I took a deep breath and let it out. It was the first day of high school, and I had just heard from I best friend Annabeth that both our crushes were coming to Goode High School. I mean, Jason is cute, but there's so much more than that in him. Now, I'm not exactly lovesick—no matter what Annabeth tells you—but I do admit that I am a little more than obsessed with Mr. Grace.

Annabeth has a crush on Percy Jackson. He's cute, I guess, but not my taste. He's so oblivious and weird. But I do think he is the perfect match for my bestie.

Hazel, another one of my friends, has a crush on Frank Zhang. But the weird thing is that she is still in 8th grade, and they already got together! How is that fair? They've been together for almost a year. Yes, I am very happy for her, but I am extremely jealous of their easy-going relationship.

I honestly think me and Jason would be together, if it weren't for the beastly Drew Tanaka. But more about that later.

I'm not one of those girls who are obsessed with buying makeup, but I'd say I own a decent loan. I get all my inspiration from this awesome beauty app called Viewty. You can post stuff on there, see other people's posts, and some professional fashion designers have their accounts there too! It's completely totally awesome! (Annabeth says I'm obsessed.)

I check the time – it was 6:30 am. School starts at 8. Plenty of time to get ready to woo the school (and Jason).

First, I call Annabeth. I tell her to come over to my house. She protests, of course, but she doesn't want to ruin her chances with Percy.

Then I open up Viewty and click on my Saves. I had scrolled through many makeup and outfit ideas and saved the ones I thought would be fit for school. One was a post of a glitter-covered eye with a purple halo around it. Obviously, it wasn't for school, but I had thought it would be a cool idea to try, I think as I unsaved it with a sigh.

I start to lay out some clothing. A shiny tank, a blowy blue skirt, dangly sandals, there was a lot to choose from.

Ding! Annabeth has arrived.

"Piper! On the way here, I swear I saw Percy! He was running in a really cute blue tee that really should be banned because it hugs his abs so well and—"

"That's enough Annie." I interrupt. "We need to get ready for school! You'll see him then, right?"

"Oh yeah." She runs upstairs and plops herself on my bed, right on the clothes.

"Careful! You'll ruin the outfits!" I warn and tug her off.

I won't bore you with the details, but after thirty minutes, we were finally dressed in our outfits and were eating breakfast.

I am wearing a billowy blue skirt that reaches the middle of my thigh. I plan to pull it down a little when I walk in the halls so I won't get dress-coded. The next parts were easy. Taffeta white tank and white converses, then I'm done. I insisted on adding some jewelry, like the silver locket my dad gave me and the bangle bracelets I received from Annabeth for my birthday.

Annabeth wore something much more casual than mine. She insisted on a T-shirt and denim shorts. I was like, girl! That's not enough to impress Jackson, but it did suit her.

Makeup is the hardest to me. I have to wear something that makes my best features pop, but not too much or else someone will notice me. That's what makeup is for. To cover your worst features and to highlight your face.

At the end, I chose some light concealer for the under parts of my eyes. Then some clear lip gloss and mascara. There! Done!

"Piper! Are you done yet?" Annabeth calls from downstairs. "School's starting in fifteen minutes!"

My eyes grow wide. "What?!"

I race downstairs frantically, only to realize I couldn't find my bag. "Chase! Did you see my school bag?" I yell hysterically. I threw my coats aside, trying to find the book-filled-bag.

Annabeth comes back to see what I'm doing. "Oh my gosh, Piper. Why didn't you pack the night before?"

"I did!" I snap. "I packed it, but I forgot where I put it!"

"Well, hurry up! It wouldn't look good on my resume if I am late!"

I swear, that girl only cares for her college applications.

I did find my bag. But now we were running five minutes late. "Thanks a lot, Piper. Next time I'm going to school by myself."

We were running as fast as we can. I can see the huge building pulling up ahead, and it's seriously intimidating. I guess Thalia wasn't exaggerating when she said it was the size of the White House. For a few minutes, Annabeth and I gape open mouth at the huge thing, before realizing that we still had class and needed to go.

The inside of the school was even more intimidating than the outside. The boys were either jocks or nerds, and there were some in the middle. Most of the girls had piled on makeup and foundation until they looked like a clown. I tried not to cringe when I stared at them. One of them is a very familiar, very makeup covered idiot named Drew Tanaka. You know when I mentioned her earlier? Well, this is her.

