The next morning, I texted Eloise to tell her I had a plan to make her some new friends (Fiona in particular, but I didn't tell her that), even though I didn't. I was planning on figuring out as the day went by. I told Eloise to act as if we hadn't called yesterday at all. She texted back a simple Okay.

The school day went normally. Fiona and Delphine argued a couple of times, Fiona got mad at Eloise continuing to be 'perfect', Delphine defended her, and I was just in the middle trying to make sure they didn't bite each other's heads off. While doing that I was also trying to figure out how I was going to make Eloise and Fiona friends. Lunch arrived and I still had no plan. The faintest of ideas had come to me during Character Life when Helena had said, "We all know the best way to do some demigod thing in the mortal world is to make it look like an accident, right? The Mist can't do it all."

Make it look like an accident. But how?

Then it hit me when I saw Eloise in a corner eating by herself. It was so simple, and I felt really stupid for not thinking it up earlier. She could simply ask to come and sit at our table! If the majority of the group said yes, which I was fairly sure they would, Fiona couldn't keep her away, and I'd try to strike conversation between the two of them. Good job, me.

I looked Eloise in the eyes from the other side of the cafeteria and she looked into mine. Everyone else at the table was talking and didn't seem to notice. I gestured with my head towards the bathrooms, and she immediately understood, for she nodded and started getting up.

"I'm gonna go use the toilet," I said. I got up and tried to go to the bathroom naturally, without making it seem weird. Once I'd shut the door behind me I saw Eloise already there, I turned to her.

"You saw the table I was sitting at, right? Come ask to sit with us," I said. "They'll like you, I know they will."

"That Fiona girl doesn't seem to like me," she said.

"She doesn't, to be completely honest," I said, feeling a little bad. "But that's because she hasn't talked to you. Not yet. She can't make you stay away if everyone else at the table wants you to sit there. I know you're already friends with Delphine, she'll surely help."

Eloise thought about it. "Okay. I'll try."

"Good," I said. "But wait till I'm back at the table. I'll sit and you can wait for two or so minutes, then come and ask to sit with us."

She nodded.

I went back to the table. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Eloise was there with her lunch tray.

"Can I sit here?" she asked.

Everyone looked at her. Fiona was unsuccessfully trying to hide her scowl, Delphine was smiling wide, and everyone else was just surprised.

"Sure!" I said. Delphine nodded her agreement, and everyone else besides Fiona looked approving. Eloise sat down between me and Delphine, who was on my left, and once she did, the chatter resumed.

"So, Fiona," I said, turning to my right. I dropped my voice to a whisper. "I know you don't like her, but it's not easy being an exchange student. Just try to talk to her, okay?"

And with that, I got up with my lunch and went to sit between Brandon, who was on Fiona's right, and Janet.

"What's going on?" Brandon said.

"I'm trying to make Fiona and Eloise friends," I explained. "They're both really nice people, and really smart. I talked to Eloise over the phone yesterday."

Brandon raised his eyebrows. "Fiona's not easy when she's jealous."

"I know, but once she talks to her, she'll see there's nothing to be jealous about," I replied.

"I guess so," he said, taking a bite of his sandwich. I looked to my left and saw Eloise attempting to make conversation with Fiona. Fiona was really cold at first, but throughout lunch she slowly started warming up to Eloise. By the time the bell rang they were talking like pals. They'd even exchanged numbers.

I caught up to Eloise as we headed to Double Fanfiction Writing. "Mission accomplished?" I asked.

She nodded happily.