Chapter 1 At a normal high school, having class outside on a gorgeous May day is usual y pretty awesome. It means sitting in the sunshine, maybe reading some poetry, letting the breeze blow through your hair.... At Hecate Hal , a.k.a. Juvie for Monsters, it meant I was getting thrown in the pond. My Persecution of Prodigium class was gathered around the scummy water just down the hil from the school. Our teacher, Ms. Vanderlyden-or the Vandy, as we cal ed her-turned to Cal. He was the school's grounds-keeper even though he was only nineteen. The Vandy took a coil of rope from his hands. Cal had been waiting for us at the pond. When he'd seen me, he'd given me a barely perceptible nod, which was the Cal version of waving his hands over his head and yel ing, "Hey, Sophie!" He was definitely the strong and silent type. "Did you not hear me, Miss Mercer?"the Vandy said, twisting the rope in her fist. "I said come forward." "Actual y, Ms. Vanderlyden,"I said, trying not to sound as nervous as I felt, "see this?"I gestured to my mass of curly hair. "This is a perm, and I just got it done the other day, so...yeah, probably shouldn't get it wet." I heard a few muffled giggles, and next to me, my roommate Jenna muttered, "Nice