She was in my third grade, and was stuck with her ever since. She has this annoying perky voice, and then there's this "completely sexy" voice that is appropriate for the bedroom only. Her hair is silky black, and is pin straight and super duper shiny from all the hair products she buys. Sometimes she styles it, sometimes she doesn't, but it's always perfect. Ha!

Everyone knows she has a crush on Jason, and she made it clear. If I were Jason, I would run away to Alaska every time I catch sight of her smirking face and those disgusting lipstick-covered lips. And I'll probably never come back.

And now, she's speaking to me.

"Hey, McLean. How was your summer? Bad? Lonely? That's nice! I spent mine on a tropical beach with Jason Grace!" She smirks and flips her hair.

I roll my eyes. Her antics is really annoying. She always makes up a bunch of these lies to piss you off and satisfy her. I open my mouth to say something really snotty, but then she catches sight of a cute blonde guy and rushes off to seduce him. I turn back towards Annabeth, but then I realize the cute blonde is Jason. Shit.

I race after Drew's shiny hair hurriedly, pushing people aside when they were blocking my way. Annabeth is calling after me, but I ignore her. I get into hearing range just in time to hear Drew say, "Hello Jason! How was your summer? Too bad you didn't spend it with me." She giggles really high-pitched.

"Er… Okay?" He replies, eyebrows knitting together. I find that gesture really cute.

Drew lowers her voice. "I was just speaking to that Piper girl. She's so weird and stupid! And she claims her dad to be Tristan McLean! I mean, McLean is a common name, isn't it? Last time I heard, his daughter had been given to someone else because he didn't want her, he just couldn't keep it in his pants, y 'know? Not that I can't relate." She giggles again and bats her eyelashes at Jason.

I couldn't help it. I just had to march up and slap her in the face. "My dad is very in control, thank you very much. And I don't think he is going to be happy when I tell him what you said. Would that look very good for the Tanaka business?" I smile sweetly. Jason looks over at me in surprise.

"I… What?!" She stutters, her hand over her red cheek. "I didn't – why don't you get out of my sight, McLean?"

"Why don't you?" Jason interrupts. I couldn't have loved him better right then.

Drew glares at both of us. After a pause, she hisses, "You ruined my makeup!" and runs away.

I burst out laughing.

Jason looks at me strangely. "Why you out against each other?"

"Oh, you know." I say vaguely. "This and that. Fought over a couple of guys. Spat insults at each other since we were born."

"Fought over a couple of guys?" He looks at me. I can't read his expression.

I shrug. "Well, only one so far." Seeing his confused look, I explain, "Tanaka only wants the guy for the bedroom, I just like him because he's sweet."

"Oh, I see." He nods, but I sense that he isn't very happy anymore. Suddenly, I'm worried that I messed up our relationship.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine." He nods, but then he turns away. "Gotta get to class."

I'm disappointed. I am tempted to go back to Annabeth before I realize that I am in school and I have classes I am late to. Groaning, I pick up my bag and rush to my homeroom, which I am five minutes late to.

My classes were mostly boring. I should start bringing a pillow to class so I won't get a concussion when I fall asleep. The only class that was even remotely interesting was Mr. Brunner's Greek class. But I still probably fall asleep. I feel like Sleeping Beauty, minus the Beauty.

By the time lunch came around, I was exhausted. And I had a full eight hours of sleep!

I trudge around the cafeteria, trying to find Annabeth before I collapsed completely. Unfortunately, she was at an architecture club, and I was stuck on my own. Cursing, I settle down and fell on an empty chair. Or should I say, Empty seeming chair.

"GAHHHHH!" I shout, and jump up. I did not see the pants and legs of Jason Grace when I sat on the chair. I absolutely did not see him at all. Hurray. I embarrassed myself in front of my crush on the first day of school.

"Gosh, Piper." Percy snickers. "We know that you have the hots for Jason, but you don't have to fall on his willy. You can do that in the bedroom."

Good thing I am used to his little… comments, or else he would've died. Annabeth has to make some better male choices.

"Sorry Jason." I say, because what else? Flirt with him like a Drew?

"It's fine." He replies, smiling at me cheekily. I blush, trying not to let it show.

