As awkward as I am, I'm never alone. I've got friends, only the ones who are applicable and intelligent enough to hold a conversation about something that's even remotely half interesting. My honesty has always gotten the better of me, and I'm pretty sure it's because it's tiring trying to be nice all the time. There's always going to be people you don't give a damn about, and I think that's alright. I'm not that girl who isn't social, keeping quiet and hating myself every day because nobody talks to me; no, that would be my own problem, and I'm good at solving problems. I'm not completely and utterly over confident about myself, but yes, I'm smart, I'm athletic, and I'm not a compulsive liar. That's some pretty good qualities in a person, right?

It's cold out today and all I hear is the bells ringing from the guys dress up as Good o'l St. Nick for the Salvation Army. It's kind of like screaming, "Here! Give me you're extra change you won't miss and give it to this thing that's incredibly conservative!" I want to roll me eyes at the constant clang of merry Christmas bells, but I drop in a quarter for my Dad, just because he's capitalist. Everyone's annoyingly bustling around commuting to work, getting ready for Christmas, even though it's only December 2nd. I go against the crowd, pushing away adults who give me glares for me such a "vexatious" teenager. I continue to walk, other teenagers who go to school with me walking somberly, drinking coffee or listening to music start to join what looks like a rebellious movement, but it's just a commute.

It isn't long till I see the American Flag waving in front of my ugly, gray, boring school, kids out front smoking and talking, before the school day starts. Just like every high school you've ever seen in movies, my schools just as cliquey as the rest, except we don't randomly burst out into "Stick to the Status Quo". It's a complex categorical system, in which each population is broken into different set or "Kinds", like a web for a Biosphere. You've got popular people divided into separated breeds of populars. For example:

Popular

Funny Popular

Nice Popular

Gorgeous Popular

Athletic Popular

Rich Popular

"I throw the raddest parties" Popular

Cool Popular

Smart Popular

Flirt Popular

"I know where to get the drugs" Popular

It's literally pigeonholed into a giant list where the possibilities are endless and every group is exact to a tee. Someone actually created a big long list putting everyone in their place, and named almost 15 classifications with the specific sets in each. The best is almost like a predator, being at the top of the food chain, or you're the worst; pretty much anyone above you compares you to a speck of dust, or a lamp. Where am I on this list? I guess you could say I'm the middle of the pack, I've been placed with the Music Junkies, smack dab between the Preps and the Gleeks. I've never really given two shits that I've been placed there, but a lot of people's lives depend on their classification. I could be placed in The Geeks, or The Populars. I find everyone the same no matter where they're placed; they're all annoying.

"Annabeth!" someone yelled out over the noise of loud talking, and girls squealing over boys and they're best friend they saw yesterday. I ignored the constant calling of my name, opening my locker and grabbing all my books and folders for class and stuffing it into my backpack. I shut my locker with a loud thud, and turned to see Thalia squeezing through a group of guys obsessing over a new piece of robotic equipment. "I'll kill you," she said, squirming through the last two guys. She pushed them apart, both of them flustered and blushing like crazy because it's probably the first time a girls every associated with them.

I snorted and she glared, fixing her short hair, and straightening out her Guns N' Roses t-shirt. Thalia is this hipster, badass looking girl, but also has an intimidating look in her eye. She's sassy, smart, witty and really chill, which is why she's the only person I can actually be around for a long time. I met her at my job at Hardy's Second Hand Bookshop down on 3rd street near this restaurant by day and drag club by night. She folded her arms over chest, glaring at me as I laughed. "Having a good day?" I asked sarcastically. She rolled her electric blue eyes, "I didn't haul my ass through the debate and Robotics Club to get laughed at. I came here to borrow your money." I frowned, and it was her turn to laugh.

Thalia is very pretty, with short, jet black hair, with a beautiful figure. She and I have similar personalities; we watch the same movies, TV shows, we read the same books/Comic Books, listen to the same music, like the same musicals, plays, we hate almost everyone. She used to be classified as a popular, and that's how I never knew her until sophomore year. Even though we're the same in dispositions, I lack the interest she gets from other people. Sure I've got friends, like Nico, Hazel, Frank, Connor, Travis, and probably a couple of other people that I consider friends that aren't really friends at all they're just people that gave me candy or something. But Thalia's got boys (and Girls) falling at her feet because she has all this self-confidence and she so sure of herself, while I can't even distinguish the right answers between A or C on my English exams.

She threw her arm over my shoulder and we walked off as the warning bell rang for class. "So, why'd you come to see me this morning? You usually just meet me for 1st period." She smiled widely, and stopped, holding my shoulders. "Are you ready for the best experience of your life?" she asked jumping up and down. "Sure, hit me with it," I said, eager to hear the news. She then pulled two pieces of paper out of her back pocket and shoved them into my hands. I had a hard time reading the letters because of my dyslexia, but I could finally make it out.

