Grace Potter di Angelo Jackson: The Demiwizard Story

RARA Comes to Visit

Nico's POV

I heard an airhorn. A very loud airhorn. Then I heard a megaphone.
The megaphone roared, " THE COW SAYS MOO! GET UP CUPCAKES!"
Coach? No. Not possible.
Hazel and I ran out of our cabins simultaneously. Coach Hedge held his bat in one hand, and his megaphone in the other.
"Coach?" Hazel asked. "What are you doing here?"
"Demigod. There is a demigod here. Chiron wanted me to protect them," He answers.
"Coach, you can't control an entire freshman class by yourself. What even happened to our teachers?" I ask.
"They chickened out and left," Coach Hedge says.
"And he's not controlling an entire freshman class by himself. I'm here," A new voice says. A familiar Puerto Rican girl steps out from behind Hedge.
"Reyna?" Hazel and I exclaim.
She nods. Then she looks at me. "Nico? Are you actually being social?"
"Yes, Reyna. I am being social," I half grumble.
"Well, we need to board a bus. I'm going to get the others up." Reyna leaves, and yelling Latin commands at the cabin. She switches to English, and tired freshman greet her. They meet her gaze, and quickly look away. What an interesting trip this will be.

Grace's POV

At school, I was quieter than usual. I never paid attention to Mrs. Emerson's lesson. I heard the word test but my mind was too unfocused to care.
Gianna waved her hand in front of my face. "Grace? Hello? Can you even hear me? We're going to lunch now."
She pushed my wheelchair and we got in line. I realized that I hadn't packed my lunch. The slight house emptiness had messed with my routine. I sighed.
Gianna asked, "What? Did you forget your lunch?"
"Yeah, no big deal."
We continue to the lunch room, and we sit down. I gaze out the window most of lunch.
Gianna tilts her head. "Grace, what's wrong? You've been out of it all day."
I redirect my gaze to her. "My brother and sister just left for a week long trip in Arizona. I just miss them."
Gianna nods. "My sister Hannah is on that trip too."
"Cool."
The rest of lunch is silent until Gianna throws me an orange.
"Eat," She orders.
I begin to peel the orange. "No wonder Nico thought you were Will."
"What?"
"Nothing."

Nico's POV

We drove to the Grand Canyon site. Tall glass barriers kept us from falling in. However Coach still took precautions.
"All scrawny cupcakes in the back. That means you, death cupcake."
I fell to the back of the mob, literally.
"And football team has to line up." Coach ordered. The team lined up, and Coach smacked each of them extremely hard with his bat. One guy bled golden ichor. Coach punted him into the Canyon, with sone Chuck Norris moves.
Reyna snatches the bat. She holds it over the edge. She throws it to the wall and I pick it up. Coach charges at me. Dam. I throw it back to Reyna, and we play Coach Hedge in the middle for a good few minutes. Then Hazel takes the bat from me and hands it to Coach.
Coach blows his whistle. "Lesson one; never take my bat. Especially when we're by a huge canyon. The Grand Canyon."

Grace's POV

When I got home from school, Percy was talking to someone through an Iris Message. Percy nods sadly and cuts the connection.
"Hey Percy. Who was that?" I ask.
"It was Mom and she told me that Chiron said that you have to move out. He says that a house full of teenagers, and mostly ADHD teenagers, isn't safe for you. He wants you to stay with Mom and Paul."
I nod. "Are you coming too?"
"No, I'm staying here."
"But that's not fair! We already left Harry, and I can't leave you. And Nico and Hazel don't even know about this. Percy, can you tell them I don't want to go? That I want to stay?"
"Already tried. You leave in a week, that's how long you have to pack anyway."
Tears are in my eyes at this point. "But, I want to stay. It's not fair! I don't want to leave."
Percy nods. "I know, Grace, I know. I've already tried."
I wheel myself to the elevator, crying. I flop on my bed, and look around. Aphrodite invented a new button; PACK AWAY ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. I press it, and instantly, boxes litter the otherwise barren prison cell that I once called my room. I find a drachma in my pocket, and throw it at the wall. I have to leave soon. Soon, I will no longer be with my brothers, sister, or anyone. This is what punishment is. What did I do to deserve it? Hours later, we have dinner. From everyone's mood, I think that only Percy and I know.
Annabeth did have some news.
"Will told me that you could have crutches now, Grace."
She leaves for a moment and reappears with some boring silver ones. I take them, and begin walking. It hurts my arms, but I can walk. Out the door of this house. My mood darkens from this thought, as I put the crutches to the floor.
We finish eating in silence, and I crutch-walk to the elevator. Piper also comes in the elevator.
"When did Leo make this?" She asks.
"When I broke my leg," I say grimly.
"Is that why you were so upset at dinner?"
"No. I have to leave in a week. For good."
"That's terrible, Grace. There's no way to stop it?"
"No. I asked Percy if he could change Chiron's mind. He already tried."
"Well, then we have to make this week an extra fun week."
"How?"
"By doing everything you love about this house and living here."
The elevator dings.
"Write a list, Grace. Then we'll do it."
"Okay."
I sat at my desk, tapping a pencil. I loved a lot of things about living here. I wrote down something, and the knocked on Piper's door.
"Come in," Piper said.
I handed her my list. Her lip curled.
"Done." She smiled. That made me think
leaving wouldn't be so bad. I was wrong.