PERCY POV

Percy walked around his school camps, grumbling under his breath, slightly annoyed, but he still kept his usual cheerful disposition for the most part. To people who didn't know him well, he looked just the same as always, possibly with a slight itch in his jaw. The reason he was irritated was because of his cousin, Thalia, who had tried to set him up again.

"You'd think she'd get that I don't want her constantly setting me up with scary chicks all the time." he muttered under his breath.

Great Perce, now you're crazy too, talking to yourself. He sighed and just kept walking, going for his next class. He was still trying to get used to this school, but he was used to wandering through unknown places. He had hardly ever stayed more than a year or two at one school before. Apparently teachers didn't like him, or schoolwork for that matter. He had an unsettling case of both ADHD and dyslexia, which meant he was the definition of a public high school teacher's worst nightmare.

Just as he was rounding a corner, a girl came rushing right in front of him, resulting in a nasty fall for both of them. Percy landed straight on his ass, but he thought the girl got it worse than him, maybe because all of her papers, notebooks, and other stuff was still landing. She seemed to have landed on her wrist really hard, Percy winced when he hear a harsh snap. The girl cried out in pain, and he immediately got up to help her. Because of early childhood antics, he knew how to

tell if a bone was broken or not. He bent down in front of the girl, and chuckling slightly when he heard her curses, offered his hand out to her. She blinked up at him, tears starting to form in her eyes.

Whoa.

Speaking of eyes, she had the most beautiful pair he had ever seen. They seemed almost too large for her face, her lashes framing them in little spikes, free of any makeup whatsoever. In fact, once Percy glimpsed at the rest of her, she wasn't really made up at all. Quite the opposite, she looked rather unplanned with her plain jeans, orange tee shirt, and blond hair with so many different colored highlights, it couldn't have been fake. It was also curly, and seemed to be a bit out of control, being pulled up into a messy ponytail.

When she looked at his offered hand, she started reaching for it, only to cringe when it pulled her wound, no doubt very painfully. He quickly but gently took her injured hand in his, and looked at her.

"I'm sorry, this'll hurt. Tell me when it's too much, okay?" He asked her, still looking into her eyes, hoping she could see the apologies there. He couldn't help notice how soft her skin was, or feeling guilt for not seeing her before they started feeling and pressing along her forearm. She was fine, until he started to get near her wrist. Then she flinched trying to take her hand back, one tear escaping, slipping down her cheek. She wiped at it so fast with her good hand, he was sure he was the only one who saw it fall.

He tugged at her arm, going towards the office, luckily he knew the nurse's office was, though they would probably make her go to the hospital. When Percy accidentally stepped on one of her books, he bent down and picked them up, putting it all in her backpack. "Come on, I'll take you to the nurse's office. They'll probably call an ambulance, nothing we can do about it. But, here, at least you can keep all of your stuff." He handed her her backpack, and watched her sling it over her shoulder, still very careful of her hurt wrist. He cherished the small smile he got from her. "But hey, if you're lucky,the principal will just blame it all on me, and you can get back at me for the whole thing. I am sorry by the way." He rubbed the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed about apologizing. "I'm usually very fast at catching stuff when it comes at me, you'd think I would've been able to help keep that from happening." He said, nodding at her hand. "Anyway, my name's Percy."

He was rewarded with another of her small smiles. She was really pretty when she smiled. "I'm Annabeth."

He had an idea rather suddenly. He motioned for her to stay put, then ran to the cafeteria right next to them. He went up to one of the lunch ladies, and asked for a rag and some ice. When she asked why, he explained. She looked surprised and nodded, then congratulated him for his quick thinking. Maybe all lunch ladies weren't harpies after all.

Percy ran straight back to Annabeth as soon as he could, handing her the bag. She smiled and thanked him, putting it on. Something about her smile kept making him want to put it there all the time. Maybe it was when she wasn't smiling, she just looked sad, and no one as soft as her should ever look like that. Percy wanted to ask what made her look so lonely, but then a teacher ran up to them, asking what happened. Percy and Annabeth explained, and the teacher called 911, and

led them to the office. Percy was just relieved that he didn't have to leave her.

ANNABETH POV

Well. Her wrist hurt like a bee.

Annabeth still couldn't believe that the guy who she bumped into, and walking next to her was the one all of the girls were talking about lately. She could at least see what they meant. Jeans and a Three Days Grace tee shirt, held what was obviously a very in shape body, with broadening shoulders, and a deep tan. They were both wearing Chuck Tees. Then you got to his face. Black, almost too long hair, framing deep sea green eyes that seemed to see right through her, and a

seeminglyeasy smile. In other words, rather handsome. She had thought that they were exageratting before, but now she thought that their descriptions didn't begin to give him justice.

She didn't know why she already liked him so much. Maybe it was because the first thing he did after he fell, was get up and help her. His hands had been so gentle and sweet, and no one had been kind to her since her mother died. She had felt her wrist snap, and she knew she was going to pay hell for all of this later, but that would all come later. Now, she just wanted to get the pain to stop. It wasn't seriously bad, but it did hurt more than anything other physical wounds she'd had.

The only thing she was thankful was that Percy hadn't seen the scars. As long as she didn't have to get the look of pity that everyone gave her when they first saw them. She hadn't wanted to let him see her arm just in case he did. She didn't want him to pity her. She set her jaw, putting on the expression she had mastered in the mirror since she was 7 years old.

Everyone who saw her told her she looked scary, fearsome, strong. That was what she went for. When people were afraid of her, they left her alone. She was surprised Percy hadn't left when the teacher had called the ambulance. Anyone else would have. Anyone else would have just walked away once they got up from their own fall. Especially once they saw who it was. She had a bit of a reputation at this school. Ice Queen. Master of The Cold Shoulder. Guys and girls alike made hell

on earth for her, and anyone who talked to her. But she liked it that way. Honestly.

"Oh hey, it's the Ice Queen!" she heard, as if on cue. Drew, a super snobby girl who Annabeth had known since middle school, walked over to Percy and her, putting on a fake concerned face. Annabeth just kept walking and ignored her. She didn't dare glance at Percy to see what he thought of it. Drew was persistent though, Annabeth had to give her that.

"Oh, what happened, another 'accident', Annabeth?" she snickered. That stopped Annabeth in her tracks. 'Accident' was what Drew and everyone else called what had caused her scars. She couldn't hold the words in.

"Oh Drew, poor dear, I thought you were failing in Biology." she put on a smirk, and tsked in Drew's direction. Drew's face darkened. "This is my wrist, sweetheart, not my forearm. Do you need a tutor? Mr. Lugor has some who need extra credit." Then Annabeth started walking away again. She heard Drew stomp her pretty little foot and scream at her.

"That's it, Chase! I'm sick of you and your little pity parties. No one cares about you, or what happens to you, stop trying to get attention! You even tricked the new guy to join you! Do you really think he won't figure out how much of a freak you are?" Annabeth never stopped walking.

She did notice that Percy was staring at her. She knew that he wanted to know what had just happened, but she couldn't tell. That, and the courts had forbid her from talking about it. At least, he hadn't left her. She didn't know why she wanted him around, but she did. And she knew that what Drew had said was true. It was only a matter of time before he found out the truth about her anyway. She could be selfish and enjoy his kindness until then.

When the ambulance arrived, they just let her sit while one of the guys checked her wrist out, while the other made sure she wasn't in shock. She sighed. She just wanted to go home.

Unfortunately, she hadn't had one in years.