Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympian or this incredible cute song. *Percabeth*

Freshmen at NYU

"That isn't funny!"

I look out the hall of our dorm and see my best friend, Grover, covered in maple syrup and flour. In the doorway right next to him are my other friends and extreme pranksters, Travis and Connor Stoll. They're laughing their asses off.

Grover stalks back into the bathroom, grumbling about having to shower again.

"Oh, come on, guys! I need a shower too!" Beckendorf says, amused and exasperated. He's a big, black guy that loves to tinker and build things. He's also a very good friend of mine.

"Did you get-"

"Of course! Oh man that's-"

"So going on-"

"The great board of fame!"

They said it at the same time. In the few of weeks that I've known them, I've learnt that they're always finishing each others sentences. Things wouldn't be as weird if they weren't related. But their brothers – not twins, mind you, but they might as well be. If Travis wasn't taller, I'd never know them apart.

"Did they do the flour and water thing again?"

I turn back to my bed, where my other long time friend, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, is lying down, curling up in the sheets. She's been my friend ever since she opened that locker door and set me free from the old school bully Clarisse la Rue in grade nine. You kind of can't ignore someone after that.

"Yeah, but with maple syrup this time."

She lets out a small chuckle and stretches, rubbing her eyes. Her red hair's super frizzy this morning and her freckles stand out against her pale skin. She tosses my blankets aside and crawls out, wearing her pajama pants and one of my big t-shirts.

"Thanks for letting me stay the night, Perce. Sorry that it was a tight squeeze, though," she winks at me while passing by, laughing at my suddenly awkward expression and embarrassment. Damn. It's not much of a secret that I've had some feelings for her. I mean, how could I not? She's really pretty and completely outgoing and blunt. There's no confusion with her like all the other girls. She won't keep you guessing, most of the time anyways.

"I'll meet you here at nine, okay?"

"Sure." Why? What was she saying when I wasn't paying attention? Are we going on a date?

Before I can ask, she's out the door.

"Dude, you're pretty whipped," Connor says, surprising me by throwing an arm around my shoulder.

"Let her go, man," Travis agrees, throwing his arm around me too. I now have both the Stoll Brother on either side of me. That's not good.

"She's playing with you. Like how a little kid plays with his food."

"You mean, like how you play with your food?"

"Hey!"

"So, this party tonight… you in?"

We sit down in the common room of our floor level. A few other guys and girls are here, but not many. Travis grabs some Cokes from the fridge and tosses them to us.

"What party?" I ask. As always, I'd be the last to know.

"Um, the one Rachel just invited everyone to? It's at some person's house off campus. I heard that this guy holds them every year for the past five years. It's sick. There are tons of chicks too."

"What did Rachel say?"

Connor and Travis exchange a look and then roll their eyes together. "Dude, stop this obsession with Rachel. It's not healthy. You're letting her wear your clothes!"

"I like seeing her in my clothes," I defend myself, hopelessly. "And what do you guys have against Rachel, anyways? Just because she wears my shirts sometimes?"

"No, Rachel's cool. She's okay, but she doesn't exactly… fit with you…" Travis scratches the back of his neck. "I know you guys have been friend for a long time, and we've only been friends for like… a month or two, but…"

A beeping noise starts off. Connor looks at his wrist and jumps to his feet.

"Sorry we have to cut this intervention short, but we have a prank to pull," he says quickly. "Come on, we can't be late."

Travis and Connor wave bye before loading themselves into the elevator. Thank goodness. I can't keep up with their liking-Rachel-but-not-liking-her-at-all-ness. It gets confusing.

"I'll pick up where they left off."

I turn to see Beckndorf and Malcolm sit on the couch across from mine, setting their coffees on the coffee table. They're a year or two ahead of me. Malcolm, a very California-looking dude, is Beckendorf's roommate. He's quieter, more of an observer and what I've heard, a really good sports coach. He always has a battle strategy up his sleeve.

"Oh, come on. Does everyone secretly meet and talk about Rachel behind my back?" I'm starting to get seriously fed up.

"No, it's just that… we notice things that you don't. I mean, she's not a bad person at all, but she kind of takes advantage of you and you don't even notice it."

"She manipulates you, Percy. I mean, you let her sleep in your bed while you sleep on the floor, or that you pay for every single thing you do. And she's filthy rich!"

"Oh, shut it Beckendorf."

"There's a lot of other stuff to, but we won't stress it too much," Malcolm shrugs. "Like the fact that-"

"Guys, just… shut it. I don't care what you think. I'm just being a gentleman." I know, pissy of me to do, right? Overreacting? But I wouldn't call it that when I hear it everyday.

Storming back to my room, I see a freshly showered Grover. He's wearing jeans, too-big-sneakers, a 'Go Green' shirt and his rasta cap over his wildly curly hair.

"Hey," he stands up when he sees me. He's short, barely up to my shoulders. "You wanna go get a coffee?" he's a little coffee obsessed.

I rub my eyes. "Gladly."

