𝙸 𝙲𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚜

𝚂𝟹𝙴𝟷: 𝙿𝚒𝚙𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚆𝚎𝚒𝚛𝚍

"Yeah, but Octavian?"

"I'd rather not think about it if that's okay. Cops make me nervous." Hazel fidgets with her pink and blue friendship bracelet.

Piper wants to tell her that there's nothing to be afraid of, but when it comes to a guy so prone to power trips, she's not sure she can honestly offer any reassurance.

"C'mon." Piper shifts her backpack over her shoulder. "Let's go hear about how many animals Frank got to pet this summer."

Hazel smiles because that's what she does whenever someone mentions Frank. Piper's looking forward to seeing him too, but mostly because he spends the summers up in Canada with his grandmother and works at a zoo making balloon animals. Hazel, on the other hand, would probably be excited to hear about what Frank ate for breakfast this morning and how his sensitive stomach was affected by it.

Someone should set them up, but that would be too eerily close to a sitcom plotline, and Piper isn't doing the sitcom thing this season. Year. Whatever.

While Hazel searches the many pockets of her overalls for her student ID badge, Piper reads the sign on the library door. NEW ROME COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS NOW A MASK-OPTIONAL CAMPUS. And underneath that is a picture of a smiley face. How tacky, she thinks, but then again, that's quite on-brand for New Rome.

Piper holds her pink disposable mask by the elastic ear loops. "What do you think? Masks or no masks?" she asks Hazel.

She purses her lips. "I think I'd like to see everyone's faces," she says, "but if someone's uncomfortable we can put them on."

There's a silent understanding between the two of them: whatever Annabeth says goes.

Piper puts her mask on her wrist just so it's clear she'll put it on if someone asks. "Can't wait to breathe in that New Rome library air."

Hazel scans her ID and the double doors open automatically.

The library is practically empty, which shouldn't come as a surprise because it's only the first week of classes. Still, Piper's having flashbacks from finals week.

"Look, Frank and Annabeth are there!" Hazel says as she peers through the window into their study room. "And Leo, and Jason, and Percy... Oh, that's everyone!"

"Is Nico joining us?" Piper asks.

"No, he says he found someone to tutor him, but between you and me, I think he's just looking for an excuse to spend time with Will. They spent a lot of time FaceTiming this summer," Hazel says. "I should probably find a backup ride in case I lose my seat on Nico's scooter."

Piper wants to offer to be Hazel's backup ride, but then she's physically cut off by Annabeth.

"We'll meet you in there," she says to Hazel.

Completely oblivious, Hazel skips into the study room and claims a seat next to Frank.

"Hi, Annabeth," Piper says. "Love the tattoo."

"Thanks, I was tripping on mushrooms."

So that would explain the tattoo of a banana stripping itself of its peel on Annabeth's thigh. Other than that, she looks good. There's a gold ring through her nostril, which means last summer's impulsive decision didn't bite her in the ass. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail. Piper can't imagine what it would be like to have hair that thick in the middle of this heat wave.

Annabeth apparently doesn't have time to reflect on her life decisions because she gets right down to brass tacks. "So about this Evite from Hazel-"

"Whatever it is, we have to go, right?" Piper asks. "I mean, I'm sure it'll at least involve her homemade cookies or muffins or something."