When Earth and Sea Collide

Chapter 5- I Break Up the Wrong Fight

Mrs. Dodds glared at him. "Well, Leo, we are all glad that you decided to bless us with your godly presence today." She said it like it was a bad joke. Leo froze for a second, then shrugged it off. He stumbled through the classroom, and started blubbering an excuse about going the wrong way and ending up in the yoga class. He took his seat next to the big girl, who whispered, "Nice going, Valdez."

"If it weren't for you giving me the wrong directions, I would have been here on time, you-"

"Children," Mrs. Dodds interrupted. "Is there something you'd like to say to the class?"

The big girl raised her hand.

"Yes, Clarisse?"

"Leo is a slimy, mush-brained idiot of a boy who can't decently do anything the right way, and is a major failure with girls, and is a snooty son of a-"

"Oh, you're on!" shouted Leo. He jumped up in his seat. "Bring it, Brick Face!" Oh gods, I thought. This was going to be bad. Leo would be killed by Clarisse!

I looked around the room. Everyone was riveted on the two of them. Annabeth was face-palming, Grover was paper white, and the big Asian kid looked ready to break the fight up. Mrs. Dodds, however, just watched in interest as Leo jumped onto his seat so that he would be nose to nose with Clarisse. I had to do something.

So as Clarisse was standing up, I kicked her chair out from under her. She fell to the ground with an unceremonious THUMP! hitting her head along the way. Clarisse let out a throaty growl as she sturggled back up. Leo started cracking up, but was silenced by Annabeth's glare as she walked over and helped up Clarisse, who was muttering some unkind words about Leo. THe big Asian kid walked over and promptly grabbed Leo, who started complaining, and shoved him into his seat. Nonethless, Leo had a face of victory on. As she sat, Clarisse turned on me, her face red and her eyes wild. I gasped as she moved her face until we were nose to nose.

"Wait until I get my hands on you, you, you good for nothing-"

"Clarisse," said Mrs. Dodds calmly but icily, "calm yourself this instant." Clarisse huffed but moved away anyway. I finally could breathe, and I turned in my seat, feeling myself shaking. I glanced back at Willa and Wiley. Wiley was grinning and gave me a thumbs-up, but Willa slapped him and shook her head. I tilted my head to let her know I  understood: this was not a good way to start the year.

As I turned back around, I glimpsed Annabeth whispering urgently to Grover, who still looked like he was on death row. When he saw me watching him, he tried to smile and slapped Annabeth, who shut up quickly. She stared at me as if seeing me for the first time. I whipped, embarrassed, back around. Wait to make a good impression, Georgia, I scolded myself. Wait to go.