"How on earth did you get floor seats to Two Door Cinema Club?!" I cried, I couldn't even breathe. She smiled, "My brother got them for me for an early Christmas present, and he couldn't wait." Jason is Thalia's brother, and he's classified as an athletic popular, so we never really associate with him. She's usually complaining about his cockiness and absurdity, but only on her birthday and Christmas is when she praises him for the money he has. I hugged her so tight that she was probably choking but she hugged me back anyways. "Thank you! Thank You, Thank You!" I said, and I gave her back the tickets. She laughed a smirked at me.

"Who said anything about you coming?" I snorted again, and we both continued walking to class. "Why wouldn't you? I'm excellent company," I replied. We laughed and entered our Chemistry lab, both of us grabbing an apron, a pair of goggles, and sat with our partners, who had to be chosen by the teacher. My partner was none other than Drew Tanaka. All she does is sit there, and talk about anybody that isn't in the room to anyone who's around that actually wants to listen, which is apparently a lot of people. It's a daily routine, I allow her to copy my notes (She likes to think, I've only recently caught her sneaking it out of my backpack and taking pictures), I do all the work for the labs and projects, and she takes half the credit. Today everyone behind and in front of us was especially interested in what she had to say.

"Didn't you hear, Kayla? God, you're so oblivious to what's happening around you," she snapped her gum, but leaned in closer to tell her the rest. "Percy Jackson? Apparently he's getting kicked off all his sports teams he's on because his grades are slipping. Like, can you believe it?! We should have a petition or something, he's like, the best athlete we've got!" Everyone quietly gasped, and leaned in closer to hear more. "And get this, his girlfriend, Reyna, totally dumped him yesterday in front of the whole Basketball team! Poor guy, I guess he just needs a -proper girlfriend to take care of him." She smiled confidently and you could hear the girls saying, "OMG Drew you guys are like, sooo perfect for each other!" I almost threw up in my mouth.

It's come to the point where I can't even hear Mr. Galer talking about balances of Neutrons and Protons; call me nerdy, but I enjoy Chemistry, and I'm missing out! "Hey, Drew," I spoke in an audible whisper. She turned in her chair, looking at me like I was a piece of trash. Well this piece of trash is fed up with her shit, and I could slap that look off her face, but I closed my fist. Do not hit her in the face, Annabeth. You'll get suspended and that'll go on your permanent record. "I'm trying to take the notes you copy, so you can take it down to a level of -698 whisper mode, because I'm 800% done with your shit." The look I wanted to back hand off her face was replaced by complete surprise, and I was glad when she didn't say anything for the rest of the class.

Pretty soon I heard the bell go off dismissing us to our next class. I pretty much sprinted out of the room at 70 mph. trying to get away from Drew's snotty friends and her pretentious voice (and her perfume pretty much blows anyone away from within 20 feet). I try to keep my mood calm and to keep myself from getting pissed off by thinking of the Two Doors concert. How could I not be excited? It's probably the best thing that's happened to me in my life, besides working at Hardy's. I walked cautiously to my next class taking wide turns around every corner so that I wouldn't run into one of the bulky hockey players with their greasy mullets, moustaches, and dreadful Hawaiian themed collared shirts.

At least the football players had some decency to wear jeans every once in a while. Some of the athletic kids at my school are completely crazy when it comes to games and spirit week that I think about checking myself into a Mental Asylum just to be with people who are more normal. It's not that I don't like athletes, yes I watch the Olympics and I run, bike, and swim in triathlons (I also box a lot, considering I'm not the biggest girl in New York City and I don't really want to be defenceless when it comes to getting mugged). I plan to run the Ironman triathlon by the next coming summer, if I can afford to pay the fee and buy plane tickets -and pay for a hotel, food, water, etc.

I'm almost to my physics class when I'm flattened like a cannibal's idea of a pancake. I continue to lay in a heap on the floor right outside the class room, staring at the celling, and my backpack underneath me causing my body to look like a bridge. "You should probably get up now," said a deep voice, and this deep voice obviously wasn't going to help me up. I groan and roll over pushing my body off the filthy, disgusting floor. "Oh thanks for the help, pal. You're the greatest!" I smiled so wide, it was probably horrific to look at, but the sarcasm was showing with every tooth. I picked up my phone which had found its way out of my pocket, wiping it off and shoving it into a safer pocket. I turned to look at none other than Percy Jackson. He was tall, tan, black unruly hair (how you'd picture Harry Potter in the books, but nothing like Dan Radcliffe) and the greenest eyes you've seen; I'm almost positive he has trees in his pupils.

He laughed and readjusted his backpack on his shoulders. The thing about Percy is that he's very likable to everyone but me. Sure, he's nice and all, can be a bit of a jerk, but he's cool, he's not too bad to look at when the light alters, and he's somewhat rich because of this fairly large fortune his dad left him when he died; I don't really know much else. "Well don't you just ooze sarcasm." I snorted and began to walk away; Ooze. Of course I ooze sarcasm, it's kind of my thing. I hurried inside the classroom ignoring Percy following me to sit behind me.

