Date: August 15

      Hazel sat in the passenger seat as Nico drove to school. He was clenching the steering wheel tightly and looked paler than usual. He was playing "Pain" by Three Days Grace and Hazel knew that he listened to that song when things were rougher than usual.

    "Is something wrong?" Hazel asked her brother.

     Nico frowned and didn't say anything as he turned right. Hazel waited for him to say something, but he said nothing during the entire car ride. When he pulled up into the school parking lot, Hazel grabbed her background and made to rise, but Nico held up one hand for her to stay.

    He didn't say anything for a few moments. He was chewing his lips and twisting the skull ring he swore on his right hand. When he looked up, Hazel realized that there were prominent dark circles beneath his eyes.

     "People have been saying things about me online," Nico said. 

    "What are they saying?" Hazel asked.

    "Some girl found out that I like Will," Nico said. "She took a picture of Will and I at McDonalds and made it into a homophobic meme."

    "Who did it?" Hazel asked.

     "Nancy Bobofit," Nico said.

     "Figures; she's the girl who threw peanut butter sandwiches at people in middle school," Hazel said. "What are we going to do about her?"

    "Well, I'd like to capture her and hold her in a jar with only pomegranate seeds to subside on for a week," Nico said, "but I think the United Nations would consider that torture. That leaves me with two options: swaggering into the school like I'm a celebrity or walking with my music on full blast."

    He paused before deciding on the latter option. Hazel decided to accompany him to his locker before going to her own. As she walked beside Nico people whispered as they passed by. She glared at people as she saw their gazes fixed on her brother.

       When Nico opened his locker, he yelped and jumped back, scowling. He was covered in paint that dripped down onto the floor. He took out of his earbuds, glared at all of his witnesses, and asked in a cold voice, "Who did this?"

    Jason looked at Percy before saying, "I'll get Bob."

     "Nico!"

     Nico looked up to see Will running down the hall towards him. Some of the spectators giggled and Nancy said, "Look at how gay they are."

    Will spun around and said, "You think gay is an insult? Wow, it seems you need to expand your vocabulary you vitamin deficient Homo sapiens."

    "I'm not a lesbian!" Nancy shouted, stepping forward.

    "Are you an idiot?" Nico asked. "He called you a human. You deserved to be called a peasant."

    "At least I'm not a suicidal emo homosexual covered in paint," Nancy said, smirking.

    "And at least Nick Angleman is not the one getting in school suspension," someone said.

   Everyone turned around to see Dionysus casually walking alongside Bob.  Jason scurried behind them. The principal was sipping a bottle of Merlot.

    "Go to my office, Nellie Baba Yaga," Dionysus snapped.

     For once, Hazel was grateful for her eccentric, alcoholic principal.