Half Blood High

Part 3 ~ Lazel & Frazel

Hazel was one of the smartest girls in Half-Blood High. She was in the 9th grade, but had skipped the 1st and 5th grades, making her the youngest student in Half-Blood High. Her cousins were the popular kids, and she occasionally went to the bi-weekly parties at their house, but no one went near Hazel because of her brother, Nico.

Nico was insanely protective of his little sister, even being three years older than him. He was in the bottom social class at school: the misfits. He dressed all in black, and like to hang out in graveyards. He hated going to Half-Blood High, but always wanted to make sure his sister was in good company. They usually stayed in the corner whenever they went to the parties at their cousins’ houses and most people ignored them.

Hazel didn’t know very many people outside the family. There was Piper, occasionally they would talk about girly things together as Thalia never liked to talk about that, but she usually got on the subject of how cute she though Jason’s butt was and Hazel would get bored. After Annabeth had started dating her cousin Percy, they saw a bit more of each other outside of the Mathletes and Science clubs, but they were still rivals, always trying to outdo each other in class. A couple times, she talked with Rachel Elizabeth Dare, but they were always for articles on the school paper on her latest achievement, nothing fancy.

Nico didn’t like people. He knew his family, and a few of his teachers. He didn’t pay attention to the kids in the halls and what they would say about him, but a few always stood out in his mind because he would see them in detention from time to time.

Hazel was standing in the corner with Nico at one of their cousins’ parties. Piper came over to them. She was wearing one of her usual shorty short shorts and skimpy shirts that Nico was always worried would rub off on his sister since Piper gave Hazel a top like that for her birthday one year. Luckily, she hadn’t worn it. Hazel was always wearing long skirts and modest tops inspired by those she had seen in old movies from the 40’s. Nico always wore an aviator jacket that he handed to Hazel whenever she got cold.

“Dakota gave me this great drink! It’s so sweet! Hazel, come dance with me!” Piper led her into the middle of the room; Nico didn’t look pleased.

“So, what’s new with you?” Hazel hadn’t spoken with Piper for a few days, and she figured Piper would just start in on more boy talk, which she wasn’t interested in.

“Oh the usual, but I heard Jason was having some kind of surprise tonight. But you, we need to get you out there more. Live a little. Let’s get you away from your brother more often.”

“This is fun and all, but I’d rather continue on my studies.”

“There must be something else you like. It could be anything.”

Hazel thought about it for a minute. The music was loud and distracting, but she finally spoke up. “Horses. I love being around the horses at Percy and Jason’s houses. They are so much fun to be around. I wish we could get stables too.”

Piper didn’t seem impressed, but it could have been whatever was in Dakota’s drink; Hazel wasn’t sure. “That’s great, but I’m not big on animals. Ah, Jason, what’s going on?”

Jason came over and planted a kiss on Piper’s lips; Hazel was disgusted. “Excuse me cousin, but I hope you don’t mind me borrowing her.”

“Feel free.” Hazel wondered off in the opposite direction; she never wanted to see them kiss again, but there was nothing she could do about that. They kissed all the time in front of everyone, so there would most likely be more.

Hazel bumped into someone and almost fell over if he hadn’t caught her. “Excuse me, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Well, it happens to all of us. I kinda spaced out for a minute there. I was trying to figure out how this worked.”