Chapter Text
NICO
I forgot what school was like honestly, all I remember is being with my sister.
The memory of her hurts when I think if that day.
The day we had our first monster attack.
I shiver, to this day thinking about that still scares me.
Like I'm only 10 and all alone.
It's been a few weeks sense I started school.
The kids are fine I guess.
A little rude to me, but that's okay.
"What, why, and how?"
"Don't know."
I glance at him, he definitely knows why.
So why?
Why won't he answer?
Is it a sensitive topic?
Actually, it probably is.
He catches my glance, smiles, and winks.
My mother and me got called into my teachers office today, saying 'we need to tall about your child, if you have time, please stop by.' And hung up.
She didn't even tell us why.
Piper sighs dramatically, "Oh what did you do?" She teases with a grin, trying to get Leo to laugh as well I assume.
Leo rolls his eyes, "nothing at all, why do you ask?"
Maybe because you cause a ton of trouble and prank many many people, including me for some odd reason. It's weird to think somebody as bright and loud as him would have the bravery to prank me, everyone barely even comes up to me much less act like I'm a bestefrjned of theirs.
Honestly is was nice, he gave me company and somebody I could count on to be there.
My mom looked worried as she put down her old phone, "did you do something lia?"
I gasp, "WHAT NO! I didn't do anything bad!"
That is the truth.
I'm not lieing.
"Are ya sure?" Jason teases.
Leo gasps, his hand over his heart as if disheartened. "Very much thank you!" Leo spits put, mumbling somehting we can't hear.
What did he say?
Is he actually getting mad?
For the months I knew him, I never seen him mad.
Only happy, joyful, so full of life.
It's not that he looks washed put right now, he doesn't look dead.
He just looks... sadder, duller? More serious.
And it worries me.
Cause that means I never really knew him at all.
Even though I considered him a close friend.
When I wasn't close enough to him that I didn't see through it all.
That brings us here now, to my teachers office full of books and papers, light coming through the window which blinds my eyes.
There in her uncomfortable looking chair sat Mrs. Solarra.
She beams at us, "Hello their miss Espranza and lia, I'm so glad you could make i-"
"Is my child in trouble?"
A few of the other chuckled and laughed, that is the right question to ask if you know Leo.
Mrs Solara stared, blankly, before giggling. "What? No! Ofcourse not! He's actually well behaved other than being unfocused a ton he's doing as well as he can be!"
"Wow, that's shocking!" Piper jokes, pushing Leo's buttons even more, which doesn't seem to do anything.
I think she is trying to do what leo always did, make jokes to lighten the mood and make others feel better.
She obviously doesn't hold the same power he does though, she lacks what he thrves in I guess.
It does make me wonder though, how dies leo always find a way to make others smile?
How does he do it?
I turned to my mom, "YA SEE! I TOLD YOU I WASNT IN TROUBLE!"
At this, a smile on my face blooms a little, a warm bubbly feeling grows inside me.
She smiled, looking amused, "Yeah ya did." Turning back to one of the best teachers EVER, "so what did you call us here for?"
"I just wanna ask if leo here would want to skip a few grades? Maybe 1 or 2?"
"What!? Leo why didn't you tell us about this!?"Annabeth gasps out, eyes as wide as the empty eye sockets you find on skulls. What a weird sight to see and witness.
Leo shrugs, "eh, didn't think it was all that important. It's only a few grades and I kind dropped out school a few years after-" He blinks, and shakes his head, eyes darting around the room as if he was just caught taking all are money we don't even have. "Forget that-"
"No." Percy stops him, eyebrows raised jn question he and the rest od us want answers to. "What do you mean by that?"
"You will see later." Leo dismissed, slightly curling in on himself.
Will we though?
My mama beamed down at me, "lia? Would you like that?"
I think for a moment, skipping a few grades means that I will be with the older kids right? And the stuff I have to do will be harder?
"Yeah, that's basically how it works."
