Confession time: I have read A/N on other fanfics and never understood the fuzzy feeling when you see how many people read your story, or read a review. And now I do. I swear on the River Styx, it feels like you're reaching through the computer screen and giving me a hug.

I am going to try and update at least once every two days (if not more than that). Also, COVER! PM me about that!

Special shout out to demigodishness11 for the first review!

As an apology for the super short previous chapter, here's a really long one (and I mean really long)!

Disclaimer: This fanfiction is sponsored by: the fact that the author does not own PJO or HoO.

Ch 2

Percy still. It was technically supposed to be Frank's turn, but he's currently locked in a closet that only I have the key to.

But I want to! Yes, there's a lot more that happened before you guys come.

They said I could continue. Here we go.

Sprinting down the streets of New York only got you places so fast. Especially when you run into a hellhound after one block.

I cursed. "Seriously?" I muttered as I pulled out Riptide.

The massive black mass had just leapt out of an alley. I hadn't even gotten a good look at it yet. I glanced at the other pedestrians, who just gave me annoyed looks.

"Best get that poodle home, boy," one of them called as they passed by. Honestly, the mist never ceases to amaze. Making a hellhound look like a poodle? Amazing.

The hellhound gave a deep bark. I turned, ready to fight. But apparently not, because right before I turned, the hellhound pounced, pinning me to the ground, and Riptide went spinning out of my hand. I prepared myself for death, closing my eyes. No way was I watching myself get eaten. I could hear the hellhound open its mouth and- a gigantic tongue swept itself over my face repeatedly.

I opened my eyes. "Mrs. O'Leary!" I cried. The hellhound let me up, and looked at me goofily. "Hey girl!"

She barked.

"You're right, I'm going to be late."

She barked again. I grabbed her collar, and whispered directions to Goode in her ear. Mrs. O'Leary barked, sounding annoyed. Of course. She's been there before.

Mrs. O'Leary shadow-traveled me to school, then she went back to camp. Just as I was about to enter the school, Nico showed up.

"Hey," he said casually as he appeared out of the shadows next to me.

I jumped out of my skin. "Nico! What are you doing here?"

Nico shrugged. "Looking for Mrs. O'Leary."

"You scared me so bad!"

Nico shrugged again. "It was worth it. You scream like a girl."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Aren't you supposed to be at school?"

Nico smiled mischieviously. "I am."

I knew that Nico, Thalia, Will, and the rest of the seven (minus Leo, who still hadn't shown up, yet we all knew was alive because we forced Nico to comb through the Underworld searching for him, but he hadn't found him, which leaves only one explanation) were coming to school in New York, but I didn't know that they were coming to Goode.

Yes, Leo, we cared. Past tense. Ouch! Wise Girl! Yeah, yeah, I'm continuing.

"You mean you're all coming to Goode?" I asked.

Nico shrugged. I was getting tired of that. "All I know is that I'm coming here. Chiron didn't tell me about anyone else."

"Oh." So it was possible that Annabeth wasn't coming here. But it was possible that she was...but I shouldn't get my hopes up. "C'mon, Death Boy." I walked inside school.

The halls were almost empty-almost.

"Percy!" Sophia shouted.

"Hey!" I greeted my friends, and dragged Nico over to meet them. "Guys, this is my...cousin, Nico. Nico, this is Sophia, Alex, Josh, and Kira. Where's Beth?"

Yes, 'cousin'. I don't think well on my feet. I know you know, Wise Girl. Shut up Sparky.

Alex shrugged. "Not here yet," he said. "But you are!"

"Yeah, no 'family stuff' that takes you to the other side of the country for a year!" Sophia joked.

"Sorry to disappoint, but no," I said. Yeah, I know. 'Family stuff' was a horrible excuse. But it was technically true.

Josh slung his arms around Kira's shoulders. "What's your schedule?"

I pulled my schedule out of my backpack. "That is an excellent question." The words looked extremely jumbled, thanks to my dyslexia. "Here, you read it." As I handed the schedule over, I noticed that the hallway was filling up.

