2 Demigods with 1 Arrow (Leo Valdez)

A Warm Wake Up

Amoriel was vaguely aware of people chattering around her but all she could focus on was the warmth that enveloped her. In the back of her mind, she registered that arms were wrapped around her with her head on the person's chest. The warmth and comfort started to lull her back to sleep until whoever was holding her shift against her.

Slowly, her green eyes opened. Outside the window, desert rolled by under a bright blue sky. Something in her gut told her she didn't live anywhere near this. It was too empty, too foreign. She rubbed her eyes, trying to think.

A few dozen kids were spread out through the school bus. A few of them were listening to iPods, talking, or sleeping. They all looked around her age. Which was? Panic rose in her chest, how old was she? Fifteen? Sixteen?

The guy tightened his arms around her. "Finally awake mi Corazon?"

Amoriel pulled away slowly. "Um, I don't -"

In the front of the bus, a teacher shouted, "All right, cupcakes, listen up!"

She could barely focus on the yelling of the coach. Pain pricked between her eyes and ran through her skull. Coach's baseball cap, goatee, and spotless running shoes. When he stood up in the aisle, one of the students called, "Stand up, Coach Hedge!"

"I heard that!" The coach scanned the bus. His eyes fixed on the person behind her. She didn't think his scowl could have deepened even further until she met his beady eyes. She let out a small whimper and brought her hand to her temple. Headaches couldn't hurt this much, could they?

"We'll arrive in five minutes! Stay with your partner. Don't lose your worksheet. And if any of you precious little cupcakes cause any trouble on this trip, I will personally send you back to campus the hard way" Coach Hedge picked up a baseball bat.

"Mi alma, are you okay?" The guy said next to her, voice full of concern. He looked like a Latino Santa's elf, with curly black hair, pointed ears, a cheerful face, and a mischievous smile. One of his hands tapped against her knee and other messed with pipe cleaners and rubber bands.

"This is some kind of mistake," A familiar male voice said behind her. "I'm not supposed to be here"

Amoriel instantly turned around. The voice belonged to a suspiciously familiar blonde guy who looked close to her age. His hair was close-cut - like a military trim. His blue eyes met her green, "You feel it too"

Latino elf turned around too and laughed. "Yeah, right Jason. We've all been framed! I didn't run away six times. Piper didn't steal a BMW. Amorie didn't painted a ballerina on the wall of the city hall."

The girl blushed. She had lighter hair than amoriel's. Her hair was chopped unevenly with intermediate small braided scattered throughout. Amoriel knew that even if the girl was trying to dismiss her beauty - she still looked a thousand times better than other girls could hope for. Except for amoriel, of course, she always looked better than anyone.

"I didn't steal that car, Leo!" Piper chastised.

"Oh, I forgot, Piper. What was your story? You 'talked' the dealer into lending it to you? "

"Anyway," Leo said. "I hope you've got your worksheet, 'cause I used mine and Amorie's for spitballs wada days ago. Why are you looking at me like that? Somebody draw on my face again? "

Amoriel kept her eyes moving between the three of them. Part of her wondered if she looked as scared and confused as Jason.

"I don't know you," Jason said after Leo and Piper finished their back and forth.

Leo gave him a crocodile grin. "Sure. I'm not your best friend. I'm his evil clone"

Amoriel nodded with Jason, "I don't know any of you"