I had no idea that New York City was this crowded and filled to the brim with smothering people. However, that's not important. What is important is that the buildings here are… How should I put it? Simply amazing! The architecture here was far more engaging and better looking than the buildings that I have witnessed in the books. Looks like the Big Apple was a great choice to come here, well next to Chicago that is.

I fingered a well-worn copy of a book of modern architecture, specifically those in America. Much as I'm loathe to admit, I still need to find a book that encompass other findings of buildings in other nationalities so that when I get my own city to design, I have a lot of plans to carry out. Sure I had dyslexia, but if I concentrated hard enough, I think that I can plow through a paragraph or two in record time. Nevertheless, I treasure the library book that I held in my hands—it was handed down to me by a nice librarian. Nice lady, grey eyes, blonde hair, sorta like me, but then again many other people exhibit those physical traits.

Oh look! Isn't that amazing! The Empire State Building is really huge! I am completely floored by the sheer majesty of this structure. You should be here, you know. The steel frame, the glinting dark windows that screamed of the future that generations will inherit, and the way the world famous landmark seemed to embrace the touch of heaven. Truly, this was a fortress fit for a king…maybe for the gods as well.

I chuckled a bit to myself. True, I'm not exactly an atheist, but I'm not too big on religion either. No, I thought as is furrowed my eyebrows in a distressed manner. That's mom's job to act like the domestic housewife and employ the fact that her family was completely normal and that we were slightly religious. I scoffed at her face mentally. God, how I hated her and the rest of my kin.

I sighed really loud so that the rest of the crowd beside me seemed to overhear. A teenaged girl around my age seemed to want to ask me a question before thinking nothing of it. Strange girl, she looked like a punk with her dangerous cobalt eyes, spiky hair, leather jacket, and black ripped jeans. Embarrassed at my display of emotion, I turned away and patiently waited for the rest of the crowd to get a move on.

When we did start walking to cross the busied streets of on of the biggest cities of America, I was suddenly struck with pain in the legs. Possibly cramping, I thought as I tried to shrug off that sudden surge of pain. Right then… I need a bus or a taxi.

The next few minutes were pure luck, not that I believe in that type of stuff. You see, while I was hailing a taxi, a boy crashed into me. Not only did he knock off my favorite Yankees cap, but my backpack filled with books was spilled out as well! I had to yell at him for a good two minutes while we gathered up my belongings. Then I realized that three taxis were already hailed down while I was shouting at him. Does he have a brain filled with cheese or something?

The guy wore a light blue shirt with dark jeans, perfectly normal clothing. Not to mention that he was slightly good looking. Slightly. Anyways, he had unruly black hair and piercing green eyes, now that was a looker. However, he still was clumsy enough to shove himself onto me, and for that I am so not going to be easy on him. So, for the next for minutes as we waited for transportation, I decided to criticize him.

"Yeesh, I'm sorry for you know," he scratched his head in an embarrassed manner.

"Sorry for what," I asked snarkily. Is that even a word? I should look that word up in the dictionary.

"Are all girls like this," he muttered to himself. Clearly this guy must be a preteen, this was his encounter with the opposite gender, or (this was my favorite) he was an idiot. Naturally, from what I gathered from meeting him, he was an idiot. And since I believe that all people should learn from their mistakes, I hit him on the head with my architectural book.

"Ow, what was that for?" He moaned shaking his head. That guy had to be joking. I DID NOT hit that hard. Besides, with the amount of smarts I analyzed since his bumping into me (I did not bump into him, obviously) you would think that he would be far thicker headed and be able to withstand any abuse.

"For being such a seaweed brain." Hey, it's true. With the amount of blue he was wearing, you would think that he was fish meeting air for the first time. And anyways, cheese for brains are disgusting. At least seaweed doesn't rot. At least I don't think so.

"Seaweed Brain? Is that the best you can come up with?" There was something in those green eyes of his. Ah, yes. Was that a challenge, Mr. Seaweed Brain? Well, bring on the fire.

" I could also call you many other things," I paused before burning him," like Kelp Boy."

"Was that a burn, because I definitely didn't feel anything?" Thick skinned as well. Go figure.

"Oh, you will," I whispered before leaning in close to him. While we were politically debating, we both had no idea that we were closing in on each other. Geeze, did we hate each other that much that we would attack each other in public? That would be messy.

As I neared his face carefully, I saw a dozen emotions flit across his visage: fear, nervousness, apprehension, and was that-was that happiness. Gosh, I thought as I hit him on the head with my baseball cap. What a nerd, I wouldn't have kissed him anyway.

"Help! Little girl is hitting me with deathly weapon!" Several onlookers merely looked at us for a second before deeming me sane. Naturally, I was not an animal waiting to be caged by the authorities. Seaweed Brain on the other hand… "Ow, what did I ever do to you?" Right, he was still languishing in misery.

"Because Seaweed Brain," I enunciated," when I said you were Kelp Boy, I meant that when you yelled for help, you sound like a sissy."

"Do not," he retorted.

Should I stoop that low in order to bring my point across?

A taxi was careening down the crowded street and headed straight for us.

Meh, why not?

"Yeah, you do, Seaweed Brain."

"And would you stop saying—"

I ignored him as I opened the door to my taxi and seated myself. It was about time to leave the streets and peruse the observatory on the Empire State Building. As I was about to relay the information to the person manhandling the car, I was interrupted by a knock on the window. Unsurprisingly, I was confused by that sudden action, but I decided to oblige him.

"Well," I asked testily. Here I was trying to get my mark on the world, but Seaweed Brain had to get in my way! Just why?

"To be honest, this is probably going to be the only cab in a while so…" His voice trailed off as he gazed uncertainly at me. Gah, why did he look so adorable and kiss-able?

"Get in Seaweed Brain," I replied as I gestured to the spot next to me.

After I told the cabbie to take me to the tallest building in New York City, I turned to Seaweed Brain with a question I've been meaning to ask.

"Two questions, buddy," I started. "One, what's your name?"

"Percy Jackson."

"And two, why do you smell like the ocean?"

"Seriously, are all girls this weird?"

"Annabeth Chase, and are you always this stupid?"

And that's when the universe decided to vomit one of the greatest truths of all time. A horrifying truth that would inevitably change my life and probably his.

We were flirting.

I gave him another smack to spite the universe.

I apologize for the OOC-ness but this is my first time in PJO-verse, so bear with me. I hope that you guys like my attempt and you will (hopefeully) review? Please?

By the way, there's character cameos in here. Guess who.