El Héroe Perdido (Alma del Olimpo Libro 1)

I - What Great Confusion You Have!

She had fallen asleep almost immediately on the bus, in the seat across the aisle from Leo. She only woke up once Coach Hedge started the shouting.

"All right, cupcakes, listen up!"

Sol jolted awake. She rubbed her eyes and glanced over at the two (three?) demigods. Piper was looking at Jason like she was worried, and Jason was looking at Piper like he had no clue who she was. Leo was making what looked like helicopter blades out of pipe cleaners, oblivious to the confusion behind him and the coach in front of him.

Coach Hedge stood up in the aisle. One of the students called out, "Stand up, Coach Hedge!"

"I heard that!" The coach scanned the bus for the offender. Then his eyes fixed on Jason, and his scowl deepened.

The coach looked like he was going to say something to him, but decided against it. He still glared at Sol though, like it was her fault he was here.

"We'll arrive in five minutes! Stay with your partner. Don't lose your worksheet. And if any of you precious little cupcakes causes any trouble on this trip, I will personally send you back to campus the hard way."

He picked up a baseball bat and made like he was hitting a homer.

Jason looked at Piper. "Can he talk to us that way?"

She shrugged. "Always does. This is the Wilderness School. 'Where kids are the animals.'"

Piper chuckled, but Jason shook his head.

"This is some kind of mistake," Jason said. "I'm not supposed to be here."

Leo turned and laughed. "Yeah, right, Jason. We've all been framed! I didn't run away six times. Piper didn't steal a BMW."

Piper blushed. "I didn't steal that car, Leo!"

"Oh, I forgot, Piper. What was your story? You 'talked' the dealer into lending it to you?" He raised his eyebrows at Jason like, Can you believe her?

"Anyway," Leo said, "I hope you've got your worksheet, 'cause I used mine for spit wads days ago. Why are you looking at me like that? Somebody draw on my face again?"

"I don't know you," Jason said.

Leo gave him a crocodile grin. "Sure. I'm not your best friend. I'm his evil clone"

"Leo Valdez!" Coach Hedge yelled from the front. "Problem back there?"
Leo winked at Jason. "Watch this." He turned to the front.

"Sorry, Coach! I was having trouble hearing you. Could you use your megaphone, please?"

Coach Hedge grunted like he was pleased to have an excuse. He unclipped the megaphone from his belt and continued giving directions, but his voice came out like Darth Vader's. The kids cracked up. The coach tried again, but this time the megaphone blared: "The cow says moo!"

The kids howled, and the coach slammed down the megaphone. "Valdez!"

Piper stifled a laugh. "My god, Leo. How did you do that?" Leo slipped a tiny Phillips head screwdriver from his sleeve.

"I'm a special boy."

"Leo, why did you do that? It's like you want to make my job harder," Sol sighed.

Leo grinned. "I do."

"Guys, seriously," Jason pleaded. "what am I doing here? Where are we going?"

Piper knit her eyebrows. "Jason, are you joking?"

"No! I have no idea-"

"Aw, yeah, he's joking," Leo said. "He's trying to get me back for that shaving cream on the Jell-O thing, aren't you?"