Our teacher Miss O' Grady began handing out review sheets for our upcoming unit test on energy. She's quite young, and very beautiful and the guys in our class pretty much are secretly hoping for a student/teacher steamy fan fiction that's basically smut times 1,000,000. No, Miss O' Grady is really cool, smart, and completely witty trying to find time to make jokes and help students out. She someone who's real in a not very realistic school; and I find that very interesting and respectable. She turns up her music in class and lets up talk and do our review packets, walking around to ask if anyone needs help.

She pays a lot of attention to Percy, not because he's good looking or anything, it's just because his GPA average pretty much starts with a zero. I walk over to sit with Hazel and Connor pulling up a chair to the almost empty table. Hazel smiles sweetly, her dimples showing a great deal. Hazel is very beautiful, a very old fashion kind of beautiful. She has this Marilyn Monroe kind of vibe, but looks like Tiana from "Princess and The Frog". She has long, light, curly brown hair and brown eyes, and is very short. She's a bit younger than all of us because she skipped a grade, her being so smart and all.

"Hello," she grinned," I saw your run in with a certain jackass this morning." I made a much exaggerated puking noise making her and Conner laugh quietly. "Let's not talk about that," I stated, pulling my textbook out of my 50 pound backpack. We talk about our weekends, Connor telling us about how he almost got caught stealing 14 packs of cigarettes from the gas station on Sunday afternoon, causing me to laugh and Hazel to frown. "I don't like the fact that you steal and smoke Connor, its delinquent." He just laughed along with me and pulled me closer to him in a friendly gesture. "Hey, be glad I'm not addicted to meth; that shit messes you up."

This time Hazel laughs along with us, and Connor hugs her to him on the other side of his body. "May I just say how fine my ladies look today," he winked, and the moment ended right there. We laughed and pushed him off getting back to our work. Miss O' Grady quietly waltzes our way, making some of her fellow students snicker. "Hullo Anna, can we speak after class in about, oh, five minutes?" she asks as she checks her very cute white watch. "Yea sure, if you tell me where you got that watch," I replied, putting my pencil down as she pretend to be a model and flaunts her wrist.

Hazel and I giggle. "I ordered online from this store in Canada called Roots, I saw it when I went up to Banff for the summer but I had no money, so I just ordered it a month ago and it finally showed up. It's like an early Christmas gift from me to me!" I smiled and thanked her, and she walked away reminding me to speak with her in a little bit. "I wonder what she wants to talk to you about," Hazel asked, and I just shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe I'm getting in trouble." Connor snorted so loud that just about everyone looked over to see who just did it, but no one said anything. "You? Get into trouble? Annabeth, c'mon, don't give yourself that much credit."

Before I could say anything, the bell rang and he ran off. It's okay, I can outwit him any day, starting at lunch in 2 more periods. I walked up to Miss O' Grady's desk after everyone filed out, except Percy who still lingered in the doorway. "Um, what did you need to talk to me about Miss O' Grady?" I asked politely. I had to say, I was nervous; a teacher has never had to talk to me after class. "It's alright Annabeth, you're not in trouble, I just need to ask you a favor," she stated, shuffling through some of her papers.

"Okay, fire away," I said, leaning on her desk. "Look, you're pretty much the best student in this class and I know you have good grades, and I was wondering if you could tutor someone for me?" she asked. I raised an eyebrow, and our little meeting was interrupted by a not very happy looking Percy. "Why me, of course, who else?" he folded his arms, and rolled his eyes, proceeding to interrupt the conversation. "Look Miss O' Grady, I can get help from anyone else in this school, just please anyone but Annabeth."

"I can see you like me a lot," I smirked, and looked back at his glaring face. "Percy, I can't just let you do that, you goof off too much with everyone else, and I think that Annabeth will be a good tutor, she's quite mature. Percy you need this," she said sternly. "Hey, Miss O' Grady, you didn't even really ask me if I had time to do it," I said, trying to find an excuse. I'd cut my arms off before faithfully allowing myself to tutor this guy. I'd only do it for a reward, something like a million dollars or maybe even Bradley Cooper.

"You'll be given extra credit and it will go with you credit hours of volunteering to get your diploma," she said lacing her fingers together. I gave it some thought, and I was leaning toward this tutoring thing as a benefit for me and not the dumb guy who had to depend on me for his future. "Fine," I said, folding me arms and scowling, "only because it benefits me as well." I looked over at Percy whose pout hasn't even dropped an inch. "Whaddaya say, you son of a gun?!" I smirked, holding out my hand for him to shake it. He rolled his tree pupils and turned to leave. "I don't appreciate your sarcasm!" he yelled and hurried out the door.

"I gave him your number in case he changes his mind," Miss O' Grady said, and turned to erase the board for her next class. "I'm sorry to bring you into it Anna, but he really needs someone to help him, or he won't be going to University." I was still a bit angry, but I was willing to forgive her, being my favorite teacher and all. "It's just tell him to ring me up," I said, holding a fake phone to my ear and leaving the class without another word.