M.W

As promised, Rachel showed up at my door, wearing a colorful and creative party dress and heels. With fabric flowing this way and that, all in different colors, she looks like a rainbow. A very pretty rainbow.

"You look pretty," I say stupidly.

"You look pretty handsome yourself." She giggles and kisses my cheek. "Come on," she says, taking my hand. "I need to talk to you."

Oh?

Together, we exit my dorm building and walk to the east. Hand in hand. She smells faintly of paint, like always, but in a good way. She walks with confidence beside me, humming under her breath.

"So, I met someone today."

I'm not surprised. She's meeting someone almost everyday. She makes friend with the most random people ever. Like the guitar player on 5th avenue and 28th street. The bus driver. A cab driver. Randomness.

"Yeah?

"Yup. His name's Taylor, and he's in my new art class. He's really funny."

Oh. It's a guy. Aha, I see.

Jealousy instantly takes over. I can be funny, if I want to. What's so great about some guy named Taylor. My names Perseus. Okay, so Taylor sounds a lot less dorky than Perseus, but Perseus was a hero. What's Taylor? Just some kid who plays a wolf in some vampire movie.

"Why are you telling me this?" I try not to sound jealous. Or hurt.

"Just… try not to embarrass me, Perce. I mean, remember that time we all went to the school dance… and you tripped and fell face first into the punch bowl? Or the time you stepped on your own pants and publically panced yourself before everyone on the field trip to the zoo?"

Oh yeah. I look down so she can't see the redness in my face.

"It's just that… Taylor seems really cool, and not… clumsy."

"Yeah, I get it," I say. I can hear the loud music. Rachel instantly lets go of my hand. I miss the heat. I miss it all. I miss how we used to be the best of friends (aside from G-man, of course). I miss how we hung out everyday. I miss how Rachel is now a beautiful girl and not the skinny and pasty art freak from high school.

We enter the big house. People are everywhere. Music's blaring from the stereo system, people are swaying everywhere and somewhere in the distance I can hear a bunch of people cheering "Michael Yew! Michael Yew!"

"I'll be right back!" Rachel calls to me over the loud music.

I nod and watch her weave her way through the dozens of people here. I loose her for a few seconds, but find her again under the arm of some tall dude in a ratty t-shirt with paint all over it.

I turn away quickly. Curses! I reevaluate him, nothing about him's special. I'm taller. I have none-holey clothes. And, okay, so his hair can be neat and combed, but that's really the only things that he has that I don't. Berckendorf, Grover and the Stoll brothers are here, somewhere. Doing a quick game of enee-meenee-minee-mo, I chose to go left.

The kitchen. Where the booze is at its limit of red cups, there are kegs, vodka and the works. Perfect. Vodka will be my choice for starters. The image of Rachel with Taylor is drilled into my head. So I do the smart-at-the-present-time-thing and guzzle the vodka down and chase it with some rum and beer.

I don't know how, but I end up in the corner of the back yard with four people I don't know at all.

There's Luke, a good-looking guy with a mega scar marring his face. He's as tall as me, with pretty blue eyes and the kind of aura that says 'yeah, that's right, I'm cool'. He certainly is cool. Plenty of people who pass by all say hi to him. Under his right arm is a punk-looking girl with shocking blue eyes. They look… stunning and electrifying. Her hair's a short and edgy black and her eyeliner is heavy. She's wearing some scene band t-shirt along with an 'I don't care so go away' attitude. Beside her is some… kid. He looks about fifteen with little spots of acne lining his forehead. Like the punk girl, he's wearing all black with his curly black shaggy hair. He doesn't say a word at all. And finally, there's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She's… the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I can't really put it any other way. She's flawless. Her wavy golden hairs curled like a princess', her stormy grey eyes are rimmed with long lashes, her skin's a perfect tan and her legs go on forever.

And we're all drunk off our asses. Which makes things great.

I drag Pretty Blonde Girl into the crowd of dancing bodies. She twirls under my arm and falls against me, drunk and off balance, but I have no objection. I find out she's a super smart architect-to-be, as Punk Girl quoted.

"So, what are you taking?" Pretty Blonde Girl asks.

"What? No, I don't do drugs!"

She laughs, and her face lights up. Her eyes shine. I really like her smile. It fits her face perfectly.

"I meant what courses in school!" she yells above the music. I'm surprised that no one's making complaints about the party music, but all the houses around here are empty, all the residents at this party, most likely.

I think about classes. Right now, I'm studying sea plant life. I say something.

Her eyes light up again and she throws her head back in laughter. Good, I'm making her laugh. I don't really know what I said, but it's making her laugh.

"Did you just say that you have kelp in your head?"

What?

"What? No! I don't! Who told you that?"

She giggles and sips from her red cup. "You did! Just now!"

"I think I'd know if I have seaweed brains!"

"Maybe you do have seaweed brains, Seaweed Brain!" She giggles at her own nickname for me. And, well, it's not exactly the best. It sounds like something a ten year old would pick.