Alex grabbed my schedule. "Okay, let's see. Homeroom, Mr. Blofis, then history with Mr. Blofis, then-"

"Wait. Doesn't Mr. Blofis teach English?" Sophia asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, but Paul has a degree in history too. I guess he wanted to try something new."

"Okay. Continuing. After that, you have math with Mrs. Wiz, english with Mr. Ozzie, science with Ms. Leia, lunch, Greek-you're taking Greek as your language? Isn't english hard enough with your...you know?"

I was only mildly surprised. I'd let Chiron sign me up for whatever classes he thought I could do well in while I was sword fighting. "I guess," I told them. I knew exactly why I was taking Greek, but what was I going to say? 'Oh, I let my millenium old mentor sign me up for my classes and since I can read ancient Greek thanks to my dad, who just so happens to be an icon of Greek mythology, he knew I'd do well in that class!' No! I couldn't say that.

Yeah, okay, Leo. You can stop laughing at my dumb responses now.

Sophia punched Alex's arm. "Keep reading his schedule."

"Ouch! Geez, woman!" he exclaimed, making a pouty face.

Sofia rolled her eyes and punched him again.

"Couldja stop?" Alex asked, now extremely sore. "Okay, if Sophia here is done punching me, after Greek, you have gym with- huh. It says there's a new teacher who's still unconfirmed."

I shrugged. "Okay."

Just then, Ruby walked up.

Yes, I know, Leo. But could you please stop with the vomiting noises. You're making me sick.

"Hey Percy!" Ruby said. There was an extremely fake smile on her overly make-uped face. She was wearing a too short tank top and waay too short shorts. "You're asking me to the dance, right, Percy? I mean, I was so surprised when you didn't last year, but you weren't even there, so I assumed that you didn't want to, like, break my heart or anything. Aw, my Percy, so considerate."

"Shove off, Ruby," I said. Ruby was 'popular' and conceited and mean and thought that I should go out with her. "I already told you. I'm dating someone."

Ruby winked. "Right. Me!"

Before I could respond, she kissed my cheek and walked away, swinging her hips waay too much. She went over to Marc and his lackeys (aka the people at Goode who hated my guts) and started flirting with them.

I wiped my cheek off, and wiped my hand on Alex, who responded with an "Eww! Cooties!"

"Hey, Nico, right?" Kira said.

Nico gave a short nod.

"What's your schedule?"

He shrugged.

Kira looked at me, and whispered, "He doesn't talk much, does he."

After all that kid had been through, I didn't blame him. "No."

The hallway was pretty crowded now. It seemed like no one wanted to be less than fifteen minutes early on the first day of school. The doors burst open again. I heard footsteps, but didn't turn to see who it was.

"Hey, look at all those kids. I haven't seen them before," Josh remarked.

"They must be new," I said.

Alex looked at me. "No, really? I thought that they've gone here for their entire lives!" he said sarcastically.

Kira looked up. "Percy? Your cousin just walked over to them."

I groaned. Nico better not creep out the new kids. I turned. And my vision tunneled.

There, with princess blonde curls stood the girl of my dreams. She was walking up to me, she was smiling, she was- judo flipping me. Again.

I hit the floor with a loud smack. "Ouch." Annabeth sat on top of me.

"A month!" Annabeth screeched. The entire hallway was gathered around. "I try to contact you for a month and what do I get? Nothing! Nada! Zilch! I start to panic and then Chiron says 'hey you're going to school' and so I panic even more! Perseus Jackson you are in so-"

I cut off her rant with a kiss. She was surprised at first, but then she melted into it.

Hey! Leo! What do you mean you didn't grab at it? Of course it was you! Who else- oh. Hi Frank. Here Frank.

It's Super Hot McShizzle (I intercepted the mic) and can I just say (more like sing) Percy's in trouble! Ahhh! Frank's going gorilla! Yes! Here! Take the mic!

Finally.