[1] 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 , p. jackson

xxvi. drunk convos and impending headaches

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX ───────────
✧₊˚｡({  DRUNK CONVOS AND IMPENDING HEADACHES  })

" people you know SELENA GOMEZ "

{ ROMA }
JUNE 26TH, 2010
──────────

STRADDLING LEO VALDEZ AND BEING caught out in the act by two of her friends was not on Roma's 2010 bingo list, that's for sure. She can only pray to the gods that they've kept their mouths shut so Roma can explain what had happened. Hopefully, Leo would shut up too. She can already see the trademark troublemaker smirk making its way onto his face.

Their group is an unequivocal mess when they finally see them. Grace and Annabeth are doused in oil and grease and don't look too happy to see them. Percy and Jason look like they'd just battled to the death and both of them lost. Frank and Hazel are awkwardly avoiding eye contact with the two of them. Piper seems to be the only normal person in the group so far.

"Where the hell did you go?" Grace asks Leo accusingly. "You just left us to finish everything."

Leo glances at Roma and shrugs. "Things . . . happened." His speech is still a little slurred. Roma finds it funny.

Frank goes bright red at his words.

Grace scowls at the boy. And Annabeth would've too if she wasn't tending to Percy's injured head.

"So, w-what happened?" Roma hopes no one notices her stumbling words. She glances at a disheveled Jason and his stressed-out girlfriend, her vision swimming strangely.

"Jason and Percy fought, they almost killed each other," Piper says. "But Gaea's minions are possessing them.  They're called eidolons." The word causes Roma's body to go rigid for a moment before relaxing again. "They're what's possessed Leo and Jason and Percy and . . . I think you as well."

Roma looks at Leo who goes slack with relief. "So it totally wasn't my fault," he says. "I didn't start World War Three and almost kill everyone. I just go possessed by an evil spirit. That's a such relief, oh my gods." He collapses drunkenly onto a seat near him.

Roma giggles weirdly and sits down across from him, next to Jason. "Getting possessed by an evil spirit is better," she claims, her words slowed by the alcohol in her system. "So so so so so so much better." She careens sideways onto Jason's shoulders. He looks like he wants to laugh but doesn't want to look like he isn't concerned for his best friend's sanity.