Percy's POV:
By the time I got outside my apartment building, Annabeth was already there. She was wearing jeans, and a dark blue shirt. Her blonde hair was combed, and she had gotten in cut so that it was different in length all around her head. My heart did a little flip flop, as usual, but it wasn't a nervous flip-flop. It was a happy one. Maybe it was just because I knew that she liked me back and I wasn't so worried about hiding my feelings. Who knows?
"Hey," I said when I walked over to her.
"Percy!" she cried. She hugged me.
I smiled and hugged her back.
"I like the hair," I smiled.
She blushed and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, like she did when she was nervous.
"So," she said, straightening herself out, "how are we going to get to New Hampshire?" She studied my face. She knew what I was thinking before I said anything at all. "You know, Blackjack might not be—"
I whistled, and Annabeth was about to shush me, but suddenly my trusty Pegasus was beside us.
Hey boss. You called?
"Hey Blackjack, thanks for coming, man. We need an express ride to New Hampshire. You think you can get one of your friends for Annabeth?"
Sure boss, whatever you say. Gimme a sec.
Blackjack whinnied, and Porkpie, another Pegasus landed on the sidewalk.
Porkpie at your service.
"Thanks man. Anyway," I said, patting him on his back, "we have to get to Clarion Ladies Academy in New Hampshire. It's for Chiron."
Okay boss. All aboard.
Soon, we were soaring above Manhatten. I glanced at Annabeth. She had a huge grin on her face, and she was staring right back at me. I blushed slightly (slightly!) and turned back.
When we landed, we hopped off of Blackjack and took in our surroundings.
Clarion had a huge campus; with frolicking green lawns, and tall, perfect white buildings. It looked more like a college than a girls' academy to me.
Annabeth's expression was kind of strange. It was shock, bewilderment, and confusion all at the same time.
"Hey," I said grabbing her arm, "why the look?"
She sighed. "I'm just shocked that Rachel comes here."
I nodded. Rachel Elizabeth Dare was a splattered-jean, midnight paintings, speaks-what's=on-her-mind, kind of girl. I really couldn't imagine her learning pre-algebra in these spotless white buildings.
We walked silently through the yards of the academy, passing libraries and classrooms along the way.
"Did Chiron happen to tell you which building the 'packet' would be in?" Annabeth whispered to me.
"Umm, he said that it would be outside a dorm room and it would be quite visible, even to mortals." I shrugged, trying to remember what our camp counseler had told me earlier today.
Soon, we came upon a building that looked like the old apartment that my mom and I had once lived in, only much grander. The words, DORM 7, QUARTER 5, were etched on a wall above it.
"Is this it?" Annabeth asked.
"I think so," I murmered back.
I looked back over at Annabeth, waiting for her to tell me why I couldn't see the package. Her stormy, gray eyes were fixed on a window just below the wall with the title of the building on it. Her mouth was hanging open.
I followed her gaze and froze. Rachel Elizabeth Dare was dangling from a window in Clarion Academy.