"Oh, that's such a smart insult, Wise Girl."

"Shut up," she giggles, slapping my arm. "I'm drunk."

This time I laugh loudly. Because I'm drunk, too. And somewhere along the night, Pretty Blonde Girl and/or Wise Girl loose her empty red cup, but we just laugh it off. It's a good excuse to pull her closer so we can dance without the problem on a stupid red cup with liquid in it to distance us.

I could've danced all night with Wise Girl if Grover hadn't interrupted.

"Perrrcy!"

He wiggles his way through the crowd and grabs my arm. I grab Wise Girl and we form a link, coasting through all the other sweaty bodies.

"What is it?" I ask Grover.

"It's Beckndorf and the Stolls! I don't know what happened!"

We finally pull into the bright kitchen, where the population is smaller than the halls, living rooms and back yard. It's two am. Pretty Blonde Girl looks really confused but follows willingly. Even sweaty and confused she's beautiful.

Continuing down the hall, I see the bathroom door closed with a still Beckendorf sitting on the ground holding a pen.

"Hey, Bud, are you okay?" I ask him, kneeling down. He doesn't do anything. For a second my heart stops. Is he dead? No, because he blinks once, but doesn't come out of whatever trance he's in.

"She… wrote…" And then he's gone, staring off into space creepily. I'll let Grover handle this one.

Just before I bang on the bathroom door, I hear the unmistakable sound of someone upchucking into a toilet. Followed by another one. And then the low, voice of Travis saying "Dude…"

"Travis? Connor? Open up!" I look back to see Grover gone but Pretty Blonde Girl cautiously nudging Beckendorf, asking him if he's alright or if he wants anything.

"Is he alright?" I look back and see some short guy. He's the least sweaty of us all and has Malcolm's arm around his shoulders. The guy looks like he'll pass out soon.

"Malcolm?" Wise Girl says, horrified. "What happened? Michael Yew, you've better not let him do a Keg stand!"

The short guy, Michael, answers, "I didn't see him until he was done, I swear! He was all flimsy so I took him from being mauled by a pack of girls! I never would've thought that By the Book Malcolm would let so loose."

Malcolm groans. "I'm not By-the-Book Malcolm anymore."

The bathroom door whips open, showing Connor and Travis with arms around each other. They don't look too good. Their usual mischievous smiles and bronze curls have gone flat. They look drunk and sick.

"Never doing that prank again…" mutters Connor.

"Or drinking soybean shit for a girl…" Travis concludes.

Michael Yew starts to get Beckendorf up while Wise Girl's balancing Malcolm, Connor trips over Travis's shoe and falls onto me and then Grover's's there, holding me up.

"Percy! Guess what?" he says excitedly, completely oblivious to Michael Yew stumbling back into Pretty Blonde Girl. "I met a girl! She's in an environmental friendly group, too! Her name's Juniper and-"

Connor and Travis both push off from me, darting back into the bathroom and yakking up their stomach contents again. Malcolm looses his balance just as Michael bumps into Wise Girl from trying to get Beckendorf up again. This is a disaster zone.

"-find somewhere else to go tonight?"

I miss most of Grover's rant, but I catch the last piece. I look back at Grover, who's looking down and blushing furiously. Grover, as in my dorky best friend… needs the room alone tonight?

"Um.. wha-?"

"Thanks so much, Perce! You're the bestest friend ever!" Grover runs off then, finding that… go green girl. What else will happen tonight? And where the hell am I going to sleep?

We finally get Berckendorf up, Travis and Connor stumble out of the bathroom again and all is set right for a little while. Confused, tired, I let Beckendorf lean on me while we make our way home. In front of me is Pretty Blonde Girl scolding Malcolm for reasons unknown while Michael Yew guides Travis and Connor behind me.

I stumble and face plant a few times, making Beckendorf fall too. There were a few set backs, but what can you do with seven drunk university kids, huh?

We make it the six blocks away and back to the dorm/apartments. Surprisingly, Michael Yew lives a floor up from us. He and the Stoll brothers go on the first elevator up. The rest of us wait for the second.

Really, I'm surprised that Wise Girl's still here.

I let Wise Girl and Malcolm go in first. I shift Beckendorf around to get him into the elevator when I feel a hip bump. I jolt forward, Berckendorf clumsily crashing into the elevator. Wise Girl lets out a squeak of surprise.

"Wha-?"

"Percy!" Rachel throws her arms around me and kisses me firmly. "Where have you been? I was looking all over for you and…" Everything else washes away from thought. Rachel Elizabeth Dare kissed me. Me, Percy Jackson. On the lips. The long awaited kiss has finally come. No more anxiety, no more suspense. Rachel Kissed me...

I let Rachel keep talking, holding my arm and watching as her red hair swirls around her shoulders.

And forget everything else.

M.W

Anyways, just a little something I thought of during math class while listening to the song. looks like Percy/Rachel now, but it's definitely Percy/Annabeth (considering I dislike Percy/Rachel very much).

Anyways, R&R please!