answer.