Hello, this is my first attempt at a Percy Jackson fic, though I have written other stories for Alex Rider, Psych, Harry Potter and Mortal Instruments. I've been a fan of PJO for literally years and have read the books too many times to count so hopefully this isn't really OOC. If you think it is, feel free to let me know(in a way that makes yourself out to be a helpful critic and not some jerk I want to punch:)) Anyway, this doesn't have a set time other than it's definitely after TLO and obviously not while Percy's missing because that wouldn't work...READ AWAY!

Disclaimer: New story, new disclaimer. Too bad I'm running out of ways to say that if you think I own any of the things on this site, including Percy Jackson, you should probably be in a mental institution.

"He's staring at you again."

Annabeth let out an absentminded sound of acknowledgement.

She was currently focused on the blueprints in her lap, frowning as she erased.

Katie, sitting next to her on the low stone wall, sighed and looked back down at her phone. Every once in a while she snuck a backwards glance, trying to project an air of nonchalance.

The stone wall they were seated on was set in front of a large expanse of grass covered with picnic tables and, behind that, a traditional-looking brick school. A few students were loitering at the tables, relaxing in the summer sun.

It was mid-June, school was almost over and most students had adopted the attitude that it already was.

Annabeth was not one of those students.

Though she seemed equally as excited about summer, and spending it at camp with her boyfriend that Katie had yet to meet, her dedication to school work was strong as ever.

"He's still looking at you."

This finally drew Annabeth's storm grey eyes up to Katie's own bright blue orbs.

"Why?" She asked, suspiciously.

Katie looked at her and shrugged. "Maybe he thinks you're pretty?"

He was right, of course. Annabeth was beautiful with her slightly scarred but evenly tanned skin, naturally blonde princess curls and those sharp grey eyes that analyzed everything.

"Oh," she said in a dismissive tone, all interest lost.

She didn't even glance at him.

She was still caught up in her blueprints, her mind far away.

"Maybe you should talk to him." Katie suggested lightly.

Annabeth didn't even deem that worth a look.

"Why would I do that?"

Katie swallowed nervously. "Because he's coming over here."

Annabeth sighed, frustrated, and began putting away her blueprints.

"I wanted to make some progress on this before Percy came. I guess that's out the window."

Katie stared at her, momentarily forgetting the boy walking toward them.

"Wait, Percy's coming here? I finally get to meet him?"

Annabeth smiled slightly at her reaction.

"Yeah, he should have been here 10 minutes ago." She said with a roll of her eyes that made it clear punctuality was not a virtue of Percy's.

Katie smiled and did a fist pump. "Yes, I can't wait! After how much you talk about him I feel like I know him already," she teased.

"Don't tell him that!" Annabeth protested. "I'd never live it down."

Katie let out a giggle that was cut off early by the sight of a person standing next to Annabeth.

Ignoring Katie, the junior with gelled up blonde hair and almost-pretty hazel eyes spoke to Annabeth. "Hi, I'm Justin."

Annabeth's voice was politely emotionless as she replied. "Hello, was there something you needed?"

He gave her a confident grin.

"I was wondering if you wanted t go see a movie or something."

"No," she replied. "I have a boyfriend."

It was her standard answer.

He gave her a condescending smile.

"Oh, come on. I think we both know you just say that to let all those losers down easy." He said, leaning down and putting a hand on her arm.

Annabeth gave him a disarmingly brilliant smile but the way she was glaring at him made it clear she was more than a little annoyed.

"Well, Jared-"

"Justin." She ignored him. "You must be a loser then because I have a boyfriend. And he's been kicked out of quite a few schools so I'm sure he'd have no problem beating the shit out of you. Not that there will be much left for him to beat up if you don't let go of me because I'll do it myself."

Both Katie and Justin had looks of complete shock on their faces but Justin did not remove his hand from Annabeth's arm.

He recovered quickly, his asinine grin quickly back in place.

"Hey, don't be like that."

He tightened his grip on her.

"Why don't we go-"

His sentence was abruptly halted by Annabeth's fist contacting his face.

Katie gasped and leapt to her feet, covering her mouth with her hands as Justin went reeling backwards before falling onto the sidewalk, hard. Katie was impressed; Annabeth really knew how to punch.

Annabeth stood over Justin and gave a razor sharp smile. "If you try to tell anyone about this," she began with a pointed look at the students sitting at the tables, none of who had been paying attention. "I'll say it was self-defense, and Katie will back me up."

Katie nodded in agreement.

"Though I doubt you'll want anyone to know a girl gave you that." She finished, indicating the bruise already forming around Justin's eye.

At that moment another boy came up to them and Katie almost groaned in annoyance. That was until he called out, "Hey, Wise Girl. What's going on?"

Justin, probably figuring he'd been hit enough for one day, clambered to his feet and bolted in the opposite direction.

Katie turned her attention to who she assumed was Annabeth's very real boyfriend Percy Jackson, otherwise known as Seaweed Brain.

He was tall and, Katie bit her lip embarrassedly, rather attractive. His black hair, already messy, was being ruffled by the light breeze. His sea green eyes were scrunched up in confusion.

Annabeth smiled at him, a real smile.

"Nothing, Seaweed Brain. I took care of it."

He snorted loudly and grinned down at her.

" Yeah, I saw. Nice punch."

She grinned right back and told him, "I missed you."

The comment seemed a bit random to Katie but Percy had a triumphant look upon his face. "I knew it. You can't survive without me." He said, dramatically.

Annabeth punched him on the arm, much more lightly than she did Justin.

"Oh, shut up."

He smiled at her a little more seriously. "I missed you too, Wise Girl."

It was after this proclamation that Annabeth threw her arms around his neck and dragged is head down to kiss him vigorously, leaving Katie standing there awkwardly, feeling very much like a third wheel.

Eventually, they broke apart and Percy, noticing her waiting there, gave a goofy grin and held out his hand.

"Hey, I'm Percy, Annabeth's boyfriend."

Katie smiled at him and shook his hand.

"Yeah, somehow I guessed that. I'm Katie."

"That's cool there's a Katie at the camp we go to. She's-"

"Percy," Annabeth interrupted.

"Aren't your parents expecting us by 3?"

Percy looked at her, surprised.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Sorry I was late. I-"

Annabeth cut off what was probably going to be a long story, shaking her head as she said, "I don't need to know, Percy. Let's go, bye Katie."

She grabbed his elbow and began steering him away, waving to Katie and rolling her eyes as Percy launched into a long winded explanation.

As they walked away, arguing good-naturedly, Annabeth's hand released Percy's elbow and instead clasped his larger hand with hers.

Katie smiled as she watched their finger intertwine.

She felt like she'd learned something in the past half an hour; she just wasn't entirely sure what it was yet.

Well if you feel I have deeply moved you in some way please review. If not, a review would be nice anyway :)