After a lot of searching I finally found an empty chair across from Gate 9. It's sure now that our flight is delayed even though they haven't announced it yet. Next to me sits a little girl around 11 years old… She is reading a young adult magazine and listening to music. That's how Annabeth had showed up at school too. On the first day, all the guys in the group had gathered to the basketball court and we were talking about our summer activities.
When the bell rang we went to class. That's when I saw her. I had forgotten that she would be coming to my school. She was wearing jeans and an orange T-shirt that read CAMP HALF-BLOOD. Her earphones around her neck. She was holding a magazine and a pen. When our eyes met, she smiled at me. Upset, I sat with Leo. Everybody looked at me strangely. He was a good friend but everybody knew that I didn't want to sit with him because he didn't let me pay attention to class. It was bad enough with the dyslexia and the ADHD.
She sat with the smallest girl in class, Hazel was her name. First period we had English. The teacher said the usual talk of the first day. That summer is over, and now that school started we needed to focus on homework and hard work.
While the teacher was talking, Leo asked:
-Percy, did you see the new girl?
-Stop it, I'm trying to pay attention, I said.
-Tell me, did you see her?
-Yes!
-Finally, a cute girl in our class.
-Yeah, right.
-Why yeah, right? Because she's cute or because I think she's the only one?
-Both.
-It's better that you don't like her. Leave her for the rest of us. She has style, see? She must have gone to vacation abroad. I'll talk to her at lunch.
I was getting angry now. How long would I be able to hide that I know her?...
The English teacher started asking the ususal…
-What's your name? She asked Annabeth.
-We will learn her name now. Leo told me.
-Annabeth.
-Where does that name come from? He wondered.
-It must be ancient, I whispered to him.
-That's a beautiful name. Where did you spend your summer, Annabeth? The teacher kept interrogating.
-Abroad.
-Didn't I tell you? My classmate commented excitedly.
-Where exactly?
-California, my dad works there.
-She's from there? He asked again.
-And did you go to the beaches here in Greece?
-0f curse, we went to Kladi.
-Didn't you say you went there for vacation? Leo asked me.
-So? Should I know her?
-I met Percy there, and his parents recommended us this school, Annabeth continued.
"What a joy! She said my name right." I thought.
-Liar! So you don't know her, eh? You keep the cute ones to yourself! Leo complained.
-Why are interrupting the class? The teacher asked us.
And she looked at me with the familiar smile now.
At lunch Leo had gathered all our friends and was telling them about me and Annabeth. Why did she need to say that she knew me? I was wondered what the others were thinking, when she came towards me.
I didn't know why her presence upset me. At first I wanted to yell at her, but instead of yelling a soft "Hey" came out of my mouth.
-I didn't see you this morning and I thought you changed schools.
-Nah, I was just with my friends.
-What was the guy sitting next to you kept talked to you about?
-He asked what Annabeth means.
-And what did you tell him?
-That it's ancient. Isn't it?
-It is. It means the grace of the house of God. Because my real mom's name is Athena like, the Greek Goddess.
-And how did your dad choose it?
-Because when my mom left, my dad said I was a gift from her even though she left. How did your mom choose your name?
-Didn't I tell you?
-No, your mom interrupted us.
-Well my dad's name was Poseidon, like the Greek God, and when he was lost at sea my mom wanted something close to the Greek mythology, so I could have that connection with him but she also wanted to mane me after a hero that had a happy ending so she chose Perseus, therefore Percy.
-We have unusual manes, right? Haha
That we have. The first plural that came out of her lips, it was music to my ears that was soon interrupted by Leo.
-Why don't you introduce us Annabeth, Percy?
"Olympic Airlines would like to announce that the flight 317 for London will be delayed for an hour."
My thoughts stopped. The little girl next to me takes of her earphones and asks me.
-What did he say?
-He lied to us.
-Why?
-He said one hour delay, and we're already waiting an hour and a half.
-I'll just listen to my music. And she put the earphones back on.
Annabeth had said exactly the same thing when I tried to introduce her to the rest of the group. She gut angry then because I agreed to do what Leo told me. As if she wouldn't meet her classmates. She said that I should have protected our… relationship, to keep it to myself, even to tell him of, but not to do what he asked, as she explained to me later. That was the moment she realized that I wasn't her hero, and she changed her behavior towards me. These women are curious creatures from an early age.
The little girl is moving to the music in her ears. She sometimes bumps her elbow with mine accidently. Who knows how many boys she's torturing!...