нυє αη∂ cяy, percy jackson ¹

ii. school dances and evil principals

ii.
CHAPTER TWO:
School Dances and Evil Principals
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AELLALINA HAD NEVER BEEN to a school dance. Every once in a while Camp Half-Blood would host a "prom," where year-rounders could get the experience. Though, those dances were for the older campers. If you weren't old enough you'd have to stay in the arts and crafts area and watch the campers awkwardly sway to the music, or you'd stay in your cabin. And Aella hated her crowded cabin, so naturally she observed the knock-off prom from the distance (while making bracelets, of course).

        She remembered a time when Luke snuck both her and Annabeth things from the snack tables. The two girls sat right outside the training arena where it was hosted, laughing as he charmed his way through the crowd towards them. He managed to bring over five cookies and two glasses on strawberry lemonade for the girls, which they shared happily.

        "Just don't tell Travis and Connor," he would say with a crooked smirk. "Or else they'll steal the entire dance."

        Her heart wrenched at the memory. She tried to shake it off. But, like all memories of him, the nostalgic and grieving feeling clung to her chest and refused to let go. No matter how many days, how many years have passed, she never escaped the memories she longed to push away forever. They always found a way to crawl their way back into the forefront of her mind, waiting to be replayed over and over again.

Entering the decorated gymnasium, it was clear the students didn't get out much. All of their clothes did nothing to match the gloomy atmosphere of the gym. While a few sad streamers and balloons sat on the ground, groups of kids ran around with bright colored shirts and dresses with shoes that looked way too uncomfortable. She probably stood out with the dull colors of the dusty brown jacket and beaten-up black jeans. At least the camp shirt has the vibrant (and horribly ugly—) orange. She loved resembling a traffic cone.

        Girls swarmed the boys who were standing alone, only leaving once they covered their face in loads of makeup. People were play fighting with one another, and some were in heated middle school arguments. It was all so chaotic.

And she loved it.

Some people were actually dancing too, which consisted of people slightly jumping by the DJ and others awkwardly swinging to the music with their friends. The older kids stood on the outside of the gym, trying their best to avoid the swarming groups of girls. This was exactly what she would imagine a military school dance to look like.

"There they are." Grover nodded toward a couple of younger kids arguing in the bleachers. "Bianca and Nico di Angelo."

The girl wore a floppy green cap, like she was trying to hide her face. The boy was obviously her little brother. They both had dark silky hair and olive skin, and they used their hands a lot as they talked. They almost looked like her, if it wasn't for her blood colored eyes. The boy was shuffling some kind of trading cards. His sister seemed to be scolding him about something. She kept looking around like she sensed something was wrong. Aella also noticed the way the shadows collected slightly behind them, as if waiting for the perfect moment to unleash into the gym. She definitely wasn't controlling those. Weird.