Which, I mean, the second part sounds good, maybe not the older kids part.
That part sounds scary.
"Yeah," I answer quietly.
Before we can ask anything leo stops us saying yes he passed and did move up a few grades, but he said it like it was something small and not anything special.
He is way to modest.
I can almost feel annabeth radiating jealously, she doesn't day anything though, just sits there before letting out a small sigh, sending a small smile towards Leo who doesn't seem to notice.
ANNABETH
As much as I wish could of gotton the chance to move up grade levels, I can't help but feel proud of leo.
I have only met him about a year ago, but I have gotton to know him pretty close as I worked with him, getting to know his bad habits of staying up late, missing meals, over working for days.
I have come to think of leo as family, and as much as I hate to admit it to myself, a little brother, a close friend that matches the way I think.
It never really crossed my mind that he skipped grades, or was this smart. It should've been obvious, but I never payed mind to it.
It's been a few weeks since I skipped a few grades, not sure what to think. The older kids seem to underestimate me, act like there all that am I'm all.... idk, worse than them?
"Well thought kids sound nice..." Percy said, slightly wincing at what I'm guessing are the memories of his past schools and Nancy.
I take hold of his hand and squeeze hope, hoping it makes me feel better.
"Yeah the kids were so ever kind to me, totally gave me candy instead of stealing my lunch." Leo waves his hand dismally, a smirk plastered on his mouth as if he didn't just lie to our faces, as if he wasn't hurt.
It didn't sit right with me.
I don't think it sat right with anyone.
Like, I get ur older and stuff, stronger, bigger, but to act as if your smarter is weird, cause I'm in the same grade as them.
The gears in my head turn and churn, working overtime as if that wa spossible to piece together the words that just played in Leo's head on this screen
Does leo still think like this?
Does he still keep this mindset?
I spare a glance at Leo, who sits with his arms crossed with a rather dead expression on his face with his eyes glossy and far away.
Welp, oh well, being confused is something I don't like feeling.
I don't thing anyone does like feeling confused.
It's a trait many people share, if not all.
I smile big and wide, just like mama told me to, and make my way towards lunch.
My lips purse, and my eyes squint at the screen a little as I take this new information in.
So this is why Leo is always all smiley.
Is it now in an honor of her memory?
It sure seems that way...
Well, at least I was until these guys showed up. They don't seem very nice.
"Hey smart-ass, since you do so wel im school why not help us put and guve us your linch money?" Idot face asked, a smug smile plastered on his dumb face, like he thought I would agree.
No way-
Well he thought wrong.
That lifted out spirits a little, but also caused us to worry about what would happen next.
Will Leo get hurt?
"No."
"What was that?"
"I said no, are you deaf for what?"
"I said to give to give me ya lunch money ya brat!"
"And I said no? What don't know what that means or something? It means the opposite of yes."
Laughter can be heard from a few of us, this conversation sure was amusing.
But im still worried about what is going to happen.
The older boys are like a foot taller than leo, and they looks like they could break leo in half like a twig.
But then again, I have seen Leo fight monsters with pure skill and talent, so maybe it will turn out okay.
Dumb face tried to hit me, but I kicked his shins and ran off trying not to laugh my head off because they for real thought I would agree to do what they want.
I smile, relief filled the air and chasing away that tension that you could cut with a butter knife.
Leo is okay, he was safe.
"Ya know leo, that sure was a dangerous game you were playing." I comment, getting a laugh out of him.
He is still softly laughing when he responds, "aren't we always?"
Well, I guess no one has anything to say to that, gesturing right after all.
Whatever.
At least they didn't beat me up.
Oh...
That's...
"They never beat me bad, never had the time to." Leo said, probably trying to beat all our questions that were sitting on the tips of out tongues.
That doesn't help....
"LEO!"
"what?"
"That really doesn't help..."
"Oh sorry, can we drop this? It's not that serious and besides, i wasn't at that school for long."
"What does that mean?"
"You will see."
You always say that leo...