When Percy Jackson starts at a new school, he has a head full of cliche high school dramas. What he doesn't expect is to promptly join a group of strangely matched kids who somehow work perfectly together.

…

"So basically, here's the rundown of the group." Piper and I were walking towards our freedom at the end of the day. "I am the benevolent leader-"

I called it. "Bullshit."

"okay, maybe not, but I am a joy to be around so…"

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes.

"Jason and Leo are my best friends, but they're kinda boring. And by that I mean that they don't like my favourite things and always do weird "bro" activities."

"Okay."

"Frank and Hazel are like best friends forever and then Frank had some sort of argument with Leo for a while and Hazel didn't really agree with Frank and that was kinda awkward for all of us, but I think they're all cool with one another now."

"Good. 'Cause entering into that sort of stuff is never good. I mean just remember that episode of Gossip Girl…"

"Oh yeah. That was some nasty shit. Anyway, back to our little mis-matched band of adventurers, Reyna and Nico are practically family. They went on some trip together last year and since then, they totally changed the dynamic of the group. Before then, Nico was closer with Frank and Hazel and Reyna was like super-besties with Annabeth and Thalia, who now goes to some boarding school for girls not too far from here. Basically, she's only around for weekends."

I took a moment to process all the information I just got. I didn't want to have to ask all these questions again and make it super-awkward.

"So basically, Annabeth and Reyna and I are really close and don't tell them I said this, but sometimes they are scarily similar and really competitive."

I thought about drawing a flowchart of all this information when I got home, but dismissed it, because that was borderline obsessive.

"But honestly, you can probably just ask them all of these questions yourself. None of us are particularly reserved, except maybe Hazel or Nico with people who they don't know that well. So maybe. But you seem like a cool enough dude, so they can just deal."

"Okay..."

"It'll be fine. This isn't a TV drama episode. No-one is going to sleep with your ex-girlfriend who you secretly still love and murder your best friend. Because honestly, we're all too lazy to go through all that trouble."

I laughed. "So where's the secret clubhouse?"

"Well it was just wherever we planned, but now we use my garage for our meetings on Thursday and Sunday afternoons at 4."

"That is surprisingly structured."

Piper laughed. "I was totally joking. We are waaay too crazy to be that organised. Mostly we just have movie nights and pizza nights in my garage. It's massive. You could fit four cars in it, provided that it wasn't our super-secret clubhouse."

"Impressive." We reached the front steps, now much clearer than they had been that morning.

"Yeah, I know. Where do you live, by the way? Do you want a ride home?"

"Nah, hopefully walking will help me to get to know the area better."

"Well maybe some other time, when we have a super-secret club meeting. I'll notify you telepathically, unless of course you want me to text you."

"Well since my telepathy skills are sadly non-existent, I shall have to get you to text me." We exchanged numbers.

I walked over to Frank and Hazel who were already waiting at the bottom of the steps, while Piper waited for Jason and Leo.

"So, Percy, how was your first day here?" Hazel asked.

"Yeah, it was pretty good actually! I actually have some friends and I haven't completely screwed anything up yet!" I replied.

"Nice, sounds pretty good in comparison to mine. I already have AP English homework" Frank pouted. "But obviously meeting you was the highlight of my day."

"As it should be. I am a joy to be around!"

Hazel laughed. "Oh yes, you will fit in just fine around here. That totally sounds like something Piper would say."

"Yeah, Piper's pretty cool. She gave me the rundown of the group."

"Oh did she now? Well what did she say about us then?"

"Well she said that she was your benevolent leader for a start."

Frank snorted. "She is not the leader of this group. We've never really developed any leader. We're like a collective of people who are all just really close."

I considered this. "Impressive. I guess that means none of that "alpha leader" argument then."

"No, but it means that when we don't agree it gets crazy. Alliances are formed, relationships are broken up and all because we couldn't come to a decision on what movie to watch…" Frank reminisced.

I cringed but laughed. "What have I walked into? Is it too late to get out now?"

Hazel shook her head sombrely. "You've already been accepted, you'd never make it out alive!"

I sighed. "I guess I'll just have to stick it out then…"

"So where are you headed, Percy?" Frank asked.

"Just home. It's just a few streets away."

"We're walking too, but we're stopping for frozen yogurt on the way. You want to come with?"

I smiled. "Sounds like a plan!"

Hazel pointed toward the main entrance. "I'm just waiting for Nico so I can tell him where I'm going. He's my half-brother and sometimes he acts protective even though we're basically the same age. It can be nice though, knowing that someone is always looking out for you…even if he can be overbearing at times."

Piper came bounding over with Jason and Leo in tow. "We're going guys so we'll probably see you tomorrow, provided that the world doesn't end tonight! Bye!" And then she was gone again.

I blinked a couple of times, like I'd practically missed everything that had just happened. "Well then."

Frank and Hazel giggled. "The only time I've ever seen her quiet is during a maths class one time when she had a sore throat. It was so surreal!" Hazel laughed.

"I remember one time when she was trying to tell everyone to shut up during a movie, and then proceeded to talk over the top of the most important part."

I jumped and whipped around to see Nico standing behind me.

Frank and Hazel snorted. I looked out across the front of my new campus while Hazel discussed something about frozen yogurt. It was an impressive building compared to my old school, which was much smaller and more graffitied on the outside.

Hazel hugged Nico as Reyna pulled up on the curb with Annabeth in shotgun.

"Get in loser! We're driving your sorry, car-less ass home!" Reyna shouted out the window. She waved at the rest of us while Nico rolled his eyes and climbed in.

They pull out onto the now busy street and it was Frank's stomach which broke the silence, growling loudly.

He smiled. "So, about that frozen yogurt?"

A/N:

Yes, hello I am alive so I benevolently decided to gift you another chapter.

You're welcome. :-D

Chapters will continue to be erratic and I promise that this is going somewhere.

-Lexiconicy