Chapter 4

Don't know if I mentioned this before, but I don't own PJO. (That was my disclaimer)

Annabeth's POV

Annabeth gave Percy directions as they talked and drove, she found out that Percy's birth father had died in a plane crash right before he was born; he had had a terrible step-father until he was 12, when his mom had filed for a divorce. Now he had a new step dad, Paul, who was really cool.

Annabeth was surprised by how much they had in common; she explained to him that her mother had died in birth with her and she had a step-mom who wasn't too bad, but she and Annabeth had never really gotten along.

"Left here." She said and pointed down a street lined in apartment buildings.

"No way!" Percy said, turning on his signal, "I live around this block!" He pointed toward a blue skyscraper to their right.

Annabeth smiled at him, "Hooray, a car pool buddy." She said sarcastically, though inside she was kind of excited. She liked Percy; he was really sweet, and she could tell how much he cared about his mom, and, if she was going to be working with him for swim team…might as well get to know him right?

She pointed to a building and Percy pulled in front of it, hopping out of the car to help her get her book bag that they had stuffed in the back.

"Here ya go!" he said, handing it to her.

"Thanks." She smiled, biting her lip and trying to think of something more to say. It was weird; she had known Percy for what, 4 hours if you included their awkward encounter at the lockers? But she already felt like she had known him for years.

She waved over her shoulder and shouted a quick goodbye over her shoulder as she walked into the building.

Percy's POV

They had been talking for a while when Annabeth pointed out a few turns to him. Percy turned onto her street as she pointed to her apartment building amongst the rows of blandly colored straight up buildings.

She must hate it. He thought, living in the lamest architectural part of New York when there are such amazing buildings all around. It startled him that he knew that. In the 20 minute drive from Goode to her house, they had learned so much about each other. His thoughts changed, well done, Percy, first day of school and you've made friends with the prettiest girl ever. All in a day's work. He smiled and then turned to Annabeth, shocked as he realized where they were.

"No way! I live around this block!" he exclaimed.

"Hooray, a car pool buddy." She said monotonously, Percy hoped she didn't mean it the way she had said it and looked over to try and read her face, but she was already unbuckling her seat belt.

Percy finished parking and hoped out of the car to get Annabeth's backpack for her.

"Thanks!" she said, calling out a goodbye over her shoulder.

Percy got back in the car. He felt awesome, there had been a good swim team try out, he probably wasn't going to flunk English this year because his step-dad was his teacher, and he had met a really smart really beautiful girl and befriended her and been handed and excuse to spend more time with her. Win, win, win!

Percy opened the door to his family's apartment and smelled blue cookies; this day just got better and better. He grabbed one off the tray and screamed as he burned his finger and then again as he burned his tongue.

"Ah, the lovely voice of my son, how I love to hear it." Percy's mom, Sally, walked in the room, rolling her eyes. "These are for later!" she said, grabbing the cookie tray with oven mitts and placing it on top of the refrigerator. "How was your day?"

"Goobd" Percy mumbled through his hand as he attempted to keep the cookie crumbs in his mouth.

"Make any new friends?"

"No," Percy said, unconvincingly.

"Meet any girls?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Percy shook his head and grabbed another cookie before running upstairs to his room, pointing to his backpack and yelling "homework" over his shoulder.

Today had been a great day.