Cecilia Holmes, Daughter of Minerva (Sherlock/Percy Jackson crossover)

Chapter 41

    Claude made me take the book home. I didn’t fight, because he had read the first half of the book to me and, the clever boy, left off on a cliff hanger. I went back to the TARDIS and the rest of my weekend was spent trying to read it. The harder I tried to focus on it, the more I admired Claude for being a bookworm, because I absolutely couldn’t tolerate it. I was thankful the plot was interesting, at least, because I had nothing else to do on Sunday except homework.

    Monday finally came with a weird mixture of relief and dread.

    And I couldn’t help but wonder if that was normal. I had never been normal, so I wouldn’t know.

*

    Claude and I were partners in science. He had been the odd man out until I came along. Science was my favorite class. They did all sorts of elementary experiments which Claude and I loved to take up a notch. On Friday, our science teacher almost sent us to the Principle’s office, until he realized that he was dealing with the Principle’s son. But he said our lab report would have to be extremely detailed if we didn’t want to get in trouble.

    Science was our last class of the day, so when the bell rang and we began to gather our things, Claude asked, “So, do you want to come over this afternoon? We could work on our lab report together.”

    I nodded and he did the most unexpected thing in the history of ever.

    He smiled.

    We walked down the busy hallway to our lockers. I glared at all the couples that were hanging onto each other and making out in the hallway.

    Prom was in a week, and most of the school had found their dates already, it seemed.

    I glanced at Claude. He didn’t even seem to notice all the lovers all around us. Or if he did, he wasn’t as disgusted as I was.

    We went and got all the books we would need for the weekend. I hefted my backpack onto my shoulder, and turned to follow Claude out of the school, when suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder. I glared at whoever it was, but my ferocity melted away.

    It was Nemesis. Claude came back when he saw that I hadn’t moved.

    “Cecilia, dear,” Nemesis said in her British accent. “We need to have a little chat.” She looked at Claude. “But I won’t detain you long.”

    I slowly looked from Nemesis to Claude. He stuck his thumbs into the pockets of his red jeans, looking from me to Nemesis.

    “I’ll meet you outside in a minute, Claude,” I said with a nod.

    He frowned for a moment, but then nodded and turned, walking toward the door.

    I looked back at Nemesis.

    “What is it?” I said.

    “It’s the halfway point. I’m coming to check on your progress,” she said casually, grinning. I sighed, pursing my lips together before replying.

    “I think it’s going fine. But how would I know? It’s not like I have any experience in this area of life,” I snapped. Nemesis laughed, and I glanced around at the students still dawdling in the hallways, but they didn’t stop long enough to look.

    “Well, if you haven’t noticed, most of these teens already have their dates. Don’t you think you better try and snag yours soon?” she hinted.

    “I’m not going to ask him to go to Prom with me!” I said, mortified at the idea.

    “But what if he doesn’t ask you?” she said slyly.