All throughout swim practice, Percy was distracted by his thoughts of blue eyes and blonde hair. He didn't know why he couldn't get his mind off of Jason. It frustrated him to no end because he really wasn't looking for a relationship. Really.
Percy submerged himself underwater, hoping to cleanse his thoughts as he raced against the boy next him. The boy was fast, though he wasn't as fast as him. Percy Jackson had the record time for the fastest swimmer in the state of New York for the year - 43.72 for the 100 yard breast stroke. Not that he was bragging or anything. (He was, by the way.)
Reaching forward, Percy's fingers brushed against the concrete wall of the pool and he heard the click of stopwatch from above. He broke the surface of the water as he looked up at his coach expectantly, waiting to hear his results. Coach Hedge had a frown on his face and Percy was fully prepared to get yelled at.
Coach Hedge was a middle aged man with a permanent scowl on his face, always wearing a baseball cap and carrying a bat. Sometimes Percy wondered if he got the memo that he was the varsity swim coach, not the varsity baseball coach. It was probably why he hated his job so much. Honestly, Hedge had only gotten the gig as a last resort. At the end of Percy's sophomore year, the previous coach had gotten an invitation to prepare Michael Phelps - yes, the Michael Phelps - for the 2016 Olympics and abandoned the school and its sixteen year winning streak, leaving Coach Hedge in charge of the swim team.
The only problem?
Coach Hedge was a horrible swim coach.
"Where is your head at, cupcake?" Coach Hedge yelled, making Percy flinch a little. "This is the slowest time you've had all season, Jackson. Get your head out of your ass and get those arms pumping. Let's go!" He blew the whistle hanging around his neck so hard, his face turned a bright shade of pink.
The whole swim team groaned, knowing that whenever Coach was mad at Percy, they all suffered. The green-eyed boy just clenched his jaw and prepared for fifty more laps. He was pretty sure Hedge wasn't even qualified to be a swim coach and that sucked because with him as their best swimmer, they could make first place at state championships. The team just wasn't working on their weak links, which left room for other colleges and universities to beat them.
As they finished up their laps, Percy called them over to gather in a circle around him. He gave them a look that meant business and prepared to give a speech worthy of Martin Luther King Jr. about effort, perseverance, and whatnot. But all of that was thrown out the window as he saw the dejected look on their faces.
"Okay, guys, so I know we're not exactly in the best shape right now with Hedge as our coach," Percy told them, giving everyone a stern look, "but his coaching only goes so far. You have to wants this, because if you don't, you'll never get anywhere. We have to act like every practice is championships." Percy sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. "As your captain, it's my responsibility to make sure you guys are prepared to win, so just... do your bests, okay?"
There were a chorus of yeses and Percy smiled. "Practice is over. Go home!" And then there was a stampede of soaking wet boys rushing to have first dibs on the hot water in the shower.
Percy lagged behind, looking down at the water in the pool below. He could see his reflection in it - black hair, sea green eyes - a spitting image of his father, one of Olympus University's best swimmer in history and part of the Big Three, the nickname three MVP's in swim, football, and soccer had earned when each team won championships during the same year. Sometimes it felt like a curse, Percy having to have a reputation as good as his dad's, knowing that he could never live up to it. Even being captain wasn't good enough for his father, and Percy was too old now to have a temper tantrum and refuse to continue living up to the Jackson name.
"Good speech out there, cupcake," Coach Hedge said. Percy looked over and shot him a look, but softened after a second.
"Thanks, Coach." He replied, saying an awkward goodbye before he said something he regretted to the Coach. Percy really did not feel like getting hit on the head with a wooden baseball bat.
"Hey, Perce!" Someone called as Percy walked into the locker room. He looked over his shoulder and saw two identical looking boys with curly brown hair walking towards him, wearing the same matching mischievous grins. Percy recognized as Travis and Connor Stoll, brothers who were both on the track team.
Percy hung his white towel over his shoulders, nodding at them. "What's up?" The taller one - Travis - slung his arms around Percy's shoulders, "You, my man, are cordially invited to our party tonight!"
"Drinks will be provided, of course," added Connor. "It's gonna be the party of the year!"
Percy bit his lip, knowing that he'd never hear the end of it from his best friends, Grover and Rachel - "You need to be more responsible, Percy! It's a school night!" - but then the little devil version of him on his shoulder whispered into his ear, go.
"Sure," Percy said slowly, "but it's a school night, so I'll have to lay off a bit on the drinks."
"Since when have school nights ever stopped you?" Travis smirked, leaning in close to his face. "I heard last year that you got so drunk, you gave everyone at the party a strip tease."
Percy's face turned the darkest shade of red, remembering him standing on a dining room table with his clothes laying on the floor and people staring curiously. "Oh my God, I thought everyone forgot about that! It was the embarrassing moment of my life."
"I might've done a throwback Thursday on Instagram of that one pic of you with your hand on your c-" Percy quickly slapped a hand over Connor's mouth when he saw Jason enter the locker room in nothing but those tight football pants, the ones that made any guy seem like they had an ass. Jason, however, had an ass with or without the pants, but Percy didn't dare say that to anyone. Ever.
The blonde's eyes found Percy's and he waved, making the green-eyed boy's heart beat faster. Before he could say a quick 'hey', Jason was already gone around a corner.
"Dude!" Connor whined, glaring at him. "What was that for?"
"You, uh, had a mosquito on your lip," Percy lied, "but it's gone now! Alright, bye!" He attempted to make a swift exit, but Travis easily grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back. Hey, he was on the swim team, not the track team!
"If you're wondering if Jason's going to be at the party, he is," Travis informed him.
Connor nodded, "Perks of being in sports, the parties and girls."
Percy scoffed. "I don't care if he's at the party or not. Just make sure you have some vodka," he said before walking off.
"What about it being a school night?" Connor called after him.
Percy simply flipped them off over his shoulder.
The end of this chapter was pretty fun to write, haha. I love Travis and Connor and imagine how hot a soaking wet Percy would be, omg.
Anyways, don't forget to follow, favorite, review or whatever floats your boat. I like seeing a whole lot of support since this is my first story ever written in third person, which if it sucks, is why.
Thanks!
- Hazel x