"Where's Annabeth?" Percy asks casually, taking a bite of his sandwich. "She's usually always here, her nose buried in some type of book." I smirk, wondering if he likes her.

"She's at a math club." I say.

"Oh." Is it just me, or did Percy look a tad disappointed?

"So, how are you boys?" I try to look cheerful.

Jason grunts something that I couldn't quite catch. I just smile and nod, like I totally understand this grunt speech that only men have.

"Hey Jason," Percy says. "You look kind of red. You okay, buddy?"

Percy is right. He does look like he is blushing.

"What's wrong?" I ask. "Is it too hot?"

He grunts again.

"What?"

"No, I'm fine."

Meanwhile, Percy and his friend Grover is snickering like crazy. I look at them, confused. "What?"

"Nothing!" Percy sounds like he is choking.

I shrug, and start eating.

The rest of lunch was pretty uneventful. Jason is a little quieter than usual, and Percy was making a little more disturbing jokes than usual, but that was it. Oh, and Grover grew squirmy every time this pretty girl named Juniper came near.

Jason POV

This morning, Drew Tanaka just came up to me and started complaining about the love of my life. I was about to tell her off when she started insulting her father, but Piper marched over and slapped her in the face. I think I actually fell in love with her right then.

"Will you go out with me?" I had tried to ask, but it became a little mixed up, so instead, what came out was, "Why you out against each other?" I just wanted to die right then.

But then, she said something about fighting over a guy. "Tanaka wants him for the bedroom, but I just think he's sweet." She had said matter-of-factly.

My heart had just dropped, and I tried not to sound hurt. But I knew she knew that I knew something she didn't. (Sorry, I'm not that good at writing. I'm much better at flying a kite, and occasionally, myself.)

She likes someone else! How disturbingly sad.

So can you blame me if I was a little upset at lunch today? Probably not.

Maybe I should just go to Drew for the bedroom. Then again, maybe not.

Ew. I just threw up.

Percy will always tell if something is wrong with me, thank god. He quickly changed the topic to Annabeth, his forever crush. At least, I think he did. Or maybe he just wanted more gossip on the blondie.

But then, he actually has the nerve to say, "Hey Jason, you look kind of red. You okay, buddy?"

I really wanted to throttle him right then. Piper asked if it was too hot, which was definitely not helping my situation here!

I grunted. Percy and Grover were snickering, which made me want to kill my so-called friends.

The rest of lunch, I tried to stay quiet. So much for an awesome first day.

No one's POV

After school, Piper walked out, completely exhausted. Annabeth did not have any club right then (thank the gods). So she could walk home.

Jason, like Piper, was also exhausted. Percy did not have any swim meet right then (thank the gods). So he could walk home with Jason.

So, readers. Was it really surprising that the two pairs bumped into each other on the path home? Probably not. Don't kill me for this lack of un-cliches.

"Er... Pipes?" Jason asks. He is (obviously) nervous, with his hand scratching the back of his neck. "Can I speak to you for a sec?"

"Er... Sure." Piper answers. "Bye Anna."

Annabeth scowls. "I told you to call me Annabeth alone!"

"Yeah yeah, of course Wise Girl." Percy interrupts, a big grin stretched across his face. "Let's leave the lovebirds alone, and walk home together!" He winks.

Piper stifled a laugh. Percy was doing exactly what she was thinking - just with a little less bit of subtle-ness.

Once they were within earshot of no one, Piper says, "What is it?"

"Nothing?" he replies, slightly very confusedly extremely embarrassed. Two pink dots were circling his cheeks.

"Okay, then." Piper says, also very slightly very confusedly extremely embarrassed.

The two soon-to-be lovebirds sat up in a tree.

Okay, fine! The real thing that happened was that the soon-to-be lovebirds stood awkwardly next to each other, the sun behind them. How romantic, right?

I suck as a writer, guys (and girls and trans and bi people. JK! Bi people isn't a gender. I think.). Please excuse me.

"There has to be some sort of reason you dragged me here, right?" Piper pressed.

Jason shrugged.

Then, as if they couldn't wait any longer, Jason wrapped his hands around Piper's waist, while she pressed her lips to his.

I don't care what you think they're doing. They could be strangling each other, with Jason trying to choke her in the wrong body parts while Piper brutally impaled him on the lips, I don't care. I really don't care.

But there is one minor detail I left out.

Drew saw them.