Annabeth POV
Thalia arrived back at our dorm around 6:00 looking angry. "The amount of traffic in this God forsaken city is ridiculous." She practically shouts coming into our small room and slamming the cheap wooded door behind her.
"I would've thought that you would be used to it by now, you know with growing up here and all." I comment from my position on the dingy wooded bed that will be mine for the next four years.
"Well I'm not." She states simply, going over to her bed and falling back onto the soft comforter.
After several minutes of silence she sits back up and looks over at me. "Are you busy tomorrow night?" she questions looking at me hopefully.
"Other than preparing for classes on Monday, no I'm not." I reply not liking the crazy grin that spreads across her face at my words.
"Well there is this party at one of the frat houses starting at 8:00 tomorrow night and I would love it if you came." She said excitedly.
"I don't know… my mom warned me about college parties." My voice filled with uncertainty.
"Oh come on. Everyone will be there. Well not everyone of course but there will be heaps of people there." she tried to support her case.
"Look Thalia I would love to go but I don't know anyone and-"
"Hello? You know me, and besides how are you going to get to know anyone if you don't converse with other people. A party is the best way to make friends in a new city." She argued back. I couldn't deny that her arguments had a point. And to be honest a little part of me wanted to go to this college party. Just to see what it's like then I will focus on my studies. Besides the term technically hasn't started yet. That's a perfect reason why you shouldn't go, the term starts in practically two days and you are nowhere near prepared for it. An annoying logical voice in my head screamed at me.
"I've got to call my mother tomorrow night." I knew my excuse was pathetic but I know I shouldn't go to that party.
"Annabeth you and I both know that that is one of the most pathetic excuses in the history of pathetic excuses. Now come on, are you coming or not?"
My brain was screaming no, that this was a bad idea, but my mouth wouldn't listen. "Okay, why not?" she beamed at me and I gave a weak smile in return.
"You will not regret coming, trust me." Her smile grew even more and I desperately prayed that she will be right.
I woke up Saturday morning to the scream like sounds coming from my crappy alarm clock. My first priority today will be to get rid of that thing and buy a new one. I quickly shut it off before it wakes Thalia, grab my toiletry back and head for the bathroom down the hall.
The bathroom wasn't as busy as I expected it to be but then again it was 8:00 in the morning and other students were probably savoring the last couple of sleep-ins before school starts back. I wasn't a big fan of the whole boys and girls sharing the same bathroom but I can live with it. I quickly find a free shower stall and close the flimsy curtain behind me. The hot water does wonders on my tense back, relaxing me. I stand under the hot water, letting it run over my body.
Once my hair is washed I shut off the water and step into the small space before the curtain. I quickly pull on some dark blue denim shorts and a white lose tank top. I exit the shower stall and make my way over to the slightly crowded basins. Placing my belongings on the bench top, I grab my toothbrush from my toiletry bag and brush my teeth. Noticing the half-asleep young men walking through the door eyeing me up and down, I decided to do my makeup in the dorm.
I try to open the door to the dorm as quietly as possible so as not to wake Thalia but when I enter I see that I didn't have to. She's laying on her bed fully clothed and scrolling through something on her phone. "Good morning Annabeth." She greets me.
"Morning." I reply smiling at her and making my way over to the floor to ceiling length mirror to do my makeup. Just a little bit of foundation and mascara will do.
"Got anything planned for today?" I heard Thalia say from the bed.
"I'm just going out to get a new alarm clock." I reply. Then a thought occurred to me. "Do you know any places that sell good alarm clocks?" I ask her since she lives in Manhattan.
"Oh yeah there's this one down on 5th street that I highly recommend but stay away from the one down the block though, those alarm clocks are crap." She said sarcastically.
"Okay that was a bit of a weird question but I didn't need the sarcasm."
She laughed. "I'm sorry. It's just that I have never heard anyone ask where they can get a decent alarm clock from."
"Well I just want to make sure I get a good one. One that won't stuff up and forget to wake me, one that sounds half decent." I ramble off the qualities I look for in an alarm clock.
"God Annabeth it's just an alarm clock. Go down to the General store and buy one there, or Target or something." Thalia said not really answering my question.
"Okay thanks." I grabbed my phone, keys and handbag from the bedside table and make my way towards the door.
"Oh Annabeth, are you still going to the party tonight?" Thalia asked me just before I stepped outside and into the nicely air-conditioned hallway.
"Yeah." I replied. I completely forgot that I agreed to go.
"Awesome. Make sure you have something nice to wear, but remember its summer though so nothing too warm."
Thanking her I stepped out into the hallway and shut the door behind me.
Thalia was right. The traffic in this city is terrible. The traffic was bumper to bumper and the sound and car horns blaring filled the summer air. It took the cab driver twenty minutes to get to the nearest Target store. He pulled up out the front of the store and after I gave him his money he quickly sped off, looking for another fare.
The store was relatively quiet for a Saturday morning, only a few customers here and there. I made my way over to the electronic section searching the aisles for a type of alarm clock. Fifteen minutes of searching went by with no luck. I was about to give up and go and try the general store when I spotted one up on the top shelf. It looked perfect. It was small, simple and looked new enough to have a decent sounding alarm to it. I reached up trying to grab it. My fingers grazing the box but only managing to push it back further. Groaning, I try to lift myself higher by jumping up and down until I grabbed it.
Just as I was about to try a different approach someone grabbed the box and handed it to me. "Here." A male voice spoke from beside me.
"I nearly had it." I knew that I would've got it soon enough. I didn't need his help. I turned to the boy standing beside me. He was about my age and was tall, tan and had black hair with startling sea-green eyes. To say the least he was beautiful.
"Oh yeah, one more jump and you would've had it." He smiled at me, showing perfect white teeth.
"Well we will never know now will we?" I said playfully.
His green eyes sparked with amusement. "How wrong of me to deprive us of watching you struggle to grab that shitty alarm clock."
"I was not struggling and this is not a shitty alarm clock." I defend myself.
"Come on you know it's shitty."
"No it's not." I repeat again.
"Its $20 of course its going to be shitty." He replied leaning against the shelving.
"Well it's the best one I can find."
"What? There are like hundreds of better alarm clocks than that." He said spreading his arms out.
"Really? Show me then."
He smiled and pointed to a beautiful sleek black stereo. "There."
"That's a stereo not an alarm clock."
"Ahh, but it is." His smiled grew wider as he pointed to the little black writing on the box that read Inbuilt Alarm Clock. I was such an idiot. I didn't even think that the stereos would have alarm clocks built into them.
I smiled at the boy. "Annabeth." I held out my hand for him.
"Percy." He replied shaking my hand.
A/N: Thanks to everyone how has reviewed, favorited or followed this story it means a lot to me. So what did you guys think of the chapter? Tell me your thoughts in the reviews.
-Seaweed Brain